Stoops Has Won/Sh The Big 12 Title In Every Even Numbered Year Since He Has Been Here

[FaninAma]

Next year is 2014 and I fully expect the Sooners to bring home the title. It is simply amazing that there are even a few "fans" calling for his head.

Step back, take a deep breath and chill the f* out.

[Snrinhouston]

Next year is 2014 and I fully expect the Sooners to bring home the title. It is simply amazing that there are even a few "fans" calling for his head.

Step back, take a deep breath and chill the f* out.

Your assertion about even numbered years is what the medical industry calls "magical thinking". If OU does win the Big XII next year (and I hope you are right), I don't think an even numbered year will have anything to do with it. What it will have to do with is:

1. Better production from the quarterback
2. More consistent run blocking from the OL
3. The re-emergence of a tight end threat in the offense
4. A dominant defensive line
5. Solid linebacking
6. Consistent special teams play
7. Energetic play calling on offense
8. More disciplined, smarter play (i.e. no lining up off-sides on defense time and time again)

What are the FACTS (not gut feeling, wishful-thinking, or Ouija Board results) that lead you to fully expect that these areas will improve...AND improve enough to be better than any improvements OSU, Baylor, and Texas may make?

[Okie35]

Your assertion about even numbered years is what the medical industry calls "magical thinking". If OU does win the Big XII next year (and I hope you are right), I don't think an even numbered year will have anything to do with it. What it will have to do with is:

1. Better production from the quarterback
2. More consistent run blocking from the OL
3. The re-emergence of a tight end threat in the offense
4. A dominant defensive line
5. Solid linebacking
6. Consistent special teams play
7. Energetic play calling on offense
8. More disciplined, smarter play (i.e. no lining up off-sides on defense time and time again)

What are the FACTS (not gut feeling, wishful-thinking, or Ouija Board results) that lead you to fully expect that these areas will improve...AND improve enough to be better than any improvements OSU, Baylor, and Texas may make?

Well we have OSU and Baylor at home. Baylor had the same team minus Petty last year and we beat them. Texas may still get rid of Mack Brown. Either way I think the QB situation will be better next year. Defensively we'll still be good w/ all these younger guys getting PT. Hopefully, the receiver depth will show more too.

[Snrinhouston]

Well we have OSU and Baylor at home. Baylor had the same team minus Petty last year and we beat them. Texas may still get rid of Mack Brown. Either way I think the QB situation will be better next year. Defensively we'll still be good w/ all these younger guys getting PT. Hopefully, the receiver depth will show more too.

Oddsmakers usually assign 3 points to home field advantage. We darn sure didn't stay within three points of Baylor, and (I hope to be wrong) I don't think we'll be anywhere within three points of OSU in a few weeks.

Texas getting rid of Mack Brown will probably hurt OU more than it will help (especially if the replacement is Saban)

Who knows whether the QB situation will be better? We haven't seen enough of Knight or any of Thompson before a full stadium?

And yes the younger players will be getting more playing time. But are they the right players? We haven't been lighting up the recruiting rankings for the past couple years.

In short, I think there is very little information available now that favors a conclusion that OU will retake the Big XII title next year. I don't expect to see any relevant information on that point until I see the team play its first two games next year.

[SoonerMarkVA]

Oddsmakers usually assign 3 points to home field advantage. We darn sure didn't stay within three points of Baylor, and (I hope to be wrong) I don't think we'll be anywhere within three points of OSU in a few weeks.

Texas getting rid of Mack Brown will probably hurt OU more than it will help (especially if the replacement is Saban)

Who knows whether the QB situation will be better? We haven't seen enough of Knight or any of Thompson before a full stadium?

And yes the younger players will be getting more playing time. But are they the right players? We haven't been lighting up the recruiting rankings for the past couple years.

In short, I think there is very little information available now that favors a conclusion that OU will retake the Big XII title next year. I don't expect to see any relevant information on that point until I see the team play its first two games next year.

There I have to disagree. Complacency derived from a weak league as much as anything has taken a toll on Stoops, and by extension his staff, and by extension his players. I hope the ascendancies of Baylor, OSU, KSU, and yes, a Saban-run ut (should it come to pass), continue. I hope Kingsbury ends up getting TT competing for conference championships. There will be no more comforting our program with conference championships, only to be roughly irrelevant on the national stage. If we have a strong league, off years mean 4 or 5 losses--not back-dooring our way into conference championships. Stoops, I believe, will rise to the challenge, but it seems pretty clear he isn't going to rise above a mediocre challenge.

The benefits will be just as they were in 2000. The XII was the best conference in the nation. There were 3 XII teams that could have beaten FSU or UM that year. We were battle-hardened, tough as nails. And we were the best of those 3. The nation didn't know it, but the NC game was a foregone conclusion when we beat KSU for the CCG. That's the conference OU needs to bring home more of the hardware that counts.

[Snrinhouston]

There I have to disagree. Complacency derived from a weak league as much as anything has taken a toll on Stoops, and by extension his staff, and by extension his players. I hope the ascendancies of Baylor, OSU, KSU, and yes, a Saban-run ut (should it come to pass), continue. I hope Kingsbury ends up getting TT competing for conference championships. There will be no more comforting our program with conference championships, only to be roughly irrelevant on the national stage. If we have a strong league, off years mean 4 or 5 losses--not back-dooring our way into conference championships. Stoops, I believe, will rise to the challenge, but it seems pretty clear he isn't going to rise above a mediocre challenge.

