Article questions our talent level...

[PDXsooner]

http://www.draftboardinsider.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?action=display&id=489&title=What%27s%20wrong%20in%20Norman%3F

This is interesting. Makes me wonder about all the recruiting lists and rankings and all that BS

[kevpks]

This might be changing. We seem to be going after more JUCOs than usual this year. I think that is a smart move. We might not find superstars, but instant depth would be nice, especially on defense.

[En_Fuego]

http://www.draftboardinsider.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?action=display&id=489&title=What%27s%20wrong%20in%20Norman%3F

This is interesting. Makes me wonder about all the recruiting lists and rankings and all that BS

He lost all credibility with the T-Lew statement........Bahhawwwwawwwwawww

[okiedokie]

http://www.draftboardinsider.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?action=display&id=489&title=What%27s%20wrong%20in%20Norman%3F

This is interesting. Makes me wonder about all the recruiting lists and rankings and all that BS

I liked what the article says but I believe we have more defensive stars than he thinks...

[Collier11]

alot of people who follow this stuff have said that our talent isnt as good as some ppl think at certain positions

[8timechamps]

Talent evaluation is so subjective that I lend the author little credibility to begin with, but then the comment about Travis Lewis is laughable. Not so much his high regard for Lewis, just that he picks him as the only starter that could play for LSU. Huh?

These (the media) are the same bunch that had us ranked in the top three prior to Tech, and the injury bug. I like Landry, and I support the kid wholeheartedly, but I haven't been sold on his "all world" status...ever. There is an element of Landry's game that is "off" to me. I can't pinpoint it, but it's something that Bradford had, Jason White had. Landry has all the skills, and is capable of winning a national title, I just never feel any intensity when he's on the field. Then again, it really doesn't matter what I think.

[NYC Poke]

Talent levels will go up and down. Sometimes dudes with awesome potential just don't work out, for whatever reason, and sometimes dudes that nobody noticed work hard or mature physically and become studs. I seemed to possess some attributes of success when I was 17, and look what happened to me!


Recruiting is an educated guess. All you can do is go after the best that you see and provide them with the environment to develop. OU does that year in and year out.

OU had a lot of talent this year, but it may not have been the best squad y'all have fielded. Injuries played a big part in that. Performing "up to expectations" is an exercise I'd rather not get into. We all think we have studs on our teams, then they get to the combine and Kiper tells us they're crap, and then a 6th rounder becomes a HOFer for the Pats.

[8timechamps]

Recruiting is an educated guess.

This is the bottom line.

[LiveLaughLove]

Yeah, not interested in recruiting, but am interested in progression from one year to the next.

Do the players improve? Seems for the most part they do. At least those that want to do so.

Our problem isn't talent I don't think. We had more than Baylor and Tech for sure.

[Boomer.....]

I hope we aren't turning into Texas. Mack has trouble evaluating and developing players yet he has the pick of the litter. Stoops has access to his fair share of players,but lately doesn't seem to be getting their full potential out of them. Something needs to change fast.

[JLMSOONER]

Well, let's be honest. I've supported Landry and he has the tools. But, he us scared to death of taking a hit. It has always been obvious, but nevermore obvious than when the pokes came in and *ss raped us. He was scared, confused and downright looked like a guy with a serial killer on his trail. I think he has the knowledge a d skills to be a good QB. However he needs to get in there and take a shot. Do a belldozer. Do something. Don't just stand there and lol like someone stole your prom date. I mean Sam didn't like getting hit but sh*t, if a hit came he took it. Man up!!!! By the same token if Landry puts 30 or more points on the board, then he should expect TLew and the D to stand up and make some plays. We had high expectations this year so the year was a let down. But, we'll be back. BOOMER!!!!

[SoonerKnight]

Not the best article in the world! First, we have a lot of players that would play for LSU. We also have speed. Our offensive no huddle plan may be the key to all of this. We put the D on the field a lot. Earlier in the year we were laughing at saxet because of how young they say their team is. When you look behind the curtain I see a very young OU team. As someone pointed out younger than saxet!!

