Sooners lose Lubbock OT slug fest, 51-48
Oklahoma’s exhausting 2022 regular season is over. Thankfully.
After an arduous back and forth battle that saw the Sooners lose 51-48 in overtime to Texas Tech, we are all scratching our heads trying to figure out what went wrong this year.
Was it the defense? At times that squad showed the mark we expected from defensive-minded new head coach Brent Venables, but at others times, including during the same game, this squad looked like it wouldn’t beat a 3A high school team.
Was it the offense? At times QB Dillion Gabriel couldn’t connect with receivers, and halfway through the season we decided offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby was intentionally avoiding mid-distance passing routes in Gabriel’s quiver because of his inaccuracy. But then, he would toss beautiful 77-yard passes to Marvin Mims for touchdowns, as he did on Saturday night against Texas Tech.
Was it the coaching? At times we were sure Jeff Lebby was using some sort of Wheel of Fortune to decide plays. At other times his play calling was brilliant (when it worked).
Regardless of what it was, the last three games — two losses and one important Bedlam win — were microcosms of the season. And they lead us to conclude, at the very least, that Venables first year was as near a disaster as OU fans could stomach, even for a first-year head coach that brought thousands to the airport on the night he was named head coach.
The Adventures of Soonerguy
Last we saw of our Capeless Crusader, he was attempting to unseat an orange-hued squatter that had overtaken his Crimson Cave of Comfort.
As he sits outside the Secret Sanctuary that has safeguarded him securely low these many years, he wonders just how things could have come to this? How could this year get any worse?!
Just as this thought crosses his brain, there’s a loud crack of thunder from the darkening sky! Seemingly from nowhere, a tall figure suddenly stands before him, a wide-brimmed bolero hat on his head and a red cape whipping about him in the wind that has just appeared.
“Say your prayers, Sooner-scum,” the figure sneers villianously, “For I am your worst nightmare! I am… El Bandido Rojo!”
“The Red Bandaid? Gross.”
“No! The Red Raider! And I brought a few of my Amigos!”