The benefits will be just as they were in 2000. The XII was the best conference in the nation. There were 3 XII teams that could have beaten FSU or UM that year. We were battle-hardened, tough as nails. And we were the best of those 3. The nation didn't know it, but the NC game was a foregone conclusion when we beat KSU for the CCG. That's the conference OU needs to bring home more of the hardware that counts.

Good points, so let me rephrase. I don't think it would be good for OUs chances to beat Texas next year if Saban were the coach. But yes, I think you're right. Long term, Saban as UT coach would force Stoops to sharpen himself to the edge of the 1999-2004 Bob.

[8timechamps]

Your assertion about even numbered years is what the medical industry calls "magical thinking". If OU does win the Big XII next year (and I hope you are right), I don't think an even numbered year will have anything to do with it. What it will have to do with is:

1. Better production from the quarterback
2. More consistent run blocking from the OL
3. The re-emergence of a tight end threat in the offense
4. A dominant defensive line
5. Solid linebacking
6. Consistent special teams play
7. Energetic play calling on offense
8. More disciplined, smarter play (i.e. no lining up off-sides on defense time and time again)

What are the FACTS (not gut feeling, wishful-thinking, or Ouija Board results) that lead you to fully expect that these areas will improve...AND improve enough to be better than any improvements OSU, Baylor, and Texas may make?

If we were dealing with facts alone, then none of us should feel great that the offense will be that much better next year. HOWEVER, that's not how team sports work. Who thought the defense would be any better this year, the facts led us to expect the same, if not worse. The problem is, you can't account for the unknown when dealing with facts only. We will have an infusion of new players next year, and an added year of experience under the belts of those who will return.

[Snrinhouston]

If we were dealing with facts alone, then none of us should feel great that the offense will be that much better next year. HOWEVER, that's not how team sports work. Who thought the defense would be any better this year, the facts led us to expect the same, if not worse. The problem is, you can't account for the unknown when dealing with facts only. We will have an infusion of new players next year, and an added year of experience under the belts of those who will return.

Yes, I agree with you. There were no facts on which to base an opinion on what this year's defense would do. Those facts had to be developed through the first games of this year, and we were pleasantly surprised.

And I'm afraid we are in the same boat regarding what next year's offense will be. There currently aren't enough facts to suggest that there will or won't be significant improvement. We'll only know after the first few games of 2014.

[SoonerMarkVA]

Good points, so let me rephrase. I don't think it would be good for OUs chances to beat Texas next year if Saban were the coach. But yes, I think you're right. Long term, Saban as UT coach would force Stoops to sharpen himself to the edge of the 1999-2004 Bob.

Absolutely agree. A Saban-run ut ups the odds of us losing to ut substantially next year. And maybe the year after that.

[Okie35]

If we were dealing with facts alone, then none of us should feel great that the offense will be that much better next year. HOWEVER, that's not how team sports work. Who thought the defense would be any better this year, the facts led us to expect the same, if not worse. The problem is, you can't account for the unknown when dealing with facts only. We will have an infusion of new players next year, and an added year of experience under the belts of those who will return.

Exactly... and the offense can't get any worse than it is. It'll be better next year.

[Snrinhouston]

Exactly... and the offense can't get any worse than it is. It'll be better next year.

I hope you're right. But there is the possibility that the offense could be just as bad next year, if neither worse nor better.

[Johnny Utah]

Exactly... and the offense can't get any worse than it is. It'll be better next year.

I thought the offense couldn't get any worse than the Texas game and then Baylor happened. At least the offense increased its TOP ;-)

[FaninAma]

Saban is not going to Texas because he can't greyshirt and oversign recruits. He would actually have to compete fairly.

[FaninAma]

Snrinhouston, the point of my post is that Stoops has won 8 out of the last 13 Big 12 championships yet everybody is dissecting the program. All of these "up and coming" programs would give their left nut to have half the success OU has had under Stoops. He upgraded the staff last year. He will make sure the offense gets fixed.

Chill out. Have a drink. Quit looking for problems that aren't there.

[olevetonahill]

Saban is not going to Texas because he can't greyshirtnd oversign recruits. He would actually have to compete fairly.

Why couldnt he? For that matter why the hell dont WE?

[FaninAma]

Why couldnt he? For that matter why the hell dont WE?

Because OU and the Big 12 are ethical?

[olevetonahill]

Because OU and the Big 12 are ethical?

Sides that, You made it sound like He couldnt because of rules er sompun I was just axin.

[Snrinhouston]

Snrinhouston, the point of my post is that Stoops has won 8 out of the last 13 Big 12 championships yet everybody is dissecting the program. All of these "up and coming" programs would give their left nut to have half the success OU has had under Stoops. He upgraded the staff last year. He will make sure the offense gets fixed. Chill out. Have a drink. Quit looking for problems that aren't there.

Am drinking now. Every time I watch Dallas and see Murray I drink...thinking of how the game against Florida could have been different with him.

Hey, I hope you are right. I want what everyone else on this board wants: OU to return to elite status, legitimately competing for national titles