Must be nice to have used perhaps one-third of your playbook and preached nothing but the basics defensively, yet you're still ranked No. 1 with an average victory margin just shy of 36 points going into your Red River Rivalry game against Texas.
Come Saturday in Dallas, the Sooners are expected to go all Baskin-Robbins on the Longhorns, and hold the vanilla.
As a tune up on Saturday, OU treated Baylor like it was, well, Baylor.
The unbeaten Sooners have pretty much treated every opponent this season as if it was Baylor.
OU disposed of the Bears 49-17 before an announced crowd of 37,145 at Floyd Casey Stadium that was at least half-crimson.
As they have done all season, the Sooners jumped out to a big lead early, battled occasional flashes of attention deficit disorder, but at no point was the game ever in doubt.
OU led 28-0 in the first quarter and led by at least three touchdowns the rest of the way.
The Sooners have thoroughly whooped all five opponents en route to this week's showdown at the Cotton Bowl.
And in that five-game hand of poker, they have yet to show their cards, presumably saving all the good stuff for the Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl.
OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson has used five game plans to beat five opponents, and none of those plans coincides with the plan to beat Texas.
“We weren't trying to hold (anything back) as much as this was just how we were attacking this particular game,” Wilson said of rolling up 594 yards on Baylor. “Each week is going to be different, based on the defense you attack.”
It's one thing to suggest an offensive coordinator has hidden fancy plays and potential chicanery, but don't dare ask a defensive coordinator if he's been holding back anything.
“That question doesn't even make sense to me,” OU defensive back coach Bobby Jack Wright said. “We tried to line up and beat Baylor today. Nobody was preparing for Texas, thinking about Texas, playing things close to vest or anything else. We tried to play as good as we could play today with everything we've got.”
OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables laughed at the suggestion of not going all-out against every opponent.
“Hey, we're trying to win,” Venables said. "It's about playing hard, being disciplined, playing consistently and you've got to execute. It doesn't matter if they know what (defense) you're in. With championship-caliber teams, you do what you do. You don't care if people know what you do, you just do it really, really well.”
John Rohde: 475-3099. John Rohde can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11 a.m. on New JOX 930 (AM).
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Lighten up James, just thought John looked a little chubby and not paying attention to the Mayors message about overweight folks in Oklahoma City, but you live in Norman.
From the looks of John Rohde, it looks like he has made way too many trips to Baskin-Robbins, Braums and every other ice cream store in Oklahoma and Texas, maybe Lousiana too. If he is going to the game he probably should RUN there.
I will say that I expect them to do more with the RB's out of the backfield: Toss plays, routes to the flats, screens. Something like that instead of just running between the tackles. Im sure we will see some misdirection too.
I dont particularly like trick plays either, but they definately have their place. Everyone is forgetting Travis Wilson's reverse that went for a TD in '05. The only significant wrinkles I have seen for Texas were in '04 with the fling play to AD and the line stunts they did with Dan Cody.
Anyone remember the fake/reverse we ran with Broyles again Baylor? Perhaps that was to get it on the game film so Texas will defend that and not the Bradford->Broyles->Johnson pass double-reverse to Gresham downfield that we're gonna run against Texas?
(For those of you that are afraid I just gave away our big trick play, please remember that no one at the Univerisity of Texas can read)
James, I guess I should call it arrogance. Stoops himself (not me) has said he doesn't think they need to run trick plays because he thinks they should be able to beat teams simply by matching up talent-wise. This is his mindset. And when they play teams like USC and West Virginia, they look silly. I think it's b/c they don't get creative. Look at the running game - year after year. It looks pretty good until they play equal-talent teams. You gotta mix it up. I will say this... if OU calls a trick play this year it will probably work, b/c they are not known for running trick plays and it would be a huge surprise. For the other team and for OU fans alike.
Don't forget the pass back to Hyble in the Nebraska game, the same game where Nebraska pulled their's off, but where Hyble slipped on the turf trying to get to the ball. I still think if he makes that catch, he either scores or gets close and we score right after, and we maybe win that game, and the rest of the season changes. But yes, another 'trick' play from Stoops' past. He hasn't thrown MANY out in the last few years. I do agree with james (small j) that Stoops probably feels that 'good' teams don't NEED trick plays, or perhaps shouldn't have to rely upon them might be a better explanation. I think perhaps it's a mindset he's trying to convey. However... It's been a while. A GOOD while. I really think I'd be surprised if we don't see SOMETHING on Saturday. How good can Knall throw and/or run? I could see a fake punt from around the 50, in the 2nd/3rd quarter....