[SoonerSpock]

The interesting aspect of the writer's perspective is his comment about the absence of speed on the Sooners part. I cannot dispute the accuracy of his statement but using the available data to determine the speed of players at LSU, Alabama and OU would indicate that OU has as many players with outstanding speed as do the tigers and the tide.

Using Rivals and Scout's rating of team speed for the recruiting years 2009-2012 would indicate that Alabama has signed or has committed 34 players than ran a 4.5 or better coming out of high school. LSU has signed 36 speed players and OU 42.

Again using the posted speeds of OU players either starting or playing major minutes OU has 10 players (Hurst, Colvin, Harris, T. Lewis, R. Lewis, Wort, Jefferson, Nelson, Ibiloye and Bird) on defense and getting major minutes that ran a 4.5 or better as H.S. seniors. On offense has 9 players (Reynolds, Broyles Stills, Miller, Franks, Whaley, Hanna, Finch and Millard) all were reported to run a 4.5 or better. Six of the players recorded 4.4s or better. That is a total of 19 contributing players with speed.

We know that reported speeds are inaccurate at best. However there is no reason to suspect that the reported times for OU players is any more inaccurate than of the times of LSU and Alabama players.

Another variable regarding the speed of players is their development and/or retention of speed once on campus. In OU's case that is Schmitty's responsibility and if OU players are not keeping their speed comparably to the SEC schools than he must be held responsible. Who knows what the real truth is.

[BoulderSooner79]

I agree with this article in general. I wouldn't have used T. Lewis as an example and I would have more names: Alexander, R.Lewis, Flemming. But when I watch the SEC biggies (LSU, Bama this year), the biggest difference I see compared to OU is talent across the board. I think Stoops & staff do pretty well with who they have, but they don't matchup with SEC elites - especially in the trenches. The last time we did was in '08 when 4 of our starters eventually went in the first round. I don't know if we have a recruiting problem or a development problem or if it's just a random walk probability thing. It could also be that Norman is not the draw that fans would like to believe.

[NYC Poke]

Typical Sooners team matches up well with a typical SEC team. Don't buy the hype.

[kenth68]

The talent is there. Some needs to be developed more, instead of letting certain areas slip by while focusing on running practice mainly with the "stars". LSU has its stars, but injuries/suspensions don't affect them much because they're developed deep into the roster. Their players can pick up where the others left off. And their attitude; they come out ready to prove their record. This season, especially the games they have traditionally won, they came out as if they felt all they had to do was show up and go through the motions. That sort of attitude can be squelched by coaches.

[BoulderSooner79]

I'll make it clear I'm just talking about this year when I reference LSU and Bama. Everyone is hanging off their jocks now but both of their fan bases were mad as hell last year. LSU fans wanted Jefferson benched. Bama was an absolute pre-season lock to run the table and they ended up losing 3 games - sound familiar? But I sill don't think that OU has had the talent to match up with the very elite squads since '08 - still very good, but not top of top. I don't think that's enough to even say it's a trend - could just be the luck of how players panned out vs. projections.

[Flagstaffsooner]

When I watch Jones play as I scout him for the NFL, the player I keep coming back to is Jake Plummer.

Ouch!

[NYC Poke]

I'll make it clear I'm just talking about this year when I reference LSU and Bama. Everyone is hanging off their jocks now but both of their fan bases were mad as hell last year. LSU fans wanted Jefferson benched. Bama was an absolute pre-season lock to run the table and they ended up losing 3 games - sound familiar? But I sill don't think that OU has had the talent to match up with the very elite squads since '08 - still very good, but not top of top. I don't think that's enough to even say it's a trend - could just be the luck of how players panned out vs. projections.

A 6-6 team from the Big XII gave the 3rd best team in the Mighty SEC all they could handle. I suspect Bama and LSU could be beaten.

