I actually thought Heupel was good...

[soonercastor]

never panicked and stuck with the run even late in the game, in previous years I don't think we would have even had a shot there at the end. I don't understand all the bashing.

[SoonerKnight]

Me either!! Josh is fine!! At least he is creative with his calls! Better than run, run, pass.

[ccmike9]

People see dropped passes and bad throws and freak out. It's easier to see an offensive mistake than a defensive one. 38 Wins us every game this year if our defense is even mediocre, imho

[Tulsa_Fireman]

never panicked and stuck with the run even late in the game, in previous years I don't think we would have even had a shot there at the end. I don't understand all the bashing.

Not to mention it was the right thing to do.

Landry's got machine gun feet, receivers couldn't catch the clap in a chinese whorehouse, and the defense is lost. You gotta start somewhere to get your rhythm and settle your squad, and stuffing the rock a few times to build a high percentage play pass makes a TON of sense.

It's a good example of what he brings. Hard to complain about the OC booth tonight.

[TrophyCollector]

Offense was 2000 times better than D. Wait, so was a luke warm, half mushy dog turd. Offense was ok, good enough to win.

[mightysooner]

Josh hasn't surpassed k-dub in his play calling yet. Not even close. He's actually taken half of the hurry up out of our hurry offense in terms of speed and he's gotten rid of the TE's and the FB's entirely in spite of their big play ability (as well as the diamond formation). I have mixed thoughts about Josh so far. Not impressed.

[BoulderSooner79]

Ok, I'll bite. I thought continuing to run in the 2nd half was futile given the score. And when we did, it seemed to result in yet another 3 and out which was killing the defense. The defense would have looked a lot better if they had more chance to sit on the bench while the offense moved the chains a few times per drive. But I didn't really want to give up on the run, it's just we had already proved we were ineffective without Whaley by halftime. What I really wanted to see was Brandon Williams. I know the coaches don't fully trust him yet, but outside that one highlight run by Finch, the Clay/Finch tandem wasn't cutting it. It was time to take some risks at that point.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Offense was 2000 times better than D. Wait, so was a luke warm, half mushy dog turd. Offense was ok, good enough to win.

And with a couple fewer dropped passes and a cooler Landry, it looks even better. We'll never know, but change a few key offensive miscues and the difference in the first half isn't NEARLY as stark, if it's a difference at all.

One thing I'd like to know that can't be seen from the TV coverage is what Tech threw in the deep third the times Landry flushed from the pocket and/or ran. Whether those truly were coverage forced or if the pressure of playing catch-up was forcing Jones to miss reads.

[SoonerKnight]

He needs to use the TE's definately. FB at the Red Zone! The diamond was originally designed to improve the running game for a spread offense!

[TrophyCollector]

Josh hasn't surpassed k-dub in his play calling yet. Not even close. He's actually taken half of the hurry up out of our hurry offense in terms of speed and he's gotten rid of the TE's and the FB's entirely in spite of their big play ability (as well as the diamond formation). I have mixed thoughts about Josh so far. Not impressed.

I'm pretty sure Hanna and Millard caught TD passes tonight. Just sayin.

[mightysooner]

I thought Finch was the only true spark we had on offense. He played well and his energy was far above and beyond anybody else on the offense. He was the only player that showed up to play IMO.

[mightysooner]

I'm pretty sure Hanna and Millard caught TD passes tonight. Just sayin.

True. But I'm talking year long. Hanna and Millard, both of which we were promised would be more prevalent this year, haven't been a tool of our offense until now. They DID score tonight........the only night they were thrown too all season long.

[BoulderSooner79]

Offense was 2000 times better than D. Wait, so was a luke warm, half mushy dog turd. Offense was ok, good enough to win.

Wrong. The offense put up 7 points in the first half and the entire 2nd half was scrambling to get close enough to make a win possible. Too little too late and the final score was extremely deceptive of the offense really played. Had they scored even 14 in the first half, it's a completely different game. And after a full half-time to get fired up and make adjustments what did they do in the first series down 24-7? three and out. This was a team effort - the offense did not play well enough to win.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

But was that on Heupel or the brazillion dropped balls?

I say it's on the brazilian balls.

[mightysooner]

Offense scored 38 at home. That's more than enough to win I don't care if you're down 21-0 at the half. Defense was pathetic.....again. PATHETIC.

[soonercastor]

I say it's on the brazilian balls.

http://separi.wippiespace.com/img/conan-rofl.gif

[BoulderSooner79]

Offense scored 38 at home. That's more than enough to win I don't care if you're down 21-0 at the half. Defense was pathetic.....again. PATHETIC.

It matters when you get the points. Many of those 38 points came when there was very little chance to win and not when they were needed to keep the game competitive. But worst than the lack of points, the lack of first downs to give the D a rest was critical. Our team is an offense-based team and our defense looks pretty good when the offense is clicking and keeping pressure on the opposing offense to score to keep up. The offense didn't do it's job - especially considering TT does not have a good defense.

[SoonerKnight]

But was that on Heupel or the brazillion dropped balls?

I say it's on the brazilian balls.

You have Brazillian Balls?

[soonercastor]

You have Brazillian Balls?

shaven to perfection :D

[BoulderSooner79]

shaven to perfection :D

Needs to be ripped out by the roots with wax, or they're not authentic Brazilian.

[btb916]

especially considering TT does not have a good defense.

This is an understatement.

[thecrimsoncrusader]

Texas Tech doesn't have a good defense, but they do have a very good pass defense. They were only giving up 177 passing yards per game and what Oklahoma needed to do well earlier on was run the ball well and that went by the wayside with Whaley being out for the game and the coaching staff wasting time with Brennan Clay, which always means punting on that series when he is in. They should have gone with Finch and Williams and forget about Clay.

