Last Year vs. This Year

[HateTheWhorns]

Last Year

1) Defense stepped up in certain games (Texas, KSU), but became more and more exposed as the season went on (particularly the secondary).
2) Injuries to D. Whaley and R. Broyles totally changed the make-up of our offense. L. Jones looked lost once his security blanket was no longer there.
3) Kicking game was much improved last year vs. prior years. Return game and kick block game was horrendous and coverage game was spotty at best.

This Year

1) D. O. Williams is legit and if R. Finch gets his act together we should have an awesome 1-2 punch. A healthy D. Whaley just makes our running game situation that much better.
2) Secondary showed tremendous promise (one of our biggest weaknesses last year)
3) Once our front 7 returns from injuries and suspensions, we should have a very solid D
4) O-Line has issues and our 3rd down conversion rate will suffer this year unless we see marked improvement in this area.
5) WR talent looks promising, but L. Jones is still out of sink with them. Difficult to tell how much of this was caused by the OL or L. Jones inexperience with WRs.
6) Special team coaches are highly underrated (at OU) in today's competitive environment. Except for 2008 when we had a turbo-charged offense, Stoops' best teams were strong in this area. Over the past five years or so, our recruiting and on-field performance in this area make it seem like special teams are an afterthought. Please refer to LSU to better understand what I am talking about.

[C&CDean]

I think this is a special teams thread?

We had a punt blocked. Check. We had a nervous kicker try and give one of our blockers a pigskin enema. Check.

Then, we kicked about damn near all our balls outta the end zone. We returned a punt 20-30 yards or so, we made a 30-something yarder, and we stuffed their asses on a punt. I'm ok with ST play so far.

[pappy]

Tress Way dropped the ball when Hunnicutt went to kick it is why it hit the line.

[C&CDean]

Whoever. ST gave them their points last night, but it was probably the best ST I've seen played in a long time. Is that kinda funky?

[8timechamps]

Don't forget the nice Justin Brown punt return and pretty damn good kick-off coverage. We really only had 2 bad plays (one of which did turn into a TD). I wasn't really happy with our punt coverage, but it did the trick.

I think Justin Brown will take a couple back this year.

[budbarrybob]

I think this is a special teams thread?

We had a punt blocked. Check. We had a nervous kicker try and give one of our blockers a pigskin enema. Check.

Then, we kicked about damn near all our balls outta the end zone. We returned a punt 20-30 yards or so, we made a 30-something yarder, and we stuffed their asses on a punt. I'm ok with ST play so far.

I don't think I'll ever think ST is ok when they give up points. They were average NOT including the Blocked punt for a TD. Throw that in and it was a F for the night.

[cleller]

I have a feeling ST will come around some. A lot of those guys are Mike Stoops' backups, and will not want to be on the same sideline with him if they screw up. Mike will notice, and counsel. Even if they are not his players, I don't see Mike as the kind of guy that can overlook anything, anytime.
Just an opinion.

[FaninAma]

Landry looks better in the pocket but he still needs to transition off his primary receiver a little quicker. His comfort zone is the short timing routes. I think we will see him start to tear up teams with passes that are 10 to 15 yards or longer. His arm strength looks terrific.

I didn't get to watch the game because I was working and I heard how awful OU looked. But then I watched the replays on the coach's show and it looked like the offense's timing was just a fraction off all night. Nothing that can't be fixed with repetitions. The defensive secondary looked outstanding and that is reassuring. I didn't see DBs playing a spot and allowing a reciever to settle 5 yards in front of them for an easy toss and catch.

[soonerdo]

Maybe it was just me but OU looks slower on defense, on offense the WR's look like they running routes in practice

[soonerboy_odanorth]

I don't think I'll ever think ST is ok when they give up points. They were average NOT including the Blocked punt for a TD. Throw that in and it was a F for the night.

Disagree on the grade. I'd give it better than passing... maybe a C+/B-.

Punt protection got shored up mighty quickly following first botch out of the gates, and that was first game nerves on Chuka. (Check it out in the Oklahoman). Way did get heat one other time, but it was when they brought the house again, and protection was still good enough to allow him to get it off. And... he hit 3 over 50. And they did squat returning the ball. So coverage was excellent.

Kickoffs and kickoff coverage were excellent.

Punt return was great once, and good the rest of the night.

Then Tress dropped the ball on the first FG attempt. Again, first game nerves by single player. Second time through there was no doubt. How nice is it to have a FG kicker again that looks like he is going to be automatic anywhere inside of 45 (maybe even 50) again?

Special teams have a chance to be very good again this year, I think. The only thing that has been missing that I would like to see us do a better job of this year is bringing more pressure on the opponents when they are punting or kicking. It would be nice to see us get a couple of blocks this year and/or a couple of scores off those blocks ourselves.

[EatLeadCommie]

Maybe it was just me but OU looks slower on defense, on offense the WR's look like they running routes in practice

Not just you. I thought we looked like a fringe top 25 team and certainly nothing like the #5 team in the country. It is possible that could change, but I'm not holding my breath. Special teams, QB, offensive line, WRs...there are just way too many question marks after the first game than there should be. We looked average at our best, and bad at our worst. And it was against UTEP, who allowed 24 or fewer points just 5 times last year.

I wasn't feeling the excitement going into this year that I have in previous years. Probably less excitement this year than in any of Stoops' previous years, and that includes 2006 when we lost Bomar right before the season. Now I know why.

[sooneron]

You're saying that QB is a question mark? It's odd considering you're saying that OL and receivers are question marks.
Maybe they have something to do with that? durr.

I counted at least 5 drops the other night. Landry is fine, after another game he and the corps will be more in sync.

I never thought that I'd wish Jaz was back this soon.

[MountainOkie]

But then I watched the replays on the coach's show and it looked like the offense's timing was just a fraction off all night.

^^^This^^^ They looked real close, just a step away from getting in a rhythm all night. Even with Landry running for his life most of the game.

[8timechamps]

Not just you. I thought we looked like a fringe top 25 team and certainly nothing like the #5 team in the country. It is possible that could change, but I'm not holding my breath. Special teams, QB, offensive line, WRs...there are just way too many question marks after the first game than there should be. We looked average at our best, and bad at our worst. And it was against UTEP, who allowed 24 or fewer points just 5 times last year.

I wasn't feeling the excitement going into this year that I have in previous years. Probably less excitement this year than in any of Stoops' previous years, and that includes 2006 when we lost Bomar right before the season. Now I know why.

I just don't get this line of thinking. You can tell we're not a top five team after one game?

The excitement of the team was the same this year as it's been every year, the only difference was the hype was nowhere near as great as last year. Maybe the excitement among fans you talk with was down, but with the team it wasn't.

You may be right, we may not be a top 5 team, but I'm going to watch a little more than one game to reach that verdict.