Bedlam 2012

OU is finishing up a run against the best offenses in the Big 12. So far, these offenses are who we thought they were. Baylor was savvy but, ultimately, not game. West Virginia was the most potent five-loss (at the time) team you are likely to see. Now it's OSU. Frankly, I fear them the most.

Conversely, the Sooner Defense is no longer who we thought they were. Sometimes statistics don't tell the whole story. Last week it did. The Sooner D at West Virginia was the worst defensive effort in Sooner history. They have been exposed and embarrassed for two weeks. Last week against West Virginia they needed someone, anyone, to step up. Landry Jones of all people bailed them out by playing one hell of a football game.

Speaking of, it's Senior Day for Landry Jones, the most polarizing player of the Bob Stoops era. A QB who re-wrote virtually all record books at OU and yet, the most readily criticized and vilified. Most praise heaped on him is deserved. When he's good he's great.

But much of his criticism is deserved as well.

I will argue forever that he leaves 150 passing yards on the field almost every game. These yards came in the form of interceptions for sure. But more often, it was a terrible swing pass or, worse, locking onto a receiver and ignoring/completely missing a more open target.

Ah well. He won a hell of a lot of football games and I really want him to win three more starting today. I hope next year I don't utter the words, "I wish we still had Landry Jones".

OFFENSE

At home, on Senior Day, against a rival, I expect the Sooners to come out humming like a sewing machine. Only a depleted offensive line can stop it completely.

The Cowboy defense is decent at best but shouldn't be able to hold the Sooners to less than 30. Shutting down Kansas and Iowa State does not make them a defensive juggernaut. No way they can stop the OU receiving corps. Will they be able to get pressure on Landry?

Kenny Fuckin Shitbag is going to pick the offensive unit up on his shoulders and make sure the Seniors, and particularly Landry, go out in style. This is the closest I can come to picking Landry. I like Kenny for 150 today.

DEFENSE

The Sooner defense is dead to rights for these last three games of the season and they know it. The Cowboys, regardless of who the Sooners face in a bowl, are the most lethal.

Joseph Randle could run for 300 yards. I guarantee Cowboy receivers will be running across the middle all day. The Cowboys are not near the levels of the last two years but they can pile up the points.

On the other hand, the Sooners have pride and legacies are at stake. 

What can the Sooners do? They can start making plays at the point of attack or they can change the scheme up a bit. Both seem difficult to do at this stage of the season. Things are a bit hard-baked by now.

I'll take my chances and hope that players will start making plays. It appears to be near impossible for coaches at this level to change schemes. I'm taking Senior DeMontre Hurst. Not that he'll have the most chances to make plays at the point of attack. He's just the most trustworthy not to screw up and he takes away half the field. He's been as solid as any DB in the Stoops era. He's had his position on lockdown for four years and no one has challenged him. He's about the only player you can trust over there these days.

THE SCORE

Of all the teams, nobody schemes on offense like the Cowboys. Of all teams, they are least respectful of the Sooners. If it can be said that anyone occupies time in Bob Stoops' headspace, it's Mike Gundy. In short, OU should be very concerned.

The Defense has been so sieve-like that the Offense might not be able to keep up. Is it possible the Sooner D is this bad? Is it possible to right the ship? Of course it is. And there's no better time than today.

Sooners 42 Cowboys 38 in a barn burner.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner

The Oklahoma Sooners Versus the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame

Get yourself buckled up boys and girls because what we have here is a big damn football game.

Sooner Head Football Coach Bobby Stoops said earlier this week that it's probably the biggest game since Nebraska came rolling into town one Red October back in 2000. Navin and I were at that football game and I can say that it was, without a doubt, the best atmosphere for a football game I've ever been a part of. It was the first time at any sporting event that I literally felt electricity in the air.

The Sooners of 2000 were a Cinderella story in college football and the contest against the Huskers put the Sooners back on top. The thing is, in the Spring of 2000, nobody looked at the calendar, saw Nebraska on the schedule, and said, "Boy is that going to be one hell of a game." On the contrary, most  people probably hershey squirted their pants a little. Nebraska was a juggernaut at the time.

Flash forward to the Spring of 2012, however, and every Sooners fan I talked to was looking forward to this contest. It's the first time I can remember such a thing in my adult life. Not only was everyone looking forward to it but now we find a contest worthy of the hype.

All of this to say that there will almost certainly be electricity in the air once again come Saturday in Norman.

