SOONERS FEELIN' FROGGY AT 5-0

#11 OKLAHOMA 20

TCU 17

THE SOONER NATION MOURNS

 

This blog is dedicated to the memory of Cindy Johnson.  Cindy, wife of Oklahoma director of football operations Merv Johnson; mother of Jan (my fraternity big-sister), Jeff (my fraternity brother) and Jill (a friend who tragically passed back in 2000); and mother in law to Mike Burr (a fraternity brother who has always been like a big brother to me) passed away on Sunday night due to complications from a stroke. 
 
Cindy always had a welcoming tone in her voice, a smile on her face and the unique ability to make everyone around her feel special.  Whenever I saw Cindy she would always say to me: "Buddy Putty, you better get over here and give me a hug."  Which was always followed by "Buddy Putty, are you using that twinkle in your eyes for good or for evil these days?" A question she undoubtedly already knew the answer to.
 
That twinkle was replaced by a flood of tears today when I heard the news that Cindy had passed away.  My thoughts and prayers go out to Merv, Jan, Jeff, Mike and the rest of their extended family. 
 
The Sooner Nation lost a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, friend and fan on Sunday...moreover the world lost a wonderful person.  I feel lucky and honored that our paths crossed in life.  Cindy Johnson was special and every time I was around her she made me feel the same...and that's a feeling that would put a twinkle in anyone's eyes. 

GAME DAY IN NORMAN

 

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that a Horned Frog is not really a frog or a toad at all?  It is actually part of the lizard family. The name Horned Frog comes from the lizard's rounded body and blunt snout, which make it resemble a toad or frog. The spines on its back and sides are made from modified scales, whereas the horns on the heads are true horns.  I know this to be true because Wikipedia says so.

 

The Horned Frog, or lizard as it may be, is able to squirt an aimed stream of blood from the corners of its eyes for a distance of up to five feet.  They do this by restricting the blood flow leaving the head, thereby increasing blood pressure and rupturing tiny vessels around the eyelids.

I don't understand why this type creature would be picked to be the mascot of a major university.  My second ex-wife could do the same thing, but you don't see her picture on both sides of anybody's helmets do you?  Just sayin. 

NO WARTS ON THAT WEATHER

Now THAT, was football weather!  It wasn't 106 in the shade.  I didn't feel like I was walking on the surface of the sun.  I could walk around campus or to the stadium without sweating so much that it looked like I had just showered but smelling like I hadn't ever.  It was a beautiful day and night that helped make for a much more football like atmosphere. 

Tip of the hat to all the TCU fans that made the trip.  Hope you were treated well and enjoyed game day in Norman.

Jasen, Trevor & The OAS enjoy the pre-game

tailgate and the football like weather last

Saturday.

  

THE OPPONENT: TCU
A BAD TIME TO CATCH A GOOD TEAM

WITH A GREAT COACH

Coming off of an emotional road win against Notre Dame and with Texas on deck, much was made last week about how this game looked like a 'trap' game.  Look, it would be hard to argue that if your schedule has you playing the Sooners in Norman, this past Saturday was probably as good a spot as any to catch us.  But that being said, Gary Patterson and his TCU Horned Frogs are capable of beating anyone, anytime and anywhere regardless of who that team just played or is about to play.   OU has always struggled with Patterson and his Frogs, a factor which may have actually helped the Sooners focus this past week.  As the 20-17 final score would indicate, the Sooners had their hands full...but played just well enough to win. 

THE SOONER DEFENSE
D THROWS NO HITTER IN FIRST HALF

16 TOTAL YARDS & NO FIRST DOWNS
 

"I don't think that's happened with anyone I've been a part of" - OU head coach Bob Stoops

The OU defense pitched the equivalent of a no-hitter in the first half Saturday night.  In seven first half possessions the TCU offense failed to pick up a first down and managed only 16 yards total offense.  When TCU got a first down on their second drive of the third quarter, it ended a streak of 10 consecutive series that the Sooners defense had held the opposing offense without a first down (including the last two series against Notre Dame). Impressive stuff.

It was disappointing that the OU offense didn't play well enough in the first half to put TCU away, but a very good Frog defensive unit had a big say as to why that didn't happen.  The problem is, if you let a Patterson coached team hang around, there is a good chance it might come back to haunt you...the Sooners almost found that out the hard way on Saturday night.

THE SPECIAL TEAMS

A TIGHT END SIGHTING

 

An OU tight end touched the ball in a game for the first time this season Saturday...but not in a good way. When TCU executed and then recovered their 3rd quarter on-side kick, it was OU tight end Brannon Green that the ball bounced off of at the OU 35 yard line. The play was a double whammy for special teams coach Jay Boulware...turns out that coach B is also the tight ends coach. 

THE SOONERS OFFENSE

JUST ENOUGH

 

I knew that the TCU defensive secondary, featuring first team All-American senior cornerback Jason Verrett, was good...but I had no idea they were that good.  Their coverage of our receivers was impressive, but what they really did well was limit the yards after catch.  It was obvious that they didn't feel Bell was capable of beating them deep, so they cheated up to take away the short passing game.

