Several OU fans stood and watched Malcolm Kelly as he walked to the Oklahoma locker room, one of the last Oklahoma players off the field after Saturday's loss to Colorado.
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At least those fans had proof that their star junior receiver was there Saturday.
For just the second time in the last 26 games, Kelly was held without a catch. It last happened in January's Fiesta Bowl, when he left the game in the first half with a knee injury.
"Colorado did a good job of covering him up,” OU quarterback Sam Bradford said. "Anytime we have a chance to throw to him one-on-one, we take it, but we didn't get that chance (Saturday).”
After scoring seven touchdowns on just 14 catches in OU's first three games, Kelly is beginning to face more and more double coverage.
"The opportunity was there,” Kelly said. "I guess that's just the way the dice rolled. I can't change it.”
By Scott Wright
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I had upper level tix at Folsom Field Saturday and was surprised at how often Kelly was not doubled...especially into the boundry. It's always easy to throw rocks from the stands at gameplans, but one or two fades to a 6'4" receiver covered by a 5' 10" hard press corner might not have been a bad idea.
I missed Bradford's first interception (I was at my son's football game), but the second one was a lot more Iglesias' fault for tipping it. His reads on his receivers wasn't very good, but that can be attributed to having to hurry some of his throws. Did they try any receiver screens, like the ones they threw to Iglesias and Gresham in earlier games? The ultra-conservativeness of play calling was puzzling. But OU still should have won the game. Smith's fumble was the back breaker. This week OU man handles UT. They will be angry and have something to prove to their fans and the rest of the Big 12 and the nation.
I missed Bradford's first interception (I was at my son's football game), but the second one was a lot more Iglesias' fault for tipping it. His reads on his receivers wasn't very good, but that can be attributed to having to hurry some of his throws. Did they try any receiver screens, like the ones they threw to Iglesias and Gresham in earlier games? The ultra-conservativeness of play calling was puzzling. But OU still should have won the game. Smith's fumble was the back breaker. This week OU man handles UT. They will be angry and have something to prove to their fans and the rest of the Big 12 and the nation.
Jon, Cheyenne. I think you are right about the Sooners meeting the Buffs again in the Big 12 Championship Game, but this year it is in San Antonio, not KC. Just thought you should know. Boomer Sooner!!!!
I just finished watching the game on DVR and noticed that not one of the pass attempts was to Kelly. Only two pass attempts were possibly designed to go to Kelly, which CO had him in double coverage. This is typical Wilson trying to "out-think" his opponent by using his #1 receiver as a decoy. Wilson came on in 2002 and our offense has never been the same. 2003 loss to LSU terrible game plan, 2004 meltdown to USC again a terrible game plan, 8-4 in 2005, terrible game plan against Boise St. in 2006. He needs to go! Promote Heupel!
Sam played great, the tight ends/fullbacks can catch! An 80% passer's favorite target should be the one that's open....looking past Colorado - saving plays for Texas - what happened to the most important game is the one that you are playing? Hey, only one loss - why not win the next game and play like it is the last game of the season, and so forth.
I know the final score was close on this game, but it just appeared that in the 3rd and 4th quarters the attitude was not there, the focus and determination were not there. Plays that the Defense were stopping earlier they were not in the 4th quarter. The inability to run in the 4th quarter on Offense. Malcolm Kelly You have got to get him the ball.
Remember when Bob Stoops was the riverboat gambler?
Remember those days? You can't be conservative all the time and play the averages. If the other team has the momentum you find ways to get it back.
What was up with not calling that final timeout to try to ice the kicker?
I respect Kevin Wilson,Bob Stoops,and Brent Venables and the rest of the coaching staff. I really thought that this year we were getting back to that mental toughness after the Boise State loss last year. It just seems like we have developed this mentality that "hey we are OU and nobody can stop us and if they do, not to worry we will win the majority of the games because we have better talent". Contrast this to the 2000 team that said "Hey we are OU and we have come here to roll over you". There's a difference.
A big difference. I remember that 2000 season, sitting out at the scrimmages and the rain. Anyone remember Torrence Marshall waving to the rain telling
it to keep coming? Those guys were mentally tough. These guys can be mentally tough too. You can't always control what happens during a game, but you can always control your reaction, your attitude. I want to see these guys win a National Championship again, but I don't think it will happen until there is a change in attitude all the way down the line.
Great teams find a way. Whether its slapping down a ball if you can't catch it, or the saftey breaking for a receiver to cover the gap when the ball is thrown. If you can't cover the gap you are playing him too far off.
Was anyone there did you see the OU sidelines? When the momentum shifted were any players yelling and trying to get each other pumped back up?
I can deal with losing a game now and then as long as the attitude is there ALL the time. When the attitude is there if you lose it typically won't
be by much. This inconsistency in attitude drives me nuts.
