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OU's Stoops: Fast starts are fine with him
 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 11/11/2008  5:20 PM
Last Modified: 11/11/2008  5:20 PM

 NORMAN – Being so good so early may be affecting how good Oklahoma plays late.

The Sooners have outscored opponents 201-27 in the first quarter this season, but have been outscored 56-41 in the fourth quarter. That's because OU is so far ahead by the time the fourth quarter begins, the Sooner coaches have slowed down the game plan and frequently called upon backups.

"No one's complaining here," OU coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday, "but it alters everything.

"Offensively, you're just sitting there trying to burn the clock. You're punting more than you would if you were just executing. And you've got your backups in there. It changes defensive statistics and points, because now they're getting more possessions in the fourth quarter than they would if you were still executing. There's all kinds of things that change when you're trying to burn up the last quarter.

"It skews everything, not just defensive stats but offensive stats. But I don't care. I'm not sitting here complaining. If you're 35 or 42 points and you're in the fourth quarter, I'll take it every time. You do your best to manage the game. And there are sportsmanship issues. There's a certain point you've got to try to just get out of the game. That's the way it goes."

A follow-up question during the press conference centered on backup quarterback Joey Halzle, whom Stoops said will "occasionally ... throw it on third down to pick up the first down and try to keep the chains moving," but will likely not be allowed to operate OU's fast-paced offense.

Was it a fair way to prepare Halzle if an injury occurred to starter Sam Bradford?

"Probably not," Stoops said, "but what do you do?"

Other highlights from Stoops' briefing:

On the brief confrontation between defensive tackle Cordero Moore and kicker Jimmy Stevens on the sideline Saturday following Matthew Moreland's missed a field goal after Stevens missed earlier:

"Oh geez, imagine that. In a stressful situation, a couple guys got angry with each other. You have no idea how often that happens, if you've been on the field or on the sidelines. It's gonna happen. It's gonna happen more. It's not a big deal."

On if there are more personnel changes on the kickoff coverage team, which allowed two long returns at Texas A&M:

"We've used about everyone we can, so we're just going to try to get better with the guys we've got."

On if he loses sleep over the possibility of being in a close game with his team's field goal woes:

"What am I going to do about it staying up all night? I'm not going to go out and practice kicking. We're practicing it, we're working it. Hopefully those guys will make some improvement and get in a situation and be able to handle it. I don't mean to say we're not working it. Again, you can work it in practice all you want, you've got to be able to go out in a game and do it."

On if the kickers, who seem consistent in practice but struggle in games, might benefit from consulting OU's sports psychology staff:

"Maybe they would. I'll bring it up to them, see if they want to go."

On the ever-thinning position of defensive end, which lost another player, Alan Davis, at A&M:

"We don't get to go draft or get anybody off the free agency wire. So it'll be those guys along with Pryce Macon, who has played before, and we'll probably work a guy like J.R. Bryant a little bit as a stand-up D-end off the edge a little bit as well."
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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Matt in BA, Broken Arrow (11/11/2008 11:45:44 PM)
I was watching some of this press conference this afternoon, about the time the guy asked about Stevens and Moore having some words. After the guy kept asking about it, he then asked what did Stevens and Moore say, did they have that on tape, or did the pressbox guys report what was said, did he hear them say anything. The reporter kept answering No, so Stoops said he was not going to talk about something that was said if nobody knew what was said. I wish I had the transcript, I thought it was pretty funny. Maybe the reporter was one that stirred up the Gundy 'I'm 40 and a man speech'
 

 
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