The great coverage had a visible effect on Bell.  The good news is that at 6' 6" and 250 lbs. Bell can stand in the pocket and go through his progressions a little longer than most, because he can still see down field when the rush is starting to close it on him.   But that also means he is prone to holding on to the football longer than he should instead of throwing it away or maybe even tucking it and trying to run.  That can lead to sacks, which happened twice Saturday night against the Frogs. 

When he gets sacked it is easy to say he should have thrown it away or run with it...but the luxury of having someone who can stand in there longer than most has huge upside.  At the college level, more times than not, someone is going to break open...especially with a receiving corps as talented as OU's. 

The most important thing, regardless of whether he stands in pocket or throws it away, is that he doesn't try to force the ball somewhere...which he hasn't tried to do.  Since Bell has taken over, the offense has yet to turn the ball over...and you can't ask for more than that.

With the game on the line, the Sooners offensive line came through.  With TCU playing the run, the o-line was able to spring Brennan Clay loose for 76 yards and a touchdown.  Then after TCU scored to make it interesting, the offensive line opened a enough space for Blake Bell to slip through for consecutive first down carries that iced the game.  It speaks well for the conditioning and heart of this group when you can move the ball on the ground at crunch time against a defense that knows you're trying to do just such.

The hard earned 20-17 victory over TCU moves the Sooners to 5-0 for the season...and makes preparation for Saturday's Red River Rivalry all that much sweeter.  Everything the Sooners set out to play for this season is still out there to be had....next up....it's time to talk about Texas! 

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

SUDDEN IMPACT

Over the past few seasons, the Sooners have played in their fair share of games like the one last Saturday, where an impact play (or plays) occurred within minutes or even seconds of the opening kickoff.  Watching the Sooners create and cash in on the early opportunities against the Irish was a very pleasant change in fortune...because when it comes to games involving sudden impact moments, the Sooners have been more the bug than the windshield since 2010.

 

10/23/2010

Memorial Stadium / Columbia Missouri

#1 Oklahoma vs #11 Missouri

"RETURN TO SENDER"

The ref blows his whistle and points at the guy we call our kicker, Patrick O'Hara.  Patrick nods back at the ref like they share some sort of secret and then starts his half jog, half hop-scotch approach to the football.  With the wind at his back, O'Hara launches a fat, fluttering shank of a kick that wobbles end over end into the Missouri sky like a wounded duck.  The ball splats down around the Tigers 14 yard line where it takes one lazy bounce into the arms of Gahn McGaffie.  Eighty-six yards later, McGaffie whose first name is pronounced like John but spelled G-a-h-n, is standing in the OU end-zone...probably introducing himself to his fellow Missouri teammates.

 

Elapsed Time 14 seconds:  Missouri 7 Oklahoma 0

Game Result:  The Sooners never recovered from the slow start and would go on to lose 36-27 to the Tigers.  As a result of the loss, the Oklahoma Sooners #1 ranking was now long gahn...pronounced like gone, but spelled g-a-h-n.

 11/06/2010

Kyle Field / College Station, TX

#8 Oklahoma vs Texas A&M

"FALLING BEHIND 2-0 WAS A SNAP"

On the first play from scrimmage at the A&M 12 yard line, OU center Ben Habern launches the shot-gun snap over the head of QB Landry Jones.  Before Jones could catch up to it and do something really stupid, the ball rolls out of the back of the end zone for a safety. Freshman Aggie Cadets looked at their dates with confusion, not sure whether the 2 points the Aggies got for the safety qualifies for a kiss.  The OU offense looks at Ben Habern with confusion because it is usually Landry's fault when the defense scores.

Elapsed Time 9 seconds: Texas A&M 2 Oklahoma 0

Game Result:  The first play from scrimmage would be a precursor for the rest of the night.  The Sooners were a comedy of errors the entire game in route to a 33-19 loss.

10/22/2011

Oklahoma Memorial Stadium / Norman, OK

#3 Oklahoma vs Texas Tech

"And just like that, Texas Tech offense strikes" - Ron Franklin, ESPN

 "LIGHTNING FAST"
 

Tech returns the kickoff to almost mid-field.  On the second play from scrimmage, the Red Raiders run a slip screen.  The name was appropriate, because Tech wide-out Alex Torres slips inside and through the Sooner defense, going untouched 55 yards for the score.  A violent storm delayed the opening kickoff, but there was no pause in the Red Raiders cause.

 

Elapsed Time 68 seconds: Texas Tech 7 Oklahoma 0

 

Game Result: The Sooners would come back on the next drive to tie the score at 7-7...but OU didn't play well all night, eventually losing to the Red Raiders 41-38. The loss ended what had been the nation's longest home winning streak at 39 games.

