Comments on: Oklahoma football: Mike Stoops owns up

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:54:50 +0000

It will be interesting to see if McCoy will see much playing time at QB…his histrionics have baled Mack out a few times. Though the charges against McCoy were dropped, he will still have an image problem until he takes steps off the gridiron to repair it. Ash is inconsistent. This will be his third year…reminds me of the LJ story….he has more than likely almost topped out until the people around him get better, including the play calling, and he has better instincts about when to run or get rid of the ball. If Ash goes down, where does that leave UT? The talent on OU’s bench at QB is superior. Texas still has a QB problem. Besides VY and Applewhite which eventually was benched, name one great QB Mack has developed. And I think, VY changed Mack more than Mack deveolped VY. Stoops has a much better record.

I still like the QB situation at OU better. The only flops were Bomar and to a degree LJ, when compared to the likes of Bradford, White, Hybyl, and Heupel. The one year Paul Thompson played was as good as what LJ produced in his best years as far as wins and losses. It is not just the QB, the supporting cast is important and the new OU QB will have an experienced supporting cast. The line should be better than last year. OU is loaded at RB and WR. Hopefully the new TE coach will bring that component back into the offense. LJ desperately needed that dimension. LJ had great skills, but last years offense had far more questions than next years offense should. Credit LJ for finding a way to make it work. But next year, the opposite will be true, much like when Bradford played. Bradford had the best O-line of the Stoops era and one heck of a supporting cast when it came to skill positions. Next year should be very similar, except it remains to be seen how dominant the O-line will be. I don’t see a Phil Loadholt or Jamaal Brown or a Ben Habern on next year’s team….yet. But they are good solid players…and very versatile….the jury is out on ‘greatness.’

Texas will have the advantage on defense…though they lost some key players. So, a puny offense (UT) against a puny (OU) defense and a good offense (OU) against a good defense (UT). The game, as usual, will go to the team with the fewest turnovers. My bet is the OU defense will get into Ashes’ head like they did last year. I don’t think the game will be a rout. It will probably be a 10-13 point game…and until Ash shows he is da man, I am picking OU, green QB and all.

By: Smokin Red

Smokin Red — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 17:44:32 +0000

Actually Tim, Texas finally got the QB situation figured out last season. Maybe not the best QB in the conference but considering OU QB’s are virtually inexperienced is a problem. And, for the most part Texas is bringing back virtually all of their starters and should be a whole lot better. TCU too was a very young team last year and returns most players. And, Synder is one of the best Coaches in the nation and can make Chicken Fried Steak out of Chicken #$#% so do not count him out. But Stoops, at least in the old days, did take a team seemingly devoid of talent to a NC so I would not count him out.

By: Tim

Tim — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 06:25:00 +0000

2013 will pose the most serious problems for OU since the Bomar fiasco and Bradford’s injury. Except, 2013 looks more bleak than those 2 seasons. OU has questions….big questions on both sides on the ball….and other teams have caught up….namely OSU and BU. Gundy and Briles are the real deal. OU is as close to being in a total rebuild since Captain Kangaroo left. The two previous times when such doubt was cast upon the team, Stoops is 50-50. Thompson was 10-3 and LJ was 7-5. This years recruiting class seems void of 4 and 5 star players…but so was Stoops first recruiting class. The coaching staff WILL have to re-evaluate the schemes we run and get the right bodies in the right place. Mike Stoops biggest problem last year was he didn’t run multiple defenses as BV did. He SIMPLIFIED things which won’t work with complex offenses in the Big 12. I think he learned his lesson. That said BV more than likely would not have fared any better. Mike did clean up the secondary and improved technique. We just didn’t have the hosses up front to put pressure on the QBs. That and the offenses knew what the defense was going to do. It may take another year for OU to once again be a top 10 team. It faces a challenging non-conference schedule…LaMo, Tulsa, and ND. OU could go from anywhere from 1-2 to 2-1. I would be surprised if anyone thinks OU will be 3-0 in non-conference. As far as the Big 12:

WV – post a W (home game) – tight game, early in the season. WV will spend all spring, summer, and fall game planning for this game…just like UTEP did last year. But Mike Stoops has something to prove and a lot of motivation

TT – post a W (home game) – new coach….new everything. No surprise upset this time

TCU – post a W (home game)….they get their QB back, but we beat them last year and should do it again in a close game

ISU – post a W (home game) if ISU wins, OU would have already lost a bunch of games

UT – post a W (UT still doesn’t have a QB)

KU – post a W …should be a given

KSU – post a W…new QB and some other big shoes to fill…pay back in Manhattan

BU- likely a loss..a Thursday night game…Bear fans will be wild…for thr first time more green in the stands than red. Briles will have them pumped.

