Wednesday, October 14, 2009
No 11 Hook Em, Pat Robertson
11. I b
elieve Pat was praying for Vince Young to learn how to read a defense.
elieve Pat was praying for Vince Young to learn how to read a defense.Top 12 Celebrities - or somesuch - Flashing Hook Em
Today we're starting a Top 12 countdown of various political and entertainment figures flashing the hook 'em sign. Some may actually be using sign language to signal a loved one, or indicating Satanic worship. Could be all three. Let's have some fun and not overanalyze, shall we?
12. Marion Berry, former DC mayor, would have fit in well with 2007 Longhorn team.
12. Marion Berry, former DC mayor, would have fit in well with 2007 Longhorn team.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Middle of the Field
As I thought about yesterday's loss to Miami, I realized that the Sooner coaching staff is treating Landry Jones like Nate Hybl or Paul Thompson. For those uninitiated, Nate Hybl and Paul Thompson were rarely allowed to throw the ball in the middle of the field. I don't have any stats to back this up, it just seemed like the passing attack with them as either side to side, or if down the field, it was fades. All stuff that was pretty low risk.
After having this thought, I watched the game again. Jones was 1-3 while throwing between the hashmarks on Saturday night. On the other 2/3 of the field, he was 17-27.
On the other side of the ball, the Sooners weak spot - for years it seems - has been defending the middle of the field. We are so determined to stop the run that we're susceptible to play action passes, where you get the ball over the second level of defenders. Conversely, Miami, which really loaded up the box in the second half, was not tested in this area. Are they that strong up the middle? I don't know.
After all this weeping and gnashing of teeth, the Sooners have played one of the toughest schedules in the country, and they're four points away from being undefeated.
After having this thought, I watched the game again. Jones was 1-3 while throwing between the hashmarks on Saturday night. On the other 2/3 of the field, he was 17-27.
On the other side of the ball, the Sooners weak spot - for years it seems - has been defending the middle of the field. We are so determined to stop the run that we're susceptible to play action passes, where you get the ball over the second level of defenders. Conversely, Miami, which really loaded up the box in the second half, was not tested in this area. Are they that strong up the middle? I don't know.
After all this weeping and gnashing of teeth, the Sooners have played one of the toughest schedules in the country, and they're four points away from being undefeated.
Injuries and their impact on the offense
With Broyles out with a fractured shoulder blade, the Sooners are left without another playmaker. To understand this, consider the following stat:
In 2008, the Sooners passed for 4,891 yards, with 4,208 of those yards going to receivers and tight ends. With the eligibility completion (Iglesias, Johson, Chaney) and injuries (Gresham, Broyles), the Sooners have lost 4,005, or 95%, of those yards. Add in four o-lineman gone, and the starting QB on the shelf, and that's a lot ot make up for.
That being said, the offense scored 20 points. But it should have been enough to get us a W, if the D makes a couple of stops.
In 2008, the Sooners passed for 4,891 yards, with 4,208 of those yards going to receivers and tight ends. With the eligibility completion (Iglesias, Johson, Chaney) and injuries (Gresham, Broyles), the Sooners have lost 4,005, or 95%, of those yards. Add in four o-lineman gone, and the starting QB on the shelf, and that's a lot ot make up for.
That being said, the offense scored 20 points. But it should have been enough to get us a W, if the D makes a couple of stops.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Tale of the Tape - Aggies vs Hogs
Work and family schedules precluded me giving this proper coverage earlier this week, but I wanted to do a little preview of a game involving two of the most dysfunctional and loyal fan bases in college football, Arkansas and Texas A&M.
How'd they get the name? Arkansas: After an undefeated season in 1909, Coach Hugo Bezdek referred to his team as a "wild band of Razorbacks" and the name caught on. Hog fans have NOT caught on to the fact that they've only had one undefeated season since 1909, in 1964 when Barry Switzer was an assistant and Boss Hog Jerry Jones was a player on the team. Cash Machine U: It's Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University. While some believe that the Aggies moniker is Greek for "abuser of sheep", that is just a rumor. It's a tribute to the school's agricultural roots. Gearheads just doesn't roll off the tongue, so they went with Aggies. Edge: Aggies.
