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Change must come for OU

Landry Jones and the OU offense failed to score a touchdown on Saturday for the first time in Bob Stoops' tenure as coach. Stephen Pingry / Tulsa World
 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 11/9/2009  2:21 AM
Last Modified: 11/9/2009  6:23 AM

Kevin Wilson said it over and over again in the hallway of the Cornhusker Club under Memorial Stadium on Saturday night: things have got to change.

Surveying the fallout from a 10-3 loss to Nebraska — the first time a Bob Stoops-coached team was held out of the end zone, and an incomprehensible plummet for a team that set NCAA scoring records last year — Wilson, the Sooners' offensive coordinator, said he's seen the same mistakes made since the opening game. In games decided by a touchdown or less, OU is 0-4 this season, in large part because of self-inflicted errors.

"When we get in a tough game like this," Wilson said, "we don't have any composure. We don't have any leadership. And that starts with me."

After reviewing the game, Wilson didn't back off his assertions that errors are mounting in November just like they did in September.

"If you're having those kinds of issues, you ought to get totally annihilated," Wilson said. "Our defense plays well enough it still gives us a chance to be in the game. Cross the midfield and we start jumping offside, or (committing) personal fouls or foolish penalties.

"We've got to look at our players and our ability to respond in a proper way, and if guys aren't, then how do we handle that? ... We cannot allow for the same mistakes to continue to happen over and over. So that's a product of coaching."

Once again, the offensive line was at the heart of the problem. Of OU's nine penalties for 64 yards, six for 50 yards were
committed by linemen. Four were pre-snap violations, two were post-play personal fouls. One wiped out a fourth-and-1 run and set up a missed field goal. One preceded an interception. And one, a 15-yarder, stunted a drive that ended with a failed red zone fourth-down run.

Three of those infractions were committed by Trent Williams, the senior four-year starter who Wilson has said is the best lineman he's ever coached, "and it's not close."

What options are there? Only eight linemen played Saturday against one of college football's best defenses.

Maybe it's time to try to convert one or two of those young defensive tackles who never play — Casey Walker or Stacy McGee — to the offensive side of the ball. It worked big-time for Jammal Brown and Davin Joseph, who are now NFL Pro Bowlers.


John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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42 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!

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Report Comment
Few Clothes, America (11/9/2009 6:43:30 PM)
Unbiasedfan. They still would have lost to Texas if they had Chad for the full year. They have nobody that can catch the ball this year.
Report Comment
Surfin'USA, Pacific Beach (11/9/2009 9:36:36 AM)
I agree with you Boomer Sooner and would add that sorry players make average coaches look sorry. Wilson fits that category as well. He should have a short leash. Shape up, coaches and players, or ship out. Bob and the fans don't need excuses. We've accepted as many as we want.
Report Comment
ousoonerfan1971, Houston (11/9/2009 10:13:18 AM)
Lat year we scored more points than any other team in college football history wit KEVIN WILSON Do I think he needs to adjust to plays designed for Landry Jones and a weak offensive line ? YES but for so called FANS to want to fire the guy everytime we don't win is ludicrous. I agree we should try some of the lineman waiting in the wings but we as SOONEr fans need to realize that we will not win 12 games every year especially when we had to replace our entire offensive line. Lets be great SOONER fans and support the team when we are down more than when they are up. Its easy to love a winner but the team needs us now more than ever. BOOMER SOONER !!!!!!!
Report Comment
shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (11/9/2009 9:06:11 AM)
maybe he could also convert one of the linemen in to a kicker....couldn't be any worse than the one we have!
Report Comment
Tulsa Kayaker, Tulsa (11/9/2009 8:25:42 AM)
Kevin Wilson sucks. Plain and simple.
Report Comment
Tulsa Kayaker, Tulsa (11/9/2009 1:33:36 PM)
Hunter,

How many games have you witnessed in person?

How long have you held season tickets?

Wilson sucks.
Report Comment
DieHardSoonerFan82, Out in the sticks (11/9/2009 7:48:09 AM)
Soonerman37 i wish i knew why they are starting Brown over Murray to. every time i see it i dont get it. Murray is clearly the better back. That game on saturday was tough to watch i hate seeing us struggel. when we cant score a TD there is somthing wrong and i wish i knew what was going on.
Report Comment
DieHardSoonerFan82, Out in the sticks (11/9/2009 8:52:01 AM)
im with you its time for him to go. We need someone in there that can get it done in the rebulding years.
Report Comment
DieHardSoonerFan82, Out in the sticks (11/9/2009 2:31:10 PM)
im thinking that they would have won more games but undefeated im not sure. Im thinking we would have beaten Nebraska Byu and miami but not sure about texas.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (11/9/2009 12:06:41 PM)
Hey Coach Wilson, if the Sooners have "no leadership", maybe you should examine your coaching skills.

