Questions you want answered
Two OU fans separately emailed me a list of questions concerning the Sooners’ loss at Texas Tech. I thought I would share the questions, provide my take and try to remember to ask Bob Stoops on Tuesday:
1. Why didn’t OU throw to the tight ends with a back-up QB
Makes perfect sense to me. I know you can’t trash the whole game plan when a quarterback goes down, but it sure seems that short passes to big targets is sound strategy for a new quarterback.
2. Why didn’t OU run the ball?
Well, the Sooner tailbacks ended up with 30 carries, which isn’t horribly low in a game in which you’re playing from behind. But the point is well made. The Sooners seemed to abandon the run quickly. After Tech took a 20-7 lead, OU came out with three straight Joey Halzle passes; two incompletions and a sack. On the opening drive of the third quarter, trailing 27-7, three more straight passes, followed by a 4th-and-1 fake punt. Soon enough, it was 34-10, and the running game was moot.
3. Why the fade routes in the end zone with a back-up quarterback?
I have no idea. I hate the fade, unless you’ve got 6-foot-8 Harold Carmichael on your team or you’re throwing to Rashaun Woods against SMU. To me, the fade is an admission that you’re out of ideas.
4. Why do the players that make the same mistakes game in game out continue to play without getting pulled, i.e. Patrick, Loadholt?
Well, I have no idea how Loadholt is playing. But how much more pulled can Patrick get? He got only one more carry after fumbling on OU’s first play of the game.
5. Where is the pass rush?
In street clothes. Injuries to Auston English and John Williams have decimated the OU ends. Alonzo Dotson has been around forever and is one of my favorite players, but he’s not a big-time pass rusher. Plus Alan Davis, who played well early against Tech, got hurt, too.
6. Why has this secondary been torched almost every game for the last 4-5 seasons?
That’s an easy one. Every secondary in America is getting torched the last four or five years. That’s why I hold offense responsible for OU’s two losses this season. The Sooner offense did nothing against Colorado or Tech.
7. Why kick a field goal from the 2-yard line at the end of the first half?
I don’t know. Bad decision. Trailing Tech by 20 points, you’re not going catch up by kicking field goals.
8. Murray in and out. What is Cale Gundy doing with his tailback rotation?
I don’t know, and with Murray’s injury that will stop, but it was downright goofy. In recent weeks, it became clear Murray was OU’s best tailback, and Saturday night he was OU’s only weapon. Yet with 4:12 left in the first half, Murray had three carries. Chris Brown had seven. That kind of nonsense is why you can’t blame all this defeat on Sam Bradford’s injury.
9. Why did OU not accept a holding penalty in the first quarter, which would have made it 3rd-and-20 instead of 4th-and-10? Tech kicked a 51-yard field goal on the next play.
I thought it was a good call by Stoops. Any time you’re playing Tech, and you’ve got a chance to get your defense off the field, take it. Alex Trlica is a good kicker, but 51-yard field goals are no sure thing in college football.
10. OU continues not to have a backup quarterback ready to play and that was a big key. This is a coaching gaffe and finally caught up with them.
The only problem I’ve got with the reluctance not to insert the backup is the danger factor. Get your quarterback hurt in the fourth quarter of a rout, and that would be disastrous. But to say Joey Halzle could have picked up valuable experience playing the second half against Utah State, well, I don’t buy it. Playing when you don’t have to perform, and the game is over, is not experience.
11. Questionable play calling by Kevin Wilson. Wilson has not really shown much. Check it out; most offensive coordinators are not offensive line coaches.
I don’t know. I thought this Tech game was a bad play-calling night, but I’ve heard it long before that game. Fans’ favorite pastime is to bash the offensive coordinator. I think Wilson is a fine offensive coordinator. I think he had a poor game. And Les Miles was an offensive line coach who was a heck of a coordinator.
