Oklahoma Football: What Went Wrong for Oklahoma This Season

The University of Oklahoma was a pre-season favorite to win the “new look” Big 12 and go to a National Championship game. Most college football analysts credited OU having one of the few defenses that could match up against the SEC.

Through their size, experience and expectations, they were supposed to be playing the championship game.  However, here they are at 9-3, with losses coming from Baylor, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.

These three losses show one major Achilles’ heel in Oklahoma’s defense. That weakness is the overall lack of speed in the secondary. Their safeties were more capable at stopping the running game of their opponents, like Texas and Kansas State, but when they were up against teams like Oklahoma State and Baylor, the safeties were simply unable to counter the sheer speed those teams posses.

The possible reason why the defense was set up in such a way to clobber the run was because they were expecting to go to the National Championship, and built their team around playing an SEC opponent.

Can’t say I blame Bob Stoops for building his defense in that manner, especially when OU has that much talent. I guess this move proves that the only way to win a conference title is if the team is built around the type of football that is being played and not buck the trend.

For example, if you are in the Big 12, then a stereotypical defense needs a good line and lots of secondary, and its offense should consist of good quarterback play and very talented players at the skill positions.

Another key culprit was injuries, especially to their wide receiver Ryan Broyles. Without Broyles, OU was unable to stretch the field offensively, and their overall lack of depth at running back was exposed as a result. That injury crippled the team offensively.

The Big 12 was also a much tougher conference than in years past, where only Texas and OU won. This past season saw schools like Baylor, Kansas State and Oklahoma State all become extremely competitive.

That overall conference strength is reflective when eight out of the 10 teams in the Big 12 are going to bowl games. Simply put, the Big 12 was much harder than they had expected.  

Should Bob Stoops lose his job over a 9-3 season? Absolutely not, he is the best coach since Switzer and has brought OU a national title, several appearances and many Big 12 titles.

If Mack Brown wasn’t fired after that 5-7 fiasco, then Bob surely won’t be fired. Besides, who would replace Bob Stoops, Urben Meyer? There are (nearly) no qualified coaches available to replace Bob Stoops.

I believe that last season was a temporary setback for Oklahoma, and they probably will/might win the conference title next season. Now they are focused on winning the Insight Bowl in Tempe and beating those Hawkeyes from the Big 10.

I think that OU, even though they were destroyed against Oklahoma State, will win the Insight Bowl, because I think OU’s defense will be able to match up very well against a Big 10 team.

As long as they get in an offensive rhythm and the defense forces a few key turnovers, then there is no doubt in my mind that OU will try to redeem their season by winning the Insight Bowl.