What We’re Working On: Belldozing & Broyles.
CAMPUS CORNER — Update on Bedlam week and our plans covering it.
Our Mike Baldwin is writing for tomorrow about the Belldozer. Heard of it?
Beep.
We’ve talked a lot about this Blake Bell offensive package. It’s evolved over time, with mixed results. A couple of weeks ago, Bob Stoops said the options were “infinite” with it. How about now? Now that those options were rolled out, and Bell threw an interception at the goal line and didn’t really get anything going with the option. Does the Belldozer collapse a bit, back to the Kansas State-born “heavy” formation? That’s how it’s been at its best, the 6-6 Bell running behind the pair of fullbacks, Trey Millard and Aaron Ripkowski.
Having Bell pass, at least at this juncture – and out of that formation – doesn’t seem like such a great idea. Oklahoma State, at least the way I understand and see it, has struggled with that sort of running. I know factually that it did against K-State and Collin Klein. There’s something slippery about Klein. Maybe Bell could develop into that — and God help the Big 12 if he does, because he has a better arm — but that’s not what he is right now. He’s Klein Lite right now, and that could still be a good thing in this Bedlam game.
As for my story, I’m writing about Ryan Broyles, who talked today for the first time since surgery eight days ago. Broyles was Broyles, all smiles and positive. You know this has been difficult on him. It’s been difficult, in a football sense, on the team. Stoops talked some about that. In a season of injuries, it’s been the one that’s impacted the team the most. At least that’s how I see it. But the fact you could argue Ronnell Lewis or Jamell Fleming, when he was out, tells you what sort of season this has been for the Sooners as it’s gone along.
We know, we know. They’re not excuses. But we’ll rank the injuries the Sooners have experienced this season, and how they’ve impacted the team.
As for Broyles, he’s confident in his ability to get ready for the NFL, even if he’s not prepared to run at the Combine in February. He’ll still be there, talking to teams and interviewing, which certainly figures to help his cause.
= Trav
What we’re working on: Under Pressure.
CAMPUS CORNER — This week, in advance of Bedlam, a special feature here on the blog. We’ll give you a look inside what we’re writing — the angles, the questions we’re seeking answers to, etc., etc. You might not care. You might really dig it. We’ll give it a spin, see what happens. A lot of people ask me what goes on inside the Dark Tower’s Dungeon during our Monday morning meetings. This will give you a sense, I think.
First up, for Tuesday, I’m writing about the idea of pressuring Brandon Weeden.
Think … Queen …
All right, so don’t think Queen …
The story, when we kicked it around this morning, was about Corey Nelson‘s move to defensive end and how that might be something OU is leaning on now that Ronnell Lewis is injured.
A conversation with DEs coach Bobby Jack Wright, though, and my focus had shifted. He told me Nelson playing end last week had a lot to do with Iowa State’s offensive gameplan — a more run-heavy look. Wright said the position Nelson played wasn’t very different than the “jack” (linebacker/end hybrid) in the 3-4 scheme. Which makes sense. So, just because Nelson did that last week doesn’t automatically make him a Bedlam savior in terms of pass rush.
In fact, it sounded more like a steady diet of David King and R.J. Washington — and Frank Alexander, of course — with Nelson potentially splashed in here and there. So that’s when my story moved, as they often do from the time of brainstorming.
It became a bit more statistically driven. OSU quarterbacks, and namely Weeden, have been sacked 11 times in 11 games. Meanwhile, OU has 37 sacks in 11 games. You’d think that’s a something’s got to give scenario, except Weeden gets rid of the ball so quickly (a point Wright affirmed) and there’s no Lewis up front.
My best guess — and this is a guess, educated — is OU brings blitzes similar to what you saw in the Texas game. Completely different QB situation — from the least experience imaginable to the most (life) experience imaginable — but Brent Venables has to do something to get in Weeden’s kitchen. I would not at all be surprised to see more of the “50″ in this game — more than we’ve seen this season. Remember that it was rolled out for this game a year ago. With some new wrinkles and twists in terms of blitzing, the “50″ could again be a secret to success in Stillwater.
Stay tuned for more of these previews as we go through the week. Ryan Broyles is talking tomorrow at lunchtime, so we’ll update how he’s doing and feeling, moving forward.
= Trav
OU review: Sooners shut down Cyclones
CAMPUS CORNER — Some thoughts as I sit down to begin film review session with Bob Stoops and his weekly TV show.
Had a guy email me today riding me/us about calling this the de facto Big 12 title game. What else would you consider it? Yes, if OU wins, it will be tied with OSU and K-State in the standings. But it will also have head-to-head wins at both of those schools. So, don’t know how else you could slice it that the Sooners aren’t champs.
That’s no gimme, clearly. OSU opened as a three-point home favorite. That’s Vegas saying it’s essentially a pick ‘em game and giving OU three points for playing at the House That T. Boone Built. Is that line about right? Probably, though it’s been incredibly difficult all season to handicap this game. Losing Ryan Broyles has clearly changed the complexion of OU’s offense. And don’t underestimate the temporarily loss, too, of defensive end Ronnell Lewis. Corey Nelson filled in there well Saturday, but this week presents a different test.
But, at the same time (even without Ronnell), I’m curious if Brandon Weeden has seen the kind of pressure he’ll see this week. Texas, maybe? And that was probably Weeden’s poorest game of the season, until Iowa State. That said, for the OU D, this is yet another pass-pass-pass kind of team coming at it. Pressure will be key to prevent another shredding of the secondary.
