CFN's FSU 2011 Preview

[The Maestro]

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1080544.html

I think the encouraging things for an OU fan is that the somewhat overrated 'Noles will look like world beaters after two weeks. They open with Louisiana-Monroe and then Charleston Southern. They could win 70-0 each week and think they are gods gift to college football in preparation for their biggest home game in over a decade.

Secondly, they had four losses last year. In those games, they gave up 11 TD passes and had just one pick. So...in other words...their pass defense basically sucks.

And CFN says their best offensive player is a lineman. Sorry, this is college football. If you don't have a skill player better than a lineman, you have problems. I can't imagine Manuel making plays with his arm to beat us...I just look forward to this road game as much as I did Bama 8 years ago.

[pphilfran]

I think it will be a tough azz game...

[SoonerNomad]

This Seminole team will be better than that Bama team. I don't think they're national title contenders yet, but this is the second year with a new head coach and that has been a big year for several teams over the last 15 years including last year's Auburn team, Florida with Meyer, Ohio State with Tressel, Saban in Bama and of course, our own Bob Stoops in 2000. I really don't know what to expect from FSU, except they are talented and have a positive outlook. I look forward to the game because in order to win a national title OU has to continue to show improvement on the road and this will be a great test of that improvement And because I am going to be in the stadium. I am fired up.

And Maestro, I am coming to your neck of the woods tomorrow to spend the rest of the week at a conference in Scottsdale and it looks like it's going to be nasty hot (110+). Good thing it's a dry heat.

[NormanPride]

Fisher had been running that team for awhile, though. It's not like he's a brand new coach there.

[SoonerDood]

Don't they replace their entire Oline? How does that usually work out for teams?

[TheHumanAlphabet]

I think it will be a tough azz game...

Agreed. I wouldn't count on anything until after the scoreboard hits 00:00

[The Maestro]

And Maestro, I am coming to your neck of the woods tomorrow to spend the rest of the week at a conference in Scottsdale and it looks like it's going to be nasty hot (110+). Good thing it's a dry heat.

I recommend staying indoors...or in a pool. Or at a bar.

Or an indoor pool bar.

[BoulderSooner79]

Mark Stoops may be our biggest hurdle. He had installed a new D scheme last year and they were not ready for a O like ours yet. I wouldn't expect the same kind of breakdowns this year.

[SoonerNomad]

Don't they replace their entire Oline? How does that usually work out for teams?

That isn't exactly true. They lost their best offensive lineman and one other, but they return three starters, they have 112 combined starts on their offensive line and they will start three seniors. I believe their offensive line will probably be a strength.

[The Maestro]

FSU DB's have to prove they aren't all bark and no bite. They looked horrible against us last year. Expect a lot of Landry pump fakes.

[BoulderSooner79]

FSU DB's have to prove they aren't all bark and no bite. They looked horrible against us last year. Expect a lot of Landry pump fakes.

Agreed, but I still think part of the reason was the new scheme. They made mistakes and then got rattled into more mistake: cascade failure. They looked much better later in the year - especially in the bowl game. Not sayin' we can't burn them, just that I don't expect all the gifts.

[WE ARE dirtburglars]

This will be much tougher than the game in Norman last year...ej manuel is much better than ponder was. If we are gonna win this game our committee of running backs need to have a huge game

[WE ARE dirtburglars]

I mean that Manuel has the same arm but has great running ability...he came in with scrubs and threw a td pass against us...he scares me far more than ponder did

[JLEW1818]

Manuel makes me nervous

[SoonerDood]

I mean that Manuel has the same arm but has great running ability...he came in with scrubs and threw a td pass against us...he scares me far more than ponder did

he threw a TD pass on the last play of the game, after almost getting picked twice on that drive. Ponder was "NFL Ready" at the time and Manuel looked so much worse. No doubt, starting the last half of the season helped him tremendously.

[madillsoonerfan5353]

I mean that Manuel has the same arm but has great running ability...he came in with scrubs and threw a td pass against us...he scares me far more than ponder did

Yeah after about 5 missed tackles by OUr young d, and R.J. Washington just ran by him at the goal line when he could have pushed him out!

:gary: Manuel will get the same beat down as Ponder did last year. We just need a DT to step up and this game could get out of hand just like last year.

:gary:

[picasso]

We own them.;)

[The Maestro]

USC is to OU what OU is to FSU.

