Mandel's New Power Rankings

[Skysooner]

The Sooners' performance against UAB could only have been less encouraging if they'd actually lost the game. The offense showed little outside of Adrian Peterson, and the defense gave up way too many big plays. The defensive problems should be easy to fix. The offense, unfortunately, is what it is.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/stewart_mandel/09/05/college.football.power.rankings/1.html

Totally agree on the defense, but I think the offense is actually better than I thought it would be. I guess I was still thinking about our big problems against TCU. After rewatching the game, I thought our offense was able to move the ball effectively, but lots of turnovers at the wrong times just killed us. That and Paul trying to sling the ball too hard on a couple of throws.

[BermudaSooner]

I agree, I thought the offense was fine. Hold onto the ball/make catches and we score 10-21 more points.

I'm more concerned that the defensive problems aren't fixable. It seems easier to me to reduce turnovers from 4 to 1 than to get kids to wrap up more effectively.

[Skysooner]

I think the defense will be fine as far as tackling. The things that worried me though were the lack of DL penetration although the option will do that to teams and DJ being beat on those two deep routes. I remember one in particular where the receiver juked him showing the post route and then turned upfield. DJ was completely turned around, and he should have realized he did have safety help on that particular play.

[FaninAma]

It's kind of hard to rack up any yards with the new rules if the defense can't stop the opposition's ball control offense and you have 4 turnovers.

The most telling stat of the night , IMO, was UAB's over 10 minute advantage in time of possession.

[The Maestro]

Let's see how we do against the worst team in the Pac 10 last year this weekend. If we struggle with stopping Washington, yes...then we have issues.

I'm holding onto that "teams improve more between week 1 and week 2" theory...for now.

[daddywarbucks]

I got a dollar says our tackling this week is stellar...

[OUGreg723]

As of right now, Mandel is right. I know we are going to get better though.

[Skysooner]

I got a dollar says our tackling this week is stellar...

With a name like daddywarbucks, it should be $1 million dollars.

[stoopified]

I can't believe Maisel sees no chance for improvement in our O.It is basically AD is hs take.HELLO?Did he not see ENA complete almost 60% of his passes and throw 2 TDs?Was JJF a mirage?Has Maisel forgotten the talent we have at wr?

I do agree our D is cause for concern but has OU ended the season with a bad defense since Stoops has been coach?We will improve ,mark my words.When you have talent like Reggie,Ruuufus,C.J.,Granger,Pendleton, and Lattner there is no way the level of play will not improve.Maisel should know better,he knows Bob made his mark on D.

[Sooners78]

As of right now, Mandel is right. I know we are going to get better though.

I agree with him except for the offense. The guys on FSN were saying the same thing last night, that AD is all we have on offense.

I was encouraged by the way ENA played in his first start after taking a year off from the QB position. One of the INTs was not that bad of a pass. Receivers dropped alot of well-thrown balls which WILL get corrected, but Finley was great, and Gresham is going to be a stud. OL will improve with time. Also, we will almost definitely score points in the return game this season.

I like that we've already been tested, and I'm predicting that UAB, and especially Sam Huff will surprise alot of the "experts" this season. He could start for most of the B12 teams right now.

[start8]

I know I feel a lot better about the team's offense after the UAB then I did after the TCU game. Until the very end of the Kansas game our offense was completely offensive.

[FlatheadSooner]

I can't believe Maisel sees no chance for improvement in our O.It is basically AD is hs take.HELLO?Did he not see ENA complete almost 60% of his passes and throw 2 TDs?Was JJF a mirage?Has Maisel forgotten the talent we have at wr?
.

No. Same as everyone else who didn't see the entire game, he watched the same "negative" highlights the rest of the country was fed by media. I'm pleasantly surprised by OUr offense and can't wait to see them improve this weekend! :cool:

[soonerreign]

I was very pleased with Thompson's play. If PT puts the ball where the receiver can put both hands on it, then he has done his job. I only saw PT throw one pass that a receiver couldn't get both hands on and that one looked like either PT threw it away or there was miscommunication on the route. I believe we will see more of the two tight end single back set this week. The few times we were in that set we had very positive plays.

As far as the deffense goes, if they will stay at home and play within their abilities, then there won't be any problems. We will run a lot of the nickel back set. The long touchdown pass was when we had subbed out of that set at the last second and had a linebacker on a running back running a wheel pattern instead of Nic Harris. I'm not sure why there was no safety help on that side. The problem with the wide open receiver that UAB missed on looked like miscommunication between DJ Wolfe and Darien Williams. They both looked like they were coming up for run support expecting the other was covering man-to-man.

I expect a much better showing this week on both sides of the ball.

[makeiteight]

I was shocked(in a good way) by how the offense played pretty well minus the turnovers. The defense has me worried though. Almost nothing out of a much-balleyhooed line and dj wolfe and tackling that was a painful reminder of 2003 vs k-state and lsu. Thank God for reggie and the linebackers.

[daMentor]

I agree with him about the defense. It shouldn't be too difficult to correct the mistakes we made. I think the offense is the same way. The mistakes on offense were mostly made by Thompson and the receivers. Thompson seemed to be making the right decisions, he was just a little off target on some of his throws. Some of that could be a bad route run by the receivers or maybe PT just threw it a bit off target. Either way I know he can throw the ball more accurately and get the timing right. Some of the receivers also dropped a few balls they should have caught. Both of these issues should be easily fixed. I think we'll come out tomorrow and look much better on both sides of the ball.

[Crimson Creamer]

Just to ponder, had UpChuck 3rd and Long left ENA in the game against TCU, would he have settled down and given us the better opportunity to win the game?

[Zbird]

I agree, I thought the offense was fine. Hold onto the ball/make catches and we score 10-21 more points.

I'm more concerned that the defensive problems aren't fixable. It seems easier to me to reduce turnovers from 4 to 1 than to get kids to wrap up more effectively.

What Bermuda Sooner said!

[King Crimson]

i tend to agree. and even in the Denver papers, the CU DC said that bad tackling was "a small correction"....which i don't understand. it seems pretty systemic to me. and despite our talent and overall pretty solid D play over the last 3-4 years.....our tackling has been iffy.

[r5TPsooner]

The dropped passes and lack of being able to play smashmouth football between the tackles is more of a concern to me.

If we can correct those two things, it should be a good season.