I've stopped depending on a bunch of 20somethings to define my identity as a fan. Granted, it's their job to win the games they're supposed to, but external responsiblities, family relationships and jealousies among so many talented athletes come to play. That said, here's my theory on a big part of the loss: Juaquin Iglesias' we-can't-be-stopped comment after the Tulsa game caused a firestorm externally (Colorado DBs) and internally (OU coaches probably had a fit). That doesn't excuse Sam Bradford/coaches from finding a way to get Malcolm Kelly the ball. Iglesias is always going to be open as long as Kelly is double teamed. It's all hindsight, but it might have been best to force the ball to a future All-Pro than take the safe route with an always-open receiver.
Sooners Fans, its obvious that Bob Stoops' toughest challenge is with the defensive side of the football. With all the great athletes that Oklahoma recruit on offense and defense, its defensive schemes are not aggressive and does not compare with the likes of LSU, Auburn, Virgina Tech, USC, and Florida. The secondary is extremely overrated, and their play is not as physical as the secondary play in the SEC. Question: Who is running the LSU defense? In fact, he spent one year with the 2004 Sooners. Nevertheless, defense will always win championships, and honestly Oklahoma hasn't fielded a dominant defense since Mike Stoops left the program. Offensively, we were not patient with Colorado. We rushed to make the big play. I thought Bradford did a wonderful job with distributing the football, but the receivers gave up on the play. I knew the Sooners were finished when Juaquin made mental errors while handling kickoff duties in the second half. Honestly, every position should be earned for the next games. I love Oklahoma football, but I hate giving games away. We gave that game to Colorado. That's not Oklahoma Football.
There is no excuse not to throw a single pass to Malcom Kelly! Are you kidding me? Eric from Norman nailed it on the head. RunRunPass. So unbelievably predictable. We heard all week from the coaches that Colorado would have the best front 7 that we would face all year. So why make it easy for them and always run it on 1st and 2nd down? Wilson needs to get way more aggressive with his playcalling when we are on the road. Why can't we have tighter coverage in the secondary? We had a decent pass rush all day long but Hawkins always had receivers running wide open with intermediate routes. Ditto for the Tulsa game! Can we not play man or press coverage? Is that too novel of an idea for Brent Venables and Bobby Jack Wright? One last gripe: Why let the clock run down from 34 seconds to 2 and not call timeout in case they make the field goal? Did we not know we had one timeout left? If we would have used it, at least we could have had a run back and thrown a couple of 'hail Mary's'. As it was, our coaching staff did not give the team that chance.
"The opportunity was there,” Kelly said. "I guess that's just the way the dice rolled. I can't change it.”
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Listen up Sooner fans. My buddy's brother was at the game and said Kelly was open many times but Bradford just didn't look that way. Bradford is just a Freshman and we are enduring his learning curve. He should stop telegraphing his throws. Our WRs won't always be open by 5 yards. He must trust that Kelly will win the battle at the ball when he throws it to that spot. Kevin Wilson, shame on you for the play caling and not running the ball more in the 4th qtr when Colorado missed that FG. That put our tired D back on the field after that INT. The coaches put alot of pressure on Bradford to lead the team all the way. He will be a great QB if he don't get hurt.
Furthermore, the coaches should have added the naked bootleg wrinkle. NO TEAM thinks Bradford can run, but he can take up chunks of yardage when those lanes open up.
Will someone from this paper or any other journalist please come out and ask the tough questions this week. I want to know WHY Kevin Wilson went to Colorado and totally changed his play calling. RUN RUN PASS...RUN RUN PASS...RUN RUN PASS. Bradford only threw 19 passes...just because he had one tipped pass for an int doesnt mean he is inaccurate. Even if Kelley is being double teamed, which it sounds like he wasnt...run a dang slant pattern, run a reverse, put him under certer for crying out loud...but how do go all game without your best player and future first round pick touching the ball? You want to know how many pass attempts that USC's Booty had with 5 I know that USC stuggled but at least they were going to go out swinging (which they did win) You go on the road and play scared, and try to run the ball with 15 guys in the box because you "think" you are more physical and athletic than a team and you are going to loose. SO if i am a reporter I want to knwo this: KEVIN WILSON, WHY DID YOU NEVER GET KELLY THE BALL, GO BACK TO YOUR RUN RUN PASS (IM SCARED TO LOOSE, IM BANGING MY HEAD AGAINST A BRICK WALL )MODE, AND LASTLY WHAT IN THE HECK ARE YOU SO SCARED OF IN THE FIRST PLACE? Just because you go on the road you have a change of minset? your less confident in your QB? you go vanilla? your get paid over $300,000 to make these calls....EXPLAIN YOUR SELF! tell me WHY...just give me an explaination for your obvious poor play calling because as a person sitting and watching the game I want to THROW UP with your ULTRA CONSERVATIVENESS. If we wanted that we would bring back Chuck "THIRD AND Long
Fire Wilson or demote him to the O-line and promote Heupel to Offensive Cordinator. Stoops needs to start coaching like he is the HIGHEST PAID STATE EMPLOYEE in Oklahoma. This coach and team was beat in every phase of this game. Stoops has over the course his tenure been teh victim of an upset rather than the victor of an upset. As the head of the team he sets the example of focus and it seems he often loses his own during the season.
