The sad part is...

[TrophyCollector]

...we have a once every 20 years freak of a great RB and even if he runs for 5,000 more yards this season, the most we are going to get out of it is 1 Big XII title.

[SouthCarolinaSooner]

yep

[mikeb]

I agree

[IronSooner]

I almost feel like apologizing to NCAA fans for wasting the guy. Imagine what he'd do with a line like UT's. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he came here, but it would have been great to watch him with 3 years of great OLs to block for him. Talk about record breaking.

[n8v_ndn]

squandered...

[The Maestro]

Well, he did help lead us to a championship game his freshman season...that game just turned out foul and the team has only two impressive wins since that point.

[StoopTroup]

You could always hope he decides to stay and let his Father see him play at the RRSO next year.

I'm not saying he won't go Pro...but you never know until the ink is on the paper.

If NCAA sanctions hit...he's gone though.

[Partial Qualifier]

squandered...

this sums it up nicely.

[Scott D]

tis a shame we don't have the personnel or scheme to take the most benefit of his talent and ability.

[The Maestro]

The two best recruits we have picked up out of the state of Texas in the past 20 years, Tommie and AD, are going to leave without national championship rings...but Patrick Fletcher, Scott Kempenich and Corey Heinecke have rings. Crazy.

[FaninAma]

Iactually think AD has been part of the problem through no fault of his own. Because he is a freak of nature our coaches hve gotten very lazy with their play calling and have put too much of the burden on AD.

We have fallen way short in the recruitment and retention of OL and it is biting us right in the @$$ right now but our coaches have really gotten ignorant with their play calling and scheming. Opposing defenses know OU is going to try and force a running game even if they line 8 and 9 players in the box. We don't have the OL to block that many players especially considering how pathetic our WR's are at blocking.

The first series in the 3rd quarter epitomizes the problem with the offensive coaches right now. Call 3 unimaginative plays, punt the ball, give UT good field position then let DJ Wolfe give up his once-a-game(at least) TD and you could see the horns getting up of the carpet where the Sooners had put them in the first half.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Just think of it in human terms. AD has had some rough circumstances in life. Dad in prison, seeing his older brother killed, etc. Still, he keeps his nose clean and is a positive young man.

If anyone deserves the fortune of having a NFL team pick him, it's AD. I'll never begrudge the kids who leave early. Most of them have personal circumstances much worse than any of us have had or will ever face.

Just thinking of him as a person, you wouldn't want him to stick around for another year of questionable blocking and get hurt. That'd be a big shame. We've got good running back recruited and waiting in the wings to replace him.

Whatever happens from here on out, you can't do anything but feel good about AD.

[T_Boner]

Iactually think AD has been part of the problem through no fault of his own. Because he is a freak of nature our coaches hve gotten very lazy with their play calling and have put too much of the burden on AD.

We have fallen way short in the recruitment and retention of OL and it is biting us right in the @$$ right now but our coaches have really gotten ignorant with their play calling and scheming. Opposing defenses know OU is going to try and force a running game even if they line 8 and 9 players in the box. We don't have the OL to block that many players especially considering how pathetic our WR's are at blocking.

The first series in the 3rd quarter epitomizes the problem with the offensive coaches right now. Call 3 unimaginative plays, punt the ball, give UT good field position then let DJ Wolfe give up his once-a-game(at least) TD and you could see the horns getting up of the carpet where the Sooners had put them in the first half.

i agree

[TrophyCollector]

... our coaches hve gotten very lazy with their play calling and have put too much of the burden on AD.

We have fallen way short in the recruitment and retention of OL and it is biting us right in the @$$ right now but our coaches have really gotten ignorant with their play calling and scheming. Opposing defenses know OU is going to try and force a running game even if they line 8 and 9 players in the box. We don't have the OL to block that many players....

The first series in the 3rd quarter epitomizes the problem with the offensive coaches right now. Call 3 unimaginative plays, punt the ball, give UT good field position ...

For all of our disagreement on NCAA playoffs, I am in 100% agreement with these statements.

The question is with everything going for us after 2000, even 01 / 02, undefeated regular seasons in 03/04 - how did we get this f'ing poor on the o-line, d-line and secondary. And thank God for PT or we'd be looking at a losing season this year.

