The mediocre years

[KaiserSooner]

I posted this in another thread, but does anyone else get the feeling that OU is sliding into several seasons worth of mediocrity? Both Wilkinson and Switzer experienced this and I'm wondering if last season is the beginning of Stoops'.

[soonerinabilene]

no. young team, tons of talent. we may struggle more next year at qb, but we are not going to fall back.

[SoonerBlonde87]

I posted this in another thread, but does anyone else get the feeling that OU is sliding into several seasons worth of mediocrity? Both Wilkinson and Switzer experienced this and I'm wondering if last season is the beginning of Stoops'.


Lets hope not

[usmc-sooner]

I think when Stoops came in, he came in and hired the best in the business. After success he promoted/hired his buddies...Long and Venables, I think the exact opposite happened with Mack Brown when he came in he brought his buddies, now he's hiring the best in the business (Chizuk sp) and the roles are starting to reverse.

[Snrfn4ever08]

i don't think so. as long as one of our qbs makes a smooth transition after paul's gone to buy us a little recruiting time, the rest of the team should have everything together and have more than enough talent to suffice. i know this is a big if, but if bradford or halzle steps in and can make things happen, we're going to be good at least next year and the year after that.

[SoonerBlonde87]

I think when Stoops came in, he came in and hired the best in the business. After success he promoted/hired his buddies...Long and Venables, I think the exact opposite happened with Mack Brown when he came in he brought his buddies, now he's hiring the best in the business (Chizuk sp) and the roles are starting to reverse.


Who knows right?

[Snrfn4ever08]

I think when Stoops came in, he came in and hired the best in the business. After success he promoted/hired his buddies...Long and Venables, I think the exact opposite happened with Mack Brown when he came in he brought his buddies, now he's hiring the best in the business (Chizuk sp) and the roles are starting to reverse.
i think another problem we have is we had the best staff in the business, and now it's deteriorating because we get our best guys hired away. everyone wants a little piece of our success

[boomrsoonr]

I don't think so. The offensive philosophy of Stoops vs. Bud/Barry is totally different and much easier to get good players to fill the positions. Remember how difficult it was to get a running quarterback that wasn't afraid to take a hit when working the bone? It's not like that now. For some reason, we haven't put any QBs in the NFL. I don't quite understand that unless it's due to Josh's elbow and Jason's knees. We will continue to get NFL caliber QBs, RBs, and WRs. And Bob will make adjustments where needed, when needed.

I'd love to have Mike Stoops and Chiznik (whatever his name is) as Co-Defensive Coordinators and Wilson and that Chinese guy from USC a few years ago to be Co-Offensive Coordinators. That would probably start about a 10 year run of total domination.

[badger]

A year capped with a win over a top 10 team is anything but mediocre. It's good to have high standards, but I was very happy and proud that the Sooners overcame early disappointments to finish strong over a very talented Oregon team.

And now... go beat em again, guys! You can do it!

[Zbird]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhh Don't look now, but so far this season, WE'RE UNDEFEATED. Kwitcher bitchin, buckle-up, hunker-down and hold on.

[soonercody]

If by "mediocre" you mean consistently ranked in or near the top 10, playing in BCS bowls more years than not, and having a player or 2 on the podium when the Downtown Athletic Club has their meeting, I hope so.

[LosAngelesSooner]

I posted this in another thread, but does anyone else get the feeling that OU is sliding into several seasons worth of mediocrity? Both Wilkinson and Switzer experienced this and I'm wondering if last season is the beginning of Stoops'.

No.

[KaiserSooner]

I think when Stoops came in, he came in and hired the best in the business. After success he promoted/hired his buddies...Long and Venables, I think the exact opposite happened with Mack Brown when he came in he brought his buddies, now he's hiring the best in the business (Chizuk sp) and the roles are starting to reverse.

Hadn't thought of it that way...interesting way of looking at it. I tend to agree.

[KaiserSooner]

A year capped with a win over a top 10 team is anything but mediocre. It's good to have high standards, but I was very happy and proud that the Sooners overcame early disappointments to finish strong over a very talented Oregon team.

And now... go beat em again, guys! You can do it!

I totally agree with the strong finish aspect of last year, but it was still an 8-4 season. Compare that to the 11 to 13 win seasons Stoops has had from 2000-2004....no matter how you look at it, 2005 was a drop off from that five year stretch.

[KaiserSooner]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhh Don't look now, but so far this season, WE'RE UNDEFEATED. Kwitcher bitchin, buckle-up, hunker-down and hold on.

It isn't "bitchin'" so much as it is trying to objectively look at the overall state of things.

[Ash]

don't look now, but I believe the top WR prospect in the nation was on a recruiting visit this weekend, and as I understand it we're in the running for some of the top QBs in the country.

Is it gauranteed we land them? No. Are we continuing to recruit well? Yes. Are we in the position to compete for a national championship every year under Bob Stoops? Yes, except his first year and this year due to circumstances that have nothing to do with his or his staff's ability to recruit or coach.

Geez, maybe we should do anything to get Mike back because apparently when he left he took Bob's brains, Brent's balls and the heart of every player we have (even if they weren't here when he was).

[GottaHavePride]

I'd love to have Mike Stoops and Chiznik (whatever his name is) as Co-Defensive Coordinators and Wilson and Norm Chow to be Co-Offensive Coordinators. That would probably start about a 10 year run of total domination.
Fixed.

And I think Norm Chow is from Hawaii, not China.

Oh, and I would hate your plan. I dislike having Co-Coordinators. It's too many cooks stirring the pot, too many people thinking their system is better than the other guy's. Pick the best guy you have, put him in charge, and then have position coaches that answer to one guy. Less links in the chain of command = faster adjustments. Usually.

[boomrsoonr]

Fixed.

And I think Norm Chow is from Hawaii, not China.

Oh, and I would hate your plan. I dislike having Co-Coordinators. It's too many cooks stirring the pot, too many people thinking their system is better than the other guy's. Pick the best guy you have, put him in charge, and then have position coaches that answer to one guy. Less links in the chain of command = faster adjustments. Usually.


I see your point, but you can't argue with success. The Mike Stoops/Brent Venables era was pretty good.

[westcoast_sooner]

Mediocrity is not an option at OU. Sooner football is about winning Championships.

[sooner94]

You doom and gloom people kill me. You think its bad now, or getting bad?

Give me a break. No program can win it all every year.

Bad was Blake and the assclown with the tobacco pipe. Looks like Stoops has become a victim of his own success. Now, anything less than a Big 12 title and playing for the NC is failure to some people.

[batonrougesooner]

If you define mediocrity as not playing for a MNC every year then I guess I agree with you.

[Texas Golfer]

Hopefully, we will get better with experience. We started a freshman QB last year and, for all intent and purposes, we have a freshman QB this year (1st year starter). The majority of our team are freshmen and sophomores with a few juniors sprinkled in.

We will get better.

[Ike]

Be glad we get the luxury of calling 8-4 "mediocre"