I’m curious to see how Todd Monken and OSU choose to attack the Sooners. Texas Tech went at the corners. Baylor saw the weakness at free safety and his penchant to bite on the underneath route. Monken’s had two weeks to find his weakness. Can Demontre Hurst and/or Jamell Fleming match up with Justin Blackmon? Plenty of intriguing position battles all over the field.
Going back to the ISU game, it was far, far from pretty. As the Sooners said afterward, they left a ton of points on the field. The Blake Bell package had some issues, finally, and Stoops said that is to be expected. He threw an interception in the end zone. He was stuffed a handful of times, which hadn’t really happened. OU got pretty cute with it, running the option a couple of times in addition to throwing with him near the goal line. Let’s see how the Belldozer set evolves this week, now that it has seen some adversity.
*** PREGAME
Stoops just said the wind was gusting to 50-60 miles an hour. Was it really? Surely it wasn’t that strong. But it was moving the Owen Field light standards around after the game. I wasn’t cool with that. Stoops: “The gusts would just literally take the ball.”
**
Stoops likes the balance of the offense. “The running game, the way it was, was very pleasing, to be able to do that with the conditions the way they were.”
**
Lots of weather talk.
**
Stoops: “I thought we needed to take care of the football better. We had one fumble and three interceptions.” Makes a note of Kameel Jackson‘s drop that turned into a Landry Jones pick.
**
And on Bell’s pick at the goal line: “There’s a guy who’s a redshirt freshman. He’ll learn from it. That’s why you have to keep doing it and playing it.”
**
Stoops makes note of winning the toss. He said it was a big deal to be able to win the toss and defer.
*** FIRST QUARTER
After no takeaways at Baylor, OU gets one on the second play of the game. That had to be big for the overall tone and momentum in this game. Guess who it was … Frank Alexander, the subject of my Saturday story about how far he’d come as a senior. Stoops: “Frank’s just had a monster year.”
**
Stoops said the first time Bell got stopped that the play wasn’t blocked all that well. Then Bell picks up 4 yards on fourth-and-1. Stoops credits Aaron Ripkowski‘s block.
**
Stoops doesn’t point it out on third-and-goal, but Jones really could have run for the score. No one in front of him, but instead he stayed back, hopped on his toes and then rifled the ball over the middle to no one. He’s not a running QB, but he had proven in recent weeks to run if he absolutely needed to. That was one of those times.
**
Stoops talks about Nelson after he makes consecutive tackles. Says he played “a great game” at defensive end. Says he was there because of alignments (and the loss of Lewis).
**
ISU’s James White had a very solid game against OSU, but he was involved in fumbles on the first two series. White and quarterback Jared Barnett had issues on the exchange of the zone-read on the second. White just coughed up the first. I didn’t see White come back in after that second fumble. Coach Paul Rhoads said after the game the exchange was something the team had worked on quite a bit. So he was surprised with the problems.
**
Not much explanation, nor any needed, on the botched punt. Just a bad snap, high and left. Hadn’t happened in James Winchester‘s career, but did on Senior Day, unfortunately. Maybe Tress Way could have tried to pick it up and go in for a safety? But you really can’t ask too, too much of your punter in that situation. He obviously didn’t have a ton of time to think, and I’m sure he was thinking he could down it and hope the defense could hold ISU to a field goal try.
**
But, no, the Cyclones scored on the first play. Alexander tips the ball, but it’s still caught — in large part because the wind held up the pass. Fear not, OU fans, ISU wouldn’t score again — or even get close.
**
I made the point during the game that it’s a misconception that it’s easier to throw the ball with the wind than against it. Seems to me like Jones, and other QBs, have more control on the passes against the wind. Jones often overthrows when he’s going with the wind. Just a thought. I think people presume kicking and passing work the same way, but it doesn’t seem that way.
**
I know it’s based on tickets sold, but just saw the 80th consecutive sellout scroll across the bottom of the screen. Stoops even called it the worst crowd of his OU tenure. I don’t blame folks for not coming, because of how raw it was. But wonder what it would have been like if the weather were like Thursday, in the 60s and sunny. Probably still wouldn’t have sold out, because of the opponent and the holiday. OU needs to take a look at who/how it schedules that Thanksgiving game.
Of course, if the schedule goes back to eight Big 12 games (in a 12-team league), then it’ll be Bedlam and be settled. I’m hopeful of the return of 12 teams in the near future, personally. I like the championship game. But, well, it’s not like Chuck Neinas is asking me for advice. (How’s the search for a new commish coming, anyhow?)
**
Wait, Winchester is going to be in studio at halftime? That could be interesting. Of all the weeks, ha … poor James.
**
Watching Bell’s INT now. The play is executed at the line as it should. Pretty good protection. Bell just throws it to the other team, simply. No one was open. Got to check the defense, not just throw wildly to where the receiver would be in practice. Stoops, defending the call: “You try to run the ball all the time out of that set. He read it at the last second and (unintelligible). That’s where Blake has to put some air under that and drop it in over the top.” (Then Dean cheerfully sends it to a break.)
*** SECOND QUARTER
Sooners getting a lot of players to the ball very quickly. Good to see Tony Jefferson get back in the swing of things. He downplayed his knee injury, but surely that had a lot to do with how he’d played the past month.