Just sayin'.

[yankee]

I don't get the Manuel hype.

[cccasooner2]

Manuel makes me nervous

Me too.

H-oH-TELcLE

[SoonerofAlabama]

FSU's four losses last year all came to bowl eligible games. Manuel played well when he needed to, but he already had the experience. The 11 TDs and 1 INT for their defense last season told me that they couldn't win the big games. Manuel has played in the bowl game and should be ready to play 0n Sept. 17. They don't play good teams before and could get themselves over-hyped. I do know that FSU players and fans have been itching for this game, but that doesn't speak to what they will do on the field. I am worried about their secondary, though. Mostly because of Greg Reid. EJ Manuel won't be as good as some have thought early on. Their receivers are good, but last year didn't get a chance to really show what they could do. That said this gaame could go down to the wire. We do play a team that is pretty good early on in Tulsa, but their defense should be terrible. I just hope that this year we get started off right. There were teams that we should have beaten badly, but we made mistakes. That happens with young defenses though. I see that we are moving in more guys but we should get it right with the bye week before we play FSU.

[yankee]

Greg Reid lol

[KantoSooner]

I see it as a line game:

If our OLine gives Landry time, he's got the arm and our receivers can get separation. If our pass game works, so does our running game. So we'll score points.

If our DTs can disrupt FSU's backfield, the rest of our D will restrict what FSU can do.

Not rocket science and I think we can do both.

[NormanPride]

It'll be tough, no doubt. Unless we completely outclass them talent-wise this game will be very hard to win. Big games are good for us, though. I want the best FSU has to offer so that we're stronger down the road when we have to win our conference.

I expect to win this game, but I do not expect to walk away without a battle.

[picasso]

Will Bobby Bowden be on the sideline wearing Nike goggle glasses?

[JLEW1818]

bobby bowden is a tool.. so is his son

[NormanPride]

Which one?

[The Maestro]

Will Bobby Bowden be on the sideline wearing Nike goggle glasses?

Bobby Bowden on the sidelines means he will do as much coaching as he did his last ten years at FSU.

As for fearing Greg Reid, he can work all off-season with Oklahoma on his mind. He better remember Ryan Broyles, too. Forward to just shy of the 1:00 minute mark to watch Reid's jock get left in the Owen Field grass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=382VD_Khc84

[mightysooner]

Not drinking the FSU kool-aid. They play a couple of teams I've never heard of before us and we have a bye week going in. We'll beat them by two TD's.

[goingoneight]

I don't get where it is we're so confident we'll own them so easily. Look no further than Texas Tech. We slaughter them at home, and **** happens everytime we go to Lubbock.
Location, Location, Location.

If aTm can beat us in Collie Station, FSU can do it on the other side of the country.

Also, I'm pretty sure if I were a betting man going into 2000, I wouldn't have dropped a single dime on OU's defense after watching the 1999 heartbreakers. This is a new season where they have us away from Norman, away from familiar territory even in BIG 12 country, they're returning a lot of a ten win team a year ago and they have revenge on their minds.

I remember people thinking if OUr 2009 team could murder aTm, then surely we'd win in College Station. I also remember us believing we were going to embarass Boise State and West Virginia, too. Tony Jefferson and his boys can talk all they want, as long as they back it up Torrance Marshall style, and not Larry Birdine style.

[BetterSoonerThanLater]

I mean that Manuel has the same arm but has great running ability...he came in with scrubs and threw a td pass against us...he scares me far more than ponder did

true, but it was mop up duty, and we had game planned for ponder. regardless, he is definately talented, and i hope we come in prepared.

Boomer

[JLEW1818]

Which one?

both

and yes i love the bye week before

[Fraggle145]

Bobby Bowden on the sidelines means he will do as much coaching as he did his last ten years at FSU.

As for fearing Greg Reid, he can work all off-season with Oklahoma on his mind. He better remember Ryan Broyles, too. Forward to just shy of the 1:00 minute mark to watch Reid's jock get left in the Owen Field grass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=382VD_Khc84

God that was an *** beating. I forgot just how bad we put it on em. And we still called off the dogs.

[agoo758]

All the talk surrounding this game is about FSU's offense. FSU has been solid on that side of the ball for a few years now. What has hurt them is their defense. If they don't get any better than they have been in the last few years (which has been out of the top 75 for the most part) they arn't gonna looking any better.