BAYLOR MORE THAN OU COULD BEAR

BAYLOR 41

OKLAHOMA 12

There Was Reason For Hope

"Yeah, I gave up drinkin' and took up churchin' 

and for a while it wasn't tough..." - Daryl Dodd

In my opinion, it was all there for the taking last Thursday night in Waco, Texas....at least for a while anyway.

•  Mike Stoops had a very good game plan in place.  The Sooners were getting good pressure on Baylor QB Bryce Petty by blitzing a linebacker or a safety.  The secondary was able to get away with man-to-man coverage and was doing an excellent job of defending the long downfield passing game that Baylor loves to employ.  The defense was also doing a decent job of bottling up the vaunted Baylor rushing attack by using various stunts and run blitzes.  The Baylor offense came into the game averaging 64 points a game...midway through the second quarter Baylor had a grand total of 3 points.  The defense was doing their part.
• With RB's Lache Seastrunk and Glasco Martin no longer available due to injury, the Bears were down to their third team tailback....some dude named Shock Linwood.  That was a good thing right?
• Baylor was understandably jacked up for this game...but maybe a bit too much so.  Sloppy ball handling, penalties and personal fouls and some pretty good OU defense prevented the Bears from finding any kind of rhythm early on.  The Bears were flagged for a laundry list of fouls and infractions, many of which was due to their over aggressive play.  Baylor would end the night being flagged 12 times for 119 yards in penalties. 
• The Baylor crowd was restless and tense and not much of a factor. 
• Even after Baylor regained the lead at 10-5, the Sooners were in pretty good shape.  With Baylor facing 3 and 9 from their own 8 yards line, the Sooners looked to have made a key stop when Petty's pass over the middle was incomplete....but another offside penalty gave Baylor the last second chance they would need.  9 plays and 93 yards later...for all practical purposes...it was over.

Yes, in my opinion, the #5 ranked Baylor Bears were ripe for an upset last Thursday night...but just not by the likes of a very average football team like Oklahoma. 

Hopeless For So Many Reasons

The Cliff-Notes Version

"It's not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, 

then do your best" - W. Edwards Deming

You don't win big ballgames when your defense:

• Can't achieve the simple task of lining up or staying on-sides 
• Can't tackle a QB
• Has all the depth of a kiddie-pool at the defensive line position
• Can't stay off the field due to the offensive units incompetence
• Allows a third string guy who calls himself Shock to run for 182 yards. 
• Is so injury ravaged that is has become absurd

Rarely do you beat undefeated teams on the road, or any team anywhere for that matter, when your offense: 

• where do I even begin...
• Can't snap the football within the allotted time to do so
• Scores like a bad youth league soccer team inside the red-zone
• Doesn't get a first down without the benefit of the other team cheating until the 12:00 mark of the second quarter
• Doesn't use their running backs to run the ball...1st carry for a Sooner RB wasn't until third offensive series
• Doesn't have a tight end
• Has a 260 lbs. QB who's running style has migrated from Bell-Dozier to Ballerina-Dancer
• Has an offensive line that moves more before the snap than after...and has to zone block more than one defensive player each on the goal line and in short yardage
• Either won't audible/can't audible in time/or doesn't feel confident enough to audible out of a running play when the defense brings 8, 9 and sometimes even 10 defenders within five yards of the line of scrimmage
• Has no quarterback
• Has an offensive coordinator that might be in over his head
• & has no idea who they are or what they are trying to accomplish

Knee Jerk...or Just a Jerk

"Our age knows nothing but reaction, and leaps
from one extreme to another"  -Reinhold Niebuhr

I wrote the first draft of this Baylor blog update when I got home from Waco last Thursday night/Friday morning, but decided to sleep on it before posting. When I woke a few hours later to find that the sun had come out, the sky hadn't fallen and that the world hadn’t come to an end…I reread my thoughts and decided that maybe I should soften my position on things just a tad.  Firing Stoops, cancelling the season and discontinuing the University of Oklahoma football program seemed a reasonable course of action when I was finishing off my last cocktail at 3 AM; but now…not so much. So I scraped it.