[Octavian]

I almost feel like apologizing to NCAA fans for wasting the guy. Imagine what he'd do with a line like UT's. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he came here, but it would have been great to watch him with 3 years of great OLs to block for him. Talk about record breaking.

while I agree it's sad we haven't won more hardware while he's been here, he wouldn't have played in front of Benson in '04 had he been in Austin. Mack would've stuck w/ his senior.

His career numbers wouldn't be as high had he gone to Texas.

Hindsight is 20/20. AD made the right choice at the time...other aspects of our program haven't matched his excellence.

Who would've known we'd lose multiple OLinemen and our franchise QB would self destruct?

The last major thing OU can accomplish during the AD Era is (assuming this is his last year) is increase our number of bowl wins to 25.

[FaninAma]

For all of our disagreement on NCAA playoffs, I am in 100% agreement with these statements.

The question is with everything going for us after 2000, even 01 / 02, undefeated regular seasons in 03/04 - how did we get this f'ing poor on the o-line, d-line and secondary. And thank God for PT or we'd be looking at a losing season this year.

I actually am happy where we're at with the DL. Losing Dampeer to termianl stupidity on his part hurt but we are actually sitting pretty with the DL we have waiting in the wings. I also think losing Reynolds to injury hurt a lot. The kid was born to play linebacker. He has it all......another Rocky Calmus with a few more physical tools. I guarantee you we won't see all of this over pursuing bull**** we've seen from the linebackers once Reynolds is in there. Most of the rushing yardage on OU this year, including the Txas game, has been gained by the runner cutting back against the over-pursuing Sooner linebackers. I'm actually very excited about the kid from Commanche,too. He seems like a smart player who always puts himself in position to be in on the tackle.

We'll also be set in the DB if we can find one more freaking CB. Crap, he doesn't need to be a shutdown corner he just needs to not get burnt deep 3 or 4 times a game.

Our OL will be able to run block better but not to the point of having a power running game. Their pass blocking has actually been pretty good most of the time.

What I would like to see is Huepel having a little bit more influence on our offensive play calling. I really feel comfortable with the QB position in his hands even if we are starting a new QB next year.

[TrophyCollector]

I actually am happy where we're at with the DL. Losing Dampeer to termianl stupidity on his part hurt but we are actually sitting pretty with the DL we have waiting in the wings.



Our DTs have been getting CRUSHED most of the season and our DEs are out of position too often. When UT's d-line is so much better than us that they can pick up 10 on a QB sneak, I'm far from happy with where we are.

We used (like 2000 - 2004) one of the best defensive teams in the country. Now we are #10 in the BIG XII in rush defense - WTF? And #11 in the BIG XII in sacks? - WTF? That kind of drastic drop off just doesn't seem to happen to UT, Michigan, USC, LSU - programs that 2 years ago you'd have thought we were at least on par with, if not ahead of.

[Scott D]

Our DTs have been getting CRUSHED most of the season and our DEs are out of position too often. When UT's d-line is so much better than us that they can pick up 10 on a QB sneak, I'm far from happy with where we are.

We used (like 2000 - 2004) one of the best defensive teams in the country. Now we are #10 in the BIG XII in rush defense - WTF? And #11 in the BIG XII in sacks? - WTF? That kind of drastic drop off just doesn't seem to happen to UT, Michigan, USC, LSU - programs that 2 years ago you'd have thought we were at least on par with, if not ahead of.

go look again at Michigan's defense numbers from last year if not the last 3 years prior to this season (new defensive coordinator).

[TrophyCollector]

go look again at Michigan's defense numbers from last year if not the last 3 years prior to this season (new defensive coordinator).

2005 - 4th in the Big 10 against the run (41st NCAA) 5th in sacks
2004 - 7th in the Big 10 against the run (39th NCAA)
2003 - 4th in the Big 10 against the run (22nd NCAA)

How does that compare to our current 10th in conference (58th NCAA)?

Michigan slipped a bit, we rolled over the side of the f'ing cliff.

[Scott D]

other than the fact that you are comparing end of season stats to midseason stats, against a team where 7 out of 11 schools run a spread passing attack?

[tulsaoilerfan]

For all of our disagreement on NCAA playoffs, I am in 100% agreement with these statements.

