MORE THAN JUST A GAME...PART 2

continued from part 1...

 

NOTRE DAME

THE EVIL EMPIRE
 

“There are two kinds of people in this world; those that love Notre Dame…and everyone else.” – Former Irish head coach Dan Devine

During the 1956 season, the Sooners whipped a bad, unranked Irish team 40-0 in South Bend. The victory was #35 in a row at the time, a win that Wilkinson would label as being special.  Unfortunately, as was the case here, what can sometime make something special is the rarity in which it occurs. That victory in 1956 over the Irish, is the only win in the series for not only Wilkinson (1-5), but for Oklahoma as well (1-9).
 

When Bud Wilkinson took over the Sooner football program after a one year stint by Jim Tatum, he decided that he wanted to compete against the best....and the best at that time was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  Wilkinson had great admiration for Frank Leahy and the job he had done at Notre Dame.  Under Leahy, the Irish has won four national championships in the 1940's.  

 

Wilkinson and Leahy had dinner one night in Norman in 1949...and when it was over Wilkinson had his wish. The Sooners and Irish would play four times in the fifties, and four more times in the 1960's.   Clearly, this was a case of be careful what you wish for. 

 

How bad does Notre Dame have the Sooners number?  Not only was it the Irish who ended the Sooners streak in 1957...but they were also the last team that OU lost to prior to the start of the streak.

MORE THAN JUST A GAME
TO THE SOONER NATION
 

"It was like President Kennedy being assassinated or the Space Shuttle Challenger going down.  Everybody still around that saw that game; can tell you exactly where they were when it happened...it was that kind of dramatic effect"

- Jay Wilkinson, Bud Wilkinson's youngest son

As a kid I always heard about the streak, but it wasn't until about fifteen years ago when I read Jim Dent's book 'The Undefeated,' that I really got to know the streak in detail.  The book gave me a much better perspective and greater appreciation for the players, coaches and teams that accomplished it.  But most of all, Jim Dent's history lesson about Oklahoma's 47 game winning streak opened my eyes to how much it meant to the people of Oklahoma.

For many Oklahomans' of that era, the streak was more than just football, it was a new identity.  The streak gave Oklahomans something they could be proud of, something that would be recognized by others as being great.  It was an accomplishment that when viewed by those outside of Oklahoma would invoke envy, not pity.  The streak was in effect a way for Oklahomans to replace the sullen and desperate images provided by 'The Grapes of Wrath' and the Dust Bowl era, with that of a winner.  For Oklahomans the streak was as much a statement about faith and resiliency as it was winning football games.  It was proof that they could not only endure and overcome...but even win.
 

 Almost every account I have read about the game makes mention of the fact that most of the 62,000 in attendance that day at Owen Field were still in their seats some 15-20 minutes after the game was over, this despite the fact that a heavy rain had begun.   Was it shock and sadness that kept them there?  Or was it a tribute to what they had witnessed the Sooners accomplish over the last five years?  Both? Neither?

 

I would like to think that the OU fans were still in their seats that day at Owen Field, not because they were morning the sad and unexpected end of the winning streak…but because they were soaking in the moment. I think that they knew what they had witnessed that day would be historical...they knew the record of 47 straight that would go into the record books that day would never be touched.

 

It has been 56 years since the record of 47 straight went into the books.  During that span, no team has ever even come close to threatening it.  Like the tough, resilient Oklahomans that withstood the Dust Bowl, the Sooners record of 47 straight wins will endure.  It will serve as a source of pride for the Sooner Nation; an accomplishment recognized by others as being good.  The Sooners record 47 game winning streak is proof that Oklahomans are winners...and that is one winning streak that no team will ever end...not even the Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Next Up...
Bob gets a visit from Bud
 

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

BLAKE BELL MAKES MOST OF TULSA TIME

OKLAHOMA 51
TULSA            20

   

 

"So much for your (quarterback) controversy! It didn’t last long, but you can’t deny what he just went out there and did today. I’m proud of him and excited for him, and again I think it speaks to his character because he was a guy that was ready for it. He never got down, never changed his attitude, and he got his chance and took great advantage of it.” - Bob Stoops

Trivia Question:

Prior to Blake Bell's debut this last Saturday, 

can you name the last OU starting QB to wear #10?

