milesl
7/16/2006, 01:16 PM
from the sunday daily oklahoman
for sooner fans who dont get the daily or go to the daily website
http://www.newsok.com/article/2762389/?print=1
Does OU success rest on defense?
By Berry Tramel
Bob Stoops started talking OU defense the other day and, no surprise, got fired up.
Stoops will analyze offense with all the passion of old men on a porch, talking ’bout the weather. Then the subject turns to his first love, and suddenly there’s a spring in his cadence. He doesn’t turn into Elmer Gantry; he doesn’t go tent evangelist on us unless a back judge has crossed him.
Defense is where Stoops is most insightful. Two examples: the Sooners lost the low-scoring Sugar Bowl because of poor tackling and college overtime stinks because it doesn’t reward excellent defense. Not one coach in 50 would see it that way.
Anyway, Stoops was talking to folks at the OU Caravan in Tulsa and said part of his 2006 optimism centers on a defense that improved as the ’05 season progressed. So much so, Stoops said, that OU led the Big 12 in defense, counting conference games only.
Huh? A defense that staggered to the finish line against Texas A&M (a 36-30 victory), a defense that allowed a ridiculous ninth-inning home run that forced overtime against Baylor (a 37-30 victory in two OTs), a defense undressed by Texas (45-12 laugher) led the conference?
But you can’t snooker Stoops on stats. He knows his facts and figures, as Lynn Swann discovered at halftime in New Orleans. Who knew that under that thick Youngstown exterior was a numbers nerd?
And sure enough, Stoops technically was right. In Big 12 play alone, OU allowed a league-low 291 yards per game.
So, is defense the ticket back to championship contention for the Sooners? Well, depends. Depends mostly on the least-visible and least-known area of the defense. Depends on how the interior line makes up for the loss of Dusty Dvoracek.
First, a disclaimer. We are not asking whether these Sooners can get to the level of the 2000-01 OU defenses. That’s not going to happen.
Even getting close is tall cotton. “Those teams had five or six first-day draft picks,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said.
Venables starts reeling off names. “Dan Cody, Derrick Strait, (Andre) Woolfolk, Teddy Lehman, Roy (Williams), Rocky (Calmus). Pretty exceptional players there.”
Could this OU defense approach the 2002-04 units, which had some of those same players and was good enough to win a Rose Bowl and play for two national championships? Doubtful but possible.
“With the returning experience and playmakers we have, we anticipate being a lot better,” Venables said.
The playmakers start with Rufus Alexander, a likely All-American linebacker, and a quartet of sack-happy defensive ends. Cornerbacks Reggie Smith and D.J. Wolfe seem ready to blossom.
Let’s see. Pass rushers galore. Dependable corners who could become stars. Only one staple left in building a big-time defense, but it’s where all things start. The middle.
“If our inside guys can draw double teams,” Venables said.
That’s what Dvoracek did last season. He made plenty of plays, but his biggest contribution was engaging multiple blockers, which freed linebackers and safeties and anyone else in crimson to dog the ballcarrier.
The defensive tackle rotation will include sophomore Cory Bennett, junior Steven Coleman, junior Carl Pendleton, probably redshirt freshman DeMarcus Granger and perhaps even true freshman G.K. McCoy. Good ballplayers all, I assume, but not exactly Dewey, Lucious and Lee Roy.
If opponents can run it up the gut a little, then eventually the safeties will have to step up, the linebackers will have to step over and the ends will have to unpin their ears. Under those circumstances, a defense develops holes.
But don’t mistake lack of interior star power with lack of interior fortitude.
This was the Orange Bowl tackle rotation when the 2000 Sooners clamped Florida State 13-2 in one of the five best defensive performances in OU history: Ryan Fisher, Jeremy Wilson-Guest, Kory Klein, Ramon Richardson.
None made the NFL. None weighed as much as 300 pounds. All stood 6-foot-1, except the 6-2 Wilson-Guest.
Soon enough, stallions Tommie Harris, Lynn McGruder and Dvoracek arrived, and defensive tackle was a star position.
But in 2000, four tough, hard-nosed players who liked to mix it up were plenty good enough. That’s inspiration for 2006. If the Sooners can plug the middle, those numbers will again be dancing in Bob Stoops’ head.
Berry Tramel: 475-3314, [email protected]; Berry Tramel’s radio show, the Writer’s Block, can be heard Monday-Friday from 4-7 p.m. on KREF-AM 1400, KADA-AM 1230; and KSEO-AM 750.
for sooner fans who dont get the daily or go to the daily website
http://www.newsok.com/article/2762389/?print=1
Does OU success rest on defense?
