Andre Ware: Sooners to reach double-digit wins, possibly go 12-0
Before last season, ESPN college football analyst Andre Ware didn’t make any friends in Oklahoma by predicting OU would lose four games, including the opener to BYU.
Ware noted the Sooners’ turnover at offensive line would doom them.
His prediction was aided by unforeseen injuries to QB Sam Bradford and tight Jermaine Gresham, but turned out, Ware was proven right. The Sooners struggled up front most of the year, and ended up with a record of 8-5.
So what does Ware think about this year’s Sooners?
Wednesday, I asked him.
And if he turns out to be a prophet again, Ware might earn back all those friends he lost in the Sooner State last year.
Said Ware: “They lost a lot of good players. Solid players to the draft this season. But as the season grows, there are some games there early, where they’re going to grab some attention. I like them a lot. Where I didn’t like them last year, was because of the offensive line. They’ve got 4 of 5 starters back up front, an experienced QB back and arguably the best set of receivers in the entire country. And I think you can build a defense faster than you can an offense. I like this football team.
“They may be a 10-win team. There are only a couple of games where you wonder. Going to an improved Texas A&M. You talk about the Texas game, I think they are a much better team on paper than Texas. I like them. A bounce here and there, you could be looking at 11-1, maybe even 12-0. I like this football team.”
Ware, who won the Heisman himself at Houston in 1989, also believes Jones will become a Heisman contender this season.
“Landry Jones, I think we talk Heisman at some point during the season,” Ware said. “Because of his experience, because of the receivers he’s surrounded with, he may be a name that comes up. It’s not there right now — I don’t want to put the pressure on him — but I think it’s going to be there at some point during the season.”
-JT
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Comments
He pulled last year out of his arse and 13 injuries to starters make him a prophet? What nobody talks about is 5 plays go the other way and we are 11-1.
Gotta give him props. He knew what he was talking about last year. Fact is, the unsteady offensive line was the core of OU’s problems last year. They’re still not going to be as good as the 2008 unit was, but I really believe they’ll be much improved over last season.
If Alvin is willing to put money where his mouth is, I’d like him to substitute me for Vegas. I’ll take all the money you want to bet on your “at least 4 games in 2010″ prediction!
Alvin – I’d like to agree with you, but you’re wrong! They will only lose two or three games this year… Texas (as usual), and Tamu, Cincinnati, or The Pokes… At 1639 hours, they still suck, but not 4 games…
I’m really worried bout fla. state, they’ve got a very good quarterback and have a lot of pent up demand to be a good team now that ol bobby is bye bye. Jimbo Fisher can tap that energy and make a statement to the world if they can beat OU at our house. Feelin like some freak injury or bad call is going to do the trick for the ‘noles, hope I’m wrong. I’m also thinkin our boys won’t go thru the Big 12 undefeated, mizzou is the dark horse there. Either way, at most they lose 2 games and have a shot at the title game.
Jeff & “Ditto-Head” errr Ed – Really?! 5 plays = 4 wins? Why not 5 wins? How ’bout one play = 5 wins? Late rushing BYU LB gets blocked. You guys probably think you’re in control of your own destiny too.
It’s just like what Andre said … It’s a bounce or a block here AND a tackle or a catch there that put’s the Sooners in the drivers seat for another MNC.
Anyway, Alvin & the Joker are just wishin’ and a hopin’ because they know Fexas and it’s Mack-a-damia nut of a coach are lookin’ at a L by the end of the 2010 RRW.
Andrew Ware is just being subjective and honest. He also predicted OU to win the 2008 title prior to the season but did change his pick before the BCS title game. I think this could be a big OU season but TAMU isn’t the only trap-Nati will be a test game also. I will be surprised if FSU has shored up it’s defense by the time they play OU. If OU played FSU later in the season I’d be more worried but they were horrific on defense last year. OU could lose to Texas, @ Nati, @ Tex A&M, and if they go to the BIG XII title game and meet Nebraska that too will be tough. 10 wins easy like Mr. Ware said, I think we beat Texas this year I worry about A&M they gave us hell last year before Landry got hot, they moved the ball fairly well on OU last year and this years defense may not be as solid.
Steve, B I believe Andre Ware is spot on regarding our receivers. Ryan Broyles is arguably the best receiver not nationally know. Dejuan Miller, 6-4 and fast, played tremendously closing out the season. Jazz Renolds had everyone excited. Brandon Caleb is reliable, Cameron Kenney showed flashes plus I am hearin about Kenny Stills. I love our skilled positions. Tight End, we will see.