I guess you've forgotten the fake punt against Alabama and the fake field goal against Missouri in years past, or more recently some reverses and reverse pass plays. The spread offense is anything but conservative, and "conservative pride" and playcalling had nothing to do with OU's BCS losses over the last five years.
I get tired of hearing this "saving it for Texas" magical play calling. OU doesn't run trick plays b/c Stoops thinks they are too good for that. And OU keeps getting embarrassed nationally come bowl season. Stoops is an excellent coach but his conservative pride is not what won them the NC championship in 2000.
imo - the Sooners will still do what they've been doing well with maybe a few "curve balls" we havent' seen yet. Like Darrell Royal once said, "Dance with the one that brung you."
We hear this talk every year leading up to Texass. I just don't know, really, how much truth there is to it. As far as going "vanilla" in the second half, it probably has more to do with big halftime leads in four out of their first five games (50-0 over UT-C, 34-0 over U-Dub, 38-3 over TCU, and 35-14 over Baylor). Even against Cincinnati, with a halftime score of 21-13, OU put the game to bed with three touchdowns in the third quarter. I think the perception of OU holding things back for the Texass game is really more a matter of knowing what kind of game that is and really going all out and having that extra motivation, both because it is a bigtime rivarly and because the winner of that game has gone on to play in the Big 12 championship game 7 out of the last 9 years (and in the other two years, the loser of this game "backed in" to the championship game).
Hmmm, I remember the 'flip play' they saved for Texas that bamboozled the heck out of them. Personally, I really feel they've been reserving something. From watching the second half of the last three games, it's just been as vanilla and plain as can be. I definitely think there will be formations that Texas has NOT seen. What about a direct snap play to Murray????
Join the OU Club of Dallas for the greatest tradition in college football. The OU CLUB of DALLAS will host a jam-packed weekend of activities during OU/TX weekend. Cheer the SOONERS to victory and connect with old and new friends. All proceeds support the OU Club of Dallas "Students Today / Sooners Forever" Scholarship Fund! Purchase tickets now at www.ouclubofdallas.com. All events feature raffles for the opportunity to purchase a pair of OU-Texas game tickets.
Thursday, October 9th, 6 p.m.
BEAT TEXAS HAPPY HOUR – No Cover Charge
Sherlock’s Baker Street Pub and Grill
9100 North Central Expressway, Dallas
Friday, October 10th, 8 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
BEAT TEXAS DANCE
Grand Ballroom, Hilton Lincoln Centre
$30 per person -- tickets available at the door until event sells out.
OU Spirit Squads and Pride appearance 10 p.m.
Friday, October 10th, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
BEAT TEXAS PARTY -- NIGHT OF CRIMSON at the HOUSE OF BLUES
House of Blues -- Victory Park
Featuring Grammy nominated rock band The Presidents of the United States of America
$20 per person; limited VIP seating and Foundation Room access -- $40 per person
Tickets available at the door until event sells out or at www.ouclubofdallas.com.
Lynn, that is supposing that Texas has athletes as good or better. I'm not sure that they do. If they win, it won't be because of better athletes. It will be because they had better execution of the gameplan.
Don't we hear every year that they are saving everything for Texas? I'm sure they have a few new things up their sleeves, but they will run what they always run. I hope they have been faking the inability to run the ball.
No. 1 OU bewilders Bears 10/05/2008 WACO, Texas — As an already thin crowd began thinning out in the third quarter, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin chucked a backward pass to track star and...
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Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
(For those of you that are afraid I just gave away our big trick play, please remember that no one at the Univerisity of Texas can read)
Thursday, October 9th, 6 p.m.
BEAT TEXAS HAPPY HOUR – No Cover Charge
Sherlock’s Baker Street Pub and Grill
9100 North Central Expressway, Dallas
Friday, October 10th, 8 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
BEAT TEXAS DANCE
Grand Ballroom, Hilton Lincoln Centre
$30 per person -- tickets available at the door until event sells out.
OU Spirit Squads and Pride appearance 10 p.m.
Friday, October 10th, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
BEAT TEXAS PARTY -- NIGHT OF CRIMSON at the HOUSE OF BLUES
House of Blues -- Victory Park
Featuring Grammy nominated rock band The Presidents of the United States of America
$20 per person; limited VIP seating and Foundation Room access -- $40 per person
Tickets available at the door until event sells out or at www.ouclubofdallas.com.