I am giddy that we find ourselves, Sooner fans, in the position of doing the circling on the calendar for once. And, I don't need to remind anyone how well the Sooners play when they are looking forward to something (look at Texas two weeks ago).

OFFENSE

The Notre Dame defense is the reason for their 7-0 start. They have yet to allow a rushing touchdown on 3rd and goal situations. Is this the day the Belldozer is contained? I'm interested in finding out. It's inexplicable that the Belldozer has yet to be contained. If anyone can do it, it's the Irish. Today is the first day I'm really excited to see him in there and I really hope it works.

The Irish also have a LB in Manti Te'o who is appearing on some Heisman short lists. He sounds like a man among boys and, in that sense, is frightening. Turnovers are the reason the Sooners have one loss. If the Irish are as fierce and ballyhooed as the pundits say, then this is a classic turnover battle game. Landry has to have protection. How far has the O-Line come since K-State. We find out tonight.

The Sooner offensive arsenal, including Special Teams, is scarier than the Irish Defense. This Te'o fella can't cover them all and smear Landry at the same time. The Sooners need to pull out all stops and take their dynamic propensities to new heights.

My favorite weapon on a day like today, and my pick for OPOG, is Night Train Trey Millard. He's the most versatile. He's a matchup nightmare. He is a man among boys on the offensive side of the football.

DEFENSE

I ain't skeered of the Irish offense. The Sooner D has been getting stronger as the season wears on and they have another shot on national television to prove they are elite.

By all accounts the offense for Notre Dame is predicated on the run game. This means a lot of Tommy Wort which is not ideal, unfortunately. Hopefully the Sooners won't get burned on play action if he's in there.

I'm unconvinced that the Irish have faced anything resembling the Sooner defense. The Irish have put up enough points to win against teams that don't really strike fear in opposing defensive coordinators.

For my DPOG today I'm going with Demontre Hurst. I think the Irish will try to sneak in some big pass plays and they have to pick on someone. Demontre will make them pay.

THE SCORE

I think this one goes along the same lines as the K-State game. It's a race to 30 points. The Sooners can't turn the ball over more than once and get there. The Irish will have to capitalize on mistakes to do it.

The atmosphere will be off the charts. The stadium will be candy-striped red and white. They are handing out rally towels (the first time I can remember a giveaway). The proverbial roof was going to be blown off without these gimmicks but it's going to be a scene unlike any other. It obviously favors OU.

OU 24 Notre Dame 17

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner!

OU vs. K-State

Last week was an abomination. Gabe Lynn got torched so bad that Brent Vanables had to use a fire blanket to pull the lad's scorched corpse off the field. The Sooners tackling was atrocious but it's hard to say it was worse than their ability to shed blocks. The offense lacked imagination until it was too late. 5 consecutive three and outs is impossible to imagine. But it happened. Then there was the oft-maligned kicking game.

Was it a lack of motivation or Texas Tech just playing a great game? Is OU a bad team? Injuries? I can't believe it was a motivation issue. With each passing week the ultimate prize is one week closer. Even a 19 year old should be able to grasp that pretty easily.

Let's face facts: The Sooners looked average against Mizzou. They looked great against an inferior texas team. They looked average against a woeful Kansas team. And they gave up 41 points at home to a Texas Tech team that barely lost to Kansas State and Texas A&M.

Next up for the Sooners? Kansas State and Texas A&M. Oh my geez.

This week is make or break.

The matchup with K-State was already looming large but now it sets the tone the rest of the way. Lose, and nothing that lies ahead is easy save an Iowa State home game. Win, and confidence is renewed going into next week with another big one against A&M.

One last gripe about last week. The game started late and the weather sucked but by the time the Sooners were going for an onsides kick there were about 20,000 people left in the stadium. OU fans are the worst. 65,000 "faithful" were happy to bail and the oft criticized student section was never full.

OFFENSE

I'm tempted to pick Roy Finch because he played so well last week and I have no idea if Dom Whaley will be back. On the other hand I seem to be on a run of jinxing whomever I pick. In that vein I'll go with James Hanna. That way if I'm wrong it'll be so right because anytime the Sooners remember you can attempt a forward pass to a Tight End good things usually happen. And if I'm wrong it'll be just like every other game and Broyles and Kenny Fuckin Shitbag can get theirs again.

