BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN
I sat behind Trey Franks on the flight from Phoenix thinking how promising the Sooners’ 31-14 Insight Bowl win the night before is for Oklahoma’s future.
Franks’ 52 yard kickoff return to open the second half was an energizing factor for the Sooners. Other young players like Tony Jefferson (wearing Austin Box’s No. 12), Kameel Jackson and Trey Millard played well and have us looking forward to the 2012 season.
But, with Ryan Broyles, Jaz Reynolds, Dom Whaley and Ronnell Lewis not playing, and the second-tier Insight Bowl being far beneath the high pre-season expectations for Oklahoma, it was perhaps understandable that some pundits foresaw an Iowa upset of an unmotivated Sooners team.
An upset did not happen. And, this team was very motivated.
This was an important game for Oklahoma. It was needed to get back on a winning track, after losing three of their last six regular season games. The players showed up in Tempe and played well and with heart.
Even the Sooner fans – who turned out in better numbers than anyone projected – were into this game in Tempe like it was, well, a bowl game.
“We wanted to finish strong,” said senior DE Frank Alexander.
The Sooners controlled Iowa, especially defensively, winning 31-14 and setting up a positive beginning to a spring camp that will bring new optimism for, yes, a national championship. Isn’t that always the expectation?
Uncertain is whether that spring will be another with Landry Jones at the quarterback helm, or whether it will be spent preparing Drew Allen or Blake Bell for the starting job. As of Friday night Jones had “no idea” what his decision would be.
I’ve already written that I believe it would be in Jones’ best interest to declare for the NFL, but also that the chances of the Sooners having success in 2012 are better if he stays.
That’s also true of players like Ben Hebern. Hebern is exploring going to the NFL early. But, as his dad told me Saturday morning as we boarded the US Airways flight to DFW, he hasn’t decided yet.
If Hebern goes to the NFL he may be a fourth or fifth round draft pick – that injury during the season affected his rating. If he returns to OU, he could be the top center in the country.
And, it would mean four of five starting linemen returning – great news whether Landry returns or not.
If Landry does go to the NFL, that opens the door for the Bell-dozer. Or does it?
Drew Allen showed last spring he was the more accomplished passer. He ran the offense in the spring game like a veteran. Blake Bell threw haphazardly. Just because Oklahoma uses Bell like a Tim Tebow wearing crimson doesn’t mean he would necessarily start if Jones turned pro.
And, unlike the Longhorns down south, Oklahoma has appeared to be immune from any possible disruption from a two-quarterback system. So, we could expect both Allen and Bell to play in 2012.
In some respects, 2012 will bring the same question marks as 2011 did. Namely, Oklahoma generate a consistent running game? After all, the departure of RB Brandon Williams will be a huge blow. Brennan Clay played well – he’s a hard hitting straight line running back. Roy Finch has the moves, but is undersized.
The Insight Bowl game did nothing to alleviate the running back concerns.
In fact, the offense barely ranked a “C” grade for the win over Iowa. Offensively play calling was a puzzle at times, such as putting in the Bell-dozer on a 2nd and 7 from the Iowa 22 yard line. But next year offensive coordinator Josh Heupel will have a year’s experience. Jones looked off his game somewhat, although that can perhaps be attributed to a personal foul helmet-to-helmet hit that rocked his head against the turf in the first half. He should improve at quarterback if he stays healthy.
The defense played extremely well. There is something about bowl games that gets Jamell Fleming to bring his “A” game (seven tackles). Travis Lewis was healthy for the first time this season and it showed – he had his game of the year (five tackles – two for losses). Unfortunately, both are graduating.
Also left uncertain is whether the OU defensive coaching staff will include a newcomer/oldtimer — Mike Stoops. Word out of Tempe was that assistant coach Bobby Jack Wright will either retire of assume an administrative role, which will free up the assistant opening necessary to bring Mike back.
On Saturday, Coach Bob Stoops said hiring his brother could happen “in the right circumstances.” He said Mike has a lot of opportunities and there is uncertainty about job openings right now.
We read that to mean Mike might be in the running for a head coaching job somewhere. Or, there will be some openings among the Sooners’ assistant coaching ranks and Stoops is waiting until after bowl season to make those moves.
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Meanwhile, the Sooners got a reminder that Little League dads can be a pain.
As our plane was climbing high over the Superstition Mountains that separate Arizona from New Mexico, the Twitter messages of Dejuan Miller’s father began circulating the blogosphere. He blamed wide receivers Coach Jay Norvell for playing receivers who had dropped passes and flunked drug tests instead of playing his son more.
One can forgive his blind loyalty to his son. But, dad also sent messages to OU recruits, including highly touted Denton, Texas defensive tackle Mario Edwards, telling him that Oklahoma was not a place to go.
Edwards, considered the top defensive prospect in the nation, was leaning toward Oklahoma, but announced on Saturday the Sooners were being removed from the list because of “negativity” there.
Dejuan tweeted, ”I won’t apologize for my fathers actions he knows what he did was wrong and not good timing but it is what it is he spoke his opinion”.
Our opinion is that this is why parents should leave the criticism of coaches to more objective (and, tongue in cheek, more reasonable) folks like . . . well, us. — Mike
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