Returning Starters: Texas A&M 10 on offense / 6 on defense; Arkansas 8 on offense / 10 on defense. Edge: Arkansas
NFL Passing Yards by Alums: Arkansas 41,090; A&M 9,157. I'm excluding former Razorback Tarvaris Jackson from this tally, as he transferred to Alabama State and improved the quarterback play at both schools. Edge: Arkansas, courtesy of Buffalo Bill great Joe Ferguson.
NFL Draft History: Arkansas 243; Texas A&M: 258. Edge: Arkansas
Best NFL Player: Arkansas: Pat Summerall; Texas A&M: Yale Lary. Edge: Arkansas. I went with Summerall over NFL HOFs Lance Allworth and Dan Hampton because Summerall wins the Best Voice and Best Recovering Alchololic portion of the contest as well. Both schools have fairly storied college fb programs, but not many elite NFLers come out of the pack. If you disagree, see Mcelroy, Leeland. Edge: Arkansas
Hot/Cold: Arkansas: Cold. The Hogs have allowed 77 points in two games against 1-A opponents. Texas A&M: Overheated. Courtesy of the mediocre defenses played by the Aggies, Cash Machine U is hot, but cool faster than a plate of scrambled eggs. Edge: Aggies.
Random Stat: The defensive ranking of A&M foes year-to-date: 107, 117, 116. Arkansas is a veritable defensive juggernaut at 91. Edge: Aggies
Random Stat 2: Texas A&I has more NFL Hall of Famers than Texas A&M. Gene Upshaw and Darrell Green starred for Texas A&I back in the day. Edge: Arkansas
How we see it: this game has fluctuated between a pick'em and Arkansas as a 1 point favorite. Arkansas is 1-2, but has played teams you've heard of in Alabama and Georgia. For some reason, I think Arkansas is going to win this, though I'll be pulling for the Aggies. The battle of the Aggies and Hogs in the seats will be an interesting part of the game as well. Prediction: Arkansas
How'd they get the name? Arkansas: After an undefeated season in 1909, Coach Hugo Bezdek referred to his team as a "wild band of Razorbacks" and the name caught on. Hog fans have NOT caught on to the fact that they've only had one undefeated season since 1909, in 1964 when Barry Switzer was an assistant and Boss Hog Jerry Jones was a player on the team. Cash Machine U: It's Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University. While some believe that the Aggies moniker is Greek for "abuser of sheep", that is just a rumor. It's a tribute to the school's agricultural roots. Gearheads just doesn't roll off the tongue, so they went with Aggies. Edge: Aggies.
Returning Starters: Texas A&M 10 on offense / 6 on defense; Arkansas 8 on offense / 10 on defense. Edge: Arkansas
NFL Passing Yards by Alums: Arkansas 41,090; A&M 9,157. I'm excluding former Razorback Tarvaris Jackson from this tally, as he transferred to Alabama State and improved the quarterback play at both schools. Edge: Arkansas, courtesy of Buffalo Bill great Joe Ferguson.
NFL Draft History: Arkansas 243; Texas A&M: 258. Edge: Arkansas
Best NFL Player: Arkansas: Pat Summerall; Texas A&M: Yale Lary. Edge: Arkansas. I went with Summerall over NFL HOFs Lance Allworth and Dan Hampton because Summerall wins the Best Voice and Best Recovering Alchololic portion of the contest as well. Both schools have fairly storied college fb programs, but not many elite NFLers come out of the pack. If you disagree, see Mcelroy, Leeland. Edge: Arkansas
Hot/Cold: Arkansas: Cold. The Hogs have allowed 77 points in two games against 1-A opponents. Texas A&M: Overheated. Courtesy of the mediocre defenses played by the Aggies, Cash Machine U is hot, but cool faster than a plate of scrambled eggs. Edge: Aggies.
Random Stat: The defensive ranking of A&M foes year-to-date: 107, 117, 116. Arkansas is a veritable defensive juggernaut at 91. Edge: Aggies
Random Stat 2: Texas A&I has more NFL Hall of Famers than Texas A&M. Gene Upshaw and Darrell Green starred for Texas A&I back in the day. Edge: Arkansas
How we see it: this game has fluctuated between a pick'em and Arkansas as a 1 point favorite. Arkansas is 1-2, but has played teams you've heard of in Alabama and Georgia. For some reason, I think Arkansas is going to win this, though I'll be pulling for the Aggies. The battle of the Aggies and Hogs in the seats will be an interesting part of the game as well. Prediction: Arkansas
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Hurricanes Preview
How's they get the name: The Hurricanes found their moniker in 1926 prior to their first game. The game has been postponed by a hurricane. A Miami football player, Porter Norris, suggested the team be named the Hurricanes. Presumably, Porter did not graduate with a language arts degree.
Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense
NFL passing yards by alums: 125,231 by quarterbacks
Draft History:313 draftees
Hot/Cold: Frigid. The Canes were left cold and wet after a arse-whooping at the hands of the Virginia Tech Hokies last week.
The Skinny: these are not your father's Miami Hurricanes. Actually, if you're in your twenties and reading this, and your father is a Miami Hurricane, you probably don't know it anyway. Pardon me, I digress. "The U" as it's become known, was one of the premier programs from 1983 - 2003, and had a remarkable run 14 year of first round NFLers from 1995-2008. In 2001, former OU and OSU assistant Larry Coker took over the reigns from Butch Davis, won a national championship his first season, then drove the wagon in the ditch. Randy Shannon has uprighted the wagon, tricked it up with some hydraulics, a sound system and some sweet spinners and the Hurricanes are on their way back to being a top 10 programs
Random stat: According to the Miami game notes, "Of the 20 seniors on this year's squad, eight have already earned degrees, while the remaining 11 are all on course to graduate either in December of 2009 or May of 2010." Apparently the missing senior was contributing to the media guide.
Random stat 2: The Sooners have not beaten Miami FL in South Florida since 1975.
Random stat 3: Of Oklahoma's 11 offensive starters for last year's NCG, 2 are starting Saturday night (Chris Brown and Trent Williams) and only one of those at the same position (Williams).
How we see it: I see the Sooners prevailing in a close one. I think the pass rush and the zone blitzing by the Sooners will put pressure on Jacory Harris, and the defense should prevail over an improving Canes offense. On the other side of the ball, the U is just not the U of old. The Canes stats are distorted somewhat due to timing - they've played three conference games so far, not a string of cupcakes - but they currently rank 86th in rushing defense and 89th in pass efficiency defense. Gone are the days of a punt returning weaving through a punt coverage unit, the Canes rank 117th in punt returns, averaging 2 yards per return. While the Sooners are not as dominant offensively as they were last year, they still have the offensive firepower with Broyles and Murray, and Jones is quite serviceable as a backup QB.
Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense
NFL passing yards by alums: 125,231 by quarterbacks
Draft History:313 draftees
Hot/Cold: Frigid. The Canes were left cold and wet after a arse-whooping at the hands of the Virginia Tech Hokies last week.
The Skinny: these are not your father's Miami Hurricanes. Actually, if you're in your twenties and reading this, and your father is a Miami Hurricane, you probably don't know it anyway. Pardon me, I digress. "The U" as it's become known, was one of the premier programs from 1983 - 2003, and had a remarkable run 14 year of first round NFLers from 1995-2008. In 2001, former OU and OSU assistant Larry Coker took over the reigns from Butch Davis, won a national championship his first season, then drove the wagon in the ditch. Randy Shannon has uprighted the wagon, tricked it up with some hydraulics, a sound system and some sweet spinners and the Hurricanes are on their way back to being a top 10 programs
Random stat: According to the Miami game notes, "Of the 20 seniors on this year's squad, eight have already earned degrees, while the remaining 11 are all on course to graduate either in December of 2009 or May of 2010." Apparently the missing senior was contributing to the media guide.
Random stat 2: The Sooners have not beaten Miami FL in South Florida since 1975.
Random stat 3: Of Oklahoma's 11 offensive starters for last year's NCG, 2 are starting Saturday night (Chris Brown and Trent Williams) and only one of those at the same position (Williams).
How we see it: I see the Sooners prevailing in a close one. I think the pass rush and the zone blitzing by the Sooners will put pressure on Jacory Harris, and the defense should prevail over an improving Canes offense. On the other side of the ball, the U is just not the U of old. The Canes stats are distorted somewhat due to timing - they've played three conference games so far, not a string of cupcakes - but they currently rank 86th in rushing defense and 89th in pass efficiency defense. Gone are the days of a punt returning weaving through a punt coverage unit, the Canes rank 117th in punt returns, averaging 2 yards per return. While the Sooners are not as dominant offensively as they were last year, they still have the offensive firepower with Broyles and Murray, and Jones is quite serviceable as a backup QB.
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