Stoops likes running, hates running it up
Published: 10/12/2007 5:55 PM
Last Modified: 10/12/2007 5:55 PM
Did a radio show today and made the comment that I didn't think Bob Stoops would care much about what certain polls or computer rankings thought about a 14-point win as opposed to a 7-point win. In other words, does Stoops ever try to run up the score for style points? No.
Later, I heard a caller to the same program rankled at what I said because he remembered that the Sooners were throwing the football late against Tulsa.
While it's true that OU's last points in the TU game – the points that made it 62-21 – came via the pass, I don't think it can ever be said Stoops is running up the score.
OU's next-to-last points came with 14:25 to play. Against a quick-strike, hurry-up offense like Tulsa's, I don't find fault in someone's playcalling for throwing deep on the first play of the fourth quarter against an offense like this.
Then, with a 41-point lead, the Sooners threw just one more time over their final 12 plays. That was a third-and-3, with the box loaded for a running play, and from a backup quarterback.
So I looked it up. With bloated fourth-quarter leads in their first four games this season, the Sooners called 52 running plays and 13 passing plays. Most of the passes (six) came against Miami, when the score was still at least a little close.
That's 16 runs, one pass in the fourth quarter against North Texas, 13 runs, six passes in the fourth quarter against Miami, 12 runs, four passes in the fourth quarter against Utah State and 11 runs, two passes in the fourth quarter against Tulsa.
Even last week, when the Sooners could have opened a few voters' eyes with a 14-point win over Texas, Stoops and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson dialed it down, running 11 times and throwing three after taking a 28-21 lead with 10:42 to play. That, I suppose, can be chalked up to coaching common sense – no need to throw when nursing a close lead in a rivalry game.
But does anyone think Texas Tech gunslinger Mike Leach wouldn't be shootin' downfield if he had a touchdown lead against the Horns?
– John E. Hoover
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
