Jim Ross' Blog: OU - Nebraska

Bottom line is…..win the “next game.”

From the sideline in Manhattan last week, it was likely for me the same as I assume it was for many of you. It was like watching two different football games, a first half that overshadowed the second half. That game has been analyzed to death but the end result was a 23 point victory and a 55 point first half in a game that could be considered as “bowling shoe ugly.”

I will take a proverbial “ugly win” any day.

One would be foolish to squeal too loudly about the team’s performance when our Sooners earn a road win and move up in overall points in the BCS computer rankings.

This Saturday two of college football’s proudest and most respected programs meet for the 84th time with OU leading this amazing series by a narrow margin. In 83 games, the average score has been OU 19 NU 16.

Don’t expect that score Saturday night on the ESPN prime time game unless you’re considering, perhaps, the first quarter tally.

Random Thoughts:

• The OU defense will play much better than it has recently. The team’s intensity is in place and their pride and manhood have been challenged. Playing smart, hard nosed football a series at a time is imperative. I think that happens Saturday night.
• Special team play must improve and an increased emphasis has been put on those units this week and they have been challenged to execute their assignments and “will” themselves to the football specifically on kickoff coverage. Where are the players like Russell Dennison and Lewis Baker who passionately covered kicks and made big plays? Covering kicks starts with passion and I am a true believer of Sooner Football and I feel that a renewed passion will be in place against the Cornhuskers on kick off coverage.
• Getting TE Brody Eldridge back is huge. #83 is arguably the Sooners best all around player and definitely one of the toughest players to wear crimson and cream in years. Brody is also an on field leader of which no team can have abundance.
• The Sooner defense cannot allow Husker QB Joe Ganz to become a factor in this game. Ganz has a hot hand and is completing 75% of his passes over the past three games while going 95/127 for 1,013 yards with 6 TD’s and only 1 interception. In the 11 games that Ganz has started at NU, his offense has averaged 39 points per game. #12 is also a fiery personality who is the heart and soul of the Cornhusker offense. If OU can pressure Ganz, the Sooners will greatly enhance their chances of winning. In a league full of marquis signal callers, Joe Ganz might be the most underrated player, not just QB, but player in the Big 12.
• I-Back Marlon Lucky came to Nebraska highly touted as one of America’s best high school RB’s. Lucky is now beginning to play to his potential and the Huskers like to feed Lucky the ball and work the clock. Lucky is also a threat to catch the ball coming out of the backfield which has been problematic for OU at times this season.
• OU’s defense needs their share of three and outs. In the last 3 games, Nebraska has converted 25/42 third downs which is an impressive 69% but more importantly it keeps opposing offenses on the sideline.
• This just in, Sam Bradford can’t hurt Nebraska’s ever-improving defense if #14 is standing on the west side of Owen Field.
• On the flip side, the Sooners maligned defense is allowing only 28.8% third down conversions which ranks #3 in the nation. OU needs for this trend to continue Saturday night with frequent three and outs and getting the offense back on the field Sooner than later.
• This stat might not mean much to some but in the overtime loss in Lubbock to Tech, Nebraska only allowed Tech to possess the ball 19:48 the entire contest. Yeah, I know Tech scores quickly but this is still an impressive defensive stat from where I sit.
• Will Nebraska exploit or attempt to exploit OU’s middle linebacker and make him play pass defense as we saw after Ryan Reynolds left the Texas game and as we saw against KU and K-State? I think we all know the answer to that one. Why wouldn’t they?
• DeMarco Murray is “this close” to being back to where he wants to be and I can assure you that #7 has been running hard. Murray catching the football coming out of the backfield or lined up in the slot has seemingly unlimited potential.
• Will we see Murray in one slot, and Broyles and Gresham in the other slot as we saw once last week?
• What would happen if Murray and Chris Brown, who never gets the credit he deserves, were in the backfield at the same time? I’m certainly not saying it’s going to happen to it looks good in “fantasy football world.”
• Can the Sooners adequately cover Nebraska’s all time leading receiver Nate Swift? Can one man cover Swift?
• Did you know that Nebraska is tied for first in the Big
• 12 North with a 2-2 record? So then how big is this game for the Big Red of the North? I would suggest somewhere around the “really” big range.
• Nebraska will do all they physically can to control the football and the clock. Count on it. Ball control is a big piece of the Husker offensive philosophy.
• Count on defensive minded Husker head coach Bo Pelini to do all he can to make Same Bradford as physically uncomfortable as possible and to disguise defensive coverages. Pelini is a Helluva football coach and like some other coaches from Youngstown, Ohio we all know….Bo knows defense.
• Pelini may publicly down play what this game means to him “personally” and that it’s only about OU vs. Nebraska but are you buying that company line? Friends love to beat their friends at everything whether it be golf or catching the biggest fish and for Pelini to bring his first Nebraska team to Norman and beat his boyhood friend Bob Stoops would be huge on many fronts notwithstanding recruiting, the 2008 Big 12 race, and to continue to restore the ever building faith the Nebraska boosters are developing in Bo. For the record, some of the best fist fights I have ever seen have been between friends.
• Will the Oklahoma fans be ready to make a difference Saturday night? I can tell you from being on the sideline for every game this season and with complete certainty that the louder the fans are the more jacked up the players get. Hearing the home crowd endlessly roar is much more uplifting to the players than perhaps many fans perceive. When the fans take a break, table their passion and recharge their batteries it’s easy for the players to do the same. Here’s hoping that every Sooner fan in attendance Saturday night brings every ounce of passion and class they can muster to show the world and future Sooners what it is like to play a big game on national TV in Norman, Oklahoma.
• Finally, I just wish my late, friend and the “Godfather of the Wishbone” Jack Mildren was going to be at the game even though Jack will no doubt be there in spirit.

I love this rivalry because for many of us it meant we spent time with our parents and friends the Saturday after every Thanksgiving for many, many years. My late father cut short many a deer hunting trip to be home for kickoff of every OU-Nebraska game. Those are memories that I cherish and one of the many reasons that I love Oklahoma Football. Our team is headed down the home stretch and now is the time for every true Sooner fan to step up and believe more than ever in “Sooner Magic.

Oklahoma 38 Nebraska 21.

Both our J.R.’s Family BBQ Restaurants open at 11 a.m. every day and on game days we do plenty of tail gate packs and to go orders plus we have a ton of flat screen TV’s all airing football games from around the nation. Come by and see us at J.R.’s in Norman at I-35 and Main on the east side of the interstate and in Moore at the 19th street exit (exit 116) just south of the Warren Theatre on the west side of I-35. To check out our menu log on to www.jrsbarbq.com.

Many thanks and Boomer Sooner!!
J.R.