[SicEmBaylor]

A 6-6 team from the Big XII gave the 3rd best team in the Mighty SEC all they could handle. I suspect Bama and LSU could be beaten.
Unfortunately, we'll never know. The Incest Bowl is keepin' it in the SEC family.

[BoulderSooner79]

A 6-6 team from the Big XII gave the 3rd best team in the Mighty SEC all they could handle. I suspect Bama and LSU could be beaten.

No doubt - any team can be beaten. Those 2 would just be favored. I posted somewhere that the SEC was overrated outside the top 2 including Arkie. So what if they came back from a 1st half deficit to beat aTm, didn't everybody? :)

[LSUdeek]

Travis Lewis might play for LSU but that's because our linebacking corps is the worst unit on the field. Alexander could not play for LSU. We had plenty of time to evaluate the kid. He's out of BR.

EDIT: On offense, I'm sure that there's a lineman or two who are better than what LSU runs out. We'd take Broyles, of course, and I think Landry is a better QB than Lee or Jefferson. That's about it.

[StoopTroup]

Travis Lewis might play for LSU but that's because our linebacking corps is the worst unit on the field. Alexander could not play for LSU. We had plenty of time to evaluate the kid. He's out of BR.

EDIT: On offense, I'm sure that there's a lineman or two who are better than what LSU runs out. We'd take Broyles, of course, and I think Landry is a better QB than Lee or Jefferson. That's about it.

Good to see you posting.

[LSUdeek]

http://www.brianchalfin.com/images/jokerserious.jpg

[BoulderSooner79]

Travis Lewis might play for LSU but that's because our linebacking corps is the worst unit on the field. Alexander could not play for LSU. We had plenty of time to evaluate the kid. He's out of BR.

EDIT: On offense, I'm sure that there's a lineman or two who are better than what LSU runs out. We'd take Broyles, of course, and I think Landry is a better QB than Lee or Jefferson. That's about it.

You clearly didn't watch Alexander much this year. Guy was a beast and consistent and so far removed from any evaluation in HS to be irrelevant.

[Tear Down This Wall]

I hope we aren't turning into Texas. Mack has trouble evaluating and developing players yet he has the pick of the litter. Stoops has access to his fair share of players,but lately doesn't seem to be getting their full potential out of them. Something needs to change fast.

This is my fear, and I think it's already happening. It's even scarier to think that maybe John Blake did build the base of the only team Stoops will win national title with when it's all said and done.

Anyway, the article mentions a huge sore spot for me - what the Sam Hill blazes is happening at running back?

2011 - Brandon Williams - 5 stars
2010 - Brennan Clay - 4 stars
2010 - Roy Finch - 4 stars
2009 - Jonathon Miller - 4 stars
2008 - Jermie Calhoun - 5 stars
2008 - Justin Johnson - 4 stars

That's six backs rated 4 or 5-star...and not one of them could beat out a walk-on? And, when the walk-on is injured, we have to totally give up on the run game?

Not even one of these guys could develop into an every down back? Not one in six over four recruiting classes? Is our coaching staff really as good as we're continually led to believe?

If you think that's depressing, go back and look over the names of some of the defensive ends we've signed over the last five classes. It's like, 'Huh...who's that...never heard of 'em.' So, when we have an injury at defensive end, same story at running back...no one can fill in.

The guy is dead on about LSU and Alabama. Sadly, he just is. LSU proved it by benching three starters after they were arrested during the season, and they still kept up the pace with backups.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I'll make it clear I'm just talking about this year when I reference LSU and Bama. Everyone is hanging off their jocks now but both of their fan bases were mad as hell last year. LSU fans wanted Jefferson benched. Bama was an absolute pre-season lock to run the table and they ended up losing 3 games - sound familiar? But I sill don't think that OU has had the talent to match up with the very elite squads since '08 - still very good, but not top of top. I don't think that's enough to even say it's a trend - could just be the luck of how players panned out vs. projections.WELL SAID! I'm thinking we had an entitlement attitude this year, and that is on the coaching staff. That, and not having backup guys up to speed with their preparedness.

