Dr. Saturday - NCAAF

Dr. Saturday

Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:18 pm EST

Raiders knock staggering Sooners' rebound hopes out for the count

By Matt Hinton

Scroll down or click here to join the Doc's game day live blog, covering every game, all day long.

Texas Tech 41, Oklahoma 13. You could see a rough season on the horizon for Oklahoma from the beginning, when All-America tight end Jermaine Gresham went down with a season-ending injury days before the opener with BYU, the rebuilt offensive line went starting a converted tight end at center and the franchise, Sam Bradford, didn't make it out of the first half before being stricken with the shoulder injury that effectively ended his college career. The seeds of the Sooners' demise were obvious enough, and the notion of matching the absurd heights of the record-breaking 2008 offense was probably folly to begin with, even if they were completely healthy.

But there was no way to predict just how low this season would sink -- with the lopsided loss in Lubbock, this is the reality for Oklahoma:

• The OU offense has been held below 2008's regular season low of 35 points on six different occasions, including all but one game outside of Norman (at Kansas, a 35-13 win). It's also been held below 400 total yards on six different occasions after hitting at least 436 yards in every regular season game in '08.

• Today was the third game in 11 in which the Sooners scored a single touchdown, not including the 10-3 loss at Nebraska two weeks ago, in which they scored none.

• Landry Jones' 13th interception on the season (most in the Big 12) gives him seven picks in the last three games, just one fewer than Bradford accumulated in either of the last two full seasons.

• The Sooners have one win over a team with a winning record, 42-30 over Kansas State, and are 1-5 on the road.

• The Red Raiders, 65-21 last year in Norman, are the second team in three weeks (along with Nebraska) to knock off OU after losing last year by more than 30 points.

That should be painful enough for Oklahoma partisans, so we'll skip for now one of the single worst afternoons ever turned in by a Bob Stoops defense -- Tech ran up 41 points and 548 yards against a Sooner D that ranked in the top 10 nationally in every major statistical category coming in -- for the real gut punch of the day: Oklahoma's fifth loss matches Stoops' first year in 1999 as the worst season in his tenure at OU, with Oklahoma State coming into Norman next week as a probable favorite to drop the Sooners to 6-6. The only silver lining at this point is that they can plausibly chalk this season's sobering slide up to a rebuilding year -- or at least they hope they can, because Stoops doesn't have another three seasons to wait on Landry Jones to finally lead a win over a decent team on the road.

digg delicious
more

18 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. dreamstream
    1. Posted by dreamstream Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:47 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    To add insult to injuries (pun intended) the Sooners lost Auston English to injuries and there were other injured D players too. I have never seen a team so riddled with injuries. Bad Karma for Stoops? But the Sooners O line couldn't hold a glass of water, Sooner receivers couldn't catch the Swine flu, and Landry Jones is NOT next year's QB. The best QB in Oklahoma is Tulsa's Case Keenum. This year is toast, but I am a loyal fan and can only look foward to next year. Stoops needs to shake up his coaching staff, spring drill had better be productive and they had better recruit like a Marine recruiter on high school day.
  2. Robert C
    2. Posted by Robert C Sat Nov 21, 2009 6:08 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Yes, the Sooners seem to have to field a new team every week because of injuries. The bad luck of this season is incredible and thankfully almost over.
    If they can manage to beat the Pokes, which I am not sure they can...well, it won't really matter. 7-5, 6-6....who cares.
    I will call it a forced rebuilding year and hope they find some studs for next year through all this forced rotation.
    Boomer Sooner!
  3. allhailcale
    3. Posted by allhailcale Sat Nov 21, 2009 6:14 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Wow. There's so much wrong with that post it's almost as funny as OU having five losses. First of all, that's the worst pun ever. Ever. Second, Case Keenum takes snaps at Houston. He's one of the smart ones who decided not to leave the sanctity of the Lone Star State. Tulsa's QB is G.J. Kinne, who is, in point of fact, a Texan turncoat. Finally, injuries are a part of the game, and if you've never seen a team so riddled with injuries, I invite you to check out last season's Georgia squad, which finished the 2008 season with 10 wins despite losing more than 20 players to season-ending injuries.
  4. ChrisI
    4. Posted by ChrisI Sat Nov 21, 2009 6:36 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Just so you know, the link brings you to the box score of the Ohio St-Michigan game
  5. kevin
    5. Posted by kevin Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:12 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Another loss for the rat infested university from Norman. This sets up the perfect bowl matchup, of the 2 most ovrrated coaches in colege today, Notre Dame vs Choklahoma.The winner will play the University of Spoiled Children in the Classic Tangerine Bowl. This just in OU is not very good and never will be as long as Stupid Bob remains the coach, but i hope Choklahoma keeps him, so there wont be any championships comint to that rat infested University. Fire Stoops immediately and regain the swagger yoiu had in the 60's lol
  6. the reds
    6. Posted by the reds Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:52 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    i think the lesson for ou here is rememeber that you have to get your players from TEXAS to compete. if you rely on oklahoma or say new mexico [like your QB], you'll have trouble. we look fwd to your visit to dallas next year to cheer on your team full of Texas players as you yell "texas sucks".
  7. DavemanUT
    7. Posted by DavemanUT Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:56 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Interesting football season indeed this year. Whole Big XII is down this year compared to the magical year they had last year. Don't worry about OU. They'll reload, they don't have to rebuild under Big Game Bob. By the way, why shake up the staff?? Spring practice wasn't the problem. Not having a key element in your offense gone before the 1st game in Gresham was huge. Don't think that it didn't affect the whole OL. Texas/OU will be one of the top 5 college games next year.
    Enough of my OU love. I do hope OSU wins, and the Big XII gets 2 teams in the BCS. Hook 'em Horns always!!
  8. AMY
    8. Posted by AMY Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:04 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Hey dreamstream, Case Keenum isn't the quarterback at Tulsa. Many you sounded like you knew what you were talking about until then.
  9. AMY
    9. Posted by AMY Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:20 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I am amazed that Matt Hinton has the pokes as a probable favorite. Treber and Eschbach give the pokes no chance to win in Norman. This team has showed no reason that they can beat OSU. I don't know why people keep making excuses for this team that is 6-5 in a down conference. The sports animal is full of homers that keep taking up for this team. Why can't you say that this team is terrible and next year isn't going to be any better. Look at who is returning and tell me why they would be any better next year.
  10. Robert C
    10. Posted by Robert C Sun Nov 22, 2009 12:15 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Well Amy - The 'terrible' Sooners lost to Texas by 3 pts. Texas will most likely be in the title game. After their loss at Nebraska, they had lost 4 games by a total of 12 pts. All to teams that were still ranked in the top 25.
    Not sure how that is terrible...
    But Yes, they were terrible today. But one game does not make them terrible.
    The excuses are pretty valid. Heisman QB out, Best TE in the country out, best O-line gone, defensive studs hurt....replacements everywhere hurt...etc...etc..
    Before today I was pretty proud of how they have played with all new guys. Showed a lot of promise. Then they lost more guys and had nobody left...and got their asss beat by Tech.
    I think they will be just fine next year. It was a forced rebuilding year.
    OSU should win the game, but they are hurting also...and it is OU/OSU. Nothing really matters when the ball is kicked off.
    Boomer Sooner.
  11. steven
    11. Posted by steven Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:12 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Well I still say that most of the blame should be on the coaching staff. They need to prepare this team better than what was put out there today. Sure players need to make the plays but coaches are there to coach up the players. I didn't see any coaching today. Stoop does not need to go but I really think both the OC and DC needs to go. I'm not a coach by any means but I can sit on the couch and know what Kevin Wilson will call next. Especially when Jones is under center. 99% that its a running play. If I see, that don't you think well coached players on the other teams can smell the run too. This is just one example of predictable play calling that cost us the BCSC last year. We would think he learned from this shortcoming and fix it by this year. But it started again with the first game this year vs. BYU. 1st and goal and settle for a FG for a 13-7 lead. Than this lead us back to
    the DC, couldn't stop the TD drive in that game and also the first down drive in the Miami game that would of gave us the ball back for a chance to win. But they got the first down and ran out the clock. Same thing could have been said about the Texas game even after the interception late in the game. Weren't for a couple of drives and plays our season would have been different but that is football. I can accept that but I can't accept the lack of discipline that this coaching staff have instilled in Sooner Nation. Most people can train their dogs to learn how to sit, are you telling me that these high paid coaches can't get first class athletes to not false start or hold. Or even the dumb unsportsmanlike penalty that has hurt us throughout the years in big games. It shouldn't be Stoops that we are after, he needs to replace them and we will start to win the big games again like when he had his brothers and the big Mangino back in 2000. Is there any wonder that these assistants haven't been called to be head coach like his past assistants back when he was Big Game Bob. If he doesn't do what is needed to be done because of his loyalty than thats when we should question Stoops about his job. Boomer Sooner!
  12. Wayne M
    12. Posted by Wayne M Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:34 am EST

    Report Abuse

    OU is having a rebuilding year. All the adversity can pay off next year since a lot of young players will have experience.
    A couple of the other heavies in the Big XII South are going to have tough years next year. Texas will be replacing the four-year starting QB along with his favorite receiver and one of the best kick returners in the conference in Jordan Shipley. Sergio Kindle will be gone as well. Oklahoma State will probably have to replace Dez Bryant, Zac Robinson and Kendall Hunter.
  13. donna
    13. Posted by donna Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:04 am EST

    Report Abuse

    robert c you sound like big game bob with all of the excuse, zero u fans need to go hide under a rock some where in norman and not be heard from for several years......go job stoops keep up the good work.....
  14. kevin
    14. Posted by kevin Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:26 am EST

    Report Abuse

    #11, when did Stoops ever win a big game with the players he recruited, remeber in 2000, those were John Blakes players. OU needs to give that woman of a QB Bradford about 30 milion for pleading for her to come back and get tapped on his shoulder twice and plummet in the Nfl Draft, ofcourse the NFL is not flag football so Bradford has no chance at success. All you pathetic brainwahed OU fans should climb bacvk under the rock you were under and stay there it will be along time before you compete for anything. Fire Bob Stoops immediately
  15. AMY
    15. Posted by AMY Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:40 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Robert C,
    I guess the question that I was asking is who is coming back next year that makes you think they are going to make a run at the Big XII. Jones? O line? I just don't see it. They were embarrassed Sat by the worst team Tech has had in years. This makes the fourth loss this season to teams that are not ranked in the top 15. They are not losing to Florida, Alabama and Ohio State. I keep hearing excuses for this team. They are not the first team to be without their star players. Maybe this is retribution for not playing backup players when you are up by 30. Slobbering Bob had rather run up the score than play they second or third string quarterback. That kind of stuff comes back to haunt you and i think Bob is receiving a lesson.
  16. Kevin
    16. Posted by Kevin Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:12 am EST

    Report Abuse

    I'm starting to hear from other people that it may be time to start looking for new coaches for OU. Starting with Kevin Wilson. Whats everyone thoughts on this?
  17. Some Dude
    17. Posted by Some Dude Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:39 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Now, if POTTS can do that to OU in Lubbock, wouldn't that mean that we would've gone to Kansas City last year if we were in Lubbock?
  18. ltownokie
    18. Posted by ltownokie Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:41 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    to all OU haters 7 national champoinships, 6 big 12 championships. and played for national championship 4 times since 2000. Anybody else match that? Don' t avoid the question by saying they lost 3 of those NC's. THats the first thing that haters will say answer the question.

Dr. Saturday

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Matt Hinton

Dr. Saturday is a college football blog edited by Matt Hinton. Email him tips and feedback.

Contributors:
Holly Anderson, Doug Gillett, Dan Shanoff,

Related Photo Gallery

More NCAAF Photos »

Y! Sports Blogs

Dr. Saturday Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)