Defense...from an former Sooner player

[OUmillenium]

I received an email from one of my friends who played for Bud Wilkinson expressing his thoughts on the current state of OU football. I have only copied his thoughts on the defense and am keeping his name anonymous. Some of you might be able to figure out who he is...

3. NOW TO DEFENSE...my 'pet peeve'... and one I have harped on every time I've critiqued our team... Brent "Vulnerables" may be a wonderful guy... and a great 'assistant "D" coach'... but he IS NOT A GREAT DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR...

and since the ONLY way Bob Stoops will ever replace him... is if he gets a 'head coaching job somewhere'... (ala our getting rid of Chuck Long...and his following disaster as a head coach...and now he is the offensive coord at Kansas...who is getting hammered!) and in "Vulnerable's case" the fact that 'other schools are NOT hiring him'...which means HE HAS NOT IMPRESSED ANYONE THAT MUCH...we seem to be stuck with him...

And from my perspective... since Mike left...our defense has been so damn inconsistent it just bleeds... we cannot 'shut down' any decent offense...in the 4th quarter... we just seem to 'hang on'... if that...

But all during the Missouri game... our defense 'caught them'...instead of 'attacking them'... (just stood there and caught them...the entire game was played on 'our side of the line of scrimmage...'NOT THEIRS')...

how many times was 'their QB rushed or sacked'... I don't care who are the 'D-backs'... if a good QB has that much time... they cannot cover them!!...and he literally picked us apart!~!!

Tackling...does OU really 'know how to tackle'... it was appalling... their backs drug our tacklers like 'ticks on a dog'...

And do our coaches 'no longer teach our defense to wrap up when they tackle'... and NOT to just shoulder block the opposing runners... these backs are getting stronger and more powerful.. and now can just run through or bounce off shoulder blocks...

What a game plan our defense had...it looked like they did NOT really know 'how to even line-up at times'...much less solve Missouri's game plan... and when Mo. pulled their offside guard and tackle on runs...they steam-rolled us... our 'D-Line' was AWOL!!!

[Crucifax Autumn]

Dude uses more elipses than me and rus...combined!

[StoopTroup]

He makes some good points...I still find it hard to listen to someone bag on a Coach that they haven't played for as they see things the way they were Coached and have about as much inside info as most anyone who follows our Team. Bob likes Brent and there's not much I can do to change that. Guys like your friend only give folks who haven't got a clue a shoulder to cry on IMO. I do think he makes some valid criticisms that BV and Bob should try to do something about. We're a young Team and full of players that are learning BV's Coaching style. Not a lot of Seniors on our D. You can blame that on a Coach if you want but I know BV isn't gonna be gone unless something terrible was to happen to him. I think he's a decent Coach and somehow he was able to keep our guys fighting even though they were forced onto the field for 38+ minutes. Last Saturday.

As he says in his own words...all of this is from his perspective...I don't think it makes it impossible for our guys to win when our Offense is clicking. The game has changed considerably since some of our great players of the past were representing our School. I like shutouts as much as the next guy but we aren't that good and I just don't believe that it's all the Coaches fault. Our players and their intensity have something to do about it too IMO and I think your buddy expressed that as well.

[MoJoOkie]

I don't usually see old timers being so disparaging about people in general, much less their own team. Seems odd, like someone made it all up or something.

[StoopTroup]

There have been quite a few Flame-baiting threads on here since we lost and this one does scream "I heard it from a guy's Older Brother that is married to this gal that used to sleep with Leroy Selmon"....

[Iam4OUru]

I don't usually see old timers being so disparaging about people in general, much less their own team. Seems odd, like someone made it all up or something.

:pop:


Instead of continuously bashing our own coaching staff during hard times....why don't we consider givin' props to the opposing staff? Maybe that would make our own staff not look so inept. Just sayin'.

[Widescreen]

Tackling...does OU really 'know how to tackle'... it was appalling... their backs drug our tacklers like 'ticks on a dog'...

And do our coaches 'no longer teach our defense to wrap up when they tackle'... and NOT to just shoulder block the opposing runners... these backs are getting stronger and more powerful.. and now can just run through or bounce off shoulder blocks...

This is definitely a problem. We tried that against Texas and Cody Johnson had probably his longest run of the year. It also hurt us in one particular play last Saturday.

[StoopTroup]

:pop:


Instead of continuously bashing our own coaching staff during hard times....why don't we consider givin' props to the opposing staff? Maybe that would make our own staff not look so inept. Just sayin'.

Probably because a lot of folks don't believe they deserve it. I think they are on a good streak but I still don't believe they are as good as they think they are. I'll throw out more props once they leave Lincoln with a "W" in the win column.

[Iam4OUru]

Probably because a lot of folks don't believe they deserve it. I think they are on a good streak but I still don't believe they are as good as they think they are. I'll throw out more props once they leave Lincoln with a "W" in the win column.

