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Why? Why? Why?
Published: 10/19/2009 4:08 PM
Last Modified: 10/19/2009 4:10 PM

Why can't OU beat Texas?

Why can't OU win a BCS bowl game?

Why can't OU win a close game?

Why does OU have such an average record outside the state?

Where are all the great recruits?

It's simple.

1. Get out of the stinking spread offense.

As reported here last week, this is a gimmick, a tippy-toe offense, one you can't run out of because it's nothing more than a short punt formation. The spread was built around a running quarterback, a fast and tough guy who could run the option 25 times a game. Then he gets sent to the infirmary. Then you lose. Now the spread tries to work around the running quarterback. Can't happen. If you can't run for three yards consistently, you can't win big. Man up. Get balanced, like Florida, Bama, USC.

2. Shake up the good 'ol boys club. Hire some new blood, mix in a new idea every decade or so.

Misc.

If McCoy of Texas wins the Heisman, he should give it back.

Where are all the great recruits at OU? They weren't that great.

Leading by two scores late, Gundy had Robinson throw from his own end zone versus Missouri and almost got his quarterback's block knocked off. Please stop making those terrible calls.

The defense at Arizona under Mike Stoops is lousy. Again.

Announcer Ron Franklin had this excellent point: If you have a bad defense, why run the hurry-up?

Bradford needs to learn how to get out of the way of big trucks.

A soft non-conference schedule is why KU lost to Colorado.

It turns out that the ESPN on-air people are not the only ones who really like Tebow. So do the SEC referees. The calls made against Arkansas were disgraceful and should be turned over to a law enforcement agency.

Had Bradford left after last year, he would have been about $30 million richer; and OU might be undefeated.

Our lock of the next two decades could be that Texas loses within the next two weeks. The Halloween night game at OSU will be an orange-fest for the ages. And that's right, hapless, limping Missouri could take out the Shorthorns this weekend.



Reader Comments 16 Total

BobSmith007 (3 years ago)
I'll be the first.

Nebraska.
sooners49 (3 years ago)
I guess I should have waited Dave,what happened to the Cornhuskers?I knew you would deflect that loss by yacking about OU.See post below.
BobSmith007 (3 years ago)
Who the heck is Dave?
OU_Glenn (3 years ago)
There are two things that have been the major culprits for the OU football team: not being able to consistently run the football and the defense not being able to come up with the big plays in the big games. This problem could be helped by getting some new coaches on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball in order to get some new ideas. In addition, calling more passing and running plays from under center (and less from the shotgun spread) could help OU run the ball more consistently. I'm not a big fan of the shotgun spread, except when it's third and long (or 2nd and 20, etc.) and the defense knows you are going to throw the football.
MexiMike (3 years ago)
Hilarious, Bob! Simple and to the point. Nicely played.

His name isn't Dave, sooners49.

Pick, how many times do people have to tell you that Florida runs the spread offense? Also, Tebow runs with the ball more than the RB does so there goes your argument about the spread not working when based around a running QB.

I do agree that Texas will lose within the next two weeks. I hope that they barely escape Mizzou so that my Pokes can finish them off but I have a funny feeling that the Tigers may actually pull the upset this weekend.

Soooo....any comment about your love child, Nebraska?
dcood (3 years ago)
As stated before Mr. Picker, how many more big stops does the OU defense have to make for you to get over it? Time after time Saturday in Dallas OU's defense was put in terrible situations and responded with a stop, either a FG try or forced turnover. Those were new blitzes that OU ate UT alive with all day... So now that the OU defense dominated UT, Colt McCoy all the sudden sucks? You have no validity because you change your 'whipping boy' daily. Firing Brent Venables is not the answer. Good thing they dont use your 'bring in some new blood every ten years' argument in your business or there would be alot of out of shape, boring, cynical media types out of work...
Dash Riprock (3 years ago)
What is with this 'our lock of the next two decades COULD be'...I'm glad there's no wavering room on that statement. I know that if the Picker falls, he obviously wants it to be on a bed of pillows and not on the concrete surface he dishes out for the rest of us, should we be incorrect.

