Tulsa World: We DECIDE

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We DECIDE

By Staff Reports
Published: 8/24/2008 2:31 AM
Last Modified: 8/24/2008 4:44 AM

World sports columnist Dave Sittler breaks down four areas that will make or break OU's season and predicts how the season will turn out for the Sooners:

1. Stability at quarterback

Sam Bradford has to start every game and stay in until the outcome is decided. The Sooners found out last season in a loss at Texas Tech what happens when Bradford isn't healthy enough to play. Bradford's backup, Joey Halzle, has very little playing experience for a senior, so no one has a clue if OU can win a Big 12 Conference title if Halzle's forced to play more than a game or two.

2. Defense needs a playmaker

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables needs to find this season's Curtis Lofton. A year ago, in his first season as a starter, Lofton surprised everyone when he played like a veteran and was named the Big 12 Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Instead of coming back for an encore performance his senior season, Lofton took the money and ran to the NFL.

3. Harris must be a leader

Nic Harris must walk the walk as well as he can talk the talk. A senior who never met a quote he didn't love to recite to whomever would listen, Harris must provide leadership no matter where he plays on defense. A safety last season, Harris has worked some at linebacker in the spring and fall camps. Both of those defensive areas are short on talent and quality depth, which means the talented and experienced Harris needs to continue playing the game as well as he talks about it.

4. Don't get caught looking ahead

The Sooners should change their slogan from "Win the Last One," to "Win the Next One." Frustrated by BCS bowl losses in four of the last five seasons, OU's players revealed that their mantra in 2008 will center on taking care of business in the bowl game. A better idea would be to adopt the cliche about taking the season one game at a time. If the Sooners don't win the first one, the 13th one and every one in between, they won't get a chance to win the last one in a BCS bowl.

We decide

OU definitely has a shot to win every game it plays during the regular season. But the Sooners have demonstrated a tendency to lose at least one game every season that they definitely should have won. If quarterback Sam Bradford stays healthy and the defense grows up in a hurry, OU should be 12-0 going into the Big 12 title game, which it will lose to Missouri in the Tigers' backyard — Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. By Staff Reports

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HamInTeeTown, Broken Arrow (8/25/2008 9:05:17 AM)

Thanks for the 4 areas, but please do a little better research next time you decide to criticize someone. The unofficial motto for this season is WTLG, which means Win The Last Game.

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