Having read most of the post mortem threads....

[rock on sooner]

let me join in the congrats to Baylor, they are a GOOD football team. Their
coaches recruit to fit the scheme they want to run and the players buy into
the program. However, as these 68 year old eyes see it----

Offense-
Predictable...given the down, distance and the formation, more often than not
I called the play and where it was going...now if I can do that...?
Running-
The defense knew where the play was going, as evidenced by 3 to 5 defenders
around the ball.
O line blocking-
There was very little of it, appears as though Baylor's D line blew right past the
O line to our backs. Millard's loss is immense...he, at least, could pick up some
slack.
Belldozer-
See running above. A point here..the old Belldozer worked when, at the snap,
attack..not stutter stepping then go.
Passing-
Happy feet at the QB slot, no calm in the reads, very little touch on the passes..
most success occurred when QB dropped and fired.
Receivers-
Hands of stone often, route running appeared suspect..
RB in general-
Used to be one cut and go, now appears to be a tap dance exercise..Clay and
Williams especially (this could be an O line issue) Finch seemed more decisive.
Finally, QB-
Remember Bradford and Jones used to have Josh in their ears on the sideline
coming off the field..Bell just goes and sits..
Defense-
Tackling--looks like the entire squad skipped tackling 101 class.
Overall, the D played well enough to win (as was pointed out), especially the
first quarter and a half. Difficult to sustain that level with so many three and
outs.
Penalties-
13 in the game. Several third and shorts became third and longs because of
false starts.

Every issue mentioned in this rambling is correctible by the coaches. Vet said
it in one post--Josh needs to be QB coach on the sidelines. Playcalling needs
fresh eyes, more diversity, less formulaic playcalling. I'm not sure how much
fire Bob and Mike are using, the other coaches follow their lead.

Having said all that..I'm Sooner Born and Sooner Bred...

One more thought..the pros do this in exhibition..Bell, a quarter, Knight a quarter
and Thompson a quarter...winner plays the fourth quarter....

[ashley]

Bulls...

[lexsooner]

One more thought..the pros do this in exhibition..Bell, a quarter, Knight a quarter
and Thompson a quarter...winner plays the fourth quarter....

I'm fine with that, except it won't work next season when we have a five quarterback competition. Maybe Bell/Knight/Thompson can start a series with a run or two and then we bring in Thomas or Hansen when it is 3rd and 11.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

We seriously need a play calling thread. Everyone on the planet seems to be able to predict everything about every team.

[BoulderSooner79]

Mostly agree. I disagree about the Belldozer. He also hesitated and let the blocking develop the 2 previous years when it was working. In fact, it was the times he was patient when it worked the best. This year, the blocking doesn't develop, so it looks silly.

I agree about the QB play from Bell, but I'm not sure it's fixable. Or at least he has a looong way to go.

Totally agree Stoops/Heupel are way too hesitant to pull the QB when he's ineffective. I understand not wanting to have to, but sometimes it is necessary. The competition will force improvement. Bell didn't win the job in camp, so it should be less sacred than if he had.

[BoulderSooner79]

We seriously need a play calling thread. Everyone on the planet seems to be able to predict everything about every team.

Yeah, I didn't touch that part of the OP because I've made my feelings known about blaming everything on play calling. It's a classic looking at the trees instead of the forest issue.

[lexsooner]

The best solutions are Thomas or Hansen after this season.

[ddub0224]

Mostly agree. I disagree about the Belldozer. He also hesitated and let the blocking develop the 2 previous years when it was working. In fact, it was the times he was patient when it worked the best. This year, the blocking doesn't develop, so it looks silly.

When the belldozer used to work, Bell hit the first hole he saw and did it with power and conviction. He was a second/third stringer eager to get on the field. Now he is the starter, defenses have studied how to defend it, and he dances around looking for a big hole that will not be there.

[REDREX]

The best solutions are Thomas or Hansen after this season.---I bet they would take a juco if they could find one they like and he could come in the spring

[lexsooner]

---I bet they would take a juco if they could find one they like and he could come in the spring

Hey, I'm all for that too if there is a decent one out there.

