Big day Sooner Nation, nay, HUGE day. Stoops gets the chance to play spoiler for the first time in a BCS game that I can think of off hand. Will the lack of pressure and/or expectations provide enough motivation to not just expect to win by putting on the uniform? Will all of the slights, all of the foregone conclusion speak create a big enough chip on the collective shoulder of Sooner football? Did UCF provide a wake up call for all of the "goliaths" out there? I am skeptical.
The Sooners come in with almost no one giving them chance. The best we can muster from anyone who pretends to know what they're talking about is "they'll play Alabama tougher than people think". That's great, keep that shit coming. I'm sure Bobby's pregame speech will include something about how if we play hard, maintain our assignments, hit 'em in the mouth early, and play Sooner football, we'll keep this thing within 28 points. Or not. Look, I love the "nobody believes in us" card. I'm glad to finally be the ones playing it as well. That said, Alabama is really fucking good. They're better in nearly (if not all of them) every phase of the game. I don't have a great feeling. More accurately I feel like we're going to get stomped on the scrotum.
Sooner nation is riding high after an improbable road win in Bedlam. Against an OSU team we didn't have much business beating. Against an OSU team that is nowhere nearly as good as Alabama. Today is going to take our best game, not of the season, but of the last decade. People seem to forget our offense has been anemic all season. This is the best D we will face. Alabama is hard. End of story.
Offense
People continue to point to the Auburn game as an indicator that Alabama is soft against the run. Hey, we run the ball pretty well, we've got a good chance here. I hope that is true, I'm sure Alabama has heard similar things. I do think that if we go into this thinking Student Body Left, Student Body Right, we're fucked. Yes, I think we need to play ball control, that is essential. The running game is our bread and butter and it will have to be awesome today for us to have a chance. However, if we can't make a few big plays, convert a few long third downs, and keep them honest with the passing game, we're fucked. So, I'm going on a limb here and picking Jalen Saunders. He's been our most electric player the last few weeks. I think he does some explosive things and makes a couple of huge plays.
Defense
This is where things get (even more) dicey. So many guys absolutely have to play well for us to win. We need strong play up front, Chaz "Ass" Tapper et al need to be dominant. On the back end, Aaron "Motherfuckin" Colvin needs to lock down half of the field so safeties can make plays and Gas Rag is as un-Gas Rag as possible. In the middle Frank Shannon has to fly around and bust heads anywhere in the middle of the field. Eric Striker needs to be his hair-on-fire self and have his facemask in McCarron's ass early and often. With all of these guys essential to our success, I still think one guy steps above the others. Dominique Alexander is that guy. I think he's in the backfield, he's a blanket in coverage and he even forces a turnover. America, meet Dominique Alexander.
Score
Oh Billy. Billy-Billy-Billy-Billy-Billy. It's time for Stoops to take the velvet sleeve off of the putter. I'm not going to pretend I feel good about this. They are the better team. Slighted underdogs or not, we have a slim chance of winning this. We'll need big plays, we'll need to get our defense off the field on 3rd down, and we'll need to win the turnover battle (handily, I suspect). I'm not saying those things can't or won't happen, I just think it's a long shot. With all of that doom and gloom in mind, I slowly and proudly extend both of my middle fingers in no particular direction. I think we do what it takes to restore some much-needed respect to our program. Sooners find a way to pull off the stunner, 27-23. Now lets beat the shit out of these rotten fucks.
Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
OU vs. Bama - Sugar Bowl
Welcome to fantasy land. For the remainder of this column we will operate outside the bounds of reality and pretend the Sooners have a shot at beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. We will imagine a world where some version of Trevor Bell or Blake Knight (I'm combining the names; who knows who is starting and we'll probably see both anyways) and Josh Heupel can move the ball and we can imagine a world where the Sooner D can avoid being crushed into rubble under the brute force of the Alabama running game.
Let's remember that past Alabama National Champion teams are not this year's Alabama squad. Let's remind ourselves that past bowl game embarrassments are not the same team as this year's Oklahoma squad. It's a new day. Anything can happen.