[LostCreekSooner]

Steroid use in the SEC compared to Big-12???

[SoonernAR]

WELL SAID! I'm thinking we had an entitlement attitude this year, and that is on the coaching staff. That, and not having backup guys up to speed with their preparedness.

It's been more than just this year.

[marfacowboy]

I think the article makes an important point about speed. Lewis is the only one that could start for Bama or LSU. They've got a bunch of guys like that. They're bigger and a lot faster than guys like Wort. I like the guy's instincts and love for the game, but he's not in the same league as Hightower or Upshaw. Then again, this year, few teams have guys like that except for LSU.

[NormanPride]

Travis wouldn't sniff the field for LSU or Bama. He can't shed a blocker to save his life and he's too small for their defenses. Frank and Ronnell, though, would start. They are both fantastic player and have proved as much against the best.

[SoonerorLater]

This is my fear, and I think it's already happening. It's even scarier to think that maybe John Blake did build the base of the only team Stoops will win national title with when it's all said and done.

Anyway, the article mentions a huge sore spot for me - what the Sam Hill blazes is happening at running back?

2011 - Brandon Williams - 5 stars
2010 - Brennan Clay - 4 stars
2010 - Roy Finch - 4 stars
2009 - Jonathon Miller - 4 stars
2008 - Jermie Calhoun - 5 stars
2008 - Justin Johnson - 4 stars

That's six backs rated 4 or 5-star...and not one of them could beat out a walk-on? And, when the walk-on is injured, we have to totally give up on the run game?

Not even one of these guys could develop into an every down back? Not one in six over four recruiting classes? Is our coaching staff really as good as we're continually led to believe?

If you think that's depressing, go back and look over the names of some of the defensive ends we've signed over the last five classes. It's like, 'Huh...who's that...never heard of 'em.' So, when we have an injury at defensive end, same story at running back...no one can fill in.

The guy is dead on about LSU and Alabama. Sadly, he just is. LSU proved it by benching three starters after they were arrested during the season, and they still kept up the pace with backups.

As for the running backs that is a pretty long 4-5 star list to think they are all washouts or underachievers. Even Demarco Murray other than his first year looked like a good but
not great running back. Most of us thought he never quite returned 100% from his injury. Now the guy looks like an All-Pro in the NFL. At some point you have to start questioning the guys up front or
the ability of the coaching staff to develop good run blocking.

[soonercoop1]

The fact that OU has to go after JUCOs right now should tell you our talent level is way down...scary since we pay someone $5-6 million a year to make sure OU doesn't have a talent problem....

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

The fact that OU has to go after JUCOs right now should tell you our talent level is way down...scary since we pay someone $5-6 million a year to make sure OU doesn't have a talent problem....It's certainly possible that OU has acquired a rep for not being able to go all the way. I'm sure the opposing coaches try to convey that image to the recruits. It would have helped a lot, if we could have beated the FU's back in '08, but we might have to overcome that charge of being unable to finish from all the other bigtime college programs.

It would also help a lot if we had a larger in-state talent pool, but we can't change that, of course. The battering we took from orange aggy could cost us a fence-sitting recruit or two.

[badger]

We got unlucky this year with injuries, a Baylor Heisman, a big huge lightning storm before a crappy opponent and some conference rescheduling that led to OSU having us at home again with their most talented team ever.

We'll be back next year. Baylor's Heisman will not, nor will OSU's talent, nor will a big huge lightning storm before the Tech game.

[BoulderSooner79]

Williams=freshman, fumbler, now with neck injury and may have quit the team
...


Where did you get this info about B.Williams quitting? First I've seen of it.

But yes, a lot of player quitting at that position. We jump all over the players and say "good riddance" when it happens, but at some point you have to look at the program and see if something is broken.

[meoveryouxinfinity]

we're up **** creek next year if we don't have Landry... just IMO

What we really need is a bigger commitment to running the ball.

