If you were looking for some kind of flashy, exciting and memorable first play from scrimmage, then chances are you were disappointed. A hand-off up the middle has about as much pizzazz and sex appeal as a pair of granny panties, but one play does not a season or career make.
But sometimes, excitement is in the eye of the beholder. That play for no gain kind of gave me chicken skin. At the risk of going all Steel Magnolia's or Beaches on you...The OAS is an emotional Fried Green Tomato when it comes to college football. As much as I love watching the Jason White's and Billy Sims of the world, there is something equally as cool wondering whether 10 years from now I will be talking about the night I saw Trevor Knight play his first game as a Sooner.
Now that we have concluded the 'On Golden Pond' portion of the presentation....let's break down Trevor Knight's first game performance like he was rented scaffolding. First, the...
KNIGHT-MARES
'Look both ways before tossing'....
On the second play of the game, Knight demonstrated one of the key reasons why this year's style of offense will be so different from last year's version. He missed a wide open receiver for what would have been a touchdown.
Look, this isn't going to be the pass first, pass second, and if we still got it, pass it again style of offense like we have seen the last decade and a half here at Oklahoma...it just isn't.
But even so, OU will certainly need to be more productive than 11 of 28 for 86 yards. No, that isn't a typo. 86 yards is correct. 86 is when the Mets won the World Series, or what you say to a cook when you want to nix the onions on somebody's burger. 86 is the number that immediately follows 85 and former OU tight-end Rickey Brady's jersey number...but it shouldn't be the teams total passing yards, unless that team is still drinking juice-boxes at half-time.
Nobody expected Trevor to be a finished product when he took the field...but hopefully when the nerves settle, some of the basic fundamentals that were missing Saturday night will resurface. For instance...as a QB you don't do yourself any favors when you stare down your intended receiver like your Rosie O'Donnell and he is the last donut in the box. If a drunk fat guy in Section 5, row 16 can read your eyes, I'm pretty sure the guys on the field have picked up on it. Again, first game jitters play a big part in this. Hell, I know a 5th year senior with a bad porn stash that had the same problem.
On the second play of the game, Knight demonstrated one of the key reasons why this year's style of offense will be so different from last year's version. He missed a wide open receiver for what would have been a touchdown.
Look, this isn't going to be the pass first, pass second, and if we still got it, pass it again style of offense like we have seen the last decade and a half here at Oklahoma...it just isn't.
But even so, OU will certainly need to be more productive than 11 of 28 for 86 yards. No, that isn't a typo. 86 yards is correct. 86 is when the Mets won the World Series, or what you say to a cook when you want to nix the onions on somebody's burger. 86 is the number that immediately follows 85 and former OU tight-end Rickey Brady's jersey number...but it shouldn't be the teams total passing yards, unless that team is still drinking juice-boxes at half-time.
Nobody expected Trevor to be a finished product when he took the field...but hopefully when the nerves settle, some of the basic fundamentals that were missing Saturday night will resurface. For instance...as a QB you don't do yourself any favors when you stare down your intended receiver like your Rosie O'Donnell and he is the last donut in the box. If a drunk fat guy in Section 5, row 16 can read your eyes, I'm pretty sure the guys on the field have picked up on it. Again, first game jitters play a big part in this. Hell, I know a 5th year senior with a bad porn stash that had the same problem.
"I've seen the fastball, now show me your changeup"
"Help me, help you"
The last time the Sooners started the season with a redshirt freshman QB, it was some kid by the name of Sam Bradford. Kevin Wilson let him get his feet wet by calling pass plays that are normally pretty easy to execute. Wide receiver or bubble screens and flair passes are usually considered nothing more than extended handoffs, quasi-running plays if you will. Bradford was impressive in his debut and I have always felt that Wilson's play calling was a big part of that.
OU offensive coordinator Josh Heupel tried to emulate that same type plan for Trevor Knight's debut. He tried to help the young QB, he really did.
In theory, here is how it should unfold: Heupel, who is up in the booth, calls the play. Then somebody who never plays, but gets to wear a headset...holds up the appropriate Jurassic Park sized cardboard sign. This sign looks like it was the class project of a talented but directionless 2nd grader; it has some recognizable parts but none that actually go together and make sense...except to Trevor and the OU offense. After Knight figures out the play, he then tells the other ten guys...which is a waste of time because they are all looking at the same sign as he is. Knight adds in a snap count, because that's what QB's do and then everyone is off to their prospective spots. Once the ball is snapped, Trevor is supposed to make a quick throw to the slot receivers who will then dance and juke for a few yards.
By successfully executing this glorified pitch out, the young QB garners the right to feel better about himself. Along with this new attitude comes increased confidence and an over-all better disposition. Completing this 6 yard pass is also supposed to help him find some rhythm. Rhythm? I thought his name was Trevor Knight, not Gladys Knight, but whatever.
The yards gained on the play make it a very manageable 2nd down and short...the donor section claps...the cheerleaders cheer...the student section yawns...and the whole process starts over. Unless of course, your young QB short-hops the throw or knocks the popcorn out of some kids hands in the third row of the stands.
Now you have second and long, a QB who is mumbling to himself because he just botched a play equivalent to getting the word cat in a spelling bee, and eighty-five thousand fans are asking themselves if the eight play of the game is too early to start chanting for Blake Bell. Again, this shouldn't be a difficult problem to fix.
Things seemed to be on the verge of getting very interesting by the time the first quarter came to a close...and not in a good way...but then the Knight started to chance.
Next....Part 2
SATURDAY KNIGHT'S ALRIGHT
Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy
The Overweight Armchair Sooner
Buddy Putty
Things seemed to be on the verge of getting very interesting by the time the first quarter came to a close...and not in a good way...but then the Knight started to chance.
Next....Part 2
SATURDAY KNIGHT'S ALRIGHT
Jep and Jessica from Duck Dynasty were in attendance
Sometimes The OAS is not very smart.
I spent most of the first half thinking how cool it was that
these two were Sooner fans. Lord...then it dawned on me
that they might be ULM fans considering the fact
that they are from Monroe.
The Overweight Armchair Sooner
Buddy Putty
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