SOONERGUYS Blog

Despite a second half game plan that can only be described in one word — “unimaginative” — the Sooners eased by a pesky defensive squad of Horned Toads on Saturday, 35-10, and now sit perched atop all of the college football polls.

It was a remarkable week. No. 1 USC lost to its nemesis Oregon State. Alabama, looking like the 2000 Sooners coming out of practically no where, kicked Georgia, and Mississippi Nutt-whacked the Florida Gators on the road in Gainesville.  True anarchy in college football. It’s wonderful.

So, after all that, the Sooner fans got what Hunter said was the most boring OU game he had ever attended. He was yawning in the third quarter. Could be because he stayed over at friend’s house on Friday night — admitting (not under oath) he had stayed up until 6 a.m. on Saturday morning. Good thing this was a night game, otherwise I might have sat through this one alone.

The Sooners put this game away early — scoring 21 points and racking up 222 total yards in the first quarter.  The defense played stellar, despite a second half spent almost entirely backed up in Oklahoma territory. 

Then, when in the third quarter OC Kevin Wilson was calling Woody Hayes plays (18 inches and a cloud of dust) against the 10-man-in-the-box TCU defense we could only imagine he was thinking the offense needed to practice running plays, or just wanted punter Mike Knall to punt nine times (which he did).  That drew a smattering of boos from a crowd that was not content with the then 35-3 lead.  For the record, that was not me booing. I was yelling “goooooooooood job, Wilson!”  It just sounded like a boo.

All of this happened after wonderful WR Manny Johnson set a school record 206 yards receiving on 5 catches and Heisman winner-to-be Sam Bradford had thrown for most of his game high 411 yards.

Actually any time I thought about grumbling over this game,  some little voice kept reminding me of USC, Georgia and Florida. 

Like I was saying:  Good win!

— Mike

The thing that has impressed me about this Oklahoma football team is the thing which some have questioned following two BCS bowl losses:  toughness.

Oklahoma hammered a quality Cincinnati team last week; and dominated a young but physical Washington team on the road on Saturday.  And in each case the offensive and defensive lines have controlled their respective scrimmage lines and physically beaten their opponents.  They fight and scratch.  They push and shove.

These  Sooners are playing with the swagger of a Switzer team and the hardnosed meanness of a Wilkinson team.

OT Trent Williams is one of those brutes on the line being very physical.  Travis Lewis is one of the guys on defense doing the same.

Even RB Demarco Murray seems to be running with more aggressiveness this year.

“I’m trying to be more physical.  I’m not trying to make a lot of guys miss as much, but I’m trying to run guys over.  I’m wanting to improve my power skills,”  Murray said after the game Saturday.

This physical trait for the Sooners could serve them well when it is time to go on the road in the conference — and then, especially, in any bowl game they earn (something that has been a problem of late).

And it has been the plan.  This summer the Sooners wore t-shirts that said: “Built Road Tough.”

“Our whole mindset was, be dominant wherever we go,” said defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

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Penalty yardage:  Oklahoma 110  Washington 8

Next time you find me complaining about Big 12 officials, just remind me of the Pac 10.  The officiating crew that worked the Washington game seemed quick to flag the Sooners and quick to call fumbles against the Sooners.  But then again after the Oregon fiasco two years ago, who was expecting anything else.

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If Ty Willingham’s first name became “embattled” after last year’s losing record, the 0-3 beginning to Washington’s 2008 season doesn’t serve well to erase that.  I don’t know if Willingham is a good coach or not. He was booted from Notre Dame prematurely, but as we’ve seen that team under Charlie Weis it is pretty evident Wilingham wasn’t the problem.

— Mike

I had never seen a football game where there were no huddles. Well, until Saturday.  The Sooners did not need any as they sliced and diced a Cincinnati Bearcat team that was hoping to gain some big time respectability when they arrived in Norman.  The Big East team left Saturday night beat up and broken — including losing their starting QB Dustin Grutza to a fractured fibula.

Sam Bradford’s 395-yard passing performance would be the talk of the day, except that such games are expected of him.  So, the talk of Campus Corner is about a local fellow who until today made the police news in the local paper more than the sports section — one Master Ryan Broyles.  Broyles sat out last year as punishment for taking gasoline from a service station without paying and missed last week’s game for undisclosed reasons.  But none of that kept the former Norman High star from playing like a college super star against a stingy Cincinnati secondary that lead the nation in interceptions last year.

Broyles set a school record 141 yards for a newcomer receiver. His day began on Oklahoma’s opening drive, grabbing a Bradford pass and streaking down the boundary for 31 yards. Then Bradford hit Broyles for 27 yards more for a touchdown.  He later made a leaping catch to complete a 43 yard pass play to ignite the Sooner offense.

Oklahoma’s defense had some busted coverages. But the front seven was stout.  Jeremy Beal and Travis Wilson were in on almost every play.  The Cincinnati spread offense managed only two earned touchdowns all day until the last two seconds of the game.  More serious for Oklahoma coaches is to figure out how kick off coverage collapsed on Saturday, alowing Cincinnati to return a kick for a TD.