GEEZ!! Look in the mirror!!!
Report Comment
wdc68, Arlington (11/9/2009 10:31:14 PM)
Let's get to the Meat & Potatoes of the situation: When your O-line hasn't played together before (Adrian Petersen's So year O-line), you are going to have problems, breakdowns, and disasters. We were 8 points away from going into Nebraska game undefeated. It's a slim margin and now the mental toughness will be tested with this Sooner team. If we get a good offensive line next year and let Eldridge play TE and not get beat up on the line, The Sooners should be contenders again. In the meantime, I may take a trip to San Antonio (Alamo) or Shreveport (Independence) to watch my beloved Sooners. This is still a far cry from the John Blake era. This is only Stoops' 3rd time since taking ove 11 years ago that we were out of the title picture by Thanksgiving. This is incredible. You cannot win 10+ games every year. We will recover. Heck, we may win out and a bowl game and end up 9-4. Even if we are 8-5 or 7-6, that isn't so bad to have that 1 every 10 years. I'll take those results. I'm off the mic.
Report Comment
Unbiasedfan0315, (11/9/2009 1:27:06 PM)
I thought that the Sooners actually played pretty well.
Report Comment
Unbiasedfan0315, (11/9/2009 1:42:15 PM)
Who thinks that the Sooners would be undefeated so far, if Bradford had not gotten injured?
Report Comment
Boomer Sooner Poster, (11/9/2009 9:14:48 AM)
Great players make average coaches look great, sorry players make great coaches look average. Playcalling becomes extremely difficult when your players are not making plays. I hate it, but the simple facts are every coach is entitled to a rebuilding year every now and then. Play like this next year and I will probably not be as forgiving.
Report Comment
soonerman37, Broken Arrow (11/9/2009 6:07:47 AM)
I hate to say this, but maybe it is time for a new offensive coordinator. 1st down...screen pass. 2nd down...bubble screen pass. 3rd down...run up the middle. 4th down...punt. I know, Jones is a freshman. I also know he was throwing horrible passes, but if you are going to lose, why not go out throwing?

Can an OU fan please tell me something? Why isn't Murray starting in place of Brown? Why isn't Murray on the field during critical downs? Why do we keep him on the sideline when we need a 1st down? I don't get it, so if somebody can tell me I would appreciate it.
Report Comment
jasheldon, (11/9/2009 8:52:49 AM)
It's like what Mike Leach said about Tx Tech's poor play, "They're spending too much time with their fat girlfriends."

Well Landry's girl is pretty hot so the fat parts not true for them.
Report Comment
jasheldon, (11/9/2009 9:16:34 AM)
Boomer Sooner said it best.
Report Comment
JR, (11/9/2009 8:37:58 AM)
Take there I-PODS away.........
Report Comment
baro, (11/9/2009 3:36:12 PM)
i have been saying for 3 years replace kevin wilson...sure we had a high scoring team last year but that was because of bradford not wilson's play calling, but inspite of him....He has consistly called bad plays in importnat situations for years. I am tired of not being able to win the BIG game since kevin wilson has been at OU....not it seems she cant win even the not so BIG game. It is surprising that the two worst areas of the offense is linemen and recievers, guess who coaches them KEVIN WILSON...I still have great confidence in Stoops, but he needs to suck it up and replace wilson. If he doesn't then the AD and president boren must demand a change of wilson.. I am not sure that OU can win the next games to even go to a bowl game. Jones cant' roll out and pass usually the ball is either in the dirt or 20 miles over the head....and he can not throw the long pass....ugh wilson, even i know what your scheme is every down....1-run up the middle...2- run up the middle...2- longs pass..4- kick...and i am not even a defensive coach. again why did stoops replace a kicker that was 11/13. Do we not have another quarterback, he could not have done any worse than jones.
Report Comment
GoFigure, (11/9/2009 10:49:49 AM)
What in heaven's name are we doing running to the perimeter on a fourth and one, when their was no one right over the center and the defensive tackles splits were a mile wide, all we had to do was quarter back sneek with a simple audible at the line and we were in business. Do we not audible anymore on reads at the line? And in my day, when you were'nt getting the job done YOU DID"NT PLAY!!!! SOMEBODY ELSE GOT A SHOT!! Whats' with these loser lineman. When you get a chance to wear that RED HAT in front of 80,000 fans you need to prove you deserve it each and every week, AND THAT"S THE WAY IT USED TO BE!!! It's sickening watching these same guys stay in there week in and week out and we're getting the same performances. Let someone else out there for heavens sake, after all, you gave them full rides too!!! Give them a chance to earn them and let these high school boys RIDE THE PINE from here on out this year.
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (11/9/2009 7:57:25 AM)
You people blow me away. "Why not go out throwing"? We threw 58 passes.?????? Murray over Brown? Brown rushed for more net yards than Murray and had a 4.2 ypc vs. Murray's 3.4.???? It's a real "struggel" reading some of these comments.
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (11/9/2009 10:02:18 AM)
He threw 58 passes, STOP. All kinds. The problem was most of them were either to the other team or to an imaginary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I don't think he was thinking about trying to be "glamorous". As far as Wilson goes, his hands are pretty much tied. I agree that while some of his play-calling has been questionable, it's pretty hard to make things work with a line that can't protect or run-block, no tight end, average and inexperienced receivers
(except for Broyles), and a QB who's still learning the ropes.
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (11/10/2009 8:26:28 AM)
Gotta love gba and scottybedumb. You can always depend on them to show up and show off their dim wit and inability to have intelligent thoughts. It can probably be credited to their upbringing. And who's "Chad", Few Clothes?
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (11/12/2009 9:22:40 PM)
Yeah TMS, you're right and all those NFL experts are wrong. Try commenting on things you know something about. In other words, stop commenting.
Report Comment
BUCKYBABY, Bixby (11/9/2009 6:23:29 PM)
I believe we need a new offensive play caller. I think we have one on the sidelines named JOSH. Why not. Sooner Fan 75
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