SUGAR WITH A SIDE OF BOURBON STREET
I'll be honest, even after the comeback win against OSU, the thought of OU going to the Sugar Bowl, or any BCS Bowl for the matter, never crossed my mind. And why would it? This isn't official, but I'm pretty sure some combination of the following had to occur for the Sooners to end up on Bourbon Street:
OU had to rally to beat OSU in final 1:47 with their 3rd string QB ● Peace had to break out in the Middle East ● Unbeaten Ohio
State had to lose to Michigan State ● Democrats had to agree to reduce taxes ● Unbeaten Northern Illinois had to lose to whoever the hell they were playing ● The SEC had to admit that they aren't the best football conference ● Baylor had to beat Texas and the Kardashian’s had to announce they are boycotting publicity.
But sure enough, there is was on ESPN:
2013-2014 All State Sugar Bowl:
Alabama vs Oklahoma
Gulp. Come on....Admit it. You were thinking the same thing I was. Mixed emotions...like watching an ex-spouse drive off a cliff in your brand new Porsche 911.
Yes, it was nice to be in a BCS Bowl, but now there is a pretty good chance we might get our ass kicked in front of the entire nation.
Yes, it was nice to be in a BCS Bowl, but now there is a pretty good chance we might get our ass kicked in front of the entire nation.
No one gave us a chance. No one. I didn't and you didn't either. If you're reading this and saying to yourself...that's not true, I thought OU would beat Alabama! Then please email me as to what kind of meds you were on because I need to get me some of that.
Your optimism was based on what?
Your optimism was based on what?
- Stoops track record in BCS games (3-5 only because you have to count UConn)?
- OU's recent success against SEC teams in Bowl Games (1-4)?
- All the experts thought we were going to win?
- You thought we matched up well with the Tide?
- Our stable QB situation?
- You just had a feeling?
- You have a fortune teller?
- You flew over a corn field in Iowa that formed the word Trevor?
The fact is, not many, if any outside of the OU locker room thought we had an ice cubes chance in hell of winning that game.
But the players and coaches believed. When Alabama took the opening kickoff and methodically shoved the ball down our Schooner for a touchdown, nobody on the OU sideline dropped their heads or pouted....like the entire team did when Mark Bradley muffed the punt against USC in the 2004-05 Orange Bowl. The Sooners went three and out...but still no panic. They KNEW they were going to win.
But the players and coaches believed. When Alabama took the opening kickoff and methodically shoved the ball down our Schooner for a touchdown, nobody on the OU sideline dropped their heads or pouted....like the entire team did when Mark Bradley muffed the punt against USC in the 2004-05 Orange Bowl. The Sooners went three and out...but still no panic. They KNEW they were going to win.
Obviously, Trevor Knight had one hell of a game. In my opinion, it was the best performance by a Sooner QB that I've seen in the Stoops era...An era that includes two Heisman Trophy QB's in the last ten years. Jason White's game in College Station against the Aggies in '04 was very good and maybe great, but still a distant second. The back to back games that Landry Jones had in 2013 against WVa and OSU were great and worth mentioning, but both of those were against defenses that had more holes than the back end of a shooting gallery.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that going into the Sugar Bowl, the opinion on who should be the Sooners starting QB was divided. After a record breaking, MVP Sugar Bowl performance by Trevor Knight: 32 of 44 for 348 yards and 4 touchdowns...that opinion has been united...especially since Thompson is a Utah Ute and Bell is a tight-end. But don't we need to tap the breaks just a bit on our expectations when it comes to this red-shirt sophomore QB?
Look, I'll admit, there is much to be excited about with Knight. Yes, the way he played that night was unbelievable, especially when considering who was on the other side of the ball. Just the confidence he gained from the Sugar Bowl, which is everything for a QB, that alone will make him better in 2014. He also played well in the KSU game and was holding his own against OSU before he got hurt as well. It's also the opinion of those considered experts on such, that the largest amount of growth and improvement for QB's occurs in their second year. Sam Bradford has a Heisman that would give that some validity.
Look, I'll admit, there is much to be excited about with Knight. Yes, the way he played that night was unbelievable, especially when considering who was on the other side of the ball. Just the confidence he gained from the Sugar Bowl, which is everything for a QB, that alone will make him better in 2014. He also played well in the KSU game and was holding his own against OSU before he got hurt as well. It's also the opinion of those considered experts on such, that the largest amount of growth and improvement for QB's occurs in their second year. Sam Bradford has a Heisman that would give that some validity.