[BoulderSooner79]

When the belldozer used to work, Bell hit the first hole he saw and did it with power and conviction. He was a second/third stringer eager to get on the field. Now he is the starter, defenses have studied how to defend it, and he dances around looking for a big hole that will not be there.

Go back and watch some video. Bell almost always hesitated before hitting the hole because he was waiting for a hole to develop. And yes, he hit it with conviction once it was there. This year it ain't there - I don't see Bell doing anything different. But it's not the same play in other ways. It was pure power before and everyone on the field was an O-lineman or a FB/TE and the goal was to get 1-2 yards. That's not what we are putting out there now. But it's irrelevant anyway, that's not what we should be running now.

[Temujin]

Go back and watch some video. Bell almost always hesitated before hitting the hole because he was waiting for a hole to develop. And yes, he hit it with conviction once it was there. This year it ain't there - I don't see Bell doing anything different. But it's not the same play in other ways. It was pure power before and everyone on the field was an O-lineman or a FB/TE and the goal was to get 1-2 yards. That's not what we are putting out there now. But it's irrelevant anyway, that's not what we should be running now.

Yeah, people have been mis-labeling the Belldozer this year and saying it's not working. What they've been running is not the Belldozer at all. BD was 5-6 OL, 2-3 TEs and 2 FBs, and every one of them hammering the same spot on the line to open a hole get the short yardage.

This year is a half-assed version of the BD, and it clearly doesn't work as well.

[Temujin]

I'm not a play-caller, but I have to think that in some of these situations a play action or a bootleg would completely work. Just a guess.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

I'm not a play-caller, but I have to think that in some of these situations a play action or a bootleg would completely work. Just a guess.

Play action requires a running game to work AND a QB who can hit the route.

Bootlegs require a QB who can throw on the run (which was why it worked so well with Knight early)

[Tear Down This Wall]

Yeah, I didn't touch that part of the OP because I've made my feelings known about blaming everything on play calling. It's a classic looking at the trees instead of the forest issue.

Exactly. I want to throw up every time I see the post, "Everyone knows what we're going to do."

Of course they do...idiots! Everyone has game film of everyone else. And, years of it.

And, guess what else? Everyone knows Stanford and Alabama are going to line up two or three tight ends and run the ball. Everyone they play knows that.

But, Stanford and Alabama don't give a crap that you know what they are going to do. You know damn well they're going to run, and by God, they do it anyway!

They don't happen to give a f*ck if you know because they know they have the players to beat your a*ss doing it.

What Stoops needs on this team is more men. More men on the coaching staff and more men on the offensive and defensive line. Stoops and his players don't have the, "We don't give a f*ck, we'll run over your a*ss attitude anyway" anymore. It's been finessed away.

We've got this "smaller, faster" p*ssy defense, and an offense that apparently folds the damn tent up if so little as one starter is injured.

[Tear Down This Wall]

And, another thing, Stoops needs to just worry about coaching. That damn "get off your butt and make a ruckus" nonsense before Texas Tech...just STFU, Bob and coach. Give us something to make a damn ruckus about and we'll make it.

WTF are we? In the C-USA? Start kicking a*ss on the field again and quit worry about the damn fans. F*ggot.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Play action requires a running game to work AND a QB who can hit the route.

Bootlegs require a QB who can throw on the run (which was why it worked so well with Knight early)

A friggin' tight end helps as well. When are we going sign another big, hairy a*ss tight end to dominate the middle of the field again?

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

A friggin' tight end helps as well. When are we going sign another big, hairy a*ss tight end to dominate the middle of the field again?

Heh.

You would think that our coaching staff would figure out by looking at all of the TEs that oklahoma has put into the NFL that they might be able to find one. Yet strangely enough, we don't even look.

[Tear Down This Wall]

This is a problem inside the 10. Because we have no tight end threat, opponent can cheat up another defender to play the run. Hell, it's a problem on the other 90 yards of field as well. What am I saying?

[cherokeebrewer]

Give us something to make a damn ruckus about and we'll make it.


In his defense, he did say the team needs to do give them something to ruckus about...

[freshchris05]

We need to sign 7 more WR's and put another kicker or two on scholly and we're back on top..