The second draft I pounded out on Monday was a more detailed review of Thursday night’s first half than what I outlined above.  My rant documented every little brain dead mistake, every single bonehead miscue, every costly penalty, every ridiculously inept play that was called and all the atrocious QB gaff's that the Sooners committed in that first 30 minutes of the game. The problem with version #2 is that it was turning out to be longer than War & Peace.  If I had printed out the draft, it would’ve looked like the Houston phone book. I realize that I have a tendency to get a little long winded but this thing was a network time slot and a commercial sponsor away from being a mini-series.  Frankly, it was more complaining than a 48 year old should be directing at anything or anybody, much less a group of student athletes.  Besides, if you’re a Sooner fan you’ve already seen the movie, so there’s not much need to read the book.  So I trashed it.

Now it’s Tuesday and I’m starting from scratch for the third time. Of even more concern is that I’m still struggling to find a focus or an identity for this update…and then it dawned on me. No identity? No clue as to what the game plan is or what you're going to do if encountering resistance? Where have I seen that just recently? 
The OAS loves him some irony.

WE ARE WHO WE ARE.  BY THE WAY- 

WHO ARE WE AGAIN?

"You have to find what sparks a light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the world" -Oprah Winfrey

You know something is desperate when I have resorted to quoting Oprah....The most glaring problem with this football team is obviously on the offensive side of the ball.  The offense has no idea of who it is or what it is that they are trying to do.  One minute they try to be a read option, run first and throw occasionally type unit...but one that is being led by a QB (Bell) not as well suited for the task as maybe Knight or Thompson would be.  Next thing you know, they want to spread four receivers out and try to immulate what they did with Landry Jones...throw first, second and then if it hasn't been intercepted yet...throw it again.  Unfortunately, no QB that they would consider playing this year is capable of running that kind of offense.  Bell is probably the most qualified and he turned in a QB rating of 5.7 against Baylor.  That 5.7 is on a scale of 1-100 by the way....not 1-10.  5.7?  How is that even possible? He might have score higher if hadn't played.  Hell, I got a 1.7 QB rating just for driving to Waco; or maybe that was my blood alcohol level...but regardless...5.7 sucks.

Just thinking about our QB issues makes me want to revisit my therapist.  Maybe it's time to give her a call

More to follow....

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

BIG 12 BATTLE NEAR THE BRAZOS

NEVER SAY NEVER

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."  -Ken Olson, president, chairman, founder of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977 

I never thought I would see the day when Texas didn't play Texas A&M on Thanksgiving and Oklahoma didn't play Nebraska the day after...that the biggest, best and most important college bowl games wouldn't be played on New Year's Day...that a Heisman Trophy winner would be accused of murder and the baseball hall of fame wouldn't include the all-time homerun king or the all-time hits leader.

"We don't like their sound and guitar music is on the way out."  

-Decca Recording Co. - rejecting the Beatles, 1962

I never imagined there would be a day when there would be NHL hockey in Texas, California, Florida and Arizona...a professional team of any kind in OKC...no NFL team in Los Angeles...that every game in all four professional sports could be seen on TV...or that I could care less about watching Monday night football, or any NFL football for that matter.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." 

-Charles H Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899

I never considered there was any chance that the sport of horseracing would go over three and a half decades without a triple crown winner...that the heavy-weight champion of the world would be anonymous... that Dean Smith wouldn't be coaching the Tar Heels...that Keith Jackson wouldn't be broadcasting the Rose Bowl...or that Joe Paterno would've ever been guilty of not doing the right thing.

"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once"  - Albert Einstein 

...And never in my wildest imagination could I have fathomed a day when the Oklahoma Sooners would be ranked in the top ten and still be a 14 point underdog to the Baylor Bears...but that will be the case when #10 Oklahoma visits Waco to take on #5 Baylor tomorrow night.

BIG NIGHT ON THE BRAZOS

Bear-ly Recognizable

Holy Grant Teaff, Batman!   What in the name of Walter Abercrombie is going on down there in yawn city?  

Under Art Briles, the Baylor Bears football program is 'bearly' recognizable from the perennial last place doormats that have hibernated over the years at Floyd Casey Stadium.  

