Utah State Analysis

I spent some time this summer contemplating if my theory that Phil Steele was suffering from dymentia for ranking the Sooners number one and Landry Jones a Heisman candidate was incorrect. I had contemplated a post detailing how I could be wrong...Maybe Josh could develop Landry into better decision making, and perhaps last year's trials and tribulations for the o-line led to some improved performance this year. I couldn't figure out how to address the turnover in the defensive secondary. My work schedule never allowed me to publish what was clearly now a flawed view.


Now, let's role play a few discussions being played out on message boards across the casino state, if message boards were a free flowing exchange of logical and rational ideas.

• Statement: The Sooners will be alright next week. They had a very vanilla game plan against the Aggies, and that contributed to the performance. Rebuttal: Agreed, they Sooners did display a very plain game plan. Offensively, there were very few counters, and the pass plays had very little sophistication. There was no misdirection. There was also very little blocking. The Sooners were going up against defensive unit that did not have a single player in the top three WAC all conference units in Phil Steele's preseason mag. The o-line did not protect Landry well. They did not create a consistent push. This offense does not have a tight end threat for the second straight year. They don't appear to be able to block any better. If the face of this rush, Landry displayed the accuracy of Eric Moore, the happy feet of Nate Hybl and the elusiveness of Paul Thompson.
• Statement: The defense will be okay. The Sooners only ran one blitz package at Utah State, and they will be more aggressive next week against the 'Noles. Rebuttal: I sure hope you're right. The CBs gave up several big pass plays. Not sure why, but there never seemed to be any deep help from the safeties. Several trap plays were effective against the interior line, which is concerning. To Utah State's credit, their QB was very mobile, and created some big plays with his feet.
• Statement: Utah State is better than Stanford this year. Rebuttal: That's an interesting hot sports opinion. I would love to believe that Utah State is a quality foe, but they're probably the third or fourth best team in the state of Utah. I haven't seen Snow Valley JC this year to know if USU can overtake them, and the past and present both tell me Utah and the Fightin' Mormons are better.
• Statement: DeMarco Murray can carry this team this year. Rebuttal: No, he can't. The line's not good enough. If Landry doesn't become functional as a QB, the opposition's just going to load up on the run and defy Landry to beat them. He won't succeed agaisnt the elite teams.
• Statement: I think this is the worst I've even seen a Stoops coached Sooner team play at home. Rebuttal: Grasshopper, you have a short memory. It's not the worst, but it's in the bottom five. you've got the 2001 Oklahoma State game, 2005 opener against TCU, and later that same year against Tulsa that were probably worse performances. I can't think of the fourth at the moment.