**
I like mixing in Trey Millard at tailback. Not sure why that hasn’t happened more. Only time I remember this during the course of the game.
**
Jones’ throws into the wind, even with what I said earlier, were really nice. The throw on third down to Kenny Stills inside the red zone was special. Ball freaking caught Stills, and not the other way around. That’s impressive, given the gusts. Jones was slinging it. Another underrated, touchdown-less day for him.
**
The Bell play works from the 5 1/2-yard line. Why? Got back to the basics, the K-State formation. Bell follows Millard into the end zone. Keep it simple, Sooners. Funny how that works. Stoops: “It’s the game you play, sometimes. They defeat a block, or you miss a block. That’s not always going to be perfect. Sometimes you just have to push your way in.”
**
Cyclones didn’t defend the reverse very well, did they? I doubt that’s there against OSU, but OU did at least give the Pokes something to think about this week. Give Josh Heupel and the coaches credit for not giving up on Trey Franks on the play, even after he fumbled last week on a reverse. I think coaches give up on players and plays too easily sometimes. That might seem contradictory to what I said about Bell, but he’s been so successful at just running behind those fullbacks, that passing is a bit much at this juncture. Do what he does best until it’s taken away. Even when it was stopped early in this game, it was on a fake jet sweep. Great downfield blocking by the Sooners. They’ve gotten better at this throughout the year, something we haven’t talked about a bunch that should be recognized.
**
Jones tried to sneak in from the 1 this time. Funniest part of the play, if you go back and watch: Little Roy Finch is hopping on the pile, even though the play has been settled. Got to love that, watching Finch throw his 5-6 frame at the pile, expecting it to move. He’s a pretty fun guy to watch play, isn’t he? Still amazing he didn’t play more early in the season. His practice habits must really have been poor.
**
Watching Travis Lewis‘ interception return. Jamarkus McFarland definitely gives an ISU player a shove in the back, though it was completely unnecessary. Why do guys do that? I’d heard it was a bogus call, but McFarland definitely did it. Stoops: “He didn’t do much.” Then Stoops said what I said: “It’s 10 or 15 yards back. You don’t need to touch anybody back there. You should just start celebrating.”
The play wound up costing OU four points.
**
Stills with a nice block, furthering the point.
**
Mike Hunnicutt nails the first of two field goals late in the half. Hunnicutt really had a nice day. He accidentally kicks an onside kick, and then nails another. Hunnicutt’s season, besides that Texas Tech kick, has perhaps negated the advantage OSU once had in the kicking game. Got to wonder about Quinn Sharp’s head after that miss in Ames. Maybe he’s fine, and he’ll be kicking at home this week, but maybe it sneaks into his mind if he’s got a late one. Hunnicutt has at least had time since that Tech miss.
*** HALFTIME
Winchester and James Hanna in studio. Love watching Stoops interview players.
**
Hanna says it was worst conditions he’d played in at OU. That’s saying something. There have been a lot of windy games this year.
**
Hanna: “We’ve been working the run game really hard. It was nice to see some results from all of that.” Hanna mentions Brandon Williams playing well.
**
Hanna talks about being one of four winners of the Don Key Award. I got to meet and do radio with Don Key earlier in the year. What a nice guy. Not sure why OU gave it to four players, though. I think that’s a bad precedent to set. Hanna says winning a part of the award means a lot to him because of his admiration for his predecessor, Brody Eldridge, who won it.
**
Winchester explaining the snap, to some extent. He said he told Way in the pregame he would have to slide some, because the wind was taking the ball. I’m sure it was a strange day to be a long snapper.
**
Only three points in the second half, so I’m going to cut this short and get some rest for Bedlam Week. Should be a great week. I know we’ve got some interesting things plans.
= Trav
Halftime thoughts: Sooners 23, Iowa State 6
CAMPUS CORNER — Slow start for the Sooners — what’s new? — but they turned it on in the second quarter.
Oklahoma has really put on the clamps, defensively. Iowa State isn’t a passing team, doesn’t have the deep threats that Baylor (and Oklahoma State?) has. So, we knew that wouldn’t be a danger. But, still, OU has held ISU to 89 total yards and six first downs. The Cyclones’ only score came on an extremely short field after a botched punt snap by James Winchester.
Oklahoma didn’t get a takeaway last week at Waco. It had one on ISU’s second offensive play today. The Clones have turned the ball over four times. Running back James White, who looked pretty good against OSU, fumbled twice on the team’s first two possessions. He’s been gone ever since.
Landry Jones struggled some in the first quarter, but made some nice throws against the wind in the second. Contrary to what some seem to think, it appears to be easier to throw — easier to control the ball — against the wind. Jones hit Kenny Stills and James Hanna with a couple of nice throws near the end of the half. He is 15 of 25 for 187 yards.
Blake Bell had a mixed-bag first half. He was stuffed a couple of times early on, in the Belldozer. He then tried to throw on second-and-goal at the 2, but he was intercepted in the end zone. OU got a little cute with the goal-line play-calling, there. It got back to what Bell does best thereafter, and he’s scored touchdowns of 3 yards and 1 yard. Bell now has nine touchdowns in the past four weeks.
Three field goals in the first half for Mike Hunnicutt, including two into the wind to end the half. The 37-yarder he drilled as the second quarter clock expired really had to be something like a 50-yarder. Credit Hunnicutt, too, with the sky kick into the wind that ISU wound up muffing, leading to his final field goal.