 

1/04/2013

Cowboys Stadium / Dallas, TX

#12 Oklahoma vs #10 Texas A&M
"COTTON CANDY FOR MANZIEL & THE AGGIES"

 

On the 6th play of the game, Johnny Manziel zigzags his way down the far sideline and into the OU end zone.  The Sooners defense was easy pickin's for Maziel and the Aggies, as he rushed for a Cotton Bowl record 229 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Elapsed Time 2:32: Johnny Football 7 Oklahoma  0

 

Game Result:  Ugly.  Halftime score: 14-13 Aggies.  Aggies come out of locker room to score 27 unanswered second half points and route Oklahoma 41-13. 

 

BUT FINALLY...

09/28/2013

Notre Dame Stadium / South Bend, Indiana

#14 Oklahoma vs #22 Notre Dame

 "OKLAHOMA STRIKER'S FIRST"

 

A Sooner defensive player blitzes off the corner, blindsiding the opposing QB just as he was attempting to throw. The ball flutters into the arms of a Sooner linebacker who rumbles untouched into the end zone for an Oklahoma touchdown.  Sound familiar?  Of course it does, it happened only four days ago.  Okay, maybe the play was a little reminiscent of the play Roy Williams made against Texas in 2001...but this time it was Eric Striker on the blitz and Corey Nelson on the catch and run for six. 

 

Elapsed Time 49 seconds: Oklahoma 7 Notre Dame 0

 

But there was more...One play after NBC had returned from promoting Ford trucks and remedies for erectile dysfunction, Oklahoma LB Frank Shannon intercepts a pass that was deflected by Aaron Colvin at midfield and returns it 17 yards to the Irish 32 yard line.  Four plays later Damien Williams is standing in the Irish end zone.

 

Total elapsed Time 2:45: Oklahoma 14 Notre Dame 0

 

 

Game Result:  As you know the Sooners held off the Irish for 35-21 victory.

 

It would be hard to under estimate how important that early lead was for the Sooners last Saturday....All I know is that's the kind of sudden impact this Sooner fan could really get use too.

 

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

 

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

 

Buddy Putty

TWO & NINE NEVER FELT SO FINE

 



Sooners beat the Irish for the first time in 56 years

 

VS

 

OKLAHOMA 35

NOTRE DAME 21

 

 

SOONERS IN SOUTH BEND

 

A special thanks to Brian "Styx" Sanders & Kevin "KJ" Maguire for the pictures and feedback that they supplied via text and email from South Bend.  I went to South Bend when the Sooners played there in '99, but this was still a tough one to miss.  I appreciate you guys taking the time to share some of the atmosphere with The OAS on Saturday.  I thought I would pass some of that on today:
 

This from Maguire:

• Lots of Sooner fans in Chicago on Friday night.
• Great vibe at the tailgate. Several Irish fans remarked how well they were treated last year in Norman and that they wanted to return the favor to Sooner fans this year. 
• Notre Dame Stadium looks 'old school cool' but it actually sucks.  Basically, they pack 80,000 into a 60,000 seat stadium.
• Irish fans are down on Kelly.  Boos came out pretty early.
• Late in game, Irish fans are more and more agitated.  Chants of '2 and 9' have started.
• "Lots of drunken Irishmen...felt like a family reunion."
  

  

  
  

This from Styx:

• (At halftime with Sooners leading 21-7) Text: Feels like we are up by an extra point.
• 180% difference from last time (1999). Lots more going on around the stadium.
• Stadium sucks, antiquated, no video board.  When he asked Irish fans about why there was no big video screen they claim it's an attempt to stay with tradition.   Styx then asked if the Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica that was blaring from speakers was also part of the tradition. Nothing like a little Quiet Riot to 'wake up the echoes!'
• That aside, he did say that the pageantry and tradition that accompanies the game day there @ Notre Dame is very real.
• Also mentioned the campus was more beautiful than he remembered it to be when we went back in '99.
  

STYX IS GETTING INTO THE 'SPIRIT'

OF THINGS BEFORE THE GAME

 

 WAKE UP THE ECHOES

The Sooners were obviously very impressive on Saturday.  There were so many positive things that could be pointed out, but I am going to focus on four.

 

1.  The Sooner Nation 

The general consensus is that there were roughly 20,000 Sooner fans inside Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday.  That is an impressive showing by the Sooner Nation.  I know there were at least 15,000 of us in Tuscaloosa in '03, but from all accounts there were a lot more than that in South Bend.  I'm sure it was some sort of optical allusion or maybe it was just the Sooner Homer in me...but when the NBC cameras would pan the stadium, I swear it looked like there were as many Sooner fans in the stands as there were Irish.
Regardless of the exact number, seeing all that red mixed in with the Irish green...made the stands at Notre Dame Stadium look like the set of a Bing Crosby Christmas Special.  Makes me proud to be a Sooner-

2.  The Running Game

Against the Irish last year in Norman, the Sooners rushed for a grand total of 45 feet.  To put that in perspective, if the Sooners started the game at home plate they would've still been a free throw short of the pitcher's mound at the final gun.  The Sooners longest run of the night last year was from the sideline to the huddle.

