Two weeks ago, at halftime of the OU-texas train wreck, the writers of this blog and its most loyal reader openly speculated, nee pleaded, for Mike Stoops to get fired at halftime. We hoped Lincoln Riley would hand the playbook and play calling duties to Ruffin McNeil and allow Mikey to scream up in the booth to his heart's content whist causing no further damage to the Sooners.
Turns out it may have happened. Stoops was gone by Monday. Now the most intriguing part of this is not that Ruffin McNeil will be calling plays. That will be improvement enough. No, it's this Bob Diaco fellow. He's had a bit of a winding road at Notre Dame, UConn, Nebraska and now here. But, at OU he's been a "defensive analyst". The job description sounds a lot like any other asshole watching games except he got to meet with coaches and help conceive game plans (get turnovers, tackle, etc.). He couldn't go to practices, he couldn't interact with players and he couldn't be near the field on game days.
Now he can. So he can be an actual breath of fresh air for the players while Ruffin McNeil provides some transitional stability. Given that Mike should have been let go when Lincoln Riley came on board but was let go mid-season a year and a half too late, I guess this is as good an outcome as we could hope for.
OFFENSE
I'm running out of superlatives for Kyler Murray. You can watch any other game and see quarterbacks who look like they are in quicksand when the pocket collapses. Murray's ability to not only escape but be at full speed in two steps is a game changer. His 60 yard run against texas probably would have vaulted him to the top of the Heisman heap had the Sooners had an inkling of a defense.
The best news for this offense coming into this week is that the running game is rounding into form. The Sooners averaged seven yards per carry against texas. I'm not buying what TCU is selling this year. These numbers should continue for the Sooners.
Out of sheer vanity I don't like Kyler Murray leading in rushing. However, that's moronic. If it works do it.
That said, I'm going with my guy Hollywood this week. I just want to see him shred the Horned Frogs.
DEFENSE
We all know the D is going to look like baby eaters this week. They played so bad they got their coach fired. Now they have a new voice, a fresh start, open positions and they are facing a quarterback who, in 100% honesty, I have never seen make such poor decisions at the position.
Have you ever seen a razzle dazzle play where a non-quarterback is throwing the ball, the play unravels, he shits his pants and makes the worst decision of all time to throw across the field into triple coverage? The TCU quarterback does it five times a game. No shit, I cannot imagine how bare the cupboard is behind him. He has no business being on the field.
So, the Sooners will likely force more turnovers on Saturday than they have up to this point this season combined (5).
For my DPOG I'll go Curtis Bolton. He apparently was the most fired up about the D's woeful showing. He's been as good as anyone all year. He's a senior. He should step up.
I'd also like to say for the record that while a solid defensive showing is so predictable that Vegas isn't taking bets on it, the real thing to watch for is two or three weeks from now. What the D looks like then will determine the fate of this football team. Literally anything looking like competence could give the Sooners a sporting chance to make the Playoff.
THE SCORE
This is the perfect situation for the Sooners. A coaching change coming off a loss and a bye week. They play against what might be the worst starting quarterback in the Big 12 (saying something). The Sooners are going to cruise.
Sooners 56 Horned Frogs 17
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner
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