The third quarter has been OU’s quarter all year … It has outscored opponents 132-24, a number that actually shrank a week ago.
= Trav
Tailgate blog: Cyclones (literal, symbolic) invade Owen Field
CAMPUS CORNER — Here’s the skinny on the tailgate scene today: There isn’t one. It’s cold. It’s windy. And it’s early. That’s a killer for pregame scene. Moving the start from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. chapped some fans, from what I gather … but it would have been cold tonight, too. It’s November. What’d you expect? Never mind that it was 70 a couple of days ago. We’ll ignore that.
As for football … some quick pregame notes, as Senior Day is about to begin at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
** No Jaz Reynolds, looks like. Makes sense. His shoulder could probably use some time to heal. It doesn’t figure to be a big passing day. Run the ball, get out of here. I’m sure OU is hopeful Reynolds, injured late last week, can bounce back for Bedlam.
** Despite a throat injury at practice Wednesday, DT Casey Walker went through warmups and it at least appears that he’ll be ready to play. Sounded like that was more of a scare than anything.
** A switch overnight in who will wear the No. 12 in honor of Austin Box. It was changed from Jamell Fleming to Jamarkus McFarland. That leaves Fleming, a senior, to wear it next week at Bedlam, if the team chooses.
= Trav
BCS bowl possibilities
There are several variables that will determine whether both Bedlam rivals play in BCS bowls after the Sooners and Cowboys lost last weekend. It could boil down to how Sugar Bowl officials feel about Oklahoma State and/or Oklahoma.
BCS bowls bylaws are specific. Team must finish in the top 14 in the final BCS rankings to be an “at large” candidate which leads to some uncertainty on one or two “at-large” selections.
Listed below are a few teams Bedlam fans can monitor moving forward. Keep in mind eight of the 10 BCS berths essentially are locked up (six BCS conference champions, two SEC teams and Stanford).
VIRGINIA TECH — The Hokies currently are No. 5 in the BCS rankings. Virginia Tech plays Virginia this week. With a win the Hokies play Clemson in the ACC title game. If Virginia Tech loses either game someone else would be the ACC’s automatic qualifier. If Virginia Tech wins out nothing changes. But if the Hokies lose a game it’s another variable thrown into the mix.
How does the Sugar Bowl and other BCS Bowls rank Virginia Tech versus a two-loss OSU or three-loss OU that stays in the top 14, which is a requirement? (OSU and OU both probably get the nod above Virginia Tech but what does the Sugar Bowl think?)
MICHIGAN — If the Wolverines defeat Ohio State and are ranked in the top 14 in the final BCS rankings how does the Sugar Bowl and other BCS Bowls rank Michigan versus a two-loss OSU or three-loss OU that stays in the top 14? (OSU probably gets the nod over Michigan because of Weeden/Blackmon/better team but three-loss OU versus a two-loss Michigan might be a coin toss. What does the Sugar Bowl think?)
HOUSTON/TCU — If Houston wins out and stays undefeated there’s essentially only one more “at largre” berth. But if Houston loses, there are no guarantees TCU (currently No. 20) moves into the top 16, a requirement to be an “automatic” BCS qualifier if Houston loses. If TCU doesn’t climb into the top 16, and Houston loses, it could open up an “extra” at-large berth.
STANFORD: If the Cardinal loses to Notre Dame Stanford probably still gets a BCS berth because of Andrew Luck. There’s a longshot chance it “might” change the Fiesta Bowl’s thinking but Stanford probably is a lock for the Fiesta win or lose this week.
OU review: Bears bad news for Sooners’ (national) title hopes
CAMPUS CORNER — Back home from Waco and settling in to watch the coach’s show with Bob Stoops. I imagine we’ll hear a lot of the same things as postgame last night at Floyd Casey Stadium. Lot of credit to Baylor and Robert Griffin III. The words outplayed and outcoached will probably be uttered. Didn’t make enough plays, stop them. Etc.
Let’s see if there are any surprises from the coach …
From top of the show … (I’m not making this up.) “They made a few more plays than we did. That’s the bottom line. We came in ready to play. They came out … two things that stand out to everybody, to me: our pass coverage and their ability to beat us with throwing the football with big plays. And we didn’t complement each other very well.”
He’s referring to missed scoring chances such as the Trey Franks fumble, the Landry Jones interception, the Roy Finch chop block, etc. As Stoops says — and Ryan Broyles pointed this out on Twitter, too — when the offense was playing well, the defense wasn’t. And vice versa. With that possible exception of the final 10 minutes of the game. Well, until the last minute.
Stoops on Griffin: “He is a great player. We all knew that. For the great part of the game, we had him hemmed up. He didn’t make a lot of plays running or scrambling. (I recall one 24-yard run early on, but he’s mostly right.) Then, late in the game, he broke out a couple of times, when we did have people covered. We didn’t have people to come get him, or we ran past him. He made the plays. (Scrambles of 22 and 8 yards were huge, to get into OU territory.) That was the difference in the game, at the end of the game.”
*** FIRST QUARTER
No one announced this, from what I heard, but Oklahoma won the toss and deferred. Is that the first time that’s happened? Broyles influence that decision?
**
On call-back of 79-yard TD, second play of game: “This is another occasion where we get caught flat-footed at the safety position. The receiver runs past us.”