Holy cow, what a difference twelve months and a coaching change can make.  Bill Bedenbaugh was hired to be the new offensive line coach back in February.  Bedenbaugh quickly went to work on changing the unit's mentality from finesse to physical. All spring he reminded his offensive line about how they got pushed around by the Irish last September.  He also reworked the offseason conditioning regiment for the big-uglies...butting heads with strength and conditioning coach Smitty until he relented to less running and more lifting.  Bigger - stronger vs. lighter - faster.  The results so far have been impressive.

Saturday against the Irish and their vaunted defensive front, the Sooners ran for 212 yards on 42 carries...an average of five yards a snap.  Admittedly, the Sooners struggled on a couple of short yardage situations, but keep in mind; this is by far the best defensive front the Sooners will go up against all season.

The numbers from Saturday show what a football team can do when they have the ability to run the football:

• Time of possession.  Despite starting off the game only having the ball for 4:31 of the first quarter because of a defensive score and a short drive, the Sooners won the time of possession 35:44 to 24:16.  The real eye opener was the second half where OU had the ball for 22:40 of the possible 30:00 minutes. 
• First downs: OU 25 ND 12.  Thirteen of which came from running the football
• Total Plays: OU 73 ND 54.  When you hold the opposition to only 54 plays, then your defense doesn't need Trapper John and an oxygen tent to keep them from keeling over.
• Favorite point on running game: When Trevor Knight came in to replace Bell...the entire 80,000+ in the stadium knew the Sooners were going to run the football...and still they move the ball 58 yards on the ground, including a 30 yard run by TK.

Bottom line: 450 yards total offense.  212 rushing / 238 passing.  Balance even the flying Wallenda brothers would be proud of.

3.  It Takes a Village

 Love that the Sooners are getting contributions from so many people.  This team is finally showing off the depth that we had been told about.  Five different players carried the football.  Eight different players caught passes.  Even the back-up QB came in at a big moment and contributed.  In the recent past, you shut down Broyles...you put serious damper on the passing game. Then it was Stills that was the key.  It's hard to key on one guy, when so many are in the mix.   Makes sense that you can be more dangerous when you have more than one bullet in your gun.

 

4. Hit Me With Your Best Shot

 One of things that impressed me most about the Sooners on Saturday was the way they answered every time Notre Dame made a push.  As my friend Styx said, the lead seemed precarious at best even when we were up 14.  There are several great examples of OU responding to an Irish surge, but in the interest of time, I will focus on what I thought was one of the more critical moments of the game:

9:09/2nd Quarter. 

Oklahoma 14 Notre Dame 7. 

OU had just turned the ball over on downs at the Irish 43.  With the momentum, good field position and their fans no longer speed dialing Dr. Kevorkian, the Irish pick up consecutive first downs and find themselves at the OU 24 with 3:44 to go in the half.  

A touchdown on this drive would be absolutely huge for Notre Dame.  Going to the locker room tied after having been down 14 points before NBC could even run a Ford F-150 commercial...would be as uplifting for the Irish as it would be devastating for the Sooners.  The damage could be far reaching...

I am watching the game over at Scott McKnight's house.  Scott and his wife Allison have four McChildren...all ten years of age or younger...and all of them are within 15 yards of an over served OAS.  An Irish touchdown here and there is a good chance that all four McChildren will arrive at school on Monday armed with several new vocabulary words. 

But before you can say 'hooked on phonics'...Julian Wilson picks off Tommy Rees to stop the Irish drive.  Ten plays and 88 yards later, Blake Bell finds Lacoltan Bester in the back of the la-end zone. 

Instead of going to half with a tie score and several parent teacher conferences in the McKnight's near future...the score is 21-7 Sooners.  It's only halftime and I need a nap and a twelve-step program...but at least the children aren't using the f-word as a noun, verb and adjective in the same sentence.

Highlight Index

-Nelson INT for TD (1:58) - Frank Shannon INT (2:49) -D Williams TD run (3:44)

Bell TD Pass to Belster (6:28) - D Willimas 2nd Effort (7:42) - Knight run (9:35)

- Sterling Shepard TD (11:15)

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

 

 

 

 

OKLAHOMA & NOTRE DAME ALL-TIME NAME TEAM

When you have two schools playing each other that are as rich in history and tradition as Oklahoma and Notre Dame, it is tough to talk about the present without mentioning the past.  So in sticking with that theme, I thought it would be interesting to list an All-Time team for the two schools. The criteria for making this list was not about success or awards, it was about one thing...their names.  I also decided that if it was close, then nicknames would count in the evaluation process.   Hey, what else would you expect from a guy named Buddy Putty? 

