Why Is Farooq Playing?

[Pebblebeachguy]

Average Receiver in a Room Full Of Outstanding Receivers

Poor Ball Security - Costly Game Changing Fumbles

He’s a better runner than receiver but his poor ball security makes him a liability at both positions

Continuing to Start Ahead Of Younger More Outstanding Receivers (like Gibson) May Driver Better Talent Into The Portal

No Reason To Continue This Sad Obsession The Coaching Staff Has With Starting And Significantly Playing Farooq

Farooq is an Impact Player, But for the Other Team

[Raul]

Not his best game, for sure.

Too easy, though, to post a post-game grand proclamation.

[SD-OU]

With Anthony returning from injury and the Purdue transfer coming in he won’t see the field much next year.

[captnop]

Not his best game, for sure.

Too easy, though, to post a post-game grand proclamation.

That was the game .. Everything else aside .. He coughs up the Ball in sight of the goal line TWICE ..... If those had ended up TD's instead of fumbles... OU wins... I'm ready for him to hit the transfer portal....

[cushcreekmont]

Farooq had too many fumbles for his few touches before this game.

His two fumbles caused 20 points in score differential minimum - 8 points on the TD return and conversion and at least 3 points given the field position of the two fumbles.

Switzer and for the most part Stoops jerked fumblers and never played them. BV is too charitable to them (Freeman muffing TWO PUNTS in a row and still being sent out to receive punts).

BV needs to get completely ruthless with turn over errors. Every player should know that they could be benched for a turn over - and will be benched for TWO.

[Fly]

That was not a mystery with him coming in to the game. Why is the offensive coaching staff not working with him?
I,m concerned with this offensive start after watching this game. This is Oklahoma we do not have to settle on what
was available just before the bowl game.We can go after the best OC available. We have some good Offensive coaches
on staff that should be allowed to stay. But we need to start looking to the future, I think BV see,s that also. You could
see that in Derek Stoops eyes after the game, he knows!

Fly

[Pokerman]

That was not a mystery with him coming in to the game. Why is the offensive coaching staff not working with him?
I,m concerned with this offensive start after watching this game. This is Oklahoma we do not have to settle on what
was available just before the bowl game.We can go after the best OC available. We have some good Offensive coaches
on staff that should be allowed to stay. But we need to start looking to the future, I think BV see,s that also. You could
see that in Derek Stoops eyes after the game, he knows!

Fly

Did the sun come up this morning where you live? Good. The sky's not falling.
Fire the coach? After 2 weeks? Really?
And who the heck is Derek Stoops?

[SoonerGirl1201]

Farooq had too many fumbles for his few touches before this game.

His two fumbles caused 20 points in score differential minimum - 8 points on the TD return and conversion and at least 3 points given the field position of the two fumbles.

Switzer and for the most part Stoops jerked fumblers and never played them. BV is too charitable to them (Freeman muffing TWO PUNTS in a row and still being sent out to receive punts).

BV needs to get completely ruthless with turn over errors. Every player should know that they could be benched for a turn over - and will be benched for TWO.

I agree - his fumble against KU (or was it OSU) really cost us there as well - we were headed in to score - seems like he can't hold on to the ball when he is close to the end zone. I am a firm believer in what Brent is doing to build culture and family. But the first tenant of a solid good culture program HAS to be accountability. We cannot act as if there is no accountability happening- that will tear a program down. We need to not play kids just because they have put their time in and have 'earned it' if when they get on the field they have issues and show no discipline. Culture requires accountability.

[SoonerGirl1201]

That was not a mystery with him coming in to the game. Why is the offensive coaching staff not working with him?
I,m concerned with this offensive start after watching this game. This is Oklahoma we do not have to settle on what
was available just before the bowl game. We can go after the best OC available. We have some good Offensive coaches
on staff that should be allowed to stay. But we need to start looking to the future, I think BV see,s that also. You could
see that in Derek Stoops eyes after the game, he knows!

Fly

It was reported repeatedly that Seth was going to call the same Lebby offense, there was no time to really change anything. I think a lot of different things contributed to the play calling - we were having quite a bit of success passing the ball and for a lot of the game that is what the Arizona defense was giving us. Our oline was pretty patchwork and I'm not sure there was a lot of confidence in run blocking as the game wore on. I'm not going to judge Seth by one game with 3 weeks prep. I'm anxious to see what his offense will look like in the spring and into next season before I completely write him off.

