This and that . . . as we pack for Arlington
Coach Stoops has gotten some first hand scouting of BYU from brothers Mike and Mark Stoops, whose Arizona Wildcats were the last team to play the Cougars in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl.
“When you are playing a team you don’t have a lot of familiarity with, where you don’t play the year in and year out, you talk to other people who do,” Stoops said.
Well, it’s not just “other” people here. We’re sure UA defensive coordinator Mark Stoops has given big bro’ some particular ideas on how to handle BYU offense. Arizona won their game 31-21.
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Key to the OU-BYU game, at least from the Cougar’s perspective, is how well the BYU offensive line does against the strength of Oklahoma’s defense — the front four.
BYU returns only one starter in their offensive line, and that’s Matt Reynolds, who broke his hand the first week of fall practice. He will play, with a plate and screws in his hand. The BYU coaches are optimistic they will give QB Max Hall (nephew of former Dallas Cowboy great Danny White) enough time to “methodically” move the chains.
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Oklahoma is expecting a significant “homefield” advantage Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
“That’s what I would hope for with the proximity and those kinds of things,” Coach Stoops said Tuesday at his press conference.
“It’s kind of like last year in the National Championship game, Florida had quite a few more than we did, even though it was a neutral site, so you kind of hope that that would be the case, and we hope that’s the way it works out.”
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The Cowboys Stadium is the largest domed stadium in the world. The top of the dome stands 320 feet above the field (which is 50 feet below grade). That means the Statue of Liberty could stand inside the stadium. Does anyone doubt Jerry Jones will try to buy it and move it to Dallas?
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Former OU backup QB Keith Nichol, who transferred a year ago to Michigan State, will play backup to Spartan starter Kirk Cousins. Coaches says Nichol will get playing time this year, but Cousins narrowly edged him out of the top spot.