 (ANSWER IS AT BOTTOM OF POST)

 

From Flag to Finish

 

Before Blake Bell could even touch the football in his first start at QB, the offense had lost five yards.  The illegal participation penalty, while minute in regards to its effect, was largely symbolic of what laid ahead.  600 total yards and 51 points later proved that flag to be prophetic...because Tulsa was truly out-manned in this one from the start. 

 

 Better than Sam, I am

 

If the Sooners were to have any shot at beating Notre Dame in South Bend in two weeks or to be part of the Big 12 title conversation...they we're going to need drastic improvement in their passing game. 

 

27 of 37 for 413 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions...Mission accomplished.  Not only was Blake Bell's passing performance a drastic improvement over what the Sooners accomplished through the air in the first two games, but his 413 passing yards also broke Sam Bradford's school record for passing yards by a QB making his debut.

How to Win Friends and Influence Receivers-  

“It ain't no fun if the homies can't have none.”  

― Snoop Dogg

 

Blake Bell completed passes to 10 different receivers on Saturday. Obviously, Bell did a good job of reading the defense, going through his progressions and then distributing the ball to the open man. No better way to keep everybody happy than to get em' the rock occasionally. On a side note...every tight-end listed on the roster tied their season high in catches with absolutely frickin' none.

 Good From the Get-Go 

 "To change one's life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly." 
- William James

For the first time this season, OU scored on its first possession of the game.  In my opinion, this was huge. Considering the struggles the offense had last week against WVA, scoring on the opening drive was like a big therapeutic group hug.  The 12 play, 74 yard drive had to be a shot of confidence for not only Bell and the offense, but also for offensive coordinator Josh Heupel. 

Third Downs the Charm

“When it's third and ten, you can take the milk drinkers and I'll take the whiskey drinkers.” - Max McGee Green Bay Packers

 

The Sooners converted 12 of the 16 third downs they faced on Saturday.  Most teams hope to convert somewhere around half of their opportunities...so 75% is impressive.  Two of the third downs the Sooners were able to convert occurred on the opening drive.  Facing third and 6 from their own 44, Bell hit Sterling Shepard across the middle for 9 yards.  The significance of this play was that Shepard was not the first option.  Bell had to check off his first receiver.  When I saw his head move and look in another direction, I almost fainted.   

Then later in the drive, the Sooners found themselves with third and 10 from the Hurricane 29.  Bell rolling to his right, shrugged off a defender, then cut back across the field for 11 yards and a first down.  Having a QB that looks to throw first; but is mobile enough to run and strong enough not to be arm tackled is a very nice weapon. Glad we decided to use him.

In all, the Sooners had 27 first downs in the game: 15 by way of air and 12 via the ground...that kind of balance is a beautiful thing for offensive coordinators.

Protect the Pig

"Gentleman, it is better to have died a small boy than to fumble the football"
- John Heisman

If I had to name one thing that Bob Stoops liked most about Blake Bell's performance Saturday it would be: Zero Turnovers.   

Selecting System over Sooner

'The OAS QB Conspiracy Theory'
“The trouble with conspiracies is that they rot internally.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
 

When Blake Bell brought the offense to the line of scrimmage for the first snap, the Sooners were lined up in a 4 receiver set.  I did a double take to make sure that Blake Bell was really Bell and not Landry Jones standing five yards deep. (Now come on people, things haven't got so bad that you miss the 'stach do you?)  That's when it hit me...

In hindsight it is so obvious that I'm almost embarrassed by the simplicity.  It took me all of one play Saturday to realize that OU wasn't so much waging a QB competition this summer and fall...as much as they were an offensive system competition.
I don't doubt that the QB competition was close; in fact it was probably so close that the coaching staff decided to go with the offensive that they most wanted to run.  When that turned out to be that read-option pistol thing, it made Trevor Knight the winner by default.  Knight is the quicker, faster runner, therefore the more suited of the two to run that style of offense. 