 -The 2013 Baylor Bears are undefeated and ranked #5 in the country, their highest ranking in 60 years.  
-The Bears are 4-0 in the Big 12 for the first time ever
-A win tomorrow night would make the Bears 8-0 for the first time in the school history.
-Baylor has the top ranked offense in the country, averaging 63.9 points and 718 yards a game.

What next?  Dancing in public? Somebody opens a second bar in town?  Waco named as a top vacation destination?

Bear-ing it all

"We're going tarpless"- Baylor Head Coach, Art Briles

Tomorrow night's game against Oklahoma is the most anticipated game in Waco since...well....since ever.  And why not?  It's the first time in forty eight years that a game involving two top ten college football teams will be played in Waco.  

How big a game is this for Baylor fans?  Big enough to force the school to 'bear' it all.  In 2004, embarrassed by all the empty seats at Floyd Casey Stadium, the powers that be decided to install a large green tarp that covered up almost 3000 empty end-zone seats.  The tarp has long been a contentious topic among Baylor faithful.  The detractors make claim that covering up the empty seats with a tarp exclaiming "This is Bear Country" makes them look like bigger asses than the seats do by being ass free.  Due to the high demand for tickets the tarp is coming off for tomorrow night's game for only the second time in nine seasons, the other being when A&M visited in 2006.  Tarp or no tarp, it will only be the 4th sellout in the 63 year history of 'The Floyd.'  Pretty Grizzly.

Look, I realize that Baylor has sucked for quite a while, but you can't tell me that there is anything better to do in Waco.  Other than hang out at George's or join a cult, the only thing left to do other than watch a football game...would be leave town.

Tis the Season

Even the most optimistic Baylor fan would have to concede that their schedule to this point has been weak at best.  Much like Texas Tech, the Bears have built their resume by feasting on opponents who have a combined record of 27-31.  The best team that the Bears have played this year, if going by record alone, has been Wofford.  Wow, Wofford? What happened, Waco High wasn't interested in a home and home?

The Baylor season basically starts tomorrow.  Following OU, the Bears still have Tech, OSU, TCU and Texas...or basically the upper crust of the Big 12 left to play.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Baylor is overrated or that they're not any good.   I think they're a very good team, maybe even a great team...but until you play someone worth a damn and take a shot to the jaw a couple times, it's hard to really know.   The Sooners may not win tomorrow night, but if nothing else, I expect them to be a little better test for Baylor than Buffalo or whoever the hell Wofford is.   

Battle on the Brazos

Baylor Wins if...
Offense: Baylor is able to exploit the middle of the Sooners defense with their rushing attack and is able to pick up the OU blitz. All year long, they have been able to almost score at will...but even though this isn't a great OU defense, it is the best one that Baylor has seen this year.  If they happen to be stopped a couple times early, it will be interesting to see if they can remain patient.
Defense: If Baylor stops the Sooners rushing attack, short of turning the ball over several times, they win the game
Intangibles:  This is a big moment for Baylor...bigger than they've had years...They have never been 8-0, never been 5-0 in conference, and never won more than 9 straight at home or more than 11 in a row total.  Are they ready?

Oklahoma Wins if...
Offense: The Sooners need to follow K-States example and run the football.  If they can control the clock, take the fans out of the game and keep the Baylor offense off the field, they have a chance.  OU can simply not afford to turn the ball over.
Defense:  If Mike Stoops has one of those magic game plans, now would be the time to break it out.  OU has to find a way to at least slow down Seastrunk and the Baylor rushing attack...as well as find a way to put enough pressure on Petty to force him into some mistakes.  If the Sooners blitz, they better get there or the Baylor receivers will have a field day. For the OU defense, 'Bend but don't break' will never be more apropos.
Intangibles:  These kinds of games are the reason that kids come to play at Oklahoma.  This is why OU schedules non-conference opponents like Notre Dame, Florida State and Miami so that they are prepared for games like this one.  The Sooners don't hope for big spot light games, they expect them.  Baylor wants to be 8-0 for the first time ever...OU has gone undefeated 11 times.  OU is 21-1 lifetime against Baylor, so they will not be intimidated by the Bears or their fans.  It's also time for a Big Game Bob sighting....

PREDICTION:

OU 42  Baylor 37

I have gone from thinking we have no chance to feeling like we are going to pull off the upset.   No reason, just a gut feeling...a feeling that might just turn out to be gas instead of intuition.

