QB play not the only thing that must change for the Sooners
Published: 9/24/2012 8:20 AM
Last Modified: 9/24/2012 8:20 AM
Let's give Landry Jones the day off, shall we? Let's blame someone/something else for Oklahoma's early-season stutter. There are other options. Here are three:
*** No established running game
Whether because of a lack of commitment, push up front, or sure-thing workhorse in the backfield, the Sooners enter the crux of their season unsure that they can grind out a game.
Flash back to Saturday night. Three of OU's first plays were Dominique Whaley runs. They gained 22 yards. Pretty promising. Jones threw once, then handed to Roy Finch for 11. Hmm. The early runs helped take the Sooners inside the K-State 10, where the drive stalled when Jones threw a pair of incompletions.
On their second drive, the Sooners ran Damien Williams on third-and-2. K-State stuffed it a yard short of a first down.
From that point forward, over the final three quarters of the game, OU running backs carried a 15 times. Not an ideal total, considering how clearly off target Jones was.
Something's getting gummed up, whether it's blocking, play-calling or pure running. Williams bailed OU out with some flash against UTEP and Florida A&M, but the Sooners need more than that the rest of the way.
*** No pass rush/playmaking in the front seven
The Sooners have two sacks in their two games against Div. I competition. They got none against Collin Klein Saturday night, one year after dropping him seven times in Manhattan.
Does OU miss Frank Alexander and Ronnell Lewis that much? Yes, they do.
Not only were their defensive linemen non-factors Saturday night, but K-State gameplanned to take advantage of run-stopping shortcomings of right ends Chuka Ndulue and R.J. Washington. It's a good bet others will follow.
Meantime, OU linemen/linebackers totaled one tackle for lost yardage Saturday night, and that didn't happen until Jamarkus McFarland's stop on the game's final drive.
*** No takeaways
Well, there was Javon Harris' interception against Florida A&M, but that was a gift. He gathered in that one sort of like a fair catch.
The Sooners still lack a signature defensive play, something that turns momentum and helps jump-start the sputtering offense. It has to be driving Mike Stoops a little mad it hasn't happened yet.
If it isn't it should be. Let's put this another way:
Kansas has forced 13 turnovers. OU's number once more: 1. Four FBS teams out of 120 have forced just one turnover, the Sooners being one of the unfortunate few.
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