By Berry Tramel
Bob Stoops started talking OU defense the other day and, no surprise, got fired up.
Stoops will analyze offense with all the passion of old men on a porch, talking ’bout the weather. Then the subject turns to his first love, and suddenly there’s a spring in his cadence. He doesn’t turn into Elmer Gantry; he doesn’t go tent evangelist on us unless a back judge has crossed him.
Defense is where Stoops is most insightful. Two examples: the Sooners lost the low-scoring Sugar Bowl because of poor tackling and college overtime stinks because it doesn’t reward excellent defense. Not one coach in 50 would see it that way.
Anyway, Stoops was talking to folks at the OU Caravan in Tulsa and said part of his 2006 optimism centers on a defense that improved as the ’05 season progressed. So much so, Stoops said, that OU led the Big 12 in defense, counting conference games only.
Huh? A defense that staggered to the finish line against Texas A&M (a 36-30 victory), a defense that allowed a ridiculous ninth-inning home run that forced overtime against Baylor (a 37-30 victory in two OTs), a defense undressed by Texas (45-12 laugher) led the conference?
But you can’t snooker Stoops on stats. He knows his facts and figures, as Lynn Swann discovered at halftime in New Orleans. Who knew that under that thick Youngstown exterior was a numbers nerd?
And sure enough, Stoops technically was right. In Big 12 play alone, OU allowed a league-low 291 yards per game.
So, is defense the ticket back to championship contention for the Sooners? Well, depends. Depends mostly on the least-visible and least-known area of the defense. Depends on how the interior line makes up for the loss of Dusty Dvoracek.
First, a disclaimer. We are not asking whether these Sooners can get to the level of the 2000-01 OU defenses. That’s not going to happen.
Even getting close is tall cotton. “Those teams had five or six first-day draft picks,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said.
Venables starts reeling off names. “Dan Cody, Derrick Strait, (Andre) Woolfolk, Teddy Lehman, Roy (Williams), Rocky (Calmus). Pretty exceptional players there.”
Could this OU defense approach the 2002-04 units, which had some of those same players and was good enough to win a Rose Bowl and play for two national championships? Doubtful but possible.
“With the returning experience and playmakers we have, we anticipate being a lot better,” Venables said.
The playmakers start with Rufus Alexander, a likely All-American linebacker, and a quartet of sack-happy defensive ends. Cornerbacks Reggie Smith and D.J. Wolfe seem ready to blossom.
Let’s see. Pass rushers galore. Dependable corners who could become stars. Only one staple left in building a big-time defense, but it’s where all things start. The middle.
“If our inside guys can draw double teams,” Venables said.
That’s what Dvoracek did last season. He made plenty of plays, but his biggest contribution was engaging multiple blockers, which freed linebackers and safeties and anyone else in crimson to dog the ballcarrier.
The defensive tackle rotation will include sophomore Cory Bennett, junior Steven Coleman, junior Carl Pendleton, probably redshirt freshman DeMarcus Granger and perhaps even true freshman G.K. McCoy. Good ballplayers all, I assume, but not exactly Dewey, Lucious and Lee Roy.
If opponents can run it up the gut a little, then eventually the safeties will have to step up, the linebackers will have to step over and the ends will have to unpin their ears. Under those circumstances, a defense develops holes.
But don’t mistake lack of interior star power with lack of interior fortitude.
This was the Orange Bowl tackle rotation when the 2000 Sooners clamped Florida State 13-2 in one of the five best defensive performances in OU history: Ryan Fisher, Jeremy Wilson-Guest, Kory Klein, Ramon Richardson.
None made the NFL. None weighed as much as 300 pounds. All stood 6-foot-1, except the 6-2 Wilson-Guest.
Soon enough, stallions Tommie Harris, Lynn McGruder and Dvoracek arrived, and defensive tackle was a star position.
But in 2000, four tough, hard-nosed players who liked to mix it up were plenty good enough. That’s inspiration for 2006. If the Sooners can plug the middle, those numbers will again be dancing in Bob Stoops’ head.
Berry Tramel: 475-3314, [email protected]; Berry Tramel’s radio show, the Writer’s Block, can be heard Monday-Friday from 4-7 p.m. on KREF-AM 1400, KADA-AM 1230; and KSEO-AM 750.