As the old expression goes, “one can’t grieve forever.” Just in case some Sooner fans have been too focused on who replaces Ryan Reynolds at middle linebacker, how to “fix” the Sooner running game, is Sam Bradford the leading candidate to win the Heisman Trophy, and what’s it going to take to improve the OU special teams, let me gently remind everyone that the Sooners can still get to the Promised Land and the concept for doing so is simplistic.
Tend to our own business and win one game at a time.
Most football experts, or those that like to think that they are, don’t expect any BCS team to “run the table” this season. I am far from an expert but I do agree with these pundits on this particular matter. Case in point is BYU Thursday night in Ft. Worth losing to TCU. Obviously, Penn State has a solid chance to run the table in the Big 10 but Joe Pa’s team must win in Columbus and some feel that Alabama has a fair shot as well in winning out but I need to see it to believe it. With all that said, the Sooners are still, with one loss, deeply involved in the National Title hunt. Yes, I’m counting on Texas losing in the next three weeks to Mizzou, Oklahoma State, or in Lubbock which might work out to be the biggest college football game ever played in West Texas.
But those are not issues with which Oklahoma needs to be overly concerned. What the Sooners must focus on is winning…one Saturday at a time.
Sooner fans can help on this marathon beginning this Saturday afternoon in Norman by providing the team with a decided home field advantage. Sooner Magic lives and the passion that Sooner fans pride themselves in must be on display Saturday in Norman.
Some of my friends at ABC, who’s covering the game at 2:30 Saturday afternoon, feel OU will win big. I wish I could share their optimism. However, I do feel that OU will win but by less than the “experts” who have OU favored by 19 points predict.
The OU practices this week have been physical and intense. There’s no UT hangover. Bob Stoops team is 9-0 after Texas games in Bob’s tenure in Soonerland. Sooner players are a mature group that knows that their biggest goals are still attainable.
Random BBQ’ed thoughts:
- Oklahoma must be able to create more balance running the ball but expect Kansas to first and foremost to try and stop the run. KU’s defense plays physical and the OU coaches have remarked how well coached that the Jayhawks are and that they are a hard hitting, physical bunch.
- Running the football effectively starts up front and many of us have said from the beginning of the season that the Sooner O-Line is arguably one of the biggest keys to this football team. Has playing four quarters of “imposing their will” happened as of yet this season for the big guys? Saturday would be a great day for that to commence.
- Expect to see several new faces on the special teams with the trend likely going back to using more starters on the all important third phase of a potential championship football team.
- If Austin Box is the new starter at middle line backer, the former Enid High School quarterback should be able to mentally handle the load especially as he sees increased bullets fired his way. There has never been any discussion about Box’ physical abilities. Losing the embattled and talented Ryan Reynolds is a tough one to deal with but deal with it the Sooners must.
- Is Demarco Murray simply “out of sync” or are there other reasons that #7 hasn’t had the year that was predicted for him after an eye opening 2007? Murray’s practices this week have been the best his best of 08. Nonetheless I have no issues seeing more of Chris Brown and Mossis Madu earlier in the game if that’s how it works out.
- Bottom line about the running game is that every ball carrier looks better if more people are blocking for him on a consistent basis. But that works both ways as well as if there is a hole a running back needs to hit it. Arguably that could happen more consistently.
- Can you believe that OU has attempted, and made, only one field goal this entire season? That’s not a complaint but it is a unique piece of information. I’d bet a slab of ribs that somewhere down the line that a timely field goal will come in extremely handy.
- Can Phil Loadholt handle Tulsa native and KU defensive end Jake Laptad, who has 5 sacks this season, better than #79 did UT’s Brian Orakpo last week? Laptad is 6’4”-250, quicker than a hiccup and is playing in his home state on national TV.
- By the way, for those keeping score at home Kansas is currently leading the Big 12 North and the old cliché of “controlling their own destiny” applies to the “Fighting Mangino’s”. Mark Mangino’s team that features 6 starters from the state of Oklahoma is 17-2 over the last 19 games.
- Mangino’s Jayhawks seem to feed off of road adversity as they have won 5 straight Big 12 road games.
- Because KU’s 5’11”-200 pound QB Todd Reesing can scramble and make plays, OU’s defensive ends Auston English and Jeremy Beal must have solid, “stay at home” games. Reesing is throwing for 330 yards per game which would be turning more heads if he weren’t in the quarterback-rich Big 12.
- Expect KU to do all they can to disrupt Sam Bradford but upon further review UT did it last week with their front four and with allegedly only 5 blitz calls the entire game. One would assume that KU will bring more heat via blitzes come Saturday.
- Keep an eye out for KU wide receiver Kerry Meier, a former quarterback, who is averaging 9 catches per game. Meier is 6’3-220 and being a former QB could theoretically throw the ball if called upon via “Trickeration.”
- Even though KU is known for their passing attack, Kansas TB Jake Sharp had 31 carries last week.
KU is 5-1 and, as mentioned, sits atop the Big 12 North and would love to shock the world of college football with a massive upset Saturday. This KU team that features several Oklahoma grown kids who most likely at some point in their lives grew up day dreaming about what it would be like to play in front of 85,000 fans on national TV in Norman. In a matter of hours, that dream becomes a reality and these young men have a chance to create a memory that will last them a life time.
But the bottom line of this weekend is this….Bob Stoops is 57-2 at home in his tenure as the head ball coach for the Oklahoma Football Sooners. Sooner fans know how to rise to the occasion just as Stoops Troops do. In my humble opinion, it all comes together on what is expected to be a beautiful fall day on Owen Field as the Sooners continue their quest for an unprecedented 3rd straight Big 12 Title.
Never stop believing in Sooner Magic and let’s win Saturday with the class and the decorum befitting the best college football program in America.
OU by two touchdowns.
All Sooner fans are personally invited to visit either of our J.R.’s Family BBQ Restaurants in Norman at I-35 and Main on the east side of I-35 or our larger, new location in Moore on the west side of I-35 just south of the Warren Theatre at the 19th street exit which is exit 116. We have world class tail gate packs and convenient to go orders for all football fans. For more information please check out www.jrsbarbq.com.
Thanks!
Boomer Sooner!
J.R.
