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How to Fix OU's Fading Football Program; the Thunder Blunder
Published: 10/29/2012 2:47 PM
Last Modified: 10/29/2012 2:47 PM

All is not lost, not even close.

But certain admissions of fault are necessary.

Here is exactly what is needed to climb from the ranks of the medium game players.

1. Get out of the spread offense.

And quick.

This offense is designed for quarterbacks who can dance, who can move, who can run. Landry Jones belongs in a pro set, handing off and throwing.

2. Recruit better runners.

The current people have no moves whatsoever. They look great versus dogs like Texas in straight line maneuvers. Against high quality defenses, they're stuffed.

Also, the only way running backs can run out of the spread is if the quarterback is a threat to run. Otherwise, you must play a Texas to succeed.

3. Coach better.

The Mike Stoops experiment has failed in the two key games. He was brought back to teach these guys to make plays when games were on the line. Score tied 13-13, game up for grabs late, Notre Dame blows them off the home field.

Without these specific improvements, it will continue to be Medium Game Bob and his Holiday Bowl Players.

On to the number one sport in the state, pro basketball.

The Harden trade was disgusting. Why not simply pay him more money and pay the surtax? Fractured chemistry can be impossible to fix. Too much money was wasted on the Perkins trade, which we have said from the outset was a huge flop. All that Perkins money for 1.7 points or so per game. Foul.





Reader Comments 11 Total
43718 (4 months ago)
TELL THE STOOPS BOYS GOODBY.
                    
tufan (4 months ago)
What year did you graduate from OU? GOODBY(E)!!!
                    
Blue Max (4 months ago)
The Stoops boys are well above average, but seemingly not good enough to satisfy their fans with a national championship contender every year. Fire him, and a Blake may follow. It's between a rock and a hard place OU stands.
Glenn Murray (4 months ago)
A nod to the Picker: From Eric Bailey's column this morning: From Gabe Ikard "We're very physical, but we throw it around a lot, so we have to be physical in pass pro as well." "It just comes with the offense we run. We spread it out."

At a minimum, develop the running scheme to deter a just as physical opponent. You do that by making them play laterally, stretch out the front seven wide, and allow for cutback scenarios.
241362 (4 months ago)
Junk the spread.
colhi64 (4 months ago)
Partly we can blame the O line. Football comes down to blocking and tackeling. Sooners are not doing the blocking thing well. ND was much better inside that we were.
                    
tufan (4 months ago)
When are the OU grads going to learn how to spell? Maybe when the OU football team learns to TACKLE.
                    
hootie (4 months ago)
I was going to say the samething! OU needs line help on BOTH sides of the ball more than anything. I am surpised the football "guru" Pick could not figure that out!
Chester Copperpot (4 months ago)
I personally haven't cared for OU's offense after Mangino left. Even when they went to the NC game in 2003 and 2004, I felt that Chuck Long was too predictable because he threw nearly every time out of shotgun and ran nearly every time out of the I. Kevin Wilson wasn't much better.

Josh Heupel's weakness appears to be lack of a running game and reliance on a big play receiver. They haven't run the ball well since 2008, and even that year they struggled running the first half of the season. Usually, poor running game is the result of busted assignments up front, but I haven't reviewed the games this year to see if that is the case or not.
Rapid Robert (4 months ago)
Please remember what Stoops HAS accomplished.
Tired of hearing that was in the past. Everything is in the past.
I will go along with a replacement for B Stoops,IF you can find a realistic option for a man that has won 7 Big 12s, 7 BCS Bowls (w or l does not matter when no one else has done it)2 Heismans, etc. etc etc. ADDITIONALY he is a good man that does amazing amount of charity work for its purpose only, not for media consumption
wilson (3 months ago)
After having watched the Thunder without Harden, and seeing what he's done in Houston, I'm afraid this could be a long season. Even so, it beats watching OU's offense stand at the line and watch the sideline. They don't even LOOK physical.
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Out Pick The Picker

The Picker began entertaining – and infuriating – sports fans in 1993. Each week during football season, he writes about his picks of college and NFL games in his Thursday Sports column. He's never afraid of sharing his opinions about the game and the personalities who play it. Readers have a chance to go against him each season in the Outpick the Picker contest. He welcomes the competition.

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