[StoopTroup]

Curt Popejoy....Erin Andrews is a personal friend of his....lol

http://draftboardinsider.com/images/Popejoy_Curt.jpg

https://plus.google.com/108833249569199497664/posts

[CU Sooner]

we're up **** creek next year if we don't have Landry... just IMO

What we really need is a bigger commitment to running the ball.

Agreed. This year we turned completely back into a spread team. No more lining up under center and running out of the I, most of it out of the pistol or shotgun. THis is my problem with the team this year is that we don't line up and punch people in the mouth, were a finesse team now.

[LSUdeek]

You clearly didn't watch Alexander much this year. Guy was a beast and consistent and so far removed from any evaluation in HS to be irrelevant.

Sam Montgomery is a 1st team All American, I guess I'd take him across from Sam considering he won Big XII defensive player of the year :)

[StoopTroup]

Where did you get this info about B.Williams quitting? First I've seen of it.

But yes, a lot of player quitting at that position. We jump all over the players and say "good riddance" when it happens, but at some point you have to look at the program and see if something is broken.

Now come on....if a kid has a neck injury, I don't see a lot of folks saying good riddance.

Good Riddance comes with these guys that aren't happy here whether it's PT or position played....maybe they just want to be at a school closer to Home.....

Those guys do get a bit of the cold shoulder and even if it's not right to give it....some folks are gonna do it anyway if they think he quit on the Team.

[BoulderSooner79]

Now come on....if a kid has a neck injury, I don't see a lot of folks saying good riddance.

Good Riddance comes with these guys that aren't happy here whether it's PT or position played....maybe they just want to be at a school closer to Home.....

Those guys do get a bit of the cold shoulder and even if it's not right to give it....some folks are gonna do it anyway if they think he quit on the Team.

Just about any player that quits the team gets a few "good riddance" or "we'll win without him" threads. First reaction is to put it on the player and perhaps rightly so. I've just saying if there gets to be a trend beyond typical, might be a good idea to look at the position coach or the types of guys recruited or some other systemic problem. (I still hope this "rumor" is just that).

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

This is my fear, and I think it's already happening. It's even scarier to think that maybe John Blake did build the base of the only team Stoops will win national title with when it's all said and done.

Anyway, the article mentions a huge sore spot for me - what the Sam Hill blazes is happening at running back?

2011 - Brandon Williams - 5 stars
2010 - Brennan Clay - 4 stars
2010 - Roy Finch - 4 stars
2009 - Jonathon Miller - 4 stars
2008 - Jermie Calhoun - 5 stars
2008 - Justin Johnson - 4 stars

That's six backs rated 4 or 5-star...and not one of them could beat out a walk-on? And, when the walk-on is injured, we have to totally give up on the run game?

Not even one of these guys could develop into an every down back? Not one in six over four recruiting classes? Is our coaching staff really as good as we're continually led to believe?

If you think that's depressing, go back and look over the names of some of the defensive ends we've signed over the last five classes. It's like, 'Huh...who's that...never heard of 'em.' So, when we have an injury at defensive end, same story at running back...no one can fill in.

The guy is dead on about LSU and Alabama. Sadly, he just is. LSU proved it by benching three starters after they were arrested during the season, and they still kept up the pace with backups.

Running back is one of the positions where the star people tend to miss quite a bit (DE is another). WR tends to be the most accurate most likely because athleticism dominates. We know from Miller's dad that Gundy jerked him around in fall practice which is why he left. He took most of the reps with the 1's the week before the game and then they played Whaley and Finch instead only putting him in in scrub time. The fact that Gundy is a poor communicator isn't much of a surprise to any of us who had him in our classes, but that is beyond reprehensible. I said the first time I saw calhoun in a game that he'd never play significant minutes here, he had no vision. Clay just seems a step slow for the college game, this could be injury or he may never get it back.

So 3 hits (one handled poorly) and 2 misses (1 of which still provides solid minutes) and 1 pulled out of thin air for 4/6. 60% is the max edge for attrition that we can handle at any position so Gundy at this point is at the mendoza line. For some comparisons we have Chuck Long at 16%, Mangino at 40%, and Mike Stoops at 45%.

