It's an Old Saw..

[MountainOkie]

...but you win the turnover battle and, more than likely, you win the game:

OU in games where they won the turnover battle last year: 6-0

OU in games where they lost the turnover battle: 3-3

We managed to beat KU, KSU and Mizzu last year in spite of the fact that we lost the turnover battle. The losses everyone knows about.

Sure yards are nice and talent is great. But, and I think Coach Snyder up at KSU would concur with me on this, it doesn't matter for much if you can't hold onto the rock!

[vtsooner21]

That and the fact that if you can't rush for 3 or 4 yards on a play that you need to gain a 1st down, you are in trouble BIGTIME!

Boomer

[prrriiide]

http://www.oldtools.co.uk/tools/misc1171.l.jpg

[King Crimson]

That and the fact that if you can't rush for 3 or 4 yards on a play that you need to gain a 1st down, you are in trouble BIGTIME!

Boomer

that's been our problem in big games for quite some time. anybody with a legit front 7 has given us problems on 3rd and 3. losing Broyles was a killer, but Whaley gave us that last year until he got hurt.

[vtsooner21]

Amen, King Crimson, Amen! I long for the days that the Sooners can run the ball for a 4 to 5 yard gain at will...And possibly without risking injury to a QB..

Boomer

[BoulderSooner79]

...but you win the turnover battle and, more than likely, you win the game:

OU in games where they won the turnover battle last year: 6-0

OU in games where they lost the turnover battle: 3-3

We managed to beat KU, KSU and Mizzu last year in spite of the fact that we lost the turnover battle. The losses everyone knows about.

Sure yards are nice and talent is great. But, and I think Coach Snyder up at KSU would concur with me on this, it doesn't matter for much if you can't hold onto the rock!

But but but... KSU is one of the teams we beat (badly) even though we lost the turnover battle. Coach Snyder would say it doesn't matter if we hold onto the rock, the Sooners are going to kick our azzes anyway! I'm sooo confused.

:P

[85sooners]

Bench the fumblers!

[MountainOkie]

But but but... KSU is one of the teams we beat (badly) even though we lost the turnover battle. Coach Snyder would say it doesn't matter if we hold onto the rock, the Sooners are going to kick our azzes anyway! I'm sooo confused.

:P

Boulder you're confused because I didn't say that.

You took off a qualifier there friend.

[BoulderSooner79]

Boulder you're confused because I didn't say that.

You took off a qualifier there friend.

Just a joke, friend.

[goingoneight]

Losing the turnover battle = giving the team extra opportunities and momentum. Plain and simple.

Not running the ball well = placing the fate of the entire season on the QB.

KSU might've stunk on defense last year, but they made a living off of taking care of the ball and being physical. KSU = 10-3. OU = 10-3. Imagine OU finding a happy medium. Winning the turnover battle, establishing electrifying balance on offense. Oh, wait... that was 2008.

[cleller]

Yep, gotta have at least a decent run game, or you're not going to win the tough games. Even Mike Leach admits that.

[AZSOONER]

Yep, gotta have at least a decent run game, or you're not going to win the tough games. Even Mike Leach admits that.
Speaking of Leach, anyone else hope he does well?

[vtsooner21]

I hope the Pirate kicks butt this year. Scuttle those Scallywags in the PAC. Make 'em walk the plank & keelhaul 'em, Matey...Apologies for the references..

Boomer

[swardboy]

Has anyone shared this with Coach Stoops yet?

[OU_Sooners75]

Though winning the turnover battle does help, it doesn't if your offense can't move the ball and score points.

The best way to winning, outside of scoring more points than ur opponents,is by not allowing your opponents to score. So defense is the true key to winning games.

Look at 2001 as an example. Our offense was very average, but our defense was very very good. We won a few boring low scoring games that year. But outside two mysterious defensive implosions, we won 10 games.

2006 is another good example of good defensive play. Our offense was just above average, but we won some games we shouldn't have because of our defense. 2005 vs Oregon in bowl game is another good example.