First game problems

[SoonerObsession]

Wasn't a pretty win tonight, but we've had a lot of bad first games. BYU most recently, but do you remember when Jason White's senior year we had 3 points against Tulsa at half? That team went on to play for a title. Lost to TCU in Norman as well. Eeked one out against Utah State a few years back. We've got problems, but my knee is still not jerking. No big pass plays! I know they are a running team, but I can't remember the last game we had that we did not get burned on a pass. Boomer Sooner!

[picasso]

That TU game was in Tulsa in '02. But yeah, I'm not ready to go all sad redneck.

[goingoneight]

Typical bad season opener, but nothing really positive to take away from this one like against Utah State. The whole team and scheme seems awful lackluster. Nothing "special jumps out at me yet. Maybe they'll clean it up a bit and look more like the team we were all hearing a out next week though.

[pappy]

We tend to have slow starts b/c we always run a very vanilla offense the first game of the season. Tonight was no different.

[StoopTroup]

http://xf7.xanga.com/c81f410418d32248696380/b197251272.jpg

[soonerboy_odanorth]

That TU game was in Tulsa in '02. But yeah, I'm not ready to go all sad redneck.

I just saw K-State highlights. K-State was horrible first half, too. But they made a far more favorable halftime adjustment. Though, the fact they were at home and the quality of opponent probably had a lot to do with that.

We'll see what kind of team we really have Sept 22. I hope I don't have to go all sad redneck following that game.

[SOFSooner]

It did not seem like Jones trusted his receivers, there were times when his receivers were open and he would not throw to them, he would bring the ball down and try to scramble. Not good. He has to start throwing to the receivers we have, Broyles is now in the NFL. The game being late also probably had something to do with the lackluster play. Hopefully things start to click next week or it is going to be a long season.

[Statalyzer]

First game issues happened all over the country these days - not only are there no exhibition games, but college football has more parity than ever before. Look at Florida, Wisconsin, etc. I'm sure plenty of your rivals' fans are salivating, but I'm not - I think I've learned my lesson by now. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was sure fun seeing y'all struggle like this :p but I doubt it means much for the future. I remember back in the early 2000s watching OU need home-cooking to keep UAB from taking them to overtime; at that point I started getting cocky about the Red River game ... and of course a few weeks later you guys stomped us in the face.

[redkid]

not worried yet,,first games are a feeling out process,,lot of new guys on the offense,,they will gel over time''and don't be surprised if 2 of the 3 amigos show up by the 3rd game(jaz, Frank's)

[bixby28]

The defense could've really used McGee and Walker last night.

Outside of the new juco transfer Williams running well, the pass coverage was pretty much perfect.

[IronHorseSooner]

1. Whenever we have opened on the road, we have ALWAYS looked bad- no matter the competition (see BYU, Tulsa), and sometimes at home (USU, TCU, USF). I can put it on a few reasons. I think Stoops is VERY conservative in the first few games. He believes that he can just out-talent folks until we get up against a decent opponent. This can be attributed to his Snyder influence. In 2010, look at Week 1 v. USU to Week 2 v. FSU. It was night and day. We were pretty vanilla on both sides of the ball.

2. We are OU- we get EVERYBODY'S best shot. This is especially true in a night game, on the road, against a veteran team with a veteran coach. They have had all season to prep for this game, and this is why I hate scheduling these type of games. We need to have our home cream puff (Florida A&M) in Week 1 to gain some momentum.

3. Suspensions and injuries. We need Grissom, McGee, and Walker by KSTATE. A buddy of mine is a long-time insider at KU, and tends to be spot-on for conference goings-on, said that some of these early suspensions are very likely due to coming up hot. Regardless of why, we need these guys. Walker and McGee allow King to move to his natural position, and restore depth. Grissom was missed both on O and STs. I would be willing to bet that it was his area where the blocked punt came.

4. The schedule actually works for us. We have practically three weeks before we get into the meat of our schedule to work on timing and get key guys back. Anyone who thinks this is how we will actually play going forward is fooling themselves. I will guarantee we will be undefeated by UTerus.

5. We were the only Top 10 team, not counting neutral site, who was on the road this weekend. Most other Top 10 teams had margins of victory between 24 to 31 points. Of course, we were 17. If we decided to punch it in with Bell in the last minute, it would also have been 24. Most often there is a 7-point swing with teams playing on the road v. at home, especially on game 1.

All in all, a win is a win. If you are a MNC contender, it is all about survive and advance. Do we have things to work on? Abso-freaking-lutely! However, after we paste Florida A&M next week like OSU did this week against Savannah St., we will, once again, be fine. Getting guys back will be key. Look, our D shut-out their O! We are the only team in the Top 10 who can say that- and we did it on the road against a veteran team with all off-season to prepare.