**
As Stoops watches first BU possession: “No, we were ready to play. They outplayed us. And when I say outplayed, they outplayed and outcoached us, overall, with a few plays to win a tight game at the end.”
**
Stoops on Jaz Reynolds, after Reynolds’ first big gain of the night (he had 7 catches for 114 yards): “Yeah, he hurt his shoulder. I’m not sure the extent of it just yet.”
**
Third-and-long on OU’s first possession, and Landry Jones finds Kameel Jackson, who is incredibly open, for a touchdown. Called back for the chop block. Watching it now, doesn’t look too bad. Roy Finch is so small that most blocks are going to appear to be chop blocks? Stoops says the call is/was fine. “It’s a good call. The running back makes a good block. He’s cutting the linebacker, blitzing, to protect the quarterback. (So, Finch is chipping.) The center is peeling off, to come help him. He actually hits him at the same time the back is cutting him. It’s one of those that’s just the way it is, you know?” So, it was actually Gabe Ikard and bad timing, sounds like? I didn’t realize that. Interesting. Even on replay, the camera doesn’t hold long enough in that area to see that.
“You can’t fault either guy. The center’s just peeling around, trying to help. It just happens. But there’s a touchdown taken away and another opportunity. That’s kind of how it went a little for us offensively.”
That’s a lot of explanation from Stoops, though the penalty did bump OU from even field goal range. I’d like to hear this sort of detail about the DBs. Or about why he didn’t kick a field goal in the fourth quarter from the 25-yard line, with the wind. We’ll see if that happens.
Baylor has had the ball, punted … OU has the ball, James Hanna just picked up big yardage … and Stoops is still hung up on fluky chop block call. Strange how coaches obsess about things like this in grand scheme of things.
“It’s one of those freaky …” Stoops said “If it happens either way, we’re fine and have a touchdown.”
**
Among Jones’ games, this will go down as highly underrated. His stats were bloated in the Texas Tech loss, but he engineered a lot of nice drives — and made mostly good throws — against Baylor. He just completed a 26-yarder to Kenny Stills on third down to continue a drive (that ends with Franks’ fumble). Stoops: “He had a really good day.”
**
Stoops makes point I did at time about Jackson not diving on Franks’ fumble. He just sort of looks at the ball, tries to pick it up. “We’ve got a young receiver … instead of picking the ball up, just dive on the ball. He hasn’t played much, and that catches you sometimes. We need to take care of the football after that big gain.”
*** SECOND QUARTER
Another good throw, from Jones to Trent Ratterree. Perfect throw to the target. Kept it low. Seventeen yards.
**
The OU possession ends with a sack, a rarity, and then Baylor scores three plays later. The first, a long catch and run by Kendall Wright, is less stunning to me than Terrance Ganaway just shooting through the middle of the defense on two consecutive plays. Say what you will about the secondary play, but OU has been pretty salty up the middle. Not on these two plays. Ganaway just embarrasses them. Didn’t even appear the Sooners were trying on the second.
It’s funny how some of the tempo stuff surprises OU sometimes, even though it sees it all the time in practice and when the offense is on the field.
**
Still not sure why Trey Millard wasn’t more of a factor early in the game. I’m sure it had something to do with groupings and trying to put speed on the field against the Baylor D. Millard became more of a factor, considering the success of the Belldozer. More on that soon enough.
**
Millard and Hanna really sealed the edge well on the screen to Stills that he almost dropped. That plays works very well when it’s blocked properly. Stoops notes this, as well.
**
Stoops on Broyles’ absence: “It’s hard to say. He’s such a dynamic player. It impacts you. But these guys all played hard and did well. We had our opportunities.”
**
Belldozer appears for the fourth-down conversion near the 10: “He’s stuffed but, as big as he is, he’s able to stretch for the first down.” Blake Bell then scores the first of his four touchdowns.
**
One play. Play-action from Griffin to Tevin Reese for 69 yards. Another blown assignment by Javon Harris. “This is very much the same. Just poor defense. Very flat-footed in the secondary. He ran right past us. … Really poor defense.”
Later: “That’s really poor defense when you’re giving up those kinds of plays and not making people work for it. So.”
*** HALFTIME
I saw some Sooners officials at halftime, and they were disgusted with the way OU was playing. The defensive lapses are difficult to explain. Is it personnel? Is the scheme? Both? Probably both. But why is it happening, and maybe even getting worse, by the 10th game? That’s what was — and is — on everyone’s minds.
**
Stoops makes mention of one big play. No, there were two. The 50-yard reception by Wright to set up Ganaway. And Reese’s long score. (And the one called back.) This, of course, got worse. “Let’s not give up that one play, and let’s come out for the second half and get it going. … The offense is going to come out and score. And the defense is going to come out and give up more big plays. … They make more plays down the stretch, really, than we do.”
*** THIRD QUARTER
Another big catch by Hanna, getting into the red zone. Sooners were really seizing momentum quickly in the second half. Unreal how good they had been in the third quarter. Millard scores to tie the game. Energy moving back toward OU.
**
Again, what a terrible spot by the refs on Travis Lewis‘ third-down tackle. Quite the tantrum from Lewis, too. Boy, you don’t hear a lot of good things about this guy — from anyone, inside or outside the program. Not something you learn until you get on the ground here. He continues to blow off the media, win or lose. Pretty classless for a senior captain. He has a case here, though. Poor spot. But turns out to be a blessing, because Art Briles goes for it on fourth-and-short.
