We will be under the radar next year

[soonercastor]

To start the season. Hopefully that leads to the the team being more focused.
We're also going to need a few guys to step up as leaders in the off-season.

[Curly Bill]

We won't be under the radar next season. We likely won't start out #1 again, but OU isn't gonna be under the radar. Instead we'll hear how we're gonna fix what's wrong, then we'll trot out the same coaching staff next year and this time next year we'll be having this discussion once again.

[SoonerorLater]

Under the radar would be great, it's under the bus I'm worried about. It's hard to see where the improvement in talent on defense is going to come from.

[htownsooner7]

Well, a lot of the media attention will depend on Landry coming back. I'm sure our backup isn't as good as Landry right now, but I'm ready to turn the page. His inexcusable errors have come up far too often over the last three years. He makes some great throws but he also has some terrible, game-changing blunders.

[possumfat]

It will be like a summer program rerun! SSDD

[MamaMia]

OU is NEVER under the radar. We are the most popular team to hate.

[soonercastor]

Obviously I'm speaking relatively compared to the past few years.
2008 we were very high
2009 High
2010 Didn't start very high but when the BCS came out the first week we were #1
2011 High

I expect to be on the back end of the top ten or even just outside of it.

[StoopTroup]

Under the radar would be great, it's under the bus I'm worried about. It's hard to see where the improvement in talent on defense is going to come from.


There's like 16 DB's returning. 3 of the DB's we have Schollies will open up minimum. Many of them coming back are 4 star recruits. Probably 7 DE's coming back leaving 2 Schollies Minimum open. We lose our Deep Snapper so that Schollie opens up....

What I'm getting at is even though some folks want to take a negative look at next year....if you start looking at the Roster and seeing just how many folks we lose that were contributors there are some players we will miss, some players that maybe won't come back (due to personal reasons, injury or maybe grades). There will be some that leave because they want PT and didn't get it at OU, There are just plenty of spots opening up and it might just make for a great recruiting class whether players are Freshman or Jucos.

Some Folks think everything is always the same but at the same time thought that Travis Lewis was the Greatest LB in Sooner History. I didn't. I thought the clear leader on Defense was Tom Wort and that Travis should have taken a back seat. He didn't and it hurt us on Defense this year. Tony Jefferson hopefully returns. A fantastic Player who most think could help be a leader in the secondary if Venables recruits a couple of good JUCO LBs and maybe at least one Freshman who is lights out fantastic.

There's plenty of change every year...you just have to be open to seeing it. If your expectations are to see us win a MNC....you might not find it but.....and I'll say this again.....Josh Heupel had folks shaking their heads after losing the Independence Bowl in 1999. The OU Defense couldn't stop Ole Miss' Fantastic RB Duece McCalister to save our lives...the next Season Mike Stoops and DC Brent Venables put together a defense that kills the next year.

You just never know what can happen. Sometimes it's bad right before you start turning heads in the 4th game of the Season and then beat fexas in a 63-14 shocker. Sometimes you even go on to win them all.

Don't think it can happen?

Will it did.

Hang in there.

[8timechamps]

There is going to be plenty to work on in the off season, but that's one benefit to going to even a crappy bowl...more practice time.

We are going to probably have the best receiving corp we've ever had in Norman, so that should lead to good things.

I don't think Oklahoma is ever under the radar. We certainly won't go in to the season ranked #1, but I consider that a good thing. Whoever wins the SEC bowl will most likely enter the season ranked #1, as they probably should.

[sooner59]

Next year we will either win the MNC or we won't. That is my lock of the week.

[SoonerInFortSmith]

Well, a lot of the media attention will depend on Landry coming back. I'm sure our backup isn't as good as Landry right now, but I'm ready to turn the page. His inexcusable errors have come up far too often over the last three years. He makes some great throws but he also has some terrible, game-changing blunders.

I don't see any way Landry goes pro this year. Just my opinion.