[VA Sooner]

Things to work on for sure but the pass coverage was great. Hurst and Colvin were all over their receivers and their QB happen to thread passes occasionally into their hands. Bad news if Jefferson has the most tackles on the team but the kid is money. DT was a position we were hurting at with the run coming up the middle but that should improve once we get our veterans back. Any word on how much time for McGee and Walker? Also noticed Torea Peterson didn't make the trip... helpful or hurtful?

Jones needs a little more time to gel with his receivers. Stills was on fire which was good... needed him to step up until Brown and Metoyer get up to speed... so to speak.

Loved that 65 yard run by D. Williams. Looked good out there but by that time, the Miners were all huffing, puffing, and cramping one by one. New appreciation for Schmitty???

[VA Sooner]

.

[rock on sooner]

Just read all 11 posts in this thread....no one mentioned
the fact that UTEP was really geeked up to play us and
they played over their heads...it was a jailbreak on the
blocked punt! Their running game early on was clicking
'cause their o line owned our D...etc.

[rock on sooner]

Well, two posts got in while I was typing..

[FaninAma]

Typical bad season opener, but nothing really positive to take away from this one like against Utah State. The whole team and scheme seems awful lackluster. Nothing "special jumps out at me yet. Maybe they'll clean it up a bit and look more like the team we were all hearing a out next week though.

I respectfully disagree. OU had several 2 deep players out of the game and their defense played well. The big 71 yard run was an obvious bust and things like that will be corrected. Take away that run and UTEP doesn't even get 200 yards of offense.

And I wonder how much the Sooners practiced against the UTEP schemes versus how much UTEP prepared against ours.

I think OU was the only top 25 team that opened the season on the road.

Do they need to improve? Certainly. Are we guaranteed 3 to 5 losses based on last nights performance? Certainly not.

[AZSOONER]

Just read all 11 posts in this thread....no one mentioned
the fact that UTEP was really geeked up to play us and
they played over their heads.
3 post above yours. "2. We are OU- we get EVERYBODY'S best shot."

[FaninAma]

I stand corrected. South Carolina was the only other top 25 program to play a true road game and they didn't exactly breeze past Vanderbilt.

[IronHorseSooner]

I stand corrected. South Carolina was the only other top 25 program to play a true road game and they didn't exactly breeze pat Vanderbilt.

I just remembered that one too. We were the only one to open with a non-con on the road. Both cases illustrated why highly-ranked teams should not open with a true road game. South Carolina had no choice, as that was a conference game and out of their control. Joe C could have controlled where we started.

Upon further reflection, the most important thing that happened in this game was Grissom's suspension. I will stand by my assertion that it was his assignment that led to punt block. If that doesn't happen, UTEP doesn't have near as much momentum going forward.

[rock on sooner]

3 post above yours. "2. We are OU- we get EVERYBODY'S best shot."

Oops, guess I just wanted to say "geeked up"...

[Statalyzer]

South Carolina was the only other top 25 program to play a true road game and they didn't exactly breeze past Vanderbilt.

And they got some "protect the higher-ranked SEC team" help at that.

[PalmettoSooner]

I think the OL blocking was bad. The first half was filled with a lot of 3rd and longs and Landry did not have much time to throw.

[Salt City Sooner]

First game issues happened all over the country these days - not only are there no exhibition games, but college football has more parity than ever before. Look at Florida, Wisconsin, etc. I'm sure plenty of your rivals' fans are salivating, but I'm not - I think I've learned my lesson by now. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was sure fun seeing y'all struggle like this :p but I doubt it means much for the future. I remember back in the early 2000s watching OU need home-cooking to keep UAB from taking them to overtime; at that point I started getting cocky about the Red River game ... and of course a few weeks later you guys stomped us in the face.
Actually, it was you guys who ended up face stomping us that year (at least in the 2nd half) ; UAB was the 2006 opener. OU did go on to win the conference that year, but I'm still not sure how because we all know that only OU chokes, just ask the media. ;)

[thecrimsoncrusader]

I think the OL blocking was bad. The first half was filled with a lot of 3rd and longs and Landry did not have much time to throw.

Even when he has had time to throw in prior years, he still threw double digit INTs. I've ran out of excuses for the guy. He's very talented physically, but an epic failure mentally.

[JLEW1818]

I think the OL blocking was bad. The first half was filled with a lot of 3rd and longs and Landry did not have much time to throw.

That's because Landry has his mind up on who he is throwing to before the snap, 99% of the time.