12. The fake punt was a horrible attempt. If you want to go for it, line up and go.
Well, yes, and I don’t see how any could argue otherwise. In fact, it will be interesting to see if Stoops tries to defend that one. Goofy, goofy call. I mean, you’ve got 330-pound linemen, blocking for DeMarco Murray, against a soft defensive front. If you can’t make a yard, you have no business beating Tech anyway.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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Comments
well that’s great david if you like just winning seasons each year. in the big 12 that’s nothing. and how bradford got elevated to one of the best quarterbacks around is beyond me. in most ou games the receivers are running free in the secondary because of the mismatches in talent. he’s accurate sure, but never has to deal with a pass rush or good cover personnel. he reminds me of jason white. i know he has a statue in front of the stadium but where was he in the national championship games against talent of the same level? looked alot like hazlel did the other night. good teams get it done without their qb. average teams don’t.
I agree with most of what Mr. Tramel writes-however winning only one national championship this century is surely not what OU anticipated with a coach like Mr. Stoops.
I sure would like to know if Mr. Stoops is really involved in the game decisions,i.e, over-ruling offensive and defensive play calling at the times they are called. Suppose no one really knows the answer to that question, but if someone knows I would shre like to hear about it.
A shame that with all the talent of this year’s team OU did not have a chance to go for the championship. I fear that all is lost for this season. Just have to get them next year and learn from mistakes. BOOMER SOONER
3. Why the fade routes in the end zone with a back-up quarterback?
I have no idea. I hate the fade, unless you’ve got 6-foot-8 Harold Carmichael on your team or you’re throwing to Rashaun Woods against SMU. To me, the fade is an admission that you’re out of ideas.
Note: The fade from Fields to Woods in 2001 worked out pretty good. ;>)
I am disappointed at this loss, the O-line needs to dominate this saturday.
Has anyone noticed that in the first 4 weeks Wilson called a few end-arounds and a double reverse pass, but now has been a little more conservative? Why?
Please Coach pound the ball this week and throw in a couple of mis-direction plays, not only a deep ball here and there!
Boomer Sooner since 72′
Great entry Mr. Tramel. I agree on all points except the field goal on 4th and 2. The FG gives us points at a key moment, and puts us within two TD’s and a field goal of tying. Keep in mind that we were getting the ball to start the second half. Had we not made the TD, psychologically, that would be devestating. I agree emphatically on your comment about the fade, I hate that call – by anybody. Your comment on “being out of ideas” is the best line I’ve heard in a long time – exactly right. I pride myself on being realistic about things, and I believe that we are going to roll up OSU this week. I think Halzle will have a big game – his 4th quarter was statistically brilliant last week. He throws the intermediate, over the middle stuff better than Bradford. Don’t get me wrong – on average, I’d rather have Bradford in the game, but Halzle is better than people are giving him credit for. I think we will run the ball effectively – from what I have seen of Madu, I would love to see him get more touches now that Murray is out. Finally, I have one question – what ever happened to Mike Reed this year? He came in highly touted, and I thought he had a great spring game, what gives?
Berry,
Get a new headshot, will ya.
Either that or stop drinking for a few days before you take another one.
You look like the love child of Otis Campbell and Nick Nolte.
Oh, nice slap shot at OSU and Rashaun Woods success with the fade.
Out of ideas? How about the idea of beating OU in Norman knocking your Swooners out of ANOTHER chance at a big season.
Sounds like you’re the one that’s out of ideas.
After watching the TT game, I am beginning to question OU’s offensvise game plan, whay line-up with one back in the backfield, when you have so much talnet on the sideline. Kevin Wilson game plan is too simple. Hand-off right, Hand-off left, and sideline pass, and punt.
Berry — Thanks for another great entry. I imagine there are lots of complaints from irritated fans this week. Here’s what I think: OU is in the national title hunt deep into November on an almost constant basis under Stoops. We score lots of points and give up few. However, we aren’t perfect. We lose one of the best QBs around and stop moving the ball, and if your offense doesn’t stay on the field in Lubbock your defensive backs will tire and get torched. Why do so many fans have to react like their world is ending? Wilson’s a fine co-ordinator. I didn’t want to miss a Northwestern game on TV when he was there, and I thanked our lucky stars when we hired him. OU plays some of the best football in the country year in and year out, and I continue to hear people scream at breakdowns during the game as if Venables, Wilson, et al. were trying to murder their children — in games we are usually winning comfortably. We are lucky to be Sooner fans in the era of Stoops. We won’t win’em all, but I think we’re blessed to have as good as we’ve got. BOOMER SOONER!