While Knight's injury certainly made it less controversial, Bell was going to start this past week regardless.  Going back to a more 'conventional' style offense, if you can call a 4 receiver set conventional, gave Bell and the Sooners the best chance to succeed not only Saturday, but for the rest of the season as well.

Ready to Roll

"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out"
- John Wooden

Certainly, that is what Blake Bell has done in this situation

 

Next Up: The Notre Dame Irish

 

I'll be honest, I had written off the Notre Dame game as a loss...and while that still might end up being the case...at least now there is some hope for the Sooners.  The Irish claim that good fortune comes to those who find a 4-leaf clover.  On September 28th, the Sooner Nation will rely on four receivers instead of clovers to supple the good fortune...after all, shouldn't Sterling Shepard be easier to find?

Trivia Answer:  The last OU starting QB to wear #10 was Steve Collins back in 1992.

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty



WHAT THE HELL?

OKLAHOMA

TULSA

RANDOM PRE-GAME THOUGHTS

 

A Hurricane In Tulsa?

I still don't understand why a land-locked school in the middle of Oklahoma, 600 miles from the nearest body of salt water, would choose Golden Hurricanes as their mascot.  So I looked it up:



What the hell?

The origination of The University of Tulsa nickname - Golden Hurricane - came in 1922. A new football coach, Howard Acher, came to town and inherited a slew of nicknames dating back to 1895.  Past Tulsa teams were referred to as Kendallites, Presbyterians, Tigers, Orange and Black, and Tulsans. In the fall of 1922, the team nickname was "Yellow Jackets," which was apparently due to the fact that the team was wearing new black and yellow uniforms instead of the traditional orange and black.   The team opened the season and it was apparent that Tulsa was going to have a great year, and trying to seize some publicity for his team, Acher wanted to find a new nickname quickly.  After a remark was made in practice one day about "roaring through opponents," and because of their new jersey colors, he thought of Golden Tornadoes. However, he quickly found out that the name had been taken by Georgia Tech a few years earlier. From the tornado, he evolved meteorologically to the hurricane. A few days before the team left for a game against Texas A&M, Acher asked the squad to vote on the name, and thus "Golden Hurricane" was born. Oh, well that makes perfect sense.

Commode Cleaner In a Cape?

I truly hope that the University of Tulsa never changes their mascot...because as long as whatever this is supposed to be is standing on the sidelines, those stupid horse-pigs we trot out there won't be the worst mascots in the country.  Seriously, what the hell is that?  It looks like a cross between a turnip and a toilet-bowl cleaner.  What is their mascot budget $19.99?  I like University of Tulsa, so I hate calling them out, but unless you are trying to increase the spirit of the custodial crew, this walking tidy-bowl brush needs to go.






Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

THE SOONERS DEFENSE...BUY, SELL OR HOLD?

There is little or no doubt that the Oklahoma Sooners defense is much improved in 2013...but how much improved?  Do you think this defense is good...maybe even great?  Or do you feel like this defense is only smoke and mirrors; an improved unit from last year, but one that will be exposed once the competitions steps up?  Or maybe you are like me, guardedly optimistic but needing to see more before you can buy all in?

It made me wonder what Jim Cramer from mad money might have to say if the Oklahoma Sooners defense was trading on the NASDAQ.  Would he buy, sell or hold?

My mission is simple...to make you money. I'm here to level the playing field for all investors.  There is always a bull market somewhere and I'm here to help you find it.  Mad Money starts...now!

Hey, I'm Cramer...welcome to mad money, welcome to Cramerica.  Other people may want to make friends; I just want to make money.  My job isn't just to entertain you, but to coach you and educate you.  Let's get started...first caller:

Caller:"Hello, this is Billy Bob, from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. How Mamma doin'

Cramer: Momma doin' fine. 