As average as Texas looked against OU, how could the Great Prognosticator say Mizzou COULD take out the Shorthorns this weekend, geez there's that parachute word again....typical Picker coach-speak. Texas beats the Tigers in Columbia...and that's concrete...without the fence riding.
hootie (3 years ago)
"..and OU might be undefeated" ....not with an offensive line that can't block!
The Picker (3 years ago)
Glenn is right, can't run, can't win, period.

Nobody can run out of the punt formation, otherwise known as the spread.

Florida doesn't come close to running the spread. It is the classic Wildcat or single wing team, with the best athlete taking the ball and doing things with it.

Was OU's defense great or did the Texas offense stink to high heaven; or was it a little bit of both?

Congrats to Stoops as his press conference today when one of the Sports Animal radio clowns asked him if he would rather have played bad teams and been 5-1, or have played good teams like he did with the 3-3 record. He answered the know-nothings by saying he would have rather played this schedule and wished his team would have fared better.

The radio people get worse by the day. 

Regarding TU at UTEP Wednesday night, Tulsa is favored by seven. That sounds high. It figures to be a close game. An upset would not be a shock, just a slight surprise. We'll pick TU by a single point, faintly. 

sax5084 (3 years ago)
Did Utah not destroy Bama out of the spread last year?  With inferior talent?  What about Appalachian State's spread attack over Michigan?  The same Michigan team who beat Florida and Heisman winner Tebow the same season.  Maybe if Florida played more spread they'd do better?  Running the ball is overrated, and it only took a century since the legalization of the forward pass for people to realize it.
Steff M (3 years ago)
So you're saying OU runs a spread and would be better if they got out of it?  What did they run last season?  Also, several of the great recruits (specifically O-linemen, obviously our main problem) have been kicked off or suspended.  As far as Missouri beating Texas, that's insane.  They may be inconsistent offensively, partially due to injuries, but have you seen their defense?  They were on national TV last weekend.  I think Missouri would have to be able to score to beat them and I don't see that happening too much since they were only able to manage a few field goals against Nebraska.  Oh I forgot, you think (or maybe thought, now) Nebraska's the best thing since sliced bread.
OutPickMyNose (3 years ago)
Dcood, you are right!

UT only scored 7 offensive points against Colorado, so that must mean that OU's defense was the best ever on Saturday! Since they allowed 16.

Does CU have a good defense too?

On the flip side, I think OU could not have had worse luck this season. And this is coming from an OSU fan...we have had our fair share as well.

Sorry to see Sam go down twice, he is a great kid.
OutPickMyNose (3 years ago)
FYI, Sam was 2-6 with one of those being a screen pass that went big to Murray.

I am convinced that Jones being the QB the rest of the game actually gave OU a better shot.

Sam at 70% is not all that great. Sam at 100% is. (Although he also looked so-so in his series against BYU).

The OU offensive line is the reason for this season, not Sam. They just simply can not establish a pocket.
The Picker (3 years ago)
Sax, that was a no-nothing game, like OU-Boise. Alabama could have cared less. Had that been a regular season game, Alabama would have mopped the field with America's Utes. The spread is short punt formation. How could anybody run from that nonsense?
MexiMike (3 years ago)
Pick, didn't OSU lead the Big 12 in rushing for the last two years in the spread?

How can you do it? Simple. Athletic and quick O-lineman that can block in space. They don't have to be the biggest or NFL worthy.

Then you have to make sure your team has a scat back that can can quickly move between the holes created by the O-linemen. The back doesn't have to be fast or really strong, just quick.

Finally, you need a dual threat QB to keep the defense honest. If the LBs don't know which back is running the ball, it makes the run game that much more efficient.
sooners49 (3 years ago)
Dave Sittler is from Nebraska.
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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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