Bleacher Report - Oklahoma Sooners Football

Turnover Battle Crucial for Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Tech Red Raiders

Allen Kenney — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:32:31 -0500

Date : Nov. 21
Time : 12:30 p.m. EST
Venue : Jones AT&T Stadium (Lubbock, Texas)
Vegas Line : OU -6.5

Road trips to Texas Tech have been a nightmare for the Oklahoma Sooners since 2005, when some questionable officiating snatched a win out of OU's hands .

The next visit to Jones AT&T Stadium in 2007 saw the Red Raiders knock Sam Bradford out of the game in the first quarter, as OU's talented quarterback sustained a concussion while trying make a tackle following a fumble.

Little-used second stringer Joey Halzle gave a game effort in trying to rally the Sooners late, but it just wasn't enough.

The Sooners appear to have a good shot at turning their Lubbock luck around this season, though, as Tech is struggling down the stretch to get consistent play from their quarterbacks.

And we all know that if coach Mike Leach's air raid attack isn't popping, the Red Raiders are an average team at best.

For OU to reverse the curse, pay attention to:

1. Turnovers

The turnover battle typically has a big effect on any game, but it should play an especially key role in this one.

Perhaps the most astonishing feature of Oklahoma's record-setting offense in 2008 was its stellar ball protection. The Sooners finished first in the nation at +23 in turnover margin for the year while running more than 1,100 offensive plays, the most in the country. For the season, OU only gave the ball away 11 times in 14 games.

This season has seen a predictable increase in turnovers, as the Sooners have fumbled or thrown an interception 20 times through 10 games.

In fact, OU had five turnovers in losses to both Nebraska and Texas, nearly equaling last year's 14-game total in just two contests.

Away from Norman, redshirt freshman quarterback Landry Jones has shown a propensity to throw costly picks.

Tech, meanwhile, has had problems holding on to the ball, currently sitting at seven more turnovers lost than gained this year.

In losses to Texas, Houston, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, the Red Raiders have given the ball away an average of 3.25 times per game.

Tech's receivers have looked particularly sloppy with the ball in Leach's numerous plays designed to let them make a play in space. Expect OU's aggressive defensive backs to go for strips frequently on screens and swing passes.

2. Tech's Third-Down Conversions

Dink-and-dunk offensive schemes like those of Tech and Missouri require the utmost patience on the part of opposing defenses.

In many ways, they're the modern-day version of "three yards and a cloud of dust," aiming for consistent gains that lead to sustained drives.

When Tech's offense is really clicking, it's frequently facing short yardage on third down and converting a high percentage of its attempts. After a while, that can really frustrate a defense.

Last season, Graham Harrell, Michael Crabtree and Co. converted a whopping 55 percent of third-down tries, along with 65 percent of fourth-down attempts. This year, the third-down conversion rate has slipped dramatically, down to 41 percent, good for 51st overall.

The Red Raiders have gone a combined 17-of-51 on third down in losses this season. Keep Tech's third-down conversion percentage around 30 percent, and you're sitting pretty.

3. How Big of a Lead OU Has Going Into the Fourth Quarter (Assuming the Sooners Actually Have One)

Oklahoma's recent struggles in close contests are well-documented, and 2009 has done little to reverse that trend. OU has lost four games by a total of 12 points this season.

Whether this is bad luck or a sign of a team that panics in tight games, the bottom line is that history isn't on OU's side if the Sooners aren't rolling an opponent in the second half.

In a way, though, I think there are plenty of Sooner fans who wouldn't mind seeing a close game, if only for the chance to see Bob Stoops' team regain its confidence in hard-fought affairs.

4. Oklahoma's Placekicking

Of course, even fans who want to see OU come through in a tight game would prefer to see a Sooner win. God help them if it comes down to a late field goal.

After watching Jimmy Stevens and Tress Way battle it out most of the season to determine who was less bad, it appears for now as though mystery man Patrick O'Hara has won the job.

O'Hara came on against last week against Texas A&M and nailed two extra-point tries and a 26-yard field goal. This year, that's good enough to be the main option until proven otherwise.

(I realize you could throw kicking, offensive line, and penalties up here every time, but O'Hara's presence in the lineup makes this week's adventures in kicking all the more interesting.)

5. The Early Kickoff's Impact on the Atmosphere

Jones AT&T Stadium has earned a deserved reputation as a snake pit for big-name opponents. Last year, Tech knocked off Texas and demolished Oklahoma State in successive home games.

However, like Cinemax, Lubbock typically heats up after dark. The Red Raiders' wins over the Longhorns and Cowboys last year came at night, as did the 2007 upset of Oklahoma.

In contrast, a trip to Tech seems far less foreboding when the game starts at 11:30 in the morning.

Of course, an early start often means that the visitors come out flat, so it's not like a morning kickoff is all good news for the Sooners. Still, if it's a choice between morning or night, when it comes to Lubbock, I'd take the early start every time.

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Texas Tech-Sooners: Oklahoma Defense Looks To Get Seventh Win

Casey Womack — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:11:35 -0500

Well, this one could be exciting.

The Oklahoma Sooners travel down to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech, and their Air Raid offense, Saturday for a morning kick-off.

This one scares me. It's in Lubbock.

The refs haven't made the best calls for the Sooners over the past few years in their stadium, and have cost us games. Their offense is still extremely good, can still score on any play, and they have playmakers to help them do so.

The Oklahoma offense, however, doesn't have that same reputation right now. It's still disappointing going from a record-setting year, offensive-wise, to not being able to score a touchdown against Nebraska.