[picasso]

never panicked and stuck with the run even late in the game, in previous years I don't think we would have even had a shot there at the end. I don't understand all the bashing.
Stuck with the run? He abandoned it early.

[JiminyChristmas]

All you need to know is - 5 straight 3 & outs in the first half - not good.

[MichiganSooner]

Josh is doing fine. I question the sets that OU uses sometimes as I feel they are too predictable. Talking about Landry in the shotgun with 1 running back or no running back.
Hey defense, it's a pass. And close to the endzone, Landry under center with 2 running backs and 2 tight ends. Hey, it's a run up the middle.

[agoo758]

Josh did his job. Unfortunately he can't control dropped balls and missed throws. Excuse me while I puke.

[delhalew]

Josh apparently can't make young men play with pride. Apparently, that is difficult. You see it all the time.

His plan may have worked if Finch wasn't the only one that was giving his all.

[Breadburner]

The O could have helped the D by sustaining some drives 5 of 17 on 3rd down aint gonna cut it.....Not to mention turning the ball over deep.....Plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the ball....A perfect storm for Tech so to speak....They took advantage of it.....!

[MikeInNorman]

This thread cracks me up.

If Chuck Long had called that game last night, you guys would have a moving van parked in front of his house.

Huepel has taken an offense which most considered before the season would be better than 2010 and made it worse. I would venture to say that we have had more 3 and outs this year than we had in the entire season last year. We had many 3 and outs last week against the statistically worst defense in the country, and 5 in a row when Tech was kicking our D all over the field and it was CRITICAL for the offense to show any sign of life. Against the 96th ranked defense in the country. They did not.

I think the honeymoon is over, and we should now judge Heupel as a coordinator, rather than giving him a pass because he is a Sooner legend.

[usmc-sooner]

Heupel's play calling has been up and down. But I'm going to give him more than half a season before I pass judgement on him. He did bring us back from 24 down and 17 down in the second half. We had just 40 yards and no 1st downs in the second quarter. I think 38 should win every time in Norman. Unless you have Vulnerables giving 600 yards and 41 points.

[Peach Fuzz]

What got me was that 4th quarter 3 n out inside our own 20... that possession cost us the game... horrible play calling on that and a few others... Yes, it indeed was horrible.

[Okie35]

Wrong. The offense put up 7 points in the first half and the entire 2nd half was scrambling to get close enough to make a win possible. Too little too late and the final score was extremely deceptive of the offense really played. Had they scored even 14 in the first half, it's a completely different game. And after a full half-time to get fired up and make adjustments what did they do in the first series down 24-7? three and out. This was a team effort - the offense did not play well enough to win.

The defense didn't help. I'm sorry but if you score 38 points offensively you should win just about every game. Especially if your defense only gives up around 15 points a game.

[Okie35]

What got me was that 4th quarter 3 n out inside our own 20... that possession cost us the game... horrible play calling on that and a few others... Yes, it indeed was horrible.

I think it was more so execution. That one play to Millard wasn't a bad call at all. The offensive line was just terrible. The offensive line is soft in the redzone.

[BoulderSooner79]

The defense didn't help. I'm sorry but if you score 38 points offensively you should win just about every game. Especially if your defense only gives up around 15 points a game.

If a team gets behind 41-0 and then the other team lets you score 38 knowing you'll run out of time to get any more, then the offense didn't do it's job and you'll lose every game that plays out that way. That's an exaggeration, but not by much. We got behind 31-7 midway in the 3rd. Our team was ranked high based on a high powered offense and an experienced QB; not on a stout defense. If the defense is on it's heels, it up to the offense to counterpunch and keep the game competitive - especially if the offense is the strength of the team as it is in our case. It's human nature to want what you don't have, but OU does not have a elite defense. It's more capable than what showed last night, but the team was only going to go as far as LJ and the offense could take them. That proved to not be enough last night.

[Lott's Bandana]

I'm going to elaborate on what has been mentioned and was extremely destructive last night, especially in the first half.


We didn't drop passes on 1st and 10 very often. The dropped balls were in crucial situations, on 3rd down and often would have resulted in first downs.
Jaz had a ball go through his hands in the end zone at the end of the game, leading to another missed FG.

[hvhurricane]

This thread cracks me up.

If Chuck Long had called that game last night, you guys would have a moving van parked in front of his house.

Huepel has taken an offense which most considered before the season would be better than 2010 and made it worse. I would venture to say that we have had more 3 and outs this year than we had in the entire season last year. We had many 3 and outs last week against the statistically worst defense in the country, and 5 in a row when Tech was kicking our D all over the field and it was CRITICAL for the offense to show any sign of life. Against the 96th ranked defense in the country. They did not.

I think the honeymoon is over, and we should now judge Heupel as a coordinator, rather than giving him a pass because he is a Sooner legend.


I completely agree. If there had been any other person as the OC this year, people would be lining up at their house with a For Sale Sign. He has taken one of the most potent hurry up offenses in the country and made it a middle of the road Big 12 offense.

[tulsaoilerfan]

I'm going to elaborate on what has been mentioned and was extremely destructive last night, especially in the first half.


We didn't drop passes on 1st and 10 very often. The dropped balls were in crucial situations, on 3rd down and often would have resulted in first downs.
Jaz had a ball go through his hands in the end zone at the end of the game, leading to another missed FG.

That was pretty much an impossible catch to make unless your a Randy Moss type; it was a bullet and a little too high

[btb916]

There have been a lot more growing pains this season than I expected offensively. That's been a combination of player execution and coaching I think. Heupel will get better.