Don’t dare to compare
Don’t dare do it. Don’t dare compare Joey Halzle to Sam Bradford. There’s a reason Bradford is Oklahoma’s starting quarterback and a reason Halzle is not. This painfully became evident Saturday night during the Sooners’ debilitating 34-27 loss at Texas Tech.
On paper, Halzle’s numbers looked acceptable enough. But on the field, the performance lacked what the Sooners need to keep up with the explosive Red Raiders. Halzle completed 21 of 41 for 291 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. But such a line qualifies as mediocre when you’ve grown accustomed to watching Bradford complete 70 percent of his passing while leading the nation in passing efficiency (which he still does).
Bradford suffered a concussion on OU’s first offensive play of the game after making a tackle. If the Oklahoma playbook is 50 pages thick for Bradford, it might be roughly five pages for Halzle. It is still unclear why the Sooners didn’t attempt to run the ball more than they did after Bradford’s departure — which would have taken pressure off Halzle while burning more clock time.
The longer Halzle played, the more he seemed to relax. What transpired Saturday night in Lubbock will only make Halzle better the next time he is needed. But more than any other player, a healthy Bradford is what OU needs most.
We all knew that already. Saturday night simply proved it.
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Comments
Talk about Knee-jerk, OU toady reactions!!
Rohde, when spring football hit the scene, OU seemingly had 3 “GREAT” quarterbacks vying for the starting role.
It wasn’t announced that Bradford had won the job until right before the first game.
Now you’re throwing Halzle under the bus. Is this the same Halzle, like all OU signees, that is given “All American” status simply because he signed with OU?
I’m not an OU fan by any means, but I’m even less a fan of BS artist, John Rohde, who’s the first to grab a pitchfork and torch when things go south again for OU’s BSC run.
The kid came in cold. How often did Stoops play him when the situation allowed? Perhaps OU wasn’t good enough to allow that many comfortable situations in the first place.
Rohde, you’re a typical, immature kowtowing OU sychophant when things are going good and a typical spiteful coward when things go bad….and they always eventually go bad, don’t they?
OU has one player go down and they fold up like a silk tent.
That’s not a championship calibre “team” to me, Rohdemeister.
Why don’t you write about that? Try throwing Stoops under the bus instead? Oh, that’s right. Stoops would have your head on a platter if you did that. He fights back.
You cowards in the media don’t like that.
Don’t you think the defense had just a little to do with the loss? There defense is lacking against good offenses. I think the old saying is true defense wins games. And OU’s defense can’t win a game for them when they need it.
First, ignore Danny. Every team has its share of trolls and their spouting is meaningless.
Second – If the Oklahoman were my only source of info about the OU-TT game, I would not even know there WAS a questionable replay call in the fourth quarter. It seemed to me that it did have a significant impact on the outcome of the game, bt it didn’t get a mention from the Oklahoman. At the very least, it should have been mentioned and, if it was the right call, tell us why. If NOT the right call, then it’s an even bigger story that deserved prominent attention. What gives?
As Hazle was ineffective most of the night, why did K. Nichol not get a chance to show what he had? Early in the season he was billed as a potential starter. Was this just hype? If he was in consideration for the starting role then coaches owed it to him and the fans to give him a shot. The QB role is probably the most important position, on any team, and it appeared that the OU staff had not properly prepared a back-up should one be needed…and last night one was needed.
Also, why not try to utilize the tight ends more in the passing game?
Why is there no discussion of the apparent TD call that was not upheld, in the 4th quarter? This looked to be an obvious TD, but no one is addressing the impact of this call. Was the coaching staff asked their opinion?
Same ‘ole John. Along with Berry are the President and Secetary of the Sooner Mania tribe. Bradford got his stats again pan cakes. He would not have made much difference Sat nite.
It’s quite clear that there were two glaring failures by OU last night: 1. The back up quarterback was not prepared to play. 2. The offensive playcalling didn’t seem to compensate for that.
I understand that Halzle’s first series would probably be unproductive because of jitters and not being “warm”, but after that, he should have slipped right in where Bradford would normally be. I seem to remember Jason White slipping in to a Texas game after spending the season as a back up and, after his first series, taking over the game in what is at the least, a high-pressure game. Why do we have lower expectations for Halzle? He was horrible, despite his numbers.
I also seem to recall a Sugar Bowl against LSU where OU’s passing game was highly ineffective (turns out Jason White was falling apart physically) and when the coaches finally called a few consecutive running plays on what would have been a game-tying drive, they out-thought themselves after taking LSU all the way down to their 19 yard line and then calling four straight pass (incomplete) plays. Why are these coaches seemingly not learning from past experiences? Why would they not make sure that the back quarterback was prepared? Why would they not hand the ball off to a running back who averages over 6 yards per carry when their back up QB can’t hit the grass were it not for gravity? Why were field goals acceptable when the lead was so large?
I understand that from my living room these questions are easier to answer, but if someone like me is asking them, shouldn’t the coaches getting paid all that money be asking them as well? I’m just wondering.
Guys like Carl can’t handle the truth so he buries his head in the sand.
Let me ask you, Carl, why wasn’t Halzle simply told to hand it off to this great stable of OU running backs and let those big, superlinemen win the game?
There was plenty of time. OU had superior talent, right?! Don’t we hear all the time about OU’s superior talent?
Where was it?
Don’t we always hear from Rohde, Tramel and Helsley how great a coach Stoops is? When Bradford goes out on the first offensive play, that’s when that great mind of Stoops should have taken over.
If OU was 3 deep in potential All-Americans (aren’t we told by this paper so often how everyone on OU’s team is great), they looked pretty plain on the plains of Texas.
So, Carl, just keep you head buried somewhere…sand, clouds, up there…whereever.
Another BCS potential season is shot down in flames.
I guess the Sooners have their own Poke Choke — it’s called the Sooner Swooner.
Maybe next year.
All the talk about the end of the first half was there not 22 seconds left 3rd down just lost two yards on a running play. Anyone in this postion would call a pass play. If you don’t make it (it was a catchable ball) kick a FG.
I do not aggree that thowing an lob to the end sone was very smart. This type pass takes a lot more skill and touch then our quarter back had at the time.
Wake up people and watch the game OU had three changes to score in the fouth and came away with zero.
Good morning all you Sooner fans. Hey I came here from Texas 20 years ago, and watched the game last night. Still a Texan but also a Sooner supporter I have a question. There still sticks in my mind the fact that we were shorted a T.D. I can’t recall who the reciever was, but from my vantage point on the sofa, and “beer free” I still say he had both feet in the end zone, and posession of the ball. Is my vision bad??