OFFENSE
Obviously Bama is going to load up to stop the run and force the Sooners to beat them via the pass. How effective can the Sooners rushing attack be without resorting to bullshit and trying too hard to be cute? This needs to be the Brennan Clay show with some good decision making on the QB read by Blake Knight.
Also, Trevor Bell needs to be able to make easy throws without abandoning the run game entirely. Use one to set up the other. Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepherd can get separation on anyone. If the ghost of LaColtan Bester could hang on to a ball that would help things tremendously.
For my OPOG I'm going with Jalen Saunders. He's been a beast lately both as a receiver and punt returner. He'll need to be awesome in both phases again, especially offense, to soften up that run defense.
DEFENSE
The good news is AJ McCarron is not known for his scrambling ability. The bad news is Bama has a guy named TJ Yeldon who is damn good and the Sooners can sometimes be soft up the middle. I fear the ground and pound from Bama.
Somebody in that linebacking crew is going to have to step up and wrap up before those Alabama running backs get to the third level and Gabe Lynn either dives at ankles or gives a well intended yet ineffective shoulder tap. My nightmare is giving up yards in chunks on the ground before McCarron goes to work on Zack Sanchez.
For my DPOG I'm going with Dominique Alexander but he's going to have to wrap up. I also want to go with Charles Ass Tapper, Frank Shannon, Eric "Ted" Striker, Aaron Motherfuckin Colvin et al but I can only pick one so it's Dominique.
THE SCORE
The Sooner offense needs to take shots, put the ball in the hands of their best players and do all this while sticking to a meat and potatoes type game plan. Screw razzle dazzle. Go right at them and work the clock.
The D can have success but if they're on the field all night this will be Baylor all over again. If they can stay somewhat fresh then hopefully they can stay aggressive and get after McCarron a little bit. They have to slow down that run game.
Here's to the last game of the year. It's bittersweet. I never would have thought after texas that this team would be in the BCS. Hopefully they can prove they belong.
Sooners 24, Crimson Tide 17
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner!
Let's remember that past Alabama National Champion teams are not this year's Alabama squad. Let's remind ourselves that past bowl game embarrassments are not the same team as this year's Oklahoma squad. It's a new day. Anything can happen.
OFFENSE
Obviously Bama is going to load up to stop the run and force the Sooners to beat them via the pass. How effective can the Sooners rushing attack be without resorting to bullshit and trying too hard to be cute? This needs to be the Brennan Clay show with some good decision making on the QB read by Blake Knight.
Also, Trevor Bell needs to be able to make easy throws without abandoning the run game entirely. Use one to set up the other. Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepherd can get separation on anyone. If the ghost of LaColtan Bester could hang on to a ball that would help things tremendously.
For my OPOG I'm going with Jalen Saunders. He's been a beast lately both as a receiver and punt returner. He'll need to be awesome in both phases again, especially offense, to soften up that run defense.
DEFENSE
The good news is AJ McCarron is not known for his scrambling ability. The bad news is Bama has a guy named TJ Yeldon who is damn good and the Sooners can sometimes be soft up the middle. I fear the ground and pound from Bama.
Somebody in that linebacking crew is going to have to step up and wrap up before those Alabama running backs get to the third level and Gabe Lynn either dives at ankles or gives a well intended yet ineffective shoulder tap. My nightmare is giving up yards in chunks on the ground before McCarron goes to work on Zack Sanchez.
For my DPOG I'm going with Dominique Alexander but he's going to have to wrap up. I also want to go with Charles Ass Tapper, Frank Shannon, Eric "Ted" Striker, Aaron Motherfuckin Colvin et al but I can only pick one so it's Dominique.
THE SCORE
The Sooner offense needs to take shots, put the ball in the hands of their best players and do all this while sticking to a meat and potatoes type game plan. Screw razzle dazzle. Go right at them and work the clock.
The D can have success but if they're on the field all night this will be Baylor all over again. If they can stay somewhat fresh then hopefully they can stay aggressive and get after McCarron a little bit. They have to slow down that run game.
Here's to the last game of the year. It's bittersweet. I never would have thought after texas that this team would be in the BCS. Hopefully they can prove they belong.
Sooners 24, Crimson Tide 17
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner!
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