[Fly]

Are you talking about Drake Stoops? Yes replace them of those duty’s. Do you honesty feel they are the best we can do for the future of this offense
going into SEC? If so I sure feel better now. I can say this, I do not see another program hiring them out from under us any time soon.
I,m not much of a gambler, when it comes to a unknown future. Will further offensive recruits be lining up to play under these two
unknown offensive coaches? Yes I suspect we can go the same way Kansas has, threw trial & error till we finally find the right offensive
Coordinator. Texas A&M also comes to mind. Many programs do. But I think BV did what he did with these hires were done, do to timing
of Lebby leaving. Singing day was just before the bowl game. I have never seen two OC sharing the same job? But it would not surprise
me to see that being a temporary hiring in the long run, before next season. We shall see, but the normal way in selection hiring of that important position is to take the time to see who would be available & want the job. During the heat of teams going into play
offs, & so on is not the time. JMOHOP.

Fly

[SoonerTony]

Farooq had too many fumbles for his few touches before this game.

His two fumbles caused 20 points in score differential minimum - 8 points on the TD return and conversion and at least 3 points given the field position of the two fumbles.

Switzer and for the most part Stoops jerked fumblers and never played them. BV is too charitable to them (Freeman muffing TWO PUNTS in a row and still being sent out to receive punts).

BV needs to get completely ruthless with turn over errors. Every player should know that they could be benched for a turn over - and will be benched for TWO.

I agree - his fumble against KU (or was it OSU) really cost us there as well - we were headed in to score - seems like he can't hold on to the ball when he is close to the end zone. I am a firm believer in what Brent is doing to build culture and family. But the first tenant of a solid good culture program HAS to be accountability. We cannot act as if there is no accountability happening- that will tear a program down. We need to not play kids just because they have put their time in and have 'earned it' if when they get on the field they have issues and show no discipline. Culture requires accountability.

Agree. Accountability is necessary and frankly I’m not seeing much of it. As mentioned, continuing to play Freeman and Farooq after multiple muffs and fumbles. Continuing to trot the same placekicker out there after multiple misses without even trying someone else. Plus, Farooq was stupid enough to get himself arrested less than 48 hours before bedlam and was not suspended AT ALL. Not even for 1 series. It doesn’t look like accountability to me.

[Zgeo]

I remember Farooq having both a pass drop and an important fumble in one game mid season and thinking “ he wont start next game” but he did start and played well next game. But he is an experienced guy that still fumbles and drops…. I dont know how many probably 4 fumbles and 5 or 6 drops over the 2023 span…which is impactful on the teams record….

At first i thought this thread was an over reaction but after thinking about it i agree with the OP.. Farooq had his shot. fumbles and drops end possessions much of the time and do have a negative impact on the team. First goal is dont beat the team you are on…kind of like the Hippocratic oath “do no harm”….

I would not start him , let him ride the bench ….if someone else fumbles or gets hurt maybe he gets to play again…..

In this age of no accountability , even for the President of Harvard, sports teams should set the standard for accountability…..

[SoonerinLA]

Farooq played well his first year here under Tebow. Lebby also loved putting the ball in his hands. He is a heck of an athlete which is why he plays.The fumbles this year were puzzling and hurt the team. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the portal in the next few days or during the next time the portal opens.

[RussC]

Two things have surprised me about how BV is running things: (1) lack of accountability as for example with Farooq and Freeman as discussed here, and (2) the on-field play demonstrates an overall lack of attention to the small details of the game. These two things do not depend on players talent level either.

When BV came in, I was certain that these two items would no longer be plaguing us… I was wrong.

[Pokerman]

All the BV bashing - I just don't get it.

Sometimes you just have to play the hand you're dealt. You use what you have until you find a better option.
Farooq has a string of miscues. However, I've had misgivings about most of our receivers. As much as I like Stoops and Anderson, even they have had disappointing plays.
I can also understand not wanting to give up on people too quickly. That's actually something I admire about Venables and it's also part of the reason he has achieved the success he has and is so good at recruiting.

I've heard some fans highly critical of coaches like Riley giving up on players. Can't have it both ways, folks.

You can't please everybody all the time.
That's why I tend to dismiss the negative rants. Unfortunately, I find myself tempted to do the same more often than I would like.