I would love to hear from anyone who has the name of a player they feel is better for the list than the one I chose.  If it is a close call for me, then I listed a runner-up...but by no means do I feel my list is beyond reproach.  At the bottom of the post, there is a place to comment, or you can e-mail me with your player names.  I will put out an adjusted list, should there so be a need, on Saturday morning. 

The Oklahoma & Notre Dame

All-Name Team:

Coaches:

Oklahoma:
Dewey "Snorter" Luster (1941-45)

Notre Dame:
Knute Rockne (1918-1930)

OFFENSE

 

Quarterback: (1)

Oklahoma:
Julius Ceasar Watts (1978-80)
Runner up: Bobby Warmack

•  To me this was the easiest choice of all.  Great name...Great person

 

Notre Dame:
Daryl "the Mad Bomber" Lamonica (1960-62)
Runner up: Angelo "the Springfield Rifle" Bertelli

• This was a tough call.  Several names could go here that would be hard to argue. Nickname was the tiebreaker.

Runningbacks: (2-3)

Oklahoma:

Elvis Peacock (1974-77), Joe Don Looney (1962), Horace Ivory (1975-76)

Runner up: Mossis Madu, Jermaine 'Gumbo' Fazande

• This was the hardest Oklahoma position because there were so many great names. Kenyon Rasheed and Leon Crosswhite didn't even make runner-up status 

Notre Dame:

William Shakespeare (1935), Nick Pietrosante (1956-58), Rocky Bleier (1965-67)

Runner up: Elmer Angsman

• William Shakespeare: I hear when a 'play' called for him to run the ball, it was like 'poetry' in motion

Wide Receivers: (2-3)

Oklahoma:

Tinker Owens (1972-75), Buster Rhymes (1980-84), Pop Ivy (1937-39)

Runner Up: Billy Brooks

• Tinker, Buster & Pop...awesome 

Notre Dame:

Rahib 'Rocket' Ismail (1988-90), Lake Dawson (1990-93)

Tight End: (1)

Oklahoma:
Forrest Valora (1977-80)
Runner up: Joe John Finley

Notre Dame:
Mark Bavaro (1983-85)
Runner up: Dave Casper

Offensive Lineman: (5-6)

Oklahoma:

Silas Satepauhoodle (1983-84), Bubba Burcham (1997-00), Karl Baldeschwiler (1974-77), Roy “Soupy” Smoot (1918-21), Plato Andros (1941, 1946)

Runner up: Stocker McDougle, Red Conkright

•  A Satepauhoodle, Baldeschweiler and a Smoot...sounds like three breeds of dogs at the Westminster Dog Show

Notre Dame:

Bronco Nagurski Jr., Bob Kuechenberg, Luke Petitgout, Dick Szymanski

Runner up: Phil Pozderac / Lou Rymkus 

• Just as hard to spell as it is to get around or past

Place Kicker: (1)

Oklahoma:

Uwe von Schamann (1976-78)

• Got a real 'kick' out of leading the band 

Notre Dame:

Paul Hornung (1953-56)

• And oh by the way, he was a decent QB, RB & DB as well for the Irish.

DEFENSE

Defensive lineman: (4-5)

Oklahoma:
Jimbo Elrod (1973-75), Dusty Dvoracek (2001-05), Gilford 'Cactus Face' Duggan (1937-39), Granville Liggins (1965-67), Aubrey Beavers (1990-94)
Runner up: Jim Weatherall, Lucious Selmon

• I'm thinking anybody nicknamed Cactus Face might not be the best looking guy in the world  

Notre Dame:

Nick Buoniconti (1958-61), Paul Grasmanis (1992-95), Chris Zorich (1987-90), Rudy Ruettiger (1986), Zygmont Czarobski (1942-44)

Runner Up: Renaldo Wynn / Bob Dove

• Vanna White's head would explode from trying to figure out which letter went where if Zygmont Czarobski was on the board. 

Linebackers: (3-4)

Oklahoma:
Rocky Calmus (1998-01), Rufus Alexander (2002-06), Brian 'The Boz' Bozworth (1983-86)

• A Rocky, a Rufus and a Renegade  

Notre Dame:
Mike Stonebreaker (1986-90), Rocky Boiman (1999-2002), Manti Te'o (2009-12), Myron Pottios (1957-60)
Runner Up: Demetrius DuBose

•  Is there is a better name for a LB than Stonebreaker?

Defensive Backs: (4)

Oklahoma:
Chijioke Onyenegecha (2004-05), Steve O’Shaunghnessy (1969-71), Basil Banks (1977-80), Dewey 'Snorter' Luster (1917-20)

• Pat, I would like to buy a vowel...

Notre Dame:
Tom Zbikowski (2003-07), Chinedum Ndukwe (2003-06), Chick Maggioli (1942-44), Frank 'Shag' Shaughnessy (1901-04)

•  This list of names would've been a nightmare scenario for the late Bob Barry, Sr.  I can't even imagine what would have come out of his mouth had he tried to say Chinedum Ndukwe in the heat of the moment.