I wasn't necessarily referrin' to Okie Lite. ;)

[Mississippi Sooner]

This team needs a good dose of Gomer Jones!

[StoopTroup]

I know I wasn't. They have their own problems between now and our Nov. trip to stoolwater.

[OUmillenium]

I don't usually see old timers being so disparaging about people in general, much less their own team. Seems odd, like someone made it all up or something.

It was made up...by the guy I quoted directly. Nice try failbot

[OUmillenium]

:pop:


Instead of continuously bashing our own coaching staff during hard times....why don't we consider givin' props to the opposing staff? Maybe that would make our own staff not look so inept. Just sayin'.

I bash them when we win if I see repeated mistakes that are scheme oriented versus simple "our players have to make plays" excuses.

[Iam4OUru]

I bash them when we win if I see repeated mistakes that are scheme oriented versus simple "our players have to make plays" excuses.

I agree totally. I was just sayin' that all loses are not the fault of OUr coaching staff.

[TahoeSOONER]

Other than the BV bashing I agree. You got to take it to offenses with empty backfields. PRESSURE! Don't sit and get picked apart. Wrap up when you tackle and our DLINE was absent or hobbling.

[agoo758]

If Brent Venables himself admitted to make a mistake, there would be people on here that would argue with him, and call him a "bandwagoner" :D

[En_Fuego]

Pee Wee Woods ?

[Jello Biafra]

hey heres the deal guys....


this team (on both sides of the ball) is young. there are not a whole lot of leaders yet and until that happens, we are going to play inconsistant...

what we need is travis lewis to get into some peeps *** out there or have pendelton smack some people around (which i dont see him doing)

no leader on defense equals coaches on the sidelines screaming at the top of thier lungs as opposed to a leader on defense telling everyone what is "likely" to be heading thier way...

offense. well, we dont have to say it. we know who the leaders on the team are. they havent gelled and until they are gelled, we will not be a potent offense.

[2121Sooner]

I received an email from one of my friends who played for Bud Wilkinson expressing his thoughts on the current state of OU football.

Where was the point of the email where he complains about the players being wussies for wearing facemasks and helmets not made of leather?

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

so is he complaining about venables or complaining about the position coaches not teaching tackling?

[IslandSooner]

BV has put some good defenses on the field since Mikey left. At some point, we as fans, need to move on and accept the fact that Mike Stoops will never be our Defensive Coordinator again. Yes, we have had some bad defensive performances, but we have also had some very good ones. With spread offense, the pistol, and other "hybrid" offensive schemes, and having the triple option on our schedule this year, we are going to have some blown assignments. And the number of blown assignments is going to be higher with a young team. But in the end, BV is still a very good defensive coordinator...IMO, FWIW....

[NormanPride]

Travis Lewis yelling at people would only erode his leadership, as he was the primary culprit re: swiss cheese defense. What he needs to do is own up and tell everyone that it won't happen again. Of course, I don't know if that will jive with his ego.

[TUSooner]

If Brent Venables himself admitted to make a mistake, there would be people on here that would argue with him, and call him a "bandwagoner" :D

It's only because so many people think it's unfair to hold BV responsible for everything that happens on the defense because he's merely the

assistant head coach

and

defensive coordinator.....

:O

The most telling thing is that nobody seems to want to hire BV away from OU. Is it the Peter Principle that says a person rises to the level of his incompetence (because as long as you are competent, you keep rising)? Pete, meet Brent?

[Jello Biafra]

Travis Lewis yelling at people would only erode his leadership, as he was the primary culprit re: swiss cheese defense. What he needs to do is own up and tell everyone that it won't happen again. Of course, I don't know if that will jive with his ego.

not say lewis per sey using him as an example....just someone like that. hell i dont care if its nelson or beal...someone has to step up and take a leadership role.

[BoulderSooner79]

We had a pretty darn good defense last year with the same DC. Losing McCoy to the NFL has obviously made us weaker in multiple ways and we're just not as good overall. But I hesitate to bag on the D too much unless they fail us with the offense is doing it's job. So far this year, the D has held up decently as long as the offense has been moving the chains and either scoring or at least flipping the field. The D only starts getting gashed after the offense goes dormant and the number of plays tilts to the other guy. Maybe its just a chicken and egg thing...

[SoonerLB]

He makes some very good points. I totally agree about the poor tackling, absence of pressure from the DL, and the game being played on our side of the ball. I also happen to believe that a good offense would take the pressure off of these guys, and the offensive performance last weekend left one **** of a lot to be desired! :(

[SoonerWarMachine#1]

Is it me or was there ever no more than 3 dudes in on any given tackle/attempted ball strip (whatever you want to categorize our tackling as) seems like we've lost that killer defensive attitude when we had half the defense blowing up the ball carrier on every play . . . Calmus, Lehman, Everage, Marshall, Harris, Strait, etc. I realize that was Mike's era, but it's not like BV wasn't there, just look at how Arizona plays D now . . . I see a propoderance of two dudes tackling and 3 dudes standing around