**
Lot of people wondering why Briles would run Griffin out of the shotgun on fourth-and-short. Makes you have to go 5 yards to get 1/2 of one. Great penetration by OU, with David King smashing Griffin for a loss of a yard or so. I really thought OU was about to take over the game at this point.
**
Good call by Josh Heupel to go for BU’s throat a bit, on the play-action throw to Stills. Great catch by Stills on an underthrown ball, near the goal line. Belldozer time. Easy score, his second. Oklahoma leads for first time in a long time, since 3-0?
**
Talked to a friend earlier tonight who said she turned off the game after Reese tipped the ball for Wright for the 87-yard score. I know I’ve never seen a play quite like that. At this point, Harris has to be going, ‘This is not my night.’ “It’s just one of those things that happen.”
**
Sooners needed stop on fourth-and-11. Jamell Fleming beaten in one-on-one by Williams. It wasn’t his best game, either. The defense really struggled in the second half. The more they were on the field, the more worn down they appeared. OU goes to fourth trailing 31-24. Seemed like they were just up 24-17. Happened fast after that ricochet play.
*** FOURTH QUARTER
Sooners were on the move to start the fourth quarter. Looks like Jones just got greedy, seeing a good matchup with Hanna on a smaller corner. But Hanna wasn’t even looking and the Baylor DB was. A poor throw. Easily Jones’ worst of the night, though he later gets away with an errant one in middle of the field in the red zone. Interception really hurt OU.
**
Stoops seemed unhappy that the outside rusher allows Griffin to scoop up that fumbled snap and throw the ball away — all the way back at Baylor’s own 45-yard line … 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage.Watching again, Nelson takes a poor angle and allows Griffin to get outside the tackle box. A Travis Lewis personal foul soon after gets BU back near the goal line.
**
Ganaway breaks another tackle or two on way to put Bears up two scores. Big-time letdowns from OU run D near goal line.
**
Stoops calls the third- and fourth-and-14 plays poor. “We’re not able to find anyone remotely open.” Nothing about not kicking a field goal there. “They stop us on downs. We’re positioned down in the red zone, and we come up with nothing.” I’m puzzled by this. Anyone else? I know it’s a two-touchdown game but, as you saw, lot of time left for a lot of things to happen.
**
Nice running from Brandon Williams, in the game after Finch was dinged a bit. Couple of 12-yard runs. We’d heard Finch had an ankle injury, but Stoops just said it was a matter of “fresh legs.” Either way. Williams’ most productive running to date, perhaps important for the weeks ahead. “Roy’s a little tired …”
**
Dejuan Miller makes a couple of nice plays on the drive, but then a drop on a relatively easy catch on a corner route. Miller’s career, right there.
**
Jones really makes a nice throw and decision, facing the BU blitz. He hits Franks on the corner route. Had to have that one, if you’re OU. Sets up yet another Bell TD. Untouched from 4 yards out to cut the lead to 38-31.
**
As much as the OU defense got hammered, rightfully, in this game, it did play well during this stretch. A lot of stops. Baylor with a careless lateral, too. Lost yardage. Good coverage by the Sooners on third down. Never lost contain on Griffin, either. Put the offense back in position.
**
Things were happening quickly, but I didn’t realize it was Reynolds who made the catch to get OU to the 29. I thought he was out after the shoulder injury. Give him credit for sticking his nose in there. Huge catch and play on third-and-4. Reynolds made another catch after that.
**
Stills was quiet during this part of the game.
**
Bell comes in with ball on the 6-yard line and less than a minute to go. Scores easily. “This, right here, is why I was set to go for two. There’s 50 seconds to go. We’re at the line. He just went in from 5 yards. The last time, he went in from 5 or 6 yards (4, really). Really, it’s been strong for us all night. I was already anticipating.” (Adam Shead moves.)
**
I’ll just let Stoops talk about this last drive …
“Now they’re against the wind, and we stop them (Ganaway up the middle) right off the bat. We’ve got three timeouts. I used the first one. They don’t have any timeouts. I’m thinking, ‘Well, if we get them stopped just inside of a first down, the clock’s just going to keep ticking.’ (By the way, Frank Alexander just missed a sack of Griffin on second down.) But they get these big plays. We lost contain on him twice, where we had people covered. We allowed him to get out.”
**
Big blitz from Brent Venables, from the edges, after Griffin’s gains of 32 total yards to get into OU’s end of the field. Didn’t work. Ends up being a short gain to Wright.
**
“Had they had any timeouts, I wouldn’t have, you know, used one. I would have thought they would have had time to get it in the end zone.” (Meanwhile, winning play is rolling.) “We let the quarterback scramble as we did three times and, again, give up the big play. And that’s the game.”
**
“Sleeping on it,” Dean asks, “would you do it again?”
Stoops: “And we have him covered. He works away at the last second. … We’ve got to be able to break for the ball, the same for the receiver.”