DeMarco Murray will try to get his rhythm back and establish an early running game along with Chris Brown.

Ryan Broyles will try to continue to play like Ryan Broyles, and be the only true playmaker the Sooners currently have. He is catching just about everything and making people miss.

Another problem I'm concerned with is that Texas Tech actually have a defense now.

They're not just trying to out-score their opponent. They played a tough game against Oklahoma State and will look to bounce back at home.

There will be a crazy crowd as always, and I'm worried the Oklahoma line will get rattled and make too many mistakes.

I do think it will be a low-scoring game in the teens, with the quick defense that Oklahoma is lucky enough to have this year. Also, Potts and the Raider offense are off right now and are having a hard time staying consistent.

This one is a toss-up. As much as I hate to say it, I'm gonna say Texas Tech takes it. This one is a close one and will have some crazy officiating call that will decide the game.

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See It Here: 20 Sneak Peak Photos Of Oklahoma Sooners' New Uniform

Sooners Examiner — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:11:37 -0500

The Oklahoma Sooners have joined 10 other elite college football programs to unveil Nike's new Pro Combat uniforms this month.

"Players need their uniforms to be as light as possible so they can play the game at top speed," said Kris Aman, Nike's Global Vice President and General Manager for Nike Athletic Training. "The Nike Pro Combat uniform is a modern system of dress that is dramatically lighter while providing durability and protection."

Pictures and captions in the linked slide-show give a unique peek into the Nike design and the particular devotion to Oklahoma's championship heritage.

Slide-show of Oklahoma's new uniform

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Bob Stoops To Notre Dame Not Far-Fetched

Allen Kenney — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:00:12 -0500

Listening to some loudmouths in the Sooner State, you'd wonder why any institution that's serious about its football would be interested in stealing Bob Stoops out of Oklahoma.

And yet, with Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis' ample seat growing warmer by the snap in South Bend, the Chicago Sun-Times put the word out today that Stoops is supposedly interested in talking to the Irish brass if the job opens up.

Apparently no one in the ND brain trust bothered to check the message boards and consult with "OURULZ" and "SoonerStud."

The "Stoops-must-go" crowd of George Steinbrenner wannabes contend that OU's four-loss 2009 season just proves what they claim to have known for years: Stoops has lost "It." To them, it would be a blessing in disguise if OU's head coach decided to light out for South Bend.

They probably thought New Coke was a great idea, too.

On the heels of an ugly loss at Nebraska, Stoops' normally steely demeanor cracked last week when addressing criticisms about how he has handled his team throughout what has to be his most trying season leading the Sooners. The cacophony of idiot bloggers , TV analysts , and talking heads wondering how he could let his team sink to such lows finally had grown too loud.

In a football-rabid state that has wiped the unholy trinity of Gibbs, Schnellenberger, and Blake from its collective consciousness, winning—and doing so in a big way—is really the only way to avoid the Sooner Inquisition. Unfortunately for Stoops, he has yet to return to the pinnacle he reached in his second season nine years ago. Despite all of his successes since then, that's just not good enough for a vocal group who have grown dissatisfied with being thought of as "excellent" and not "the best."

Even Stoops' staunchest defenders would have to admit that he has his fair share of faults. He's stubborn. He appears unwilling to hold his assistants' feet to the fire, at least in public. His teams have folded more than once in the face of adversity. The Sooners' lack of discipline in recent years only seems to be getting worse.

There's also something to be said for the potential benefits of new blood. It's almost inevitable that a coach's message and methods at a program will grow stale once they exceed their shelf life.

None of that changes the reality that Stoops is one of the three or four most successful coaches of the past decade. He also took a program that spent a decade lost in the wilderness back to the upper echelon of college football.

In that light, it's easy to see why Stoops would make an attractive candidate for the not-yet-vacant Notre Dame gig.

And it's just as easy to see why Stoops may be ready to move on.

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Off-The-Field Message Blows Away On-The-Field Message in OU 65-10 Win

Sooners Examiner — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:00:09 -0500

There was so much going on in Oklahoma's 65-10 demolition of Texas A&M that it's impossible to dismiss the victory outright or bestow praise upon it.

In either case, the bone of the game will crack if the weight of too much interpretation gets applied to it.

The game could get the victor labelled as having returned to the glory days of yesteryear. Not. Or as a trendy fraud in Sooners' clothing. Not that either. Keep reading for what this game did reveal.

It was a game, not particularly impressive, which extended Oklahoma's nation-best home win streak to 29 games and made the Sooners bowl eligible.

Like most sociopaths, Texas A&M is boring. Boring on defense, boring on offense, boring even on kickoff returns, where they fumbled more often than teenagers in the back seat of a car.

Yes, the Sooners gave some impressions to speak of.

Landry Jones is still a stud. Five interceptions last week? No big deal. Five TDs against the Aggies and a career best 392 passing yards.

The Sooners OL is still in shambles. Penalties and pressure were as prevalent as pancake blocks and protection. The Aggies got down on themselves and got steamrolled.

Placekickers are still practically one-legged monsters. Now the Sooners have a three-man rotation. That works at shooting guard, but not at kicking guard.

The Sooners' defense is still on par with the best in team history.

What Oklahoma can put its weight down upon, of course, is the preparation and no-quit-attitude that pervades this team despite having a down year crushed by injuries and unmet expectations. It's obvious Head Coach Bob Stoops and his coaching colleagues haven't lost this team Mondays through Fridays. So while this on-field performance is nothing to write home about, what it says about the Sooners off the field can fill a proverbial library shelf.

Slideshow of Oklahoma 65, Texas A&M 10

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