[MeMyself&Me]

Who's going to be our DC next year. That matters a whole lot more than where we are in relation to radar.

[Curly Bill]

Who's going to be our DC next year. That matters a whole lot more than where we are in relation to radar.

I think that matters more than anything else, more than who returns, who we recruit, where we start the season ranked, more than you name it...

[TXBOOMER]

I think that matters more than anything else, more than who returns, who we recruit, where we start the season ranked, more than you name it...

How many points would we have scored with a different DC Saturday night?

[Curly Bill]

How many points would we have scored with a different DC Saturday night?



Not enough to overcome how many we gave up which is sort of the problem here isn't it? And that doesn't even take into account the TT & BU games where our O did score, just at not at a fast enough pace to bail out our woeful D.

[swardboy]

The thought that some rival coach is looking at his 2012 schedule and doesn't see Oklahoma sticking out in 3-D HD somehow amuses me.

[Peeb]

The thought that some rival coach is looking at his 2012 schedule and doesn't see Oklahoma sticking out in 3-D HD somehow amuses me.Totally agree.

EVERY year EVERY team circles the crimson/cream team in bright red.

You would be a fool to do otherwise.

[soonervegas]

My guess is by June we will have a thread that says if A,B,C,D,E,F happen then we will bring home #8. Heck I think this thread already has some evidence of the foundation being laid.

[8timechamps]

Totally agree.

EVERY year EVERY team circles the crimson/cream team in bright red.

You would be a fool to do otherwise.

Yeah, something tells me that WVU and TCU aren't marking the OU game with a W just yet.

[8timechamps]

My guess is by June we will have a thread that says if A,B,C,D,E,F happen then we will bring home #8. Heck I think this thread already has some evidence of the foundation being laid.

I know you're not new here...how can you even question that it will exist?

[MeMyself&Me]

How many points would we have scored with a different DC Saturday night?

Saturday night was the first time in years that I was confounded by the OU OC gameplan. I've been resisting but I can call out at least one game and usually several per year that I can say that about the OU DC gameplan since Venables has taken over. I'm not resitting anymore. Time for him to go.

[85sooners]

Firem!!

[MeMyself&Me]

How many points would we have scored with a different DC Saturday night?


Saturday night was the first time in years that I was confounded by the OU OC gameplan. I've been resisting but I can call out at least one game and usually several per year that I can say that about the OU DC gameplan since Venables has taken over. I'm not resitting anymore. Time for him to go.

I'll add that the only thing that ever bothered me with Wilson was his inability to adjust during the game. Josh is so new and a Sooner homer, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for one bizarre game in his first year as OC. Venables... he's been here as at least co-dc since, what? 1999? And sole DC since December of 2003? Yeah, no benefit of the doubt left for me with Venables.

[IBleedCrimson]

So... we need to fire Brent Venables?

[Soonernut1963]

Who would you think won bedlam if we knew we would hold osu to 30? 30 is alot but is 2 tds under their avg. The defense hung tough for awhile with no help from the offense.

[Curly Bill]

Who would you think won bedlam if we knew we would hold osu to 30? 30 is alot but is 2 tds under their avg. The defense hung tough for awhile with no help from the offense.

We held OSU to 30? I'd have sworn they scored 44?!

[Soonernut1963]

Who would you think won bedlam if we knew we would hold osu to 30? 30 is alot but is 2 tds under their avg. The defense hung tough for awhile with no help from the offense.

We held OSU to 30? I'd have sworn they scored 44?!

We are talking about what the d gave up,Landry was responsible for 14 pts

[MeMyself&Me]

Who would you think won bedlam if we knew we would hold osu to 30? 30 is alot but is 2 tds under their avg. The defense hung tough for awhile with no help from the offense.

Again, I'm not ready to fire Venables for Bedlam. I'm ready to fire Venables for December 2003 through December 2011.

[Curly Bill]

We are talking about what the d gave up,Landry was responsible for 14 pts

So we only have to score more than the defense gives up? I'll be damn! I thought they got to count those points Landry gave up towards their total score???