The question is with everything going for us after 2000, even 01 / 02, undefeated regular seasons in 03/04 - how did we get this f'ing poor on the o-line, d-line and secondary. And thank God for PT or we'd be looking at a losing season this year.
Schmitt, Venables, and brother Mike, in that order IMO

[aero]

From an espn article about tu's win: "A dominant physical defensive performance -- just like the ones that Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops' team used to deliver against the Longhorns". Used to deliver. Things change and can in a hurry. We had a damn good 5 year run. Its tough to maintain that. You've got new guys every year, new teams and attitudes every 4 years, coaches come and go. We definitely are missing something. IMO, for what its worth, is we've lost a lot of guys who had "it", the attitude that they were better than the other team and they were not going to lose.
I think this puts the onus on the coaches. They have to recruit the right players and coach the hell out of them. Maybe their doing this, but I think bringing back alums like Tommie, Teddy, Rocky, Dusty, Derrick, etc, if nothing more than to visit with the team would be a big help. Miami is down right now, and though I've always hated them, I've admired how long they seemed to keep that attitude. usc now seems to be passing along that winning "thang" but the next few years will really tell if they keep it going or if they slide.
I'm no where near the panick mode. We still have a good team. Sometimes things just go the way they go. I am still expecting to win out and, of course, go undefeated with a NC next year.
One last note, I was so happy when AD declared OU and will always be happy he came here but I cringed the day he said, and I'm ad libbing, he was coming here because he wanted to play for NC's. My gut said we wouldn't sniff one while he was here and tu would. Karma's a bad mofo.

[Crimsontothecore]

Jimbo Elrod was on the tulsa sports animal this morning and said he expects OU to be improved next year without AD. He said that with AD moving on, the offense would spread it around as opposed to Peterson being the center of it all.

[sanantoniosooner]

It's a universal law that teams get better when they lose great players.

[goingoneight]

...we have a once every 20 years freak of a great RB and even if he runs for 5,000 more yards this season, the most we are going to get out of it is 1 Big XII title.

Same thing we got in 2004 before that blackout of 2005 happened... :eek:

[goingoneight]

Every year you have familiar faces, but a different team... I stick by that theory just as I stick by the theory that good defense will win you more games than good offense. Everybody scores, not everybody can hold their opponents...

[birddog]

ad's a player on the team. sure he's the best player but let's not feel too sorry for a guy about to make millions of dollars.

i played college ball and my coach promised we would win a championship and we never came close.

i'm sure his life will go on.

[Grimey]

It's a universal law that teams get better when they lose great players.

The Ewing theory. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewing_Theory)

and yes, I know you were being sarcastic.

[FlatheadSooner]

From an espn article about tu's win: "A dominant physical defensive performance -- just like the ones that Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops' team used to deliver against the Longhorns". Used to deliver. Things change and can in a hurry. We had a damn good 5 year run. Its tough to maintain that. You've got new guys every year, new teams and attitudes every 4 years, coaches come and go. We definitely are missing something. IMO, for what its worth, is we've lost a lot of guys who had "it", the attitude that they were better than the other team and they were not going to lose.
I think this puts the onus on the coaches. They have to recruit the right players and coach the hell out of them. Maybe their doing this, but I think bringing back alums like Tommie, Teddy, Rocky, Dusty, Derrick, etc, if nothing more than to visit with the team would be a big help. Miami is down right now, and though I've always hated them, I've admired how long they seemed to keep that attitude. usc now seems to be passing along that winning "thang" but the next few years will really tell if they keep it going or if they slide.
I'm no where near the panick mode. We still have a good team. Sometimes things just go the way they go. I am still expecting to win out and, of course, go undefeated with a NC next year.
One last note, I was so happy when AD declared OU and will always be happy he came here but I cringed the day he said, and I'm ad libbing, he was coming here because he wanted to play for NC's. My gut said we wouldn't sniff one while he was here and tu would. Karma's a bad mofo.


Heh, at least he got to play in a NC game. That don't happen for too many folks.

He can always come back next year if he wants one bad enough. ;)

[tulsaoilerfan]

It's a universal law that teams get better when they lose great players.
well, tennessee won a NC after Peyton Manning left with Tee Martin as their QB, but that's about the only example i can think of right now