Pushing The Panic Button: Is It Too Early to Worry About The Oklahoma Sooners?

There are Sooners fans around the country who needed the jaws of life to pry their fingers from the couch.

Oklahoma's 800th win in school history was supposed to be an easy one.  Utah State was supposed to show up, take a beating, collect its paycheck, and go home. 

Apparently no one got that memo.

The No. 7 Sooners eked out a 31-24 win over the Aggies of Utah State, but judging by the feeling around Sooner Nation, you would think Oklahoma lost.

That lackluster performance has left many wondering if Oklahoma is deserving of its  No. 7 ranking.  Many wonder if the Sooners will be as good as advertised in 2010, or even good at all.

So, should Sooner fans be worried?

The answer is no...but yes.

While there is plenty of reason for concern after watching on Saturday, this Oklahoma team is far better than the product it put on the field against USU. 

Despite nearly gaffing away a big lead, Oklahoma won a game its was supposed to win, and should be 10 times more focused to face a ranked opponent at home on national television this week.

The Sooners came out of the gate hot and showed they have some playmakers capable of taking over a football game when needed.  They are still one of the most talented teams in the country, and if they put it together, they should be able to make a title run.

With that said, there is a lot to take from the Utah State game.

Let's start with the negative first.

- Landry Jones, more than any other Sooner, needed to come out and set the world on fire to gain the confidence of the fans.  Jones did little to ease the worries of fans with his performance Saturday. Despite throwing for two touchdowns and 217 yards, Jones threw two interceptions and was less than accurate, to say the least, in completing less than half his passes.  Jones is going to have to settle in and begin to look like the poised quarterback we saw in the Sun Bowl.

- The Oklahoma secondary lacks experience, and it showed on Saturday.  Diondre Borel (who??) torched OU's defensive backs for 341 yards and two scores in the process of leading the Aggies' comeback.  The Oklahoma front eight may be one of the best in the nation, but if the secondary performs like it did against Utah State, OU is in trouble.

- The Sooners showed a real lack of focus and killer instinct on Saturday.  Up 21-0 in the first half against an inferior opponent, Oklahoma had the perfect opportunity to step on the jugular and put the game away.  Instead, the Sooners backed off and not only allowed USU to make a game of it, but nearly pull an upset.  Whether they were looking ahead to Florida State, or just taking the Aggies lightly, you can be sure the Sooners will not be able to afford a mental lapse such as they had against Utah State.

Now for some positives.

- DeMarco Murray looked like the superstar we all expected him to be.  After being plagued by injuries in the past, Murray exploded into 2010 with 35 carries for 218 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He was clearly the best player on the field, and should be each week.  He even converted a key fourth down that led to his game-clinching 63-yard touchdown run.  Without Murray, Oklahoma doesn't win that game.

- Ryan Broyles made an early Biletnikoff Award push with 142 yards and two first half touchdowns.  Jones clearly leaned on his top receiver as he looked uncomfortable at times, and relied heavily on Broyles to establish a rhythm.

- Oklahoma did actually win.  As ugly as it was, the Sooners are 1-0 and have a great deal of room for improvement.  The Sooners should be able to take a lot away from this game and learn from it to build for the rest of the season.

So while it is perfectly acceptable for Sooners fans to be nervous, it is not quite time to panic.  Expect a better showing against Florida State.  And if that doesn't happen, then we can re-evaluate panicking.