Caller: My question is about Oklahoma Land & Air Defense (OKLA).  As you know Cramer, the stock trades on the Big 12 Exchange and has been moving up the last couple weeks. I wanted to get your thoughts on whether you think OKLA is a good buy right here. 

OKLA

Currently Price: @ $5.00

 52 week Hi: $5.00  Low: $1.00

Trading Volume: 8 quarters

    P/G Ratio: 3.5 Point a Game

Dividend Yield: 6.5% (2 wins / 13 games to play)

Ex-Dividend Date: 09/28/13 Notre Dame Game

If Cramer was a buyer, it might sound something like this:

Cramer: Billy Bob from Broken Wherever, Oklahoma - YOU NEED TO GET IN THE GAME!  Boo-Yah!

I'm a buyer of OKLA and you should be as well! When will people come to understand just how important some of these numbers are that OKLA is producing? Does anyone ever look at this stuff? Let's take 3rd downs for instance.  Third downs are absolutely CRUCIAL for a defense and this defense has been downright nasty on third downs.  ULM and WVA combined to convert only 5 of 29 third downs against the Sooners. When you have a defense that is stopping the opposition 83% of the time on third downs they are flat out dominating.  LOOK PEOPLE...this defense is one fundamental breakdown away from having two shutouts on the books and you know WHY? I'll tell you why...turnovers!  Payday at the car wash doesn't create as many opportunities as this defense has for its offense.  Mike Stoops has got this figured out.  This defense is playing with passion, is focused and is communicating well with one another.  Mike might just have captured lightning in a bottle for the second time at the safety position.  Gabe Lynn's move from cornerback to safety is reminiscent of the one-position-to-another career recitation that Stoops pulled off with J.T Thatcher back in 2000. Pay attention people...there is a trend here and it is up!

If Cramer was a seller, it might sound something like this:
Cramer:  Are you ready skee-dady?
Billy Bob, it's OK be a hick, buy don't be an idiot! SELL, SELL, SELL! People, listen to me!  Don't ever knee jerk! People who knee jerk, end up with an attic full of Lawrence Dampeer Instructional Break- Dancing videos and R.J. Washington bobble-head dolls.  Are you really ready to put your trust in Gabe Lynn after only two games?  This guy has let more people get behind him than a $2 hooker and your comfortable with him as the last line of defense?  What about the defensive line?  A Dice Clay stand-up routine has more depth than the Sooners front four does.  What about the newcomers?  If three weeks ago someone had said the names Tapper, Striker & Shannon you would have sooner guessed it to be a new original Showtime series before you would have three guys anchoring this defense.  Remember, the competition this defense has faced so far has been average at best...and I would offer that if WVA had a better QB last Saturday night...OU might be 1-1.  The defense has been getting turnovers, but not forcing them.  The stock has jumped up on pure speculation.  Get out why you can...because this defense will break...when it arrives in South Bend.

Buy, sell...or hold...I guess we will know soon enough.

Time to play the Hurricanes.  Boomer Sooner!

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

THE SAME BUT OH SO DIFFERENT

OKLAHOMA 16

WEST VIRGINIA 7

A COMPARISON TO THE NOT SO DISTANT PAST

 

The first Big 12 Conference matchup between Oklahoma and West Virginia took place last November...and it was a thriller. 

On that night in Morgantown last year, the two teams combined for 62 first downs, 1440 yards of offense, 13 touchdowns and 99 total points. The two teams averaged 8.5 yards a snap. Oklahoma QB Landry Jones threw for 554 yards. West Virginia RB Tavon Austin rushed 344 yards. Hell, I got credited with 7 yards rushing on 2 carries just for making the trip.  Punt? Yeah, right. You would’ve had a better chance of seeing Elvis, Big Foot or a Mountaineer fan with a full set of teeth on the field before you would've a punter.  

This year's Oklahoma and West Virginia rematch took place last Saturday night at Memorial Stadium in Norman...a thriller it was not.

Wow, what a difference 10 months, 1250 miles and two QB’s you have actually heard of can make.  If last year's game in Morgantown was the offensive equivalent of going to bed with Scarlett Johansson, then this year's game in Norman was like going to bed with Scarlett Fever.