*** POSTGAME
“Players, all of us, were of course … You’re angry. You’re mad. You’re disappointed. You have a run of emotions that are tough. Our guys invested in the week. We tried to play hard. We needed to play better, obviously. We needed to coach better. They made more plays than we did. (I think I nailed this, in the opening.) At the end, they make three or four plays, and we don’t make one. If we make one to keep them in bounds and short of a first down, we’re out of it. (OU did, in fairness. But it called a timeout.) That’s the way it goes sometimes. What I told the players, though, ‘Realistically, here we are, we have two games to go. You still have a chance to be Big 12 champions. That’s pretty good. Not everybody’s in that position. That should never be looked at as poor. That’s a positive.
“There are big games left. Iowa State is a good football team, and so is Oklahoma State. We’ve got to, you know, get better in some obvious areas. We’ve got to invest in the week. To be Big 12 champions would be special.”
So, there’s how this thing goes moving forward.
**
“It’s difficult, when you lose a tight game like that. But you have to respond. Ronnell Lewis (knee sprain) will be out (2-3 weeks). Maybe or maybe not Jaz Reynolds. You have to keep answering back and have a good attitude about it. I believe we will. … With two more games to go, with Iowa State and Oklahoma State, we still have an opportunity to be Big 12 champions. Let’s get ourselves in position to do that.”
= Trav
Morning-after blog: Griffin, Bears dump Sooners in final minute
INTERSTATE 35, Texas — Hello, live from the ride home to Norman.
What a dizzying result, what an unexpected ending. Oklahoma had played so well down the stretch, erasing a two-touchdown deficit to tie Baylor, 38-38, in the final minute.
But all that was undone in about, oh, 40 seconds of Robert Griffin III magic, the junior QB using his arm and legs to engineer the game-winning touchdown drive. What a scene, Baylor celebrating its first win ever against OU. In the back of the press box, there were about a half-dozen plaques denoting the top wins in the program’s history.
Safe to say, that was likely a plaque game for Griffin and the Bears.
Offensive star: QB Blake Bell. In a word, Bell was unstoppable in the heavy formation. It was mechanical, how he was able to pick up yards – and score – against Baylor. He went in the game, the Sooners were going to have something positive happen. He scored four touchdowns, something that’s almost forgotten in the chaos of everything else going on. (Honorable mention: WR Jaz Reynolds. Reynolds made the necessary catches, using two hands, and was pretty reliable all night. Getting his arm dinged on an important third-down catch was the only thing that sidelined him. He’s expected to be OK for Iowa State, and certainly for Bedlam.)
Defensive star: DE Frank Alexander. Big Frank’s motor is running hot these days. He was making big tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He was fired up. Alexander has played excellent all year, and nothing happened Saturday night to derail his Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year standing. He’s got two more games to make that case, though he’s got to be the leader in the clubhouse by a good margin as of right now. (Honorable mention: I’m having trouble coming up with one. There were some decent games, but no standouts.)
What we learned: The preservation of history evidently doesn’t mean a lot in this season for the Sooners, who lost to Baylor for the first time and saw the end of a 39-game home win streak.
What we learned: Bob Stoops made some, well, interesting choices late in the game, in respects to scoring and clock management. My colleague, Berry Tramel, has surmised the biggest mistake in the late timeout wasn’t actually Griffin going nuts in the final minute. It was the fact that OU actually had the advantage in overtime. After all, the Bears had no answers for the Belldozer and Baylor had really only scored ridiculously long touchdowns. And OU’s Mike Hunnicutt was probably the better kicker, of the two.
One decision by Stoops getting overlooked was the choice to go for it on fourth-and-11 from the Baylor 25-yard line, with OU trailing by 14 in the early part of the fourth quarter. The Sooners had the wind behind them. If it’s fourth-and-3, I understand going for it, potentially with Bell. But fourth-and-11? There was a lot of time left, and those three points would have been handy. Really handy.
What we learned: There’s something left in the offense’s tank. It really was an impressive couple of drives that got the game tied. The possessions started at the 23- and 25-yard lines. Landry Jones was very calm, highly efficient. The OU receivers did finally emerge, with Dejuan Miller and Trey Franks making important plays. The Reynolds one was already noted. Kenny Stills was kind of quiet during that span, but that happens. Additionally, freshman Brandon Williams had a pair of 12-yard runs, the best and most important runs of his first season. Roy Finch ran well in the second half, holes finally opening against one of the worst run defenses in the country.
What we learned: There’s no sense in getting ahead of yourself in the big picture. We keep endlessly speculating about the BCS title game when we need to sit back, wait and watch. A week ago, Oregon was on top of the world, potentially the best team in the country. It was the Ducks and Oklahoma State in that category. Now? It’s an all-SEC West show. The bottom of that league is bad, but what LSU, Alabama and Arkansas have going for them right now … they’ve only lost to each other. There’s no Texas Tech or Iowa State in that lot.
What we learned: This passing D still has issues – and perhaps more than we even thought. Javon Harris has had breakdowns during the course of the season, but not that many in a single game. Makes you wonder if Baylor saw something on film, and I mean beyond double moves, that could confuse him. Because that seems to be the gist of it. It’s confusion and miscommunication leading to these things. Remember the Tulsa game? The opener? It happened a couple of times in that game. Same issues are still arising nine games later. That’s the problem. The issues are being compounded rather than corrected. OU has outstanding personnel, defensively. It just is susceptible to these really bad mistakes. The big-play defense – for the other team – strikes again.