DEFENSE

I'm just going to come out with it: Demontre Hurst. Last week he actually got picked on a little bit and the Red Raiders had some success. So I think K-State will try it since they saw it on film and I think Hurst bounces back.

Let me also just say how desperately this Defense needs to get its swagger back. After ball-hawking the first 5 weeks the Sooner D has forced exactly 0 turnovers the last two weeks.

THE SCORE

I'm more nervous about this game than any other all season (that's straight from the whodathunkit files). K-State is going to be quite interested in beating some Sooner ass and ripping their spirits apart. We'll see the true measure of this Sooner football team today.

I think they'll do just enough. Josh Heupel will be playing keep away from the K-State offense. The Defense has been humbled. The coaches know they share in the blame of last week. Bobby Stoops and Venables will want to beat their Bill "Mock Turtleneck" Snyder.

Their should be no lack of hunger for anyone on the Sooner sideline. I think this could be a vicious, physical game.

Sooners 31 - K-State 24

Tip them PBR's and Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner

OU vs. Tech Post-Mortem and OU vs. Baylor

I'm about to write the easiest "piece" in the history of football. The only thing making it difficult is that I'm so drunk every sentence takes me about 10 minutes to hammer out.

I failed to write a column leading up to this Texas Tech game. If you co-write this blog you already know this. If you don't, then I'm just taking up 0's and 1's on the "Interwebs" and wasting my e-breath.

Had I written an OU-Tech pregame it would have said something about how Landry Jones (no nicknames; Solidarity) was certain to throw for 400+ yards and who knows how many touchdowns. Well, he had 5. Big fucking deal. I would have said DeMarco would be steady as a rock and how the defense would get some sacks and get some turnovers. Well, they did. Of course they did. It's a fucking joke how this team is all-world at home and first class pant-shitters on the road. I couldn't even enjoy this game because every time something positive happened I couldn't help but say to myself (or, because I may or may not have been inebriated, to every one in my purview), "OF COURSE THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE WE ARE AT HOME, NOT ON THE FUCKING ROAD!"

It's so easy to predict it's sickening. The Sooners can beat anyone by two touchdowns at home. I'd love to make it a challenge and look forward to the road games coming up (Baylor, OSU)  but it's not so much an anticipatory adventure as much as a fucking crapshoot.

Oh well, on to bigger and better things.

Baylor should be as close to a home game on the road as Texas is at the Cotton Bowl. I mean, all bets are off if the Sooners don't show up for this one. But Robert Griffin III is quite capable and to call us shaky on the road is like calling Tony Parker foolish for cheating on Eva Longoria.

But who gives a shit because you know why? I'm going to New York City to watch this one with my buddy and fellow co-blogger Navin. I could not be more pumped. I COULD NOT BE MORE PUMPED!

We'll be enjoying some adult beverages at a hole-in-the-wall, Sooner-themed bar in Manhattan where we'll, together, get to witness an OU road-game bed-wetting. Innocent bystanders might not be ready for the scene, even New Yorkers.

I'd like to say we'll have the wherewithall and inclination to do something maxo-zune-dweebie like co-blog or live blog the game and our experiences. But we are not assholes so unless something really strange happens (probably won't because we'll be so sober) don't count on it.

Quick picks before I hit the road.

Offense
It can only be one of four players. DeMarco, Ryan Broyles, Kenny Fuckin Shitbag Stills or Roy Finch. I feel like I pick DeMarco every week so he's out. Ryan Broyles only sets records at home because Landry gets confused when he isn't wearing a red jersey. So he's out. Ditto Kenny Fucking Shitbag. Roy Finch might not get on the field. Coaches Stoops and Wilson will explain it away like the Baylor scheme wasn't right for him or something nonsensical. Nonetheless, I'm stealing a page out of Navin's playbook and picking Roy.

Defense
Another crapshoot. Obviously someone is going to have to shadow Robert Griffin III. So whoever that is makes for a good candidate. But that person is probably a LB. That means Tom Wort (fuck no) and Travis Lewis (becoming the pick du jour a la DeMarco on offense). Shit. Well, I guess I'll go with Jamelle Fleming. Demontre Hurst never gets opportunities and Griffin III will throw to someone so it's Fleming by default.

The Score
Well, let's see if the Defense can defend the middle of the field. Let's see if they can keep Griffin III from running roughshod all day long. Let's see if the offense can keep from stepping on their own dicks. Of course I'm hopeful. But then of course I'm delusional.

OU 35 Baylor 21