Saturday night's clash between the two schools produced some startling divergent statistics.  There were 22 fewer first downs, 618 fewer total yards, 11 fewer touchdowns and 76 fewer points scored than there were in Morgantown.  In addition...the temperature was 68 degrees warmer, there were 12 more punts, 6 more turnovers, 5 more penalties and one more quarterback benching than there was at Pusker Stadium last fall. 

When you stop to consider the fact that the first matchup was only 5 games ago...it puts into prospective how quickly and drastically things can change from one year to the next in college football. 

The OAS PRESENTS

A VIEW FROM INSIDE THE PURPLE BAG...
THE OFFENSE



 

"I'm in favor of it" - Former Tampa Bay Head Coach John McKay's response to a reporter who asked him how he felt about the execution of his offense. 

I am hearing a lot of criticism being launched @ OU offensive coordinator Josh Heupel in regards to his play calling last Saturday night. I find that criticism to be a little unfair when you take into consideration what he had to work with.  Look, I'm not saying Heupel is above reproach, he would probably be the first to tell you that he has room to improve in some areas. But to criticize his play calling Saturday night is to infer that the calls he was making were incorrect or that there was some obvious alternative choice that wasn't being made.  I don't agree with that. Too often fans mistake a poorly executed play to be a bad call.  That's just not true.  If you are baking a cake and decide to add salt instead of sugar, you can't blame the recipe when the cake taste line a salt lick.

There are a few things that on offense that can really be a friend to the quarterback: 

A tight end.  A good tight end is like the QB's pacifier, his security blanket, his night light.  When he gets in trouble, the tight end is who he looks for.  Since our tight end is evidently in witness protection, this is not an option. The OAS Food Equivalent of:  Beets = Sucks

Mobility.  The ability for a QB to be mobile in the pocket and be a running threat can really help open up the passing game. It also can help make a big play out of a bad one.  But for this to be a weapon there has to be some sembalance of success throwing the football or the defense won't respect the pass and will stack the line of scrimmage to stop the run.  Trevor certainly has the mobility, but his inability to consistently complete a forward pass neutralized this advantage. The OAS Food Equivalent of: A Salad = Yawn

Early Success. Yeeeaaahhh, I'm thinking not so much. Trevor hasn't been able to do anything early to inspire confidence.  By the end of the third quarter, Heuple had more confidence in Stevie Wonder's ability to parallel park a Greyhound bus than he did in Knight's ability to complete a pass. The OAS Food Equivalent of: Tofu = Sucks

A running game. I was extremely impressed with how well OU ran the football against WVA.  The WVA defensive coordinator might have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.  He recognized the Sooners passing issues and in doing so, often had 7 or 8 defenders 'in-the-box,' yet still the Sooners ran the ball.  That is not an easy thing to do.  Running the ball successfully gave Heupel another weapon to help his young quarterback out with...the play action pass. Because the defense has to respect the running game, the fake is now taken seriously, which freezes the linebackers and opens up passing lanes.  Which is why the calls Heupel made were not bad, merely horribly executed. The OAS Food Equivalent of: Gravy = Awesome

The play action pass.  Should have worked like Brad Pitt in a chick-flick....unless of course your QB is staring down his receiver before he even starts the fake. When he does that, it becomes more like watching Joan Jett sing a gospel tune; you hear it, but you know something just isn't quite right about it. The OAS Food Equivalent of: Frozen TV Dinner = Decent idea but not good food.

When Trevor couldn't complete a pass even after the running game and play action gave him an added assistance to do so, the coaching staff had to make a change.  The truth is, with the situation being what it was at QB Saturday night, it was less about making the right call and more about making the least wrong one.

I hated to hear Trevor is hurt.  Hopefully he can use the rehab time to regroup and learn from watching.  He has talent; he just needs the game to slow down a little bit right now.