OSU – likely a loss. Got to go play in Pokeville…they have some payback on their mind, too

On the other hand the non-conference is a big challenge for a young team. LaMo showed it can play…coaching change should benefit OU…but they have penciled the game so, if OU losses one at home, this one could be it.

Tulsa is another toss up, they recruited well this year…it’s an early game and OU will still be working out the bugs. This could easily be a loss.

ND…offense lost this game last year. ND not as good as it was (?) this past year….still it’s an away game…for a young team…if OU wins here, a Big 12 championship and top 10 ranking is in reach if they get by the first 3 teams without a loss. I don’t think that is likely.

Season record: 8-4 on the up side….could easily be 4-8 as well. All speculation….who thought the 2000 team would go 13-0? Only the most rabid OU fan. If the coaching staff puts the crazy hours into next season as they did the first 2 years…who knows? Gotta play the games and that is the fun part of it. Let the season begin!

By: Atlanta Jerry

Atlanta Jerry — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 22:18:31 +0000

Please do not confuse me for the other JERRY. I rarely agree with anything he writes and certainly do not agree with him on this post.

Anybody who would want to run Mike Stoops off after one year is a CRITIC, not a FAN.

By: Lee

Lee — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 19:11:16 +0000

A bunch of excuses first-hand by Mike Stoops. Go read it again. Pathetic.

Bracing for more of the same next year…

By: GC

GC — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 16:08:55 +0000

just a note for all you Poke fans out there – and MS stated it his message – OU has won a lot of (B12) championships. HOW MANY has oSu football won? Win some (OK-more than 1), then you can brag.

By: LIttle Orange

LIttle Orange — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 14:27:06 +0000

Bob has to try something to turn the tide. Just like Mack he fires the Coaches that brought his teams to National prominance….and that has not worked despite all the Blue Chipper’s. And Bob’s recruiting is far short of what the Short Horns have had these past several years. Mike Stoops was “unprepared” for Big 12 offenses last year….now that is a revelation. What will be the excuse next year?

Unless there is a big surprise 2013 does not look to be very good.

2013 Predictions:

#1 Pokes
#2 Texas
#3 KState
#4 TCU
#5 OU
#6 Baylor
#7 Tech
#8 Iowa State
#9 West Virginia
#10 Kansa

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 04:09:41 +0000

Not taking away Johnny fottball’s ability to run was crazy. Gary Gibbs 5-2-4 could have forced Johnny to throw and make plays with only his arm. I can’t believe we don’t cover the center every time a team lines up in the shot gun. Punish the snapper on every snap. Miike Stoop’s all or nothing approach doesn’t even work in Pop Warner anymore. Both Bob and his offensive,defensive, and special teams need to see the obvious and attack!! In college Bob is wrong. It is not all about the players making plays or not. It is about creating game plans that put players working together as a team. Bob and staff need to visit Alabama again to see how preperation and teamwork is all about coaching and execution. OU is at the edge of mediocrity and and everyone knows it. Oklahoma 7-5 for 2012-2013.

By: willie

willie — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 02:31:55 +0000

He’s busy telling and his brother is busy covering. What an act. I see an Oscar in their future. It actually started South in the ND game, Baylor’s running game just exposed them for what they were. Funny how all the players Venables & Bob propped, were a non-factor by the end of the season.

By: frank lomas

frank lomas — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 01:49:34 +0000

I have full faith in mike stoops. All you haters obviously are clueless when it comes to coaches.mike stoops is gonna destroy the big twelve next year! OSU little fantasy about being a big boy is.over. it was over the day we brought mike.stoops backbet we are fixing to have a mother great run.