Norman, Oklahoma USA

Author

Mike - page 2

Mike has 100 articles published.

Soonerguys Editor

Sooners lose game, but may have gained a QB

by

After QB Jackson Arnold committed two turnovers midway through the second quarter, the story of No. 15 Oklahoma’s 25-15 loss to No.7 Tennessee might have been about when the pitch fork carrying fans would storm Brent Venables’ office demanding a change in quarterback.

But before that could happen, the Sooner coaches replaced the five-star QB with backup freshman Michael Hawkins, who added a second-half spark to an Oklahoma offense that had withered in the blistering heat brought by the Vols’ defense.

Hawkins came in and played with heart. His emergence in this game may be the silver lining for the loss.

He finished 11 of 18 for 132 yards and one touchdown passing, and ran for 22 yards — having played a little more than one half of football.

This should be an interesting week of practice. The coaches will discover what Hawkins can do when spending more practice time with the first team offense.

Venables said he would “evaluate” the situation between Arnold and Hawkins.

Keep Reading

Advice: Don’t taunt Josh Heupel

by

On a post-Thanksgiving Saturday in 1999, Josh Heupel — the JUCO transfer that mad scientist Mike Leach had found on a Utah mountain somewhere — was quarterbacking the unranked 6-4 Sooners in his first Bedlam experience.

It was early in the game and the Sooners had a third down and long.

Across the way, on Owen Field’s east sideline, Oklahoma State’s scatological defensive coordinator Rob Ryan screwed up his face and started screaming: “F**k you, Hype. You’re a P***y! You’re a bitch!”

Ryan’s screams caught Heupel’s eye as he began barking signals from his shotgun position. He turned and faced Ryan, pointed ahead toward the Cowboy end zone and mouthed the words, “Watch this.”

You know what happened next, of course. A Heupel big-play pass to wide receiver Curtis Fagan — one of many that obliterated Ryan’s Poke-y defense in the Sooners’ 44-7 win. The win put an end to OSU’s previous two-game series win streak which contributed to ending John Blake’s head coaching career and led to Bob Stoops’ hiring and, well, you know the rest.

More importantly, that moment, which I witnessed firsthand in my role as a sideline photographer standing near Ryan that day, said all you need to know about the competitiveness of the man coaching the Tennessee Volunteers on that same field this Saturday night. Only this time it will be Heupel on the visitor’s sideline wearing the orange.

Keep Reading

Sooners get better in 34-19 win over Green Wave, but rugged SEC schedule next

by

It was a tale of two halves in the No. 15 Sooner’s 31-19 win over Tulane on Saturday. 

First half: The offense was on track. The problems experienced in the first two games this season were gone (or perhaps hidden, due to masterful play calling by OC Seth Littrell). 

OU was up 21-6 at the half.

Second half: Offensive line failures reared their ugly head, causing a pressured QB Jackson Arnold making his biggest sophomoric mistake of the season – a pick six that squandered a then 24-13 lead and made for an uncomfortable fourth quarter for the Sooner faithful.

Tulane was expected to be tough, given their narrow 34-27 loss to a strong then No. 17 Kansas State the week before.  And we remember the close call with Tulane in 2021 (No. 2 Oklahoma won 40-35).

But, maybe we should have known all would end well. After all, the spectator contestant in the Chik-fil-a contest actually made the field goal.

Keep Reading

1 2 3 4 … 34
Go to Top