Punter: (1)

Oklahoma:
Wahoo McDaniel (1957-59)

Notre Dame:
Ben Turk (Current)

• Our punter can out wrestle your punter

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

AN OAS SPECIAL EDITION: BEFORE THE BLOG

 

 

(CLICK ON VIDEO BOX TO SEE

HIGHLIGHTS OF 1999 OU - ND GAME)

 

The University of
Notre Dame
Fighting Irish

NOTRE DAME 34

OKLAHOMA 30

Notre Dame Stadium

South Bend, IN

October 2, 1999

 

AS OAS SPECIAL EDITION

BEFORE THE BLOG
A LOOK BACK AT OKLAHOMA vs NOTRE DAME 1999

 

Our Bob is Better Than Your Bob...

 

The first thing that jumps out at me when I think back to this game was the coaching situation for each program at that time.  These two schools would be a great case study for how monumentally important hiring the right head coach can be for your program.

 

Exhibit A:  Oklahoma Head Coach: Bob Stoops  

Stoops was in his 1st season as OU's head coach.  It had only been three games, but the entire Sooner Nation was excited and reenergized by what they had seen so far.  Bob Stoops' first staff would have three future Division I head coaches (Leach, Mike Stoops and Mangino).  Four other assistants Stoops hired over the next 10 years would eventually be head coaches as well (Long, Wilson, Sumlin and Pelini). 

 

The Oklahoma program since that game in 1999:

• Same Head Coach

          Two x coach of the year           
          Three x Big 12 Coach of the year           
          Two x Walter Camp Coach of the year (2000, 2003)           
          Bobby Dodd Coach of the year award (2003)

• 152 -37 record (.804 winning %)
• 1 National Championship
• 8 Big 12 Conference Titles
• 4 title game appearances (most of any program)
• 2 Heisman Trophy winners
• 14 straight bowl games 
• 8 BCS Bowl Games
• 39 game home winning streak
• 0 losing seasons
• 1 Car Salesman QB who didn't ever go to work 
• 1 QB w Porn Mustache

 

Exhibit B: Notre Dame Head Coach: Bob Davie  

The 1999 season was Davie's third year as head coach of the Irish.  Hired when Lou Holtz retired following the '96 season, Davie was about as popular with Irish fans as a 10 PM curfew at a frat house. Davie had a strange habit of referring to the traditions @ Texas A&M rather than those of the Irish, which is like tying chum to yourself and then going for a swim off the Great Barrier Reef.  It will probably get you noticed, but not in a good way. He would coach two more seasons (5 total) before being fired with a 35-25 record. 

 

The Irish program since that game in 1999:

• 5 Different Head Coaches

             Bob Davie (35-25)          
         George O'Leary (never coached a game)          
         Tyrone Willingham (21-15)         
         Somebody named Kent Baer (0-1)          
        Charlie Weiss (35-27)         
        Brian Kelly (28-10)

• 102-65 record (.610 winning percentage)
• No National Titles
• 4 BCS Bowl Games
• 1 title game 
• 5 losing seasons /
• 2 .500 seasons
• no Heisman winners 
• 1 Inaccurate Resume
• 1 Dead Fake Internet Girl Friend

 

 The Wishbone - No Longer an 'Option'

 

On the first offensive play of the Bob Stoops era, the Sooners came out and lined up in the wishbone formation.  It was Stoops way of tipping his cap to a style of offense that was as much a part of Oklahoma football as the words Boomer Sooner and the colors of Crimson and Cream.  

 

Then, as if saying goodbye, the OU offense shifted out of the 'bone and into the spread formation.  Just to make their point, the Sooners then proceeded to throw the football 6 straight times to begin the ballgame.  The times in the Sooner Nation....they were a changin'. 

 

Throwing the football at Oklahoma was like a brown shoe at a formal...it just didn't really seem appropriate.  In watching the highlights, the NBC television crew of Dick Enberg and Pat Haden helped point out just how much things had changed when they showed these two passing statistics during the game:

 

• Here is a list of the how many passes OU completed during each of their 6 National Championship seasons prior to 1999:

1950: 69   1974: 33

1955: 46   1975: 22

1956: 50   1985: 54

 

In the Sooners first game under Bob Stoops and offensive coordinator Mike Leach, Josh Heupel completed more passes than Steve Davis did in each of the '74 and '75 seasons...and more than the 27 that Jamelle Holieway did the entire 1985 season (Aikman completed 27 as well in '85). 

 

• Most touchdown passes in a season prior to 1999:

Cale Gundy ('93) 14        Bobby Warmack ('68) 11

Claude Arnold ('50) 13    Jack Mildren ('71) 10

 

Josh Heupel threw his 15th touchdown pass of the season before halftime of his 4th game. Heupel would throw for 33 touchdowns during the 1999 season.

 

Random Stuff... 

 

The Sooners would go on to finish 7-5 that year and play Ole Miss in the Independence Bowl.  The Irish would finish 5-7 and Bob Davie would spend the bowl season collecting 4-sale signs in his front yard.