Texas Tech and Baylor combined to throw for 931 yards. There’s one more pass-happy team remaining on the schedule. You know who it is. That’s got to be concerning for OU. I would say it has two weeks to figure something out before Bedlam. However, the team that beat OSU is up next. Oklahoma is still in fine shape to make a good bowl game — Fiesta, with a win against OSU, or Cotton/Alamo — but this season is not what the Sooners (Stoops included) or their fans envisioned.
= Trav
Halftime thoughts: Baylor 17, Sooners 10
BEVERLY HILLS, Texas — All this talk all week about “style points” and whether Oklahoma is the best of the one-loss lot.
And, yet again, it’s the Sooners that find themselves in a just-find-a-way-to-win mode. They don’t look especially good on either side of the ball. Big plays are eating them alive, defensively, even if the line play has been all right. Losing Ronnell Lewis to some sort of left leg injury is not good for the D.
Offensively, OU will have stretches were it looks outstanding, but then it’ll bog and fail on third down. A Blake Bell TD is the only TD for the Sooners thus far.
A Trey Franks fumble after a good pickup on a reverse was costly. That ended a promising OU drive.
Baylor is playing well. Robert Griffin III is doing what you’d expect, commanding a lot of attention from OU, opening up other things, such as RB Terrance Ganaway. OU safety Javon Harris has been the big-play goat tonight, allowing an early TD that was called back and then a momentum-vacuuming 69-yard touchdown from Griffin to Tevin Reese. The Bears have a ton of speed on offense, and they’ve shown it.
But, you know, like I said pregame, I figured BU would score. But what about this Sooners offense? There’s no Ryan Broyles, of course. It’s not as if OU has been devoid of playmaking. Roy Finch has had a nice couple of runs, though a questionable chop block call early turned a potential TD into a Mike Hunnicutt field goal. Kameel Jackson, who started at the X (I guess it would be X), has a couple of catches, for 24 yards. Jaz Reynolds (four catches, 61 yards) was very involved early on.
Landry Jones (16-23, 200 yards) has been fairly sharp. No ‘what-was-that’ throws. Some tips at the line would be his greatest sin, I suppose.
OU and Baylor’s bands are now dancing to LMFAO together. I quit.
= Trav
Tailgate blog: Live from blustery Waco
BEVERLY HILLS, Texas — We’re unsure if we’re in Waco or Beverly Hills. Let’s go with the latter. Sounds exotic.
I’ve only been through here, never stopped. I’m looking directly at all the steeples and spires on the Baylor campus, but we’re a couple of miles south. There are rumors of an on-campus stadium in the works. That would be an improvement, I’d say.
When we arrived at Floyd Casey Stadium just after 4 p.m., to see the Baylor band on the field. We learned it had been there since 2. Quite the day-of practice session. Evidently there was some sort of meltdown at its most recent home show. A source close to the music said the tuba section has its act together now.
I woke up today and thought, ‘Did yesterday really happen?’ From start to finish, just a surreal day watching things unfold for Oklahoma State. The more I thought about it last night, the sadder I got, thinking of Kurt Budke‘s widow and kids. It’s impossible to put into words. I’m just thinking about and praying for them an awful lot. And, of course, for Miranda Serna‘s friends and family, as well. I hope healing somehow takes hold in Stillwater, just as it did a decade ago.
Perhaps the Cowboys felt the need to provide that healing last night and played tighter. Heck, Iowa State might have won anyway, it being one of those wacky Friday night games. We’ll never know the real impact of the tragedy, because it can’t be measured across more than 100 people. Each person had a different reaction, but surely each one had some sort of a reaction, so it was at least part of the equation.
Give the Cyclones credit. They made just enough plays and the defense really had some outstanding possessions against an offense most thought (we wrote last week) was the best on the freaking planet.
I delve into this because there’s been a lot of talk about what the OSU loss did to OU in the BCS stuff. Short answer: I don’t know. Too many variables swirling around and still too many games to be played by those in contention. You’ve got to think that, right now, Oregon could be today’s biggest winner. Alabama struggled. The Ducks, with a win against a good Southern Cal team, could ease up into second. Maybe. Or maybe not. It’ll be close. An impressive Oklahoma win could make 2-4 quite tight.
At this point, I’m expecting the unexpected. USC beats Oregon. Arkansas beats LSU. Whatever. All bets are off in yet another wacky college football season.
What happens to the magnitude to Bedlam? Duh, it takes a hit. But it’s unclear if that hit would prohibit OU from reaching the BCS. We just don’t know. Too many miles to go. But the Sooners are still in the discussion, and that’s all they could ask for. Their mantra should be to control what they can control, and I’m sure that’s where their minds are, beginning tonight in the state of Texas. Suddenly a win against Iowa State looks better than it did a week ago. And then, if OU somehow goes into Stillwater and wins (convincing or close), they’re right in that mix on Dec. 4.
This is no gimme here, though. Baylor, surely, will put up points. It’s just a matter of how many points the Bears will allow. How (who, really) will the Sooners account for the loss of Ryan Broyles? Which big-play OU defense will show up, the one that allows them or causes them?
Some picks to click/projections for the Sooners …
Landry Jones: 31-44, 412 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
Kenny Stills (no brainwaves required for that choice): 8 catches, 142 yards, 2 TDs
Jaz Reynolds (only a couple more than the Stills’ pick): 7 catches, 112 yards, TD
Ronnell Lewis: 7 tackles, 1.5 sacks, FF
Javon Harris: 4 tackles, 2 INTs
= Trav