But I'm not going to lie, there's so much optimism that the expectations on Trevor Knight seem a little over the top. FOUR quarters ago, the entire Sooner Nation thought our choices at QB consisted of Larry, Moe or Curley. Thirty-two completions later and Trevor Knight is being mentioned as a Heisman candidate. Whoa, shouldn't we slow down there just a bit. That GED is nice, but it don't necessarily mean that you're ready for Stanford.
First of all, he's started only 5 games. Of those five games
Our offensive line should be a strength this year, which will help, but it's not when he's in the pocket that he gets hurt, it's when he's running around that shit goes foul for him. When you have a QB that hasn't finished 40% of the games he started due to injury...and your back up is either a tight-end or someone who's never been on the field...that makes me nervous.
Then, what if his Sugar Bowl performance was the QB version being the 4 Non Blondes? It's not like he is going to get a month to prepare for anyone on our schedule. What if he's an injury prone one hit wonder? I don't think he is, but it was a fun way to work the 4 Non Blondes into the conversation.
First of all, he's started only 5 games. Of those five games
- 2 he left because of injury (OSU/WVa)
- 2 he played well (Bama/KSU)
- 1 he was marginal at best (La-Monroe)
Our offensive line should be a strength this year, which will help, but it's not when he's in the pocket that he gets hurt, it's when he's running around that shit goes foul for him. When you have a QB that hasn't finished 40% of the games he started due to injury...and your back up is either a tight-end or someone who's never been on the field...that makes me nervous.
Then, what if his Sugar Bowl performance was the QB version being the 4 Non Blondes? It's not like he is going to get a month to prepare for anyone on our schedule. What if he's an injury prone one hit wonder? I don't think he is, but it was a fun way to work the 4 Non Blondes into the conversation.
The most encouraging thing to me when it comes to Knight, is the fact that he doesn't have to be a Heisman candidate for this team to be really, really good. Yes, he needs to be good and maybe real good...but not Heisman good. Our defense should be much improved...that is as long as our linebackers don't suffer any injuries or try to take anymore girls home to the dorms.
Our special teams will miss Jalen Saunders, but there are a lot of talented people that will get a shot to replace him.
I don't really have anything concrete to offer as to why I feel this way, but I get a sense that the coaches seem a little more into it than they have been in a while...like maybe they sense something special. It's just a feeling...could just be gas, but until otherwise corrected, I'm going with 'the coaches are focused.'
Last...our schedule sets up very well. It has some tricky moments: We get a little early test with Tennessee, but we should take care of them at home. We have to go to Fort Worth the week before Texas, which is a Gary Patterson trap waiting to happen. The week before TCU is a trip to Morgantown that I think could be scary. Since Knight will be making his first OU-Texas start you never know what could happen there. Blake Bell proved that you can have success in other bright lights, but those at the Cotton Bowl are just different. But we get OSU, K-State and most importantly, Baylor at home.
My thoughts on 2014?
Knight and LB's stay healthy: Final Four at Jerry's World.
Knight gets hurt...and this time next year I might be talking about how well Cody Thomas played against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy
The Overweight Armchair Sooner
Buddy Putty
Our special teams will miss Jalen Saunders, but there are a lot of talented people that will get a shot to replace him.
I don't really have anything concrete to offer as to why I feel this way, but I get a sense that the coaches seem a little more into it than they have been in a while...like maybe they sense something special. It's just a feeling...could just be gas, but until otherwise corrected, I'm going with 'the coaches are focused.'
Last...our schedule sets up very well. It has some tricky moments: We get a little early test with Tennessee, but we should take care of them at home. We have to go to Fort Worth the week before Texas, which is a Gary Patterson trap waiting to happen. The week before TCU is a trip to Morgantown that I think could be scary. Since Knight will be making his first OU-Texas start you never know what could happen there. Blake Bell proved that you can have success in other bright lights, but those at the Cotton Bowl are just different. But we get OSU, K-State and most importantly, Baylor at home.
My thoughts on 2014?
Knight and LB's stay healthy: Final Four at Jerry's World.
Knight gets hurt...and this time next year I might be talking about how well Cody Thomas played against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy
The Overweight Armchair Sooner
Buddy Putty
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