Tomorrow: Defense and Special Teams

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

SAVED BY THE BELL - FOR NOW

OKLAHOMA        16

WEST VIRGINIA   7

 

 

"The back-up quarterback is often the fans favorite player on the team...until he plays" -George Allen

 

A KNIGHT OF UNREST

 

It was three minutes into the 3rd quarter and the Sooner Nation was starting to get impatient...

Three rows down from me in the all-to-polite donor section, a lady wearing to much makeup, a hideous custom made sequined OU shirt and a bow in her hair the size of a yield sign, stood up and bellowed "get him the hell out of there." 

Two rows behind me, an elderly man who had evidently left his miracle ear out in the Crown Victoria, shouted to his wife..."Madge, I don't believe this kid can play a lick."

And a faint chant had begun in the OU student section...'We Want Bell...We Want Bell... We Want Bell.'  

Yes, it took all of seven quarters for the inevitable to begin...the calls for backup QB Blake Bell had started. 

By the end of the 3rd quarter, Trevor Knight's own mother would have benched him. Knight was 1-5 passing  in the quarter with two devastating interceptions and fumble.  In addition to his hurt feelings, he also appeared to be limping.  Seems a couple of West Virginia defensive backs had recognized his inability to complete a forward pass; so when they weren't catching his balls, they were drilling them. 

"We Want Bell, We Want Bell, We Want Bell"...by now it didn't matter if the student section was chanting for Blake Bell, Maw Bell, Alexander Graham Bell or Screech from Saved by the Bell...they just wanted a change.

Evidently, Bob Stoops agreed.

 

BELL OF THE BALL

When Blake Bell buckled his chin strap and took the field with the rest of the offense, most of the 85,000+ at Memorial Stadium roared with obvious approval. With a precarious 13-7 lead, the Sooners would start the 4th quarter with the ball at their own 45, a fresh set of downs, a different quarterback and evidently...a shot of adrenaline. 

Blake would lead the Sooners down for what would in essence be the game clinching field goal.  Does it matter that Bell didn't complete a pass or do much more than hand off? No...not last Saturday night anyway.  To the Sooner Nation, OU was Saved by the Bell.  And so begins the Blake Bell era...

QB Kendal Thompson returns to practice this week...good thing...because he just became the newest fan favorite of the Sooner Nation.

I THINK MY EYES ARE BLEEDING

 

Wow…It was an ugly game and a strange night. 
 
Ugly...as in 17 penalties, 8 turnovers, innumerable injuries, countless booth reviews, dozens of punts and enough time-outs to make Supernanny want to give them up in favor of spankings with sharp objects - that kind of ugly.   The sound of a whistle...

(The previous sentence is under review.  The ruling on the blog is that the sentence makes perfect sense due to the fact the Supernanny made popular the phrase time-out as it pertains to child discipline)....
(After further review, the ruling on the blog stands.  Please reset the punctuation to show the period outside the parenthesis...OAS, you may proceed).
 
But in addition to ugly at least it was really long.  In the four hours it took for both teams to disrespect the good name of college football…I could have read War in Peace, stood in line at the DMV, grown a redwood tree and macramé a sweater. 
 
I know I shouldn’t really bitch.  I’m sure the game experience Saturday night could have been worse…but short of being forced to sit between my ex-mother-in-laws, asked to remain sober and the score be reversed at the end of the night…I don’t really know how.

And then I did.

There is a guy down the row from me that looks like he ate the Stay-Puff-Marshmellow man.   For the second time in four games, Jabba the Hut squashed and then drop kicked my Crown on the rocks while trying to waddle his way through and over me to the isle. This guy is so fat, that if he cuts himself, I swear he will bleed gravy.  It's bad enough that he punts my cocktail with one of his feet that he hasn't seen in 150 lbs...But by the time he wades through, over and around me; I feel like we have touched enough to be dating.

Here is a thought for you big guy…since moving around doesn’t appear to be your ‘thing’…how about you stuff a Twinkie or eight into those body pillows you call jowls. That will keep your fat-ass anchored to seats 15 thru 18 that you torture six times a year.   As a result, the lady in front of me won’t have to wear my libation home anymore and I can stop plotting your death. Everybody wins but the concession stand. Cool?


Tomorrow....
The OAS takes a deeper look at OU-WVA

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

  Editors Note:  In last weeks Blog, one of my sub-headings was "Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?"  My mother thought I was serious...she didn't recognize or realize that I was using...what I thought...was a famous John Belushi line from Animal House.

So if anyone else out there was under the same impression as my mother and thought I was serious...please know that I was kidding.  Everyone know's it was the Chineese that bombed Pearl Harbor on that November 7th day in 1940.
  :)

KNIGHT IN THE OAS SPOTLIGHT PART 2...THE GOOD

SATURDAY KNIGHT'S ALRIGHT

'What a rush'....
On the third play of the game, Trevor Knight demonstrated one of the key elements that will make this style of offense so different from last year's version.  He ran for a first down.

For the last several years, the Sooner offense was geared to the talents of QB Landry Jones.  Landry was blessed with an NFL caliber arm, evidenced by the fact that the Steelers selected him with their fourth round pick in this year's NFL draft.  But when it came to running ability...Landry couldn't scatter horse manure if he had a rake tied to his ass. 

When your quarterback has all the mobility of a telephone poll, the 'read option'...isn't one.  In the name of full disclosure, I don't know exactly how many times Landry ran for a first down in his career, but I am willing to bet that it wasn't many more time than I have.

This stat sums it up pretty well...Saturday night Trevor Knight rushed for 103 yards.  Landry Jones rushed for -375 yards in his career.

Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?


Obviously, things didn't start well for the Sooner offense.  At the end of the first quarter, Knight was 3 of 10 passing for 7 yards.  In other words, if you bunched his three completions together it wouldn't have been enough to wake up the two guys holding onto the first down markers.  The only thing that seemed in sync for the Sooners at this stage of the game was the chorus of groans emanating from the 85,000 heat stroke candidates that were sitting on their hands inside Memorial Stadium.

But if Trevor Knight needed therapy or a pick-me up tweet from Dr. Phil, it didn't show.  I watched him on the sidelines in between offensive series and all I saw was confidence.  Maybe it was denial, or maybe he is fearless, but either way, he didn't let the slow start bother him.  As a result, things got better pretty quickly.  Bottom line is, I was very impressed with the way the kid handled the slow start.  He was nothing but positive energy.

'Come Together, Right Now, Over Me'...

 After the aforementioned slow start, Knight and the Sooners started to click a little bit.  There were still some poor throws and some open receivers missed, but the Sooners started doing what they were supposed to do...and that was to dominate an inferior opponent.  With less than four minutes gone in the second quarter, Trevor Knight threw his first touchdown pass...a little lob job that Jalen Saunders ran in from 12 yards out.

The final stats read 11 of 28 passing for 86 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was also cited as having thrown an interception, but how the ref's came to that conclusion after watching the replay is almost comical.  His 103 yards rushing on 13 carries marked the first time an OU QB had rushed for more than a hundred yards since Jason White pulled the feat in 2001.

The most important stat of course was on the scoreboard.  Trevor Knight and the Sooners got the W and that obviously will always be the most important goal.

My original grade for QB Trevor Knight's debut was a C+.  But that was when I was still trying to recover from dehydration, heat stroke, and whatever else I deserved to suffer from after standing around drinking in 105 degree heat all day.  But now that it looks like I am going to live, B- seems more reasonable.

The schedule sets up pretty well for Knight and the Sooners over the next few weeks.  West Virginia, this weekend's opponent, is a team that looks like it might be in for a long year.  A talented Tulsa team is up next, but the game is in Norman and I can't see the Hurricanes pulling off the upset on the road.

Following Tulsa is the first of the three off-weeks that the Sooners somehow managed to collect on their schedule this year.  I hate off-weeks, but if there was ever a good spot for one, this would be it.  If the Sooners can take care of business with WVA and Tulsa, they will be 3-0 with two weeks to prepare for the trip to South Bend and the game against the hated B.B. Heads.

Boomer Sooner....Beat the Mountaineers!

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty