What was your biggest concern at the end of the evening?

[cushcreekmont]

Bottom post of the previous page:

I rewatched the first half twice today focusing only on the OL. There were many bad efforts. Brown doesn't look like a scout team player.

Once the injury occurred at center, we played a guard that had trouble focusing on anything but snapping. I think a REAL center will make the entire line much better. Timing was off and if the center blocking was deficient it caused guards to try to make up for it and they too failed.

In the run game (and some screens) OUr highly touted TE (#10) whiffed on more blocks than rookie hitters against Sandy Kaufax. 87 actually blocked really well from the TE spot.

[ColleyvilleSooner]

Offensive line. I am afraid we will have another season of problems running the ball and pass protection issues. 3rd and 2 will once again be a passing situation. If this is true, then a fast and elusive quarterback like Hawkins is often helpful. I can foresee Hawkins playing quite a bit this season. His presence would definitely require opponents to change their defenses.

I do not want a quarterback controversy, but if there are games JA and the OL are not getting it done, then I want to see what Hawkins can do. He has 4.43 40 speed and a really good arm, so I like his presence as the backup and possibly a major contributor on offense.

[BudaSooner]

Not only what ColleyvilleSooner said, but the fact is that if Hawkins does not get substantial touches at QB this year, he is likely to look elsewhere, i.e. the Portal will rear its head. That may happen anyway...

After watching the Houston vs NDame game tonight, you just KNOW that the Aggies would like to poach a quarterback of Hawkins' talent. Their qb Weigman would quickly take a seat on the bench if Hawkins was an Aggie.

[StatesEye]

......... you just KNOW that the Aggies would like to poach a quarterback of Hawkins' talent. Their qb Weigman would quickly take a seat on the bench if Hawkins was an Aggie.

Shut your mouth.

[StatesEye]

OL (pass pro and rushing) is far and away my major concern. That performance was flat out BAD.....there is no sugarcoating it.

Next is the receiving corps. They were not very consistent blocking at the perimeter or downfield, and FOUR drops on the evening is inexcusable.

The good news is that neither unit (OL or receivers) were at full strength. Hopefully, OU can get their best players in both units healthy enough to play....and soon.

Man, losing Farooq for the year really hurts. I hate it for the kid, too......especially how the year ended for him last year in the bowl game. He deserves better.

[walt]

WOW Guys! We won 51 to 3 our first game we played 84 players. All of you say we didn't play a perfect game but show me a team that does. I am very happy with our team and lets see how perfect other teams play today they may be some upsets today.

We won 51 to 3 and played 84 players in the game. Every first game doesn't usually look great, but some things looked very good. We should be thrilled with the defense after the last few games of Bob and Riley. My guess is that our Head Coach has been focused on both sides of the ball, especially with the defense.

Play like we are Clemson fans and go read the scathing comments by the press and fans about Dabo's failure of recruiting, etc. Brent has built OU up while Dabo's team has gone down.

[RussC]

Clemson had a nice run of elite quarterbacks which ended with Trevor Lawrence. They’ve struggled offensively since then. Their inability to get great qb play lately is a little surprising to me

[OldTimer]

1-12 on third down conversions. We won’t win any sec games like that.

[TropicalSooner]

1-12 on third down conversions. We won’t win any sec games like that.

This is what bothers me as well, as I mentioned earlier in this thread. If we go 1 of 12 in 3rd down conversions against a quality SEC team like Tennessee, then you can go ahead and chalk it up in the "L" column.
Thankfully, we do get one more cupcake to see if we can get our s--- together before facing off against a credible Tulane squad that is no slouch. I do believe in BB and his ability to move pieces around to get the best players in the right spots so we've got a few days to get this right. I hope we can play more of the guys that were held out of the Temple game because they need some on field game reps to knock the rust off before we lurch into SEC play.
I don't believe we can be successful against the stronger SEC teams without a dominating running game. And 1 of 12 is not dominating.

[Pokerman]

WOW Guys! We won 51 to 3 our first game we played 84 players. All of you say we didn't play a perfect game but show me a team that does. I am very happy with our team and lets see how perfect other teams play today they may be some upsets today.

We won 51 to 3 and played 84 players in the game. Every first game doesn't usually look great, but some things looked very good. We should be thrilled with the defense after the last few games of Bob and Riley. My guess is that our Head Coach has been focused on both sides of the ball, especially with the defense.

Play like we are Clemson fans and go read the scathing comments by the press and fans about Dabo's failure of recruiting, etc. Brent has built OU up while Dabo's team has gone down.

Gotta wonder how much of Dabo Sweeney's success can be attributed to Brent Venables. Quite a lot, I suspect.

[Brisket]

Hate to beat a dead horse & echo pretty much what everyone else has said, but I'm gonna do it anyway...

1) OL is the obvious answer. Beyond injuries & guys playing out of position, effort appeared to be lacking at times. Hopefully that was the last time we ever see 58 on the field for OU...

2) Bigger picture on the OL is just the run game scheme in general. I noticed this under Lebby, and it appears to be continuing under Littrell, is that everything about the run game just looks, for a lack of a better word, hard. I echo Gabe's comments that none of the run game schemes seem designed to get the rb's out in space. It's all cluttered; they're always running in & through traffic; etc.

It's like the run game specifically, and the offense in general, are just a collection of plays that have minimal connection to one another. There's no foundational run scheme that they run from different formations or different motions to at least give the defense some eye candy to slow them down or give them something to think about. It doesn't seem like they build 3 or 4 counters or play action off of any particular play.

3) WR - the injuries have turned what was a pretty deep room going into the fall into a very thin room that is lacking experience. Need Anderson to get - and stay - healthy. Need Hester to step up his game & catch the ball. Need Thompson to not run a 3 yard route on on 3rd & 4. I think what was most concerning was the inability of receivers to get any separation against what was a bad defense.

On the flip side, the defense was fantastic. We won't REALLY know anything about this team until the Tennessee game, but the defense came out & did what it was supposed to do against a bad & outmanned offense. The interior DL was GREAT. Secondary & LBs were fantastic.

[bigedell]

I came away from the game disappointed. The o-line was borderline pathetic at times. Against an AAC team. The defense NEEDED the turnovers at times. They got 'em, but you can't depend on that week after week. The play-calling reminded me of last year after Lebby checked out. Temple was BAD. But, a win is a win is a win. I don't know that the defense is improved enough to win every game, but it is going to have to be unless the offense improves by leaps and bounds.

They appear to have toned down the scoreboard noise quite a bit, which was a welcome surprise. And if the band has to be on the field to play Boomer Sooner as the team comes out of the locker room, as it always should and never should have been kept from doing, then so be it. It got the crowd into the game from the get go, which the electronic noise from the scoreboard never has and never will.

And when you say the o-line was borderline pathetic at times, you mean 99% of the plays, correct? That o-line is absolutely, positively abysmal! They gave up sacks to TEMPLE! MULTIPLE SACKS to TEMPLE! The offense went 0'fer on 3rd downs, mainly because they couldn't run the ball worth a crap and that line couldn't pass block either! I may be having one of my overreactions here, but is it time to put Bill Bedenbaugh on the hot seat? Clearly, they didn't recruit very well, and the players they got in the portal aren't any better! I know it's a new offense, but basic skills like run and pass blocking don't change that much between offenses. I thought we might lose 3 games this year because of that gauntlet of a schedule the SEC rewarded, (see punished for Bob Stoop's temerity to tell them the truth!), us with but that o-line may cost us 5 games.

On the positive side: I think the defense is better than even we are giving them credit for. They did EXACTLY what a top tier defense should do to a lesser opponent, and the defensive line ate up the Temple O-Line like they were post-game snacks! There was a time not so long ago, that Temple would have put 21-28 up on the board and we would have said: "Yeah, but we scored 60 so it's okay." In this game they gave up 3 and we were like "d**n that sucked!" I think the defense line is going to be a weapon, and even if you get past them, you still have to deal with All American linebackers and the defensive backs were aggressive and borderline mean, and I'M HERE FOR IT!

Overall, I was so happy with the defense that I'm not panicked about the offense yet, but if that offensive line doesn't get something going the defense is going to spend huge chucks of games on the field which will result in fatigue and injuries and that isn't good, my friends! We have 2 more games to figure it out before we get a challenge and let's hope that BV does what BV does and gets the problems resolved and quickly.

BTW, I'm surprised by your comment about the band on the field. Was the band blocked from being on the field by the moronic mafia...er, I mean the Big XII rules people?

[WishBone]

Pippen Wrote:They appear to have toned down the scoreboard noise quite a bit, which was a welcome surprise. And if the band has to be on the field to play Boomer Sooner as the team comes out of the locker room, as it always should and never should have been kept from doing, then so be it. It got the crowd into the game from the get go, which the electronic noise from the scoreboard never has and never will.

Just out of curiosity" how long have you been attending OU games?Just asking for my own curiosity...nothing dismal or sarcastic at All.You certainly strike me as a fan who has long attended game as many of us have but you post with a different persona than some pertaining to gametime activities....video board,music...etc....just curious?

[Fly]

I think we are DOOMED! .

Fly

[Zgeo]

I think we are DOOMED! .

Fly

Don’t underplay the disaster of a 51-3 victory over an FBS team at a school with an enrollment over 35.000 students. This kind of poor performance says we have nothing but heartache ahead….

[Fly]

I hope I,m wrong in my questioning the hiring of Littrell . Lebby leaving was horrible timing for us with recruiting signing day so close.
I think BV had to make a decision quick in filling that spot. JMOHOP. We fans have no clue to what system they plan to run.
I hope I,m wrong but if the timing of Lebby leaving would have been a lot earlier & BV did not have to rush his decision, we might
have a very high profile OC now. The old saying is (Timing is everything). But BV had to fill that spot Quick. We shall see. I know
Littrell kept the offense simple for this game.But make 1 first down in 12 try’s? Let,s wait & see.

Fly