[BoulderSooner79]

...
So 3 hits (one handled poorly) and 2 misses (1 of which still provides solid minutes) and 1 pulled out of thin air for 4/6. 60% is the max edge for attrition that we can handle at any position so Gundy at this point is at the mendoza line. For some comparisons we have Chuck Long at 16%, Mangino at 40%, and Mike Stoops at 45%.

And if the B. Williams rumor is true? Also, the 1 pulled out of thin air was a case of the player being developed by another school/coach and then wanting to come to OU. Where do you place the credit?

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

And if the B. Williams rumor is true? Also, the 1 pulled out of thin air was a case of the player being developed by another school/coach and then wanting to come to OU. Where do you place the credit?

You place it with the coach that didn't have the ego to sideline the kid for kids he'd recruited. Remember that Andre Woolfolk ONLY got an offer (his other offer was to a directional school) to get his high school teammate as they were a "package deal". His teammate then went to Texas. Sometimes you get lucky.

If the B. Williams rumors are true then Cale is having some issues. Whether they are temporary or permanent remains to be seen, but as you can see, all it takes is a coach having a bad 2-3 months and we can be in dire straits at a position.

[NormanPride]

Yeah, Gundy's been good at RB. DE with BJW has also been consistent. Until recently we always had at least one great DT with Shipp. We need either Jordan Wade or Jordan Phillips to hit, otherwise we're going to have a big hole there after next year. Norvell is bringing in at least one guy a class who can play at a high level. When they're four year guys like we've had, that's a pretty good clip considering the others aren't bad, just not elite. OL recruiting hasn't been bad, but hasn't been good either. Patton needs to go.

We've had too much turnover in the secondary to have any kind of cohesive unit there. I think Martinez gets another year to bring in a good safety or two before he gets the boot. We have yet to see if any of his corners can play, too... Pretty much any position where coaches have changed you can expect a year or two of bad recruiting. Of course the core of our D, the linebackers, are terrible. I feel bad for the guys, because it really doesn't look like Venables is even coaching them, either. Their fundamentals are awful.

[ouleaf]

I too look forward to the day we move on from Landry. He has been a good QB for the program, but if there was ever an argument for someone being a product of a system, it is him. He has been helped by having great weapons to throw/hand-off to his whole career and put up record breaking numbers because of it. However he has crumbled under pressure far more than he's been clutch.

[Landthief 1972]

IMHO, Stoops relies too much on recruiting "athletes" rather than position players. This leads to us moving TEs to O-line, and the continuous shuffle in the defensive backfield, for instance.

Regarding the author's comment on speed of the team...I have no doubt we have fast guys, however, they don't read and react as quickly as players on the LSUs of the world. This sometimes goes back to the continuous position shuffling, and the fact that some kids can reach a high top speed, but their acceleration sucks, ala Paul Thompson.

Coach Gundy...it's hard to defend a guy who coached DM to 1 good season and 2 so-so seasons, hurting his draft position, and then the kid is playing lights-out for Dallas, which is not that great of a team. DOes that scenario fall on Gundy's coaching, poor coaching of the O-line, or maybe a personality clash between DM and Gundy?

[goingoneight]

So now Gundy's being thrown under the bus? This board kills me. :rolleyes:
Who's next? Sherri Coale?

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

So now Gundy's being thrown under the bus? This board kills me. :rolleyes:
Who's next? Sherri Coale?

I'm not throwing the guy under the bus, I'm saying that he has had an awful season when it comes to keeping guys around. I'm not saying I want the guy fired or anything, I want him to learn from this and make sure it doesn't happen again.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

IMHO, Stoops relies too much on recruiting "athletes" rather than position players. This leads to us moving TEs to O-line, and the continuous shuffle in the defensive backfield, for instance.

I think you've mixed up 2 different issues here.