One more thing i would have to ask as a reporter...Brent Venebles...why do you teach your guys to play so soft in the secondary. They are obviously athletic...we have future NFL players that several of those positions but any time that it is lets say 3rd and 5 to 3rd and 15 they sit back in a zone, watch only the quarter back, and let guys run their routes, catch the ball, and then react. I mean they are just standing there letting guys run in space right in fron of them and not covering them!! how does that happen? what are you teaching them that they arent grasping? Do you just hope and pray that the quarterback is inaccurate and over or under throws the ball, because as a fan thats what I am hoping for. Why not just man up on these guys if we are so athletic, they obviously do not unserstand your schemes (because surely you do not teach them to just stand back and let guys run around wide open all day) you get paid over $300,000 Brent...please explain so i dont have to cringed when i look on the tv and see 3rd and 10 because i know the chances of completing if they have a decent QB.
Will someone from this paper or any other journalist please come out and ask the tough questions this week. I want to know WHY Kevin Wilson went to Colorado and totally changed his play calling. RUN RUN PASS...RUN RUN PASS...RUN RUN PASS. Bradford only threw 19 passes...just because he had one tipped pass for an int doesnt mean he is inaccurate. Even if Kelley is being double teamed, which it sounds like he wasnt...run a dang slant pattern, run a reverse, put him under certer for crying out loud...but how do go all game without your best player and future first round pick touching the ball? You want to know how many pass attempts that USC's Booty had with 5 I know that USC stuggled but at least they were going to go out swinging (which they did win) You go on the road and play scared, and try to run the ball with 15 guys in the box because you "think" you are more physical and athletic than a team and you are going to loose. SO if i am a reporter I want to knwo this: KEVIN WILSON, WHY DID YOU NEVER GET KELLY THE BALL, GO BACK TO YOUR RUN RUN PASS (IM SCARED TO LOOSE, IM BANGING MY HEAD AGAINST A BRICK WALL )MODE, AND LASTLY WHAT IN THE HECK ARE YOU SO SCARED OF IN THE FIRST PLACE? Just because you go on the road you have a change of minset? your less confident in your QB? you go vanilla? your get paid over $300,000 to make these calls....EXPLAIN YOUR SELF! tell me WHY...just give me an explaination for your obvious poor play calling because as a person sitting and watching the game I want to THROW UP with your ULTRA CONSERVATIVENESS. If we wanted that we would bring back Chuck "THIRD AND Long
Throw the ball to Kelly darn it. Learn to thread the pass into double coverage, throw the ball up so Kelly can jump to catch it. Kevin Wilson needs to put on a thinking cap and quit being so predictable. Venables needs to go to a real defensive caching school and relearn how to play pass defence. You don't let the opponent catch the ball, you get up front bump them off their routes and get physical. I have seen too many opponents receivers catch the ball with absolutley no Sooner defender close by. Blown coverage my arse, poor coaching and poor defensive schemes.
OU lost to Colorado because of one key fact, that being, the defense is soft in the secondary defending the pass. Tulsa exposed OU, and Colardo knew then that with precision passing, they could win, and they did. The OU defense is quick to tackle after the ball the caught, but very soft when it comes to restricting the pass from being caught. Add to that dropped balls, dropped punts, personal fouls, a weak offensive game plan, equals a flat sooner team. Texas Tech will light OU up this year in Lubbock as sad as it is to say. The SOONERS had a soft flat offensive game plan coupled with a soft secondary that can't defend the pass. Look at LSU and USC's secondary as the talent level is glaringly obvious compared to OU's soft secondary. I love my SOONERS, and watching fron San Antonio where I live was a very sad day yesterday. OU can correct a lot of the mistakes, but if the talent isn't on the field to stop the pass, were done! Thanks, Mel
Five of the top ten teams lost. 7 of the top 13 teams lost. #3 OU lost by 3 ON THE ROAD. #7 Texass lost by 20 AT HOME. #4 Florida lost by 3 AT HOME. #10 Rutgers lost by 10 AT HOME! Yeah... OU is the most overrated team in the nation. *rolls eyes* Mike, you're an idiot. Go back to the sandlot, child!
Are you sure Malcolm Kelly was double-covered? A Colorado defensive back after the game said that they were just in regular "Cover 2" defense the whole game--that they did nothing special to stop Kelly.