[Soonernut1963]

I agree def has been lacking but our all world offense hasnt picked us up in those situations where we have struggled.

[Curly Bill]

Our defense hasn't struggled. It has flat out stunk it up. Our offense would sure as hell have to be all-world to cover for them.

[MeMyself&Me]

I agree def has been lacking but our all world offense hasnt picked us up in those situations where we have struggled.

Outside of Saturday night and 2009 where it was all about the offensive injuries, seems like every loss had way more to do with the points given up rather than the sports scored. I'm sure I'm forgetting a game or two but it's certainly way in the favor of the Defense has been sucking **** for years now.


Our defense hasn't struggled. It has flat out stunk it up. Our offense would sure as hell have to be all-world to cover for them.

This.

[Soonernut1963]

I was trying to be nice to our student athletes, but think our offense not having 5 straight 3 an outs against tech woulda made difference?

[TXBOOMER]

Not enough to overcome how many we gave up which is sort of the problem here isn't it? And that doesn't even take into account the TT & BU games where our O did score, just at not at a fast enough pace to bail out our woeful D.

The point is there are problems on both sides of the ball. I don't know of a coach that can make players improve 2 or 3 fold in one off season.

[Curly Bill]

The point is there are problems on both sides of the ball. I don't know of a coach that can make players improve 2 or 3 fold in one off season.

Nowhere have I stated we don't have problems on both sides of the ball. But recent history shows us that our bigger problems tend to be on the defensive side of the ball, and many of these problems are continual in nature indicating that there's something wrong that needs to be fixed.

[TXBOOMER]

Saturday night was the first time in years that I was confounded by the OU OC gameplan. I've been resisting but I can call out at least one game and usually several per year that I can say that about the OU DC gameplan since Venables has taken over. I'm not resitting anymore. Time for him to go.

Josh seemed to be doing great as QB coach. At this point in time we should be hiring proven Coordinators not letting a young assistant cut his teeth here. I am not saying Josh might not end up being great but we will suffer growing pains. I am no longer going defend BV.

[TXBOOMER]

Nowhere have I stated we don't have problems on both sides of the ball. But recent history shows us that our bigger problems tend to be on the defensive side of the ball, and many of these problems are continual in nature indicating that there's something wrong that needs to be fixed.

You won't catch me defending any coach on this staff again. Skolly management has really hurt. No way Baylor and OSU should shove OUr D Line around. Our front 7 minus Alexander and Ronnell are very very average.

[MamaMia]

BV is not getting any job offers and he is Coach Stoops friend, so unless either one of those things change, he ain't going anywhere.

[Curly Bill]

BV is not getting any job offers and he is Coach Stoops friend, so unless either one of those things change, he ain't going anywhere.

We all know that. On the bright side we know what to expect next season so we don't have to bother getting our hopes up. ;)

[MeMyself&Me]

Josh seemed to be doing great as QB coach. At this point in time we should be hiring proven Coordinators not letting a young assistant cut his teeth here. I am not saying Josh might not end up being great but we will suffer growing pains. I am no longer going defend BV.

I don't have a problem with giving Josh a chance. I'm not mad about the loss on Saturday night. Was expecting it given our injuries on both sides of the ball. I was surprised at the gameplan though.

This is not just about Saturday night. OU's defense has had games like OSU/Tech/Baylor every year since Venables became numeral uno on defense. OU may have a history of being known for their offense but OU was great because of their defense. OU will not have a great defense under Venables. Just not going to happen.

[MamaMia]

Josh seemed to be doing great as QB coach. At this point in time we should be hiring proven Coordinators not letting a young assistant cut his teeth here. I am not saying Josh might not end up being great but we will suffer growing pains. I am no longer going defend BV.Landry Jones and Josh Heupel were better together than they are apart but Josh is the OC now. Its not like Joe C., Stoops or the B of R can undo that.