When we say "Athletes" we are talking about very fast, agile, strong human beings. What we have been complaining about is that these very fast, agile, strong human beings aren't very good at the game of football. For example, Kenny Stills is an incredible athlete who can out-athlete most corners covering him. However, he isn't the best football player because he doesn't understand how/when/why to maximize the chances for a completion. He has a tendency to favor low % routes, to take plays off, and to only block when he can get the big blind hit. All of this in itself isn't a big deal but it takes a LOT of time to get him to understand the big picture (IE til his JR/SR years). Contrast this with Ryan Broyles who was a very good football player and so so athlete.

Now think about the fact that we slow played Ryan Broyles in recruiting and he almost ended up a poke. THAT is what is driving us nuts. I mean seriously Jamar Mozee or Wes Welker?

The 2nd point is somewhat valid which is our inability to project size from high school to college. Its really weird as the position most teams have issues with are at DE, but we have them at TE and OG.


Regarding the author's comment on speed of the team...I have no doubt we have fast guys, however, they don't read and react as quickly as players on the LSUs of the world. This sometimes goes back to the continuous position shuffling, and the fact that some kids can reach a high top speed, but their acceleration sucks, ala Paul Thompson.

I don't know. It is very hard to judge the speed of two teams until you see them on the field together. Honestly, there hasn't been one team we've played in a bowl game that was just outlandishly faster than we were. They have had individual players that were faster/shiftier than us, but not as a team. Where our speed has been problematic is on the road in the big 12. Over the last 4-5 years we have looked like we wear lead shoes on the road and go bare foot at home.


Coach Gundy...it's hard to defend a guy who coached DM to 1 good season and 2 so-so seasons, hurting his draft position, and then the kid is playing lights-out for Dallas, which is not that great of a team. DOes that scenario fall on Gundy's coaching, poor coaching of the O-line, or maybe a personality clash between DM and Gundy?

DM is doing in the pros exactly what he did at OU those 2 so-so years. Heck me and STEP even commented at the time that he was learning how to be an effective running back in the NFL the way he was playing here.

[NormanPride]

The one thing we do have is very good pass blocking RBs. You don't see them miss their assignments unless they're young.

And it's easy to project "football players" after they have played at the D1 level. It's really, really hard to do that at the HS level. I mean, who of our class looks to just be an athlete, and who looks like a football player? Can film really show that?

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

The one thing we do have is very good pass blocking RBs. You don't see them miss their assignments unless they're young.

And it's easy to project "football players" after they have played at the D1 level. It's really, really hard to do that at the HS level. I mean, who of our class looks to just be an athlete, and who looks like a football player? Can film really show that?

That is the reason that "Evaluation" is the most important part of recruiting.

[NormanPride]

I would be fascinated to see what kind of consulting the OU program asks for to scout itself. I really hope they get someone good...

[Curly Bill]

I would be fascinated to see what kind of consulting the OU program asks for to scout itself. I really hope they get someone good...

They should just ask some of us to do it! :)

[BoulderSooner79]

They should just ask some of us to do it! :)

Wouldn't cost much.


But you get what you pay for.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

Wouldn't cost much.


But you get what you pay for.

I think you'd be surprised at some of the things the computer nerds on this board could improvise for them. To me, the biggest thing that I see when I watch high school film is that its incredibly hard to determine acceleration and speed. This is because of the 2 billion crazy angles that you see the film from. So what coaches tend to fall back on is a) the stopwatch and b) whether kids separate from other kids on film. You can see the problems inherent in both approaches (stopwatch is unladen speed, using others as a guide gives a false impression). However, using various video editing software you should be able to normalize the film to show true speed (as in Yards/Frame). Then using experience, you only have to tell which guys have flawed running styles that can be changed at the collegiate level to increase their speed (good example is Mark Clayton who went from a 5.0 in high school to a 4.5 or so here).

[rekamrettuB]

A 6-6 team from the Big XII gave the 3rd best team in the Mighty SEC all they could handle. I suspect Bama and LSU could be beaten.
Come on now...a&m may have been one of the best 1st half teams in the country for 2011.