Now he and Phil Steele must see something in our Offensive Line that has them more optimistic than me. Hopefully they’re right.
The Sooners will be better, I could see at most 2 losses for them in 2010-11 season!! BOOMER SOONER BABY………
I don’t put much stock in his prediction. Does ANYONE really think OU would have lost 5 games last year with Bradford and Gresham in the lineup?
Rick, the way our offensive line played early on, I don’t think the two of them would have made that big a difference.
Peyton Manning wouldn’t have been able to complete a pass with our line. It was our inability to block that led caused Bradford’s injury so you can discount that.
Andre Ware called it, he got a little lucky but you got to give him credit.
He caught a break last year because of all the injuries. I hope he gets lucky again and is right about this year.
I’ll be pulling for them all the way, I don’t know about the O line, they didnt show much last year so Im not sure what that experience is worth. However they can learn a lot from that experience. Landry looked great at times and others under pressure seemed to loose it. He will definately see the pressure again this year. OU has been lining up some tuff scheduals. FSU should tell us what we have to look forward to. Boomer Sooner!
OKLAHOMA Will go no less that 11-1 and win big 12…Texas will again struggle with with wyoming much improved..but Texas should be 4-0 with thier soft non conference but lose to Oklahoma by 14 and Tech…Texas has no proven running backs, having to rebuild def line and offense will be ok.but weren’t that good last year getting outplayed by a depleated OU team missing 7 starts and an average offensive Neb…I not convinced about Neb as they lost 50% of thier def with Suh gone and still not impressed with thier offense..I have Mizzu stunning Neb…I got all my predictions right last yr down to Okla’s Braford and Mccoy getting injured but I did miss Neb which I had beating Texas by 1 by a fluke with Texas being the better team when Okla, the best team in the country, went down with giantic injuries. I had the Big 12 down last season with Okla out…Alabama and Florida 2 best teams…no Big 12 teams in the NC this year! but okla will make a BCS bowl..due to winning thier tougher non conference as Stoops understands who to play to get to NC games as hes been there 4 times…Texas wins the Big 12 if Okla gets injured..like the last 2 times Texas was able to win a Big 12 title….I have OU vs Mizzu…hey we see…Next year Texas and Okla will be the Titans in college!!!!!!!! be a great game…they are the best teams in the country and I enjoy both of them playing every year! with my okla and Texas friends!!! I wouldn’t live anywhere but Texas or Oklahoma!
i give him his props his was right on the money last year saying oklahoma go 7-5, and they sure did after they won there bowl game going 8-5. i like his predictions this year, if landry jones don,t get his butt in gear and make better decisions and quit staring down recievers too throw too and give it away, we might have a chance too go (12-0), but first one game at a time. if landry chokes early in every game for god,s sake stoops put someone in who can make plays or give this team a chance. i don,t know what you promise this kid out of new mexico after bradford graduated, but i have idea you promise him the world if he came. my old coach in davis,okla mickey hoy back in the 70,s and 80,s was like jimmy johnson either my way or the highway and if you did not perform well, he replaced you in a heartbeat for someone else and reload. thats my take on it it all starts with the quarterback.
It matters not whether OU is 12-0 or 11-1 or even 10-2, they’re going to have a super season….I’m sure when Broyles signs that multi million contract in next year’s draft, he will have forgotten the gas station incident…an incident that proably put him on the right path….Go Sooners.
It won’t take long to know whether the Sooners are better than last year. I’m not confident we would have beat BYU even if Sam hadn’t gone down. We couldn’t do anything with him in there… the offensive line stunk it up with and penalties/missed assignments.
If we can hang 45+ on Utah State that would be a good sign that this year will be much better than the last.
Robert Brown: saying Texas has no proven running is like saying OU doesnt have a proven running back at any given year. There’s always some kid on both benches that came come in and rip you for 200 yards. So, I wouldn’t hold that too much against Texas. BOOMER SOONER
Sooners vs Nebraska in the Title Game this year! Opps, do we play a title game this year? Oh well, OU wins it all this year, yes, national title against Alabama! Book it!
Can someone please tell me if OU is planning on using any 3-4 def this year. If there not, they should.
@ Colin
You don’t simply implement a 3-4 overnight, you need a NG and OU doesn’t have one. They will and should be in the 4-3 once again, even though they are loaded at Linebacker.
This site is really a walk-through for all the information you needed about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and also you’ll undoubtedly discover it.
I don’t know why he thinks so highly of our receivers. But I hope he’s right!