My grades for the game: OU Offense: A-   Defense B-  Special Teams: D-

Next Up:  Washington.  I would have thought this game would be a snoozer until Wash U. came an extra point away from forcing overtime against BYU on Saturday, thanks in large part to a Pac-10 official’s decision to flag the UW QB for a TD celebration.  We are sure that conference officials will know who the conference visitors are next week in Seattle.  — Mike

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson is an old Ohio guy himself, so he thinks he knows a thing or two about OU’s next opponent.  He coached against the Bearcats while offensive coordinator at Miami of Ohio for seven years, until 1998.

But this Cincinnati defense is not the team of former UC Coach Mark Dantonio.  Cincinnati, which rolled over Eastern Kentucky 40-7 on Thursday, is the team which lost to West Virginia 28-23 last year, playing better against the Mountaineers than Oklahoma did in the Fiesta Bowl.  They led the country with 26 interceptions a year ago. That should prove a good test for QB Sam Bradford, who lead the country in pass efficiency last year — mostly because of his carefulness in avoiding interceptions.

But if there is a weakness to UC’s defense it may be in the running game. West Virginia amassed 295 of their 435 total yards against Cincinnati last year on the ground.  Then again, Oklahoma’s defense gave up 349 yards to Pat White and friends in the Fiesta Bowl.  So, that may be no reflection of defenses at all.

The Oklahoma offense vs. Cincinnati defense may be a wash. Where Oklahoma should hope to capitalize is when the Sooner defense goes against UC’s offense.  Some Bearcat fans have been wary of their new quarterback Dustin Grutza (he complete 21 of 28 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns against Eastern Kentucky), who stepped into the vacancy left by Ben Mauk, who was out suing people to gain another year of eligibility (a losing cause, apparently).  His inexperience could lead Brent Venables to call on Austin English and Jeremy Beal to put some heat on the new QB.

Cincinnati is not ranked. But they received enough votes to place them No. 31 in the AP Poll.

-Mike

OKLAHOMA  vs. TENNESSEE CHATTANOOGA

There isn’t much to take from Oklahoma’s 57-2 win over Tennessee Chattanooga, except to say there are a lot of loyal Oklahoma fans who stayed around after a 90-minute storm delay to watch some fairly lackluster football in the second half.

The first half was pretty much a perfect game for the Sooners. No turnovers. One penalty. 50 points. No points allowed. A+ all the way around.  The second half didn’t matter.  Even the new Boomer and Sooner ponies went back to the farm at half.

Each time I watched Demarco Murray (15-124 yds, 2 TDs) the more the name Billy Sims kept coming to mind.  And when that name did not, the name Reggie Bush did.  Sam Bradford f (17 of 22, 183 yds, 2 TDs) looked sharp.  Juaquin Iglesias (4-73, 1 TD) looked top notch.  The Mocs provided no test for the defense, so there was really no way of judging the performance of the defense, except to say they did everything asked of them.

I’m not about to rail on about how OU should be castigated for scheduling this Division I-AA weakling like some sports writers did (after the fact, mind you), but this game was little more than the scrimmage which fans were barred from attending during two-a-days.  Just against a much weaker opponent (than our second string).

INTRO VIDEO – The special video effects on OU’s intro video looked cool.  But the fellas running the sound board for the video system need to tweak that up.  The crowd noise drowned out the audio.

HYPE FOR ‘SC – Virginia is the same weak team today as it was on Friday night, before their shellacking by Southern Cal.  So, why are so many TV and radio pundits anointing the Trojans with any greater status today than they did last week because of their win over the Cavaliers?  They were supposed to win – and win big. They did, 52-7.

The Trojans are one of the top 5 teams in the country, no doubt. But their stock did not go up by defeating Virginia.  Could it be because ESPN/ABC has already begun hyping the September 13 showdown USC has against Ohio State? Nah, they wouldn’t be THAT callous, would they?  If so, it’s doubly ridiculous, because that game needs no hyping.

MISSOURI FRAUD — Chase Daniels is a heck of a QB, but the Missouri team does not deserve Top 10 status.  Allowing 42 points — even to No. 20 Illinois – disqualifies you for that.

A&M EMBARRASSMENT – How do the Aggies lose their first game of the season at home against Arkansas State?  Four turnovers certainly cost them a lot, but the talent difference between these two schools should be enough to assure some cushion. Instead, A&M lost to Arkansas  State 18-14. The Aggies gave up 415 total yards to Arkansas State.

Before Aggie fans fire bomb Mike Sherman’s house, they should remember Dennis Franchione left this program in shambles.  Sherman just inherited it.  Relax and expect a rough season – but the coaching staff Sherman has put together (ex-‘Bama assistant Joe Kines and Nolan Cromwell as coordinators) will bring this program around.  It will take some time, because A&M’s skilled players may not be suited for Sherman’s pro-style offense.

NEXT SATURDAY – Few good matchups in college football next week.  Average point spread is probably more than 20 among all games.  ESPN might as well show some Division II games, except all of them are playing Division I schools.   — Mike