 

In 1999, Mike Brown became the first African-American to be the Notre Dame mascot, Leprechaun.

"When I first became leprechaun, there was so much media attention drawn to it because of my race," he said.

"I tried to focus on being the 22nd leprechaun, not the first black leprechaun."

 

OU's leading rusher that day in South Bend you didn't ask? Somebody named Michael Thornton, who rushed for 56 yards on 8 carries.  Thornton was actually a captain for the Sooners that year...I would have guessed he was the captain of Captain and Tennille before I would have a team captain. Just don't remember Mr. Thornton.

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

 



A VISIT FROM BUD WILKINSON

Bud Wilkinson (Bud): “Hello, Bob”
Bob Stoops (Stoops): “Oh My God!”
Bud: (laughing) “No, No…despite what the good people of Oklahoma might have you believe…I’m not God – just Bud Wilkinson”
Stoops: “Well, I’ll be God dam…uh…I mean…wow…I can’t believe it’s you! What, uh… what are you doing here? How are you here? I didn’t know this kind of thing was possible?”
Bud: “What? Of course it is. Come on Bob, haven’t you seen the movie Ghost? Swayze isn’t the only one who gets out for a visit every now and then. We’re allowed a couple visits a year. I hear that we used to be able to come and go as we pleased until about 1977 when Elvis died. Evidently he was coming back so often people were claiming he was still alive. That boy is nothing but a ‘devil in disguise,’ if you ask me.”
Stoops: “That’s funny coach. So, you’re a uh, a ghost? Can anyone else see you?”
Bud:  “Bob, I’ve been dead almost 20 years…of course I’m a ghost….and don’t try and pretend you haven’t seen one before. You have four of them playing tight-end for you.  But to answer your question, no...just like your tight ends, no one can see me but you.”
Stoops: “Another good one. I had no idea you were such a comedian coach. Look coach, uh, I mean, Halloween is still over a month away. Is there another reason you are here today…or uh, did you just want to try out your new stand-up routine on the living.”
Bud: “My, my…aren’t you the touchy one. I guess after watching the way you deal with the media I shouldn’t be surprised. But yes, there is another reason I am here today. I wanted to talk to you about the game this Saturday against Notre Dame. Bob…I need to you win.”
Stoops: “Well, coach…Uh, we are certainly going to go up there and uh, give it our best shot.”
Bud: (sighing) First of all, you really need to work on removing the word uh, from you vocabulary. Secondly, I need more than ‘we’ll give it our best shot’… that’s not good enough. I need you to win damn it. I was going to have this talk with you before the game last year, but I didn’t think it was necessary. I never dreamed that you would let the Irish beat you at home like that last season. Bob, I want you to promise me you will beat Notre Dame!”
Stoops: "Coach, uh, damn...I mean, come on coach you know as well as I do, I can’t promise you that. Uh, I mean, damn it...now you have me all flustered. It’s bad enough that someone who’s been dead since Gary Gibbs was still losing Copper Bowls is standing in my office, but now you want me to guarantee that we will beat Norte Dame this Saturday?”
Bud:  "Bob, I need this win…and so do you for that matter. In fact the entire Sooner Nation needs this win.
Stoops: Look coach, I know the history that we here at Oklahoma when it comes to Notre Dame, so I want to win as bad as you do. I realize that this might have been personal for you while you were alive, but why is this bothering you so bad now?"
Bud: "Oh, Bob…it is so much worse now than it ever was back then. I’m telling you, those Catholics up there, they never let up on me."
Stoops: "Oh, come on coach...its Heaven, how bad could it really be?"
Bud: "Bob, I'm telling you...Heaven can be a real hell.  Especially after what happened when we lost last year."
Stoops:  "I'm scared to ask, but what happened coach?"
Bud: "Frank Leahy is in my Pilates class.  He is always riding me about my 1-5 record and how Notre Dame ended our streak.  So last year I made a bet with him on the game.  If Oklahoma won, he couldn't say another word to me about my record or the streak for all of eternity."
Stoops:  "I'm sorry coach.  I really thought we would win that game last year."
Bud:: "You should be sorry.  Do you know what it's like to have to wear a Leprechaun suit around every day for a month?"
Stoops: (laughing) "No, I'm sorry...I can't say that I do."
Bud: "Well, it sucks Bob."
(Stoops): "Coach, I'm not the one who made the bet.  You are, so don't be mad at me. This is not my fault."
Bud:  "Of course it's not your fault.  Your never wrong are you Bob?  Lord forbid anyone ever question Bob Stoops.  Have you gone for two lately Bob, or is your two point chart still down at McKinley Elementary School?"
Stoops: "Alright coach, I can see this is really personal for you.  This is just my opinion, but you really should try and just let it go." 
Bud: "Let it go?  Did you just say let it go? (Laughing now) I would like to see how well you would deal with it when some blue turf loving, spud eatin' Boise State bozo is calling you 'hook & ladder' to your face for the rest of eternity!"
