SOONERGUYS Blog

Let’s not pretend. Oklahoma will win big against a Tennessee-Chattanooga team that went 2-9 last year in whatever conference they play.  The challenge to the Sooners this Saturday will be to fulfill the expectations of coaches and the fans that will join us at Owen Field.

We will try this season to give you some up-to-date thoughts in this space. But for the first game, let’s just say it will be nice to get the season underway. It will be nice to see whether new players (and old players) live up to the hype.  And it will be nice to see our friends in Section 11. 

News:  Coach Stoops said Mike Balogun will start at weakside linebacker. Who is this guy? He’s a 6-2 250 pound juco transfer that is 24 years old. He worked as construction worker for two years, then decided to return to school and ended up playing football in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  If Balogun’s “can do” attitude translates into great play on the field, he will be the Game Day feature on ESPN.

“A good tough guy,” said Coach Stoops. “He’s fun to coach every day. He has a maturity to him. Being older there’s very little playing around to him.  He has a serious attitude.  He knows this is important to him.  It isn’t just fun and games.” 

New rules:  Officials will re-wind the clock immediately at the end of a play.  No waiting for them to spot the ball before the play clock begins.  Should make for a quicker pace of game.  Maybe that’s why Oklahoma will unveil a no-huddle offense.

Question marks:  What kind of personality will this team have? Will it be the one that fell flat in Boulder last year?  Or the team that hammered Missouri in the Big 12 Championship? 

“From one year to another teams are different. You just want to see what kind of make up they have when it’s time to play,” Coach Stoops said.  “There were some games with turnovers and a lack of focus in the way we played.  We showed a lack of toughness to be able to hand some situations . . . . We stepped up in some, didn’t do our best in others.”

Returning:  Demarco Murray returns after off-season recovery from that knee cap injury sustained in Lubbock last year.  Coaches say he looks great.  His repetitions in practice have been limited, however, so all are curious to see how well he plays in a game.  Chris Brown will alternate playing time with him. 

“The two of them compliment each other in a great way,” Stoops said at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.  Man, I love this guy’s cliche consistency.

Norman kids:  Mosus Madu should get some touches Saturday. Of course with the available offensive weapons Oklahoma has there is sometimes a problem getting the ball to all of them.   Meanwhile, Norman’s Ryan Broyles will get playing time at wide out. He makes people miss him and is drawing some comparison by coaches to Mark Clayton.

“We’ll try to find a way to get him some carries,” Stoops said, appearing fresh and energetic in his first press conference of the season. “Then you’ll be mad Jermain (Gresham) didn’t get enough and then so and so. So we’re going to use them all.”

This week’s opponent:  Chattanooga-Tennessee is a running football and play action passing team.  Defensively they change this year to 4-3 defense, with zone coverages and zone blitzes.  Fairly conventional I-AA team. 

Let’s get the season underway.  In a great way!

— Mike