When you are up 24-7 in the second half, MIDWAY through the third quarter and lose....that's coaching ala John Blake (I don't think even his teams would have blown that kinda lead, Schnelly's maybe). When you get manhandled and beat like a lil' redheaded stepchild...ala USC in 2004 that is superior talent. Ask any coach, hell ask the Jackass in Norman who refuses to fire Kevin Wilson, just like he refused to fire Chucky (how's that working out in SD, Chuck?), what 24-7 to 27-24 means (it's the coaching stupid). OU will never win another National Championship until Kevin Wilson is fired and they hire someone FROM OUTSIDE the program. You know someone with new ideas on how to play football, not call vanilla ass plays to keep from losing a game...PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, Joe step in before it's to late.....FIRE KEVIN WILSON, FIRE KEVIN WILSON, FIRE KEVIN WILSON. Cuz we all know that ole' lose to someone we are not supposed to BOOB won't do it(OSU 2001, 2002, Texas Tech 2004, Oregon 2006, K-State 2003, LSU 2003, Nebraska 2001, Boise fricking State 2006). It's a cold hard truth we can't play on the road unless we are an underdog. Every loss I can ever think of in the Bob stoops era (BTW thank god we never played Miami in 2000 *SPANKING*)we were favored to an inferior opponent. That is bad coaching. When you are up step on thier throats and crush them NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, go vanilla (or ugly) early. You will lose every time (or at least wake up with the clap).
The reason our secondary is so soft on 3rd down is because Brent V likes to Blitz. That is ok if your blitz's are effective. Our blitz's don't work I would say about 90% of the time and that leaves the interemediate over the middle passes wide open because you just took a linebacker and your nickelback out of the play by sending them on a blitz. Watch them blitz in the next few games and you will see what I mean. It frustrates me to see them come on a blitz and then stop and play patty cake with a blocker instead of trying to power through him or run around him.
Regardless of the sport any loss brings instant humility. Yes indeed OU's offense was not normal yesterday but last time I checked these are young athletes who can and will have up and down days. The defense got winded because the offense could not sustain a drive. Regardless losing now may be a blessing in disguise than to lose late in the season. If I were a betting man I would still put my money on Mr. Stoops & Company and it would not surprise me to see them run the table now and meet CU again in KC in Dec. and renew old acquaintances!! Read My Lips!
Sooners kicked all over Folsom Field long before... 09/30/2007 BOULDER, Colo. — Oklahoma got precisely what it deserved Saturday against Colorado. The Buffaloes won 27-24, kicking a 45-yard field goal on the game's...
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Remember those days? You can't be conservative all the time and play the averages. If the other team has the momentum you find ways to get it back.
What was up with not calling that final timeout to try to ice the kicker?
I respect Kevin Wilson,Bob Stoops,and Brent Venables and the rest of the coaching staff. I really thought that this year we were getting back to that mental toughness after the Boise State loss last year. It just seems like we have developed this mentality that "hey we are OU and nobody can stop us and if they do, not to worry we will win the majority of the games because we have better talent". Contrast this to the 2000 team that said "Hey we are OU and we have come here to roll over you". There's a difference.
A big difference. I remember that 2000 season, sitting out at the scrimmages and the rain. Anyone remember Torrence Marshall waving to the rain telling
it to keep coming? Those guys were mentally tough. These guys can be mentally tough too. You can't always control what happens during a game, but you can always control your reaction, your attitude. I want to see these guys win a National Championship again, but I don't think it will happen until there is a change in attitude all the way down the line.
Great teams find a way. Whether its slapping down a ball if you can't catch it, or the saftey breaking for a receiver to cover the gap when the ball is thrown. If you can't cover the gap you are playing him too far off.
Was anyone there did you see the OU sidelines? When the momentum shifted were any players yelling and trying to get each other pumped back up?
I can deal with losing a game now and then as long as the attitude is there ALL the time. When the attitude is there if you lose it typically won't
be by much. This inconsistency in attitude drives me nuts.
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Listen up Sooner fans. My buddy's brother was at the game and said Kelly was open many times but Bradford just didn't look that way. Bradford is just a Freshman and we are enduring his learning curve. He should stop telegraphing his throws. Our WRs won't always be open by 5 yards. He must trust that Kelly will win the battle at the ball when he throws it to that spot. Kevin Wilson, shame on you for the play caling and not running the ball more in the 4th qtr when Colorado missed that FG. That put our tired D back on the field after that INT. The coaches put alot of pressure on Bradford to lead the team all the way. He will be a great QB if he don't get hurt.
Furthermore, the coaches should have added the naked bootleg wrinkle. NO TEAM thinks Bradford can run, but he can take up chunks of yardage when those lanes open up.