Stoops:  "No, I guess I wouldn't like that very much." 
Bud:  "Besides, the Notre Dame people are already starting in on you as well." 
Stoops:  "What do you mean, what have I done?"
Bud: "It's more like what you haven't done.  You're already 0-2 against them and they think you have no chance to win on Saturday.  But that's not all they joke about it"
(Stoops): "Really?  What else?"
Bud: "Nick Pietrosante is in my bridge group.  He was the fullback for the Irish in 1957 and later an All-Pro with the Lions.  He asked me not to long ago if your middle initial was a C.  When I told him it wasn't, his response was, "good, cause if it was, he would never be able to get anything monogramed."
Stoops:  "I don't understand?"
Bud: "Neither did I, so I ask him why.  He said, "Because anything you had with BCS on it, you would probably lose."
Stoops:  "Sounds like Heaven is a regular comedy club."
Bud: "I guess you could say, a little slice of  heaven is."
Stoops:  "Look coach, I want to help you out, I really do.  But you know as well as I do that I can't guarantee victory on Saturday."
Bud:  "I know, I know.  I just get so frustrated.  Everywhere I go these days is a reminder of my shortcoming against the Irish.  I was over at JFK's house the other day.  He and Marilyn and Jackie were all out by the pool and..."
(Stoops): "Wait, wait...did you say Marilyn AND Jackie?  They were both there?"
Bud: "Yes, they all live there."
Stoops:  "You're kidding me, right?"
Bud: "Bob...did you forget where I live?  It's called Heaven for a reason.  But keep that under your hat if you don't mind, cause 'heaven only knows.'"
Stoops:  "What?  Heaven only knows what?  Oh...I get it."
Bud: "Anyway...I was over at JFK's and even he was giving me a hard time.  This was after he saw us play WVA...so he wanted to put a little wager on the OU-ND game." 
Stoops:  "You know we changed quarterbacks after that game, right?"
Bud: "That's what I hear.  I didn't get to see the Tulsa game, but I heard that Blaine Belton played really well."
(Stoops): "You mean Blake Bell?"
Bud: "His name isn't Blaine...oh, hell, never mind.  I should've known better than to ask Bob Berry about the kid.  When will I learn!"  (Laughing)
Stoops:  (also laughing) "Coach, all I can do is promise you that we will be focused and that we will play as hard as we can.  I like the way this team is progressing.  I feel like we match up better this year against the Irish than we did last, so I am optimistic we can win the game."
Bud:  "So the best you got for me is that you'll try hard and that you're optimistic?  I was wanting more than that.  After Saturday, the Irish aren't on the schedule for years, so if we don't beat them this year, no telling how long it will be before we get another chance." 
Stoops:  "I know coach, but the only thing I can promise is that we'll give it our best shot.  Any advice?"
Bud: "Yes.  Have the third string and redshirts eat the hotel meals first and make sure they don't get sick before you let your starters eat.  They've been known to try and poison the other team before."
Stoops:  "Seems extreme, but I will keep that in mind coach, anything else?"
(Bud): "Well, I was talking to Pat Summerall the other day"...
(Stoops): "Oh, yes...sorry to hear about Pat.  He played at Arkansas when you were coaching didn't he?"
Bud: "Yes, he played at Arkansas.  He played defensive end, kicker and tight end.  Tight end is a position that lines up next to the tackle and..." 
Stoops:  "Stop it.  I know what a tight end is...funny coach."
Bud:  "Anyway...Yes Summerall was a Razorback.  That's why he lives over in Hog Heaven.  It's just outside the city, not far from here.  Pat thought you should be on the lookout for trick plays and I agree.  That Brian Kelly is going to pull something...I can just feel it."
Stoops:  "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks coach."
Bud: "Might not be a bad idea if you had a little trick or two up your sleeve either.  Which reminds me, whatever happended to the riverboat gambling Big Game Bob that you used to be?"
Stoops:  "When you have talent, you don't need to take risks to win, you should know that."
Bud: "Well, times have changed Bob.  Takes more than talent to win these days...just ask Mack Brown."  Well, I guess that's all I got, I better be getting back.  Big Monday night football party over at Lee Roy Selmon's tonight."
Stoops:  "OK, coach.  Thanks for coming down.  Hey by the way, what is your wager with JFK?"
Bud: "If Oklahoma wins, I get a date with Marilyn and he has to let up on me about Notre Dame."
Stoops: "And if we don't?"
Bud: "I have to go to his house and stand next to the big screen for every Notre Dame game"
Stoops: "Why is that so bad?"
Bud: "Because I have to stand and dress like 'Touchdown Jesus' when I do."
Stoops: "Oh, my.  Lord help you if that happens."
Bud: "Already tried that with the Leprechaun thing.  He told me I was on my own.  Just win Bob.  Just win."

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty