Monthly Archives: November 2019

Silver lining…

The win over Baylor was a win for the ages…not just because it was a historic come from behind win and not just because it allows the Sooners to stay in the CFP title race and not just because it happened in front of a frenetic crowd.  It was historic because it created a sea change.

OU had lost three game changers on offense prior to the game.  Tight end Grant Calcateera, running back Trey Sermon, and all-world wide receiver Cee Dee Lamb were sidelined.  Right on cue, OU appeared to melt under the pressure as they fail behind by 25.  Then it happened…

The defense stepped up with stop after stop in the 2nd half.   Next we have five freshmen take matters into their own hands.   Wide receivers Theo Wease, Jordan Haselwood and tight end Austin Stogner make huge catches.  Freshman kicker Gabe Brkic hit a game winning field goal and redshirt freshman Nik Bonitto ended the game with a massive interception.

For this year, it will take a miracle for OU to jump over the Pac 12 champion and into the CFP…for my money, this will be okay.   Avoiding this year’s LSU or Ohio State teams is a good thing.  OU’s consolation prize will be a Sugar Bowl appearance against Georgia or Alabama.  Let’s choose Georgia and examine those ramifications.

These days, only CFP bowls game matter to players.  Half of the Georgia team will choose not to play in the Sugar Bowl, including quarterback Jake Fromm in order to protect their NFL draft chances.  OU will lose its share of prospective NFL players, but those young players that came through Saturday night will play in the Sugar Bowl.   The coaching staff will also use these extra practice sessions to get the young guys ready for next year.  The Sugar Bowl will be a do-over of the Alabama game from a few years back.

OU will get a jump start on next season by playing a top echelon SEC team and in doing so will draw the attention of top flight recruits for years to come.

That’s my silver lining and I’m sticking with it.

Boomer Sooner…

A win’s a win…

Things are never as good or as bad as they seem to be in the moment.  Back in October the Texas win seemed to be the best thing since sliced bread.  Conversely the second half against K-State and Iowa State were about as bad as it gets.  Then again, it could have been worse…can you imagine having to deal with the misery of a loss last night after that loss at K-State.  Like I said a win is a win.

Also, if Saturday’s game had ended after three quarters, we would be thinking today that we were back and that the K-State game was an aberration.  We would be of the belief that we would roll into Waco with the wind at our backs and dispatch of those pesky Bears.   Instead our two best players made uncharacteristic mistakes that jeopardized the outcome.  Unlike two weeks ago, we found a way to win.

Okay, here’s your BFO (blinding flash of the obvious) for today.  We’re not as good as we thought we were after the Texas game…enough said.   Then again, this team still has talent and we can still finish strong.    While I don’t want any part of LSU in the playoffs, we can still have a great season that we can build on for the future.

Here’s my solution for next week.  We pay millions of dollars for this coaching staff to figure out a way to address certain weaknesses.   This offensive line is not going to grow up this year so this coaching staff must find ways to deal with this fact.  We must develop a running game to take the pressure off Jalen.  We must also find receivers other than Cee Dee that that can catch a pass.  Finally, we need to help Alex Grinch prepare a game plan coming out of the locker room after the half.   I know that these things are easier said than done, but then again what choice do we have.

Baylor is an athletic, well coached team, but not a dominate team.   Let’s see how the Bears respond when we go up by three touchdowns.  At the same time, I don’t want to blow smoke up your skirts, because I have seen firsthand how hard it is to win a night game at McLain Stadium.  I have also seen firsthand that it can be done.  It will be tough sledding, but then again, there is only one Oklahoma. 

Boomer Sooner…

P.S.

Kudos to those fans that stayed to the bitter end Saturday night.  We could not have done it without you.

Here we go again…

OSU just announced that they were going to sign the top high school guard in America.  This guy along with several other top picks should give OSU a top five recruiting class.   Who said crime does not pay?  OSU, Kansas, Arizona and Louisville have been indicted by the FBI for a cheating scandal that would make Watergate look like child’s play.  Conveniently, the NCAA has decided to wait until after the signing period to punish these teams.  No since stirring the pot…sounds like the keystone cops to me.

Adding to our misery will be the fact that Lon Kruger will continue to do things the right way as OU tries to return to respectability this year.  The Oklahoma news outlets will act like three blind mice in handling this story.   As we know, farmers make up a sizeable portion of the Oklahoma population so the Kfor will always cater to the Aggie crowd.   The fact that OU and Lon Kruger will refuse to debase themselves will be lost in the shuffle.

This year as the OSU fans rush the court after every win, OU fans will know the real truth about how those wins happened.   Maybe, one of these days, the NCAA will wake up, grow a pair and put a stop to this nonsense.  Until that happens, our best bet will be to appreciate Lon Kruger for being the good guy that he is and take stock in the fact that  OU does it the right way…

Boomer Sooner…