Here is the bottom line...if Baylor were to win this game, the city of Waco would be one big party for anyone ever associated with Baylor University.  Waco...a fun place to be? Now that'll be the day!

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty

TECH RECAP - 6 YARDS FROM SHREVEPORT

OKLAHOMA 38

TEXAS TECH 30

"It was only six yards, a mere eighteen feet...but in my opinion it was the most important 216 inches of the 2013 Season." 
-The OAS

The score was 7-0 Tech with a couple minutes gone in the second quarter when the Sooners took over at their own 3 yard line following a Red Raider punt.  First and second down had only netted four yards, leaving the struggling OU offense facing third down and 6 from their own 7 yard line.

In my opinion, the next play was the most important play of the season.  Not only could it be the difference in winning or losing this game against Tech, it might be the difference between still having a shot at winning the Big 12 and spending the bowl season in Shreveport, La.  A bit overdramatic? Maybe...but then again maybe not.

If the Sooners don't pick up a first down on this next play, they will be forced to punt the ball back to Tech from the back of their own end-zone.  Giving Tech back the ball inside the fifty, already down 7-0 would almost guarantee being down a minimum of 10 points the next time you get the football back.  In my opinion, that was something I'm not sure this team could mentally overcome.

But if you're offensive coordinator Josh Heupel, what play do you call?  Running the ball for six yards, when the previous two carries only netted the Sooners four, would seem optimistic at best.  Sure running the ball might get you an extra yard or two for your punter, but it will also show that you have no confidence in your QB...as well as get you booed out of Owen Field.

But it was only a couple weeks ago that Heupel was faced with a very similar situation at the Cotton Bowl.  The Sooners were facing third and long from their own 20, when Heupel called for Blake Bell to throw the football.  Bell throw the ball all right...right into the arms of Longhorn defensive lineman Chris Whaley, who returned the gift for a Texas touchdown.  The interception gave Texas a lead it would never relinquish.

So you are Josh Heupel.  You know that this play is big. You know that punting the ball back to Tech from here almost guarantees that your team will be down double digits when you get the ball back. You know you are probably not going to be able to run the ball for a first down and history tells you that passing it might be a risk that could be very costly.  And....oh by the way...you have about eight seconds to make a decision because the play has to be relayed first to the bench, then to the offense on the field.

Heupel's decision was to have Bell throw the football and as we all know...Bell delivered.  His 20 yard completion to Jalen Saunders over the middle gave the Sooners a first down and allowed them to move out of the shadow of their own goal post.  The play also seemed to inspire Bell, who would connect with Saunders to convert two more third downs on the drive.   

On the 13th play of the drive, the Sooners faced 4th and two from the Tech 24.  Running with authority from the BellDozier formation, Blake was able to give the Sooners a fresh set of downs inside the Tech 20 yard line.  Three plays later, Bell hit Saunders over the middle for 16 yards and a touchdown.  The play was successful because of a good play action fake by Bell which froze the linebackers and opened up the deep middle.

The 16 play, 97 yard drive took over 7:00 off the clock and tied the score at 7-7.   In route to the end-zone, the Sooners convert three crucial third downs and a fourth down; their QB and offense coordinator gained an enormous amount of confidence, they put themselves in a much better position to win the game...and by winning the game...they may very well have saved the season.

A home loss to Tech would have made the Sooners 3-2 in Big 12 play.  With road games at #5 Baylor, an improving K-State team in Manhattan and OSU in Stillwater...it is not inconceivable that the Sooners finish 4-5 in the conference.  In beating Tech, the Sooners are 4-1 and have twelve days to prepare for the high powered Bears in Waco. 

Is this team good enough to beat Baylor or win the Big 12?  My guess is probably not.  Too many injuries and too inconsistent on offense to pull off either would be my guess. If this team can go 3-1 from here they would be looking at a Cotton or Holiday bowl berth...and I would consider that a success.  But if they get crushed by Baylor and play poorly on the road against K-State and OSU then they are looking at a middle of the pack finish in the Big 12. If that happens...call (318) 742-0711.  An operator at the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Shreveport, Louisiana will be glad to help you with accommodations.

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty