Maine vs. Oklahoma Sooners

 Happy Saturday Sooner fans. We're at the point of the season and the Brent Venables era where what should be a bye week, essentially, for the Sooners is a possibly anxiety inducing game. Last week, the Sooners looked competent in the first half. They ran the ball well and had a great two minute drill. The offensive line couldn't compete in the second half and winning chances slipped away.

The Sooners, losers of 4 out of their last 5, need something cathartic to happen in this game. They are a 34 point favorite and find themselves in the odd position of feeling uncertain they can put up that many points total.

It's bad you guys.

OFFENSE

The Sooners looked better in the first half. They used motion, freed up Jackson Arnold to use his legs and complete some easy passes. They ran the ball really well. It was a damning indictment of Seth Littrell that Joe Jon Finley could make that much improvement in a week. 

Today the Sooners have to take another massive step forward to get their confidence up enough to compete with Missouri next week.

Javontae Barnes and Taylor Tatum have been a nice 1-2 punch. I see them getting into the action in a lot of ways. However, Jackson Arnold really needs to be the guy. Yes it's Maine. If he can have a field day, though, and build some confidence, maybe, just maybe there's something positive somewhere down the line.

Jackson Arnold is my OPOG

DEFENSE

The only way the Sooners beat the spread is if this unit score 2 touchdowns themselves, hold Maine to 0, and the offense "breaks" out. 

It could happen and should. 

I'll go Danny Stutsman in this one.

THE SCORE

Yeah I'm writing it in. The best case scenario for the Sooners is the offense looks crisp and strong. They execute and punish in the running game. They play 60 minutes and pour it on if they are actually able to.

The worst case is a crappy offense is still crappy no matter who they play. If they punt more than three times, the boo birds will be out.

I stupidly hold hope the offense looks the best they have since the middle of last season and they can have some confidence against Mizzou, which, really, should be a winnable game.

They don't call them crimson colored glasses for nothing..

Sooners 49, Maine 0

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner.

South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Oklahoma Sooners

 Happy Saturday, Sooner fans. How we feeling this week? I'm non-plussed at best. Last week, we got torched on national tv by the Longhorns. We demonstrated we have zero offensive skills. Seth Littrel almost certainly is the problem, but everything is still so bad it's hard to tell.

Onwards and upwards, though, as a a game South Carolina comes to town. The Cocks gave Alabama all they wanted last week and they boast a terrific defensive line. This might not go well.

OFFENSE

I know adjusting is hard, and I never played a lick of football, but I would love to see this offense just build from the ground up. It starts with the running game. Get Michael Hawkins or whoever under center, put two running backs in the backfield and run some play action or misdirection of that. Go straight at the defense and learn to pound the ball. If you can't do that moderately well, you don't deserve to win anyway.

If you can figure that out, it opens up the passing. I have little faith it happens today. I'll Javontae Barnes for my OPOG.

DEFENSE

I just hope these guys don't give up and keep playing at a high level. It's a shame this defense is getting wasted by this offense. 

Today I'll go Danny Stutsman. The heart and soul needs to bounce back and show out.

THE SCORE

Apologies that my effort matches last weeks offense. Early starts and adulthood are a bear.

Sooner 24, Gamecocks 21 if we're very fortunate.

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Temple Owls vs. Oklahoma Sooners

 Hello Sooner fans and welcome to the 2024 edition of the Steamroller. Hard to believe we've been doing this since 2010. We've had almost as many page views as we've had years. Maybe the Sooners move to the SEC helps things out a bit.

Speaking of the SEC. Gawt dang, you guys, we did it. We're here. It's the premier league in all of college football. It can't be overstated how big of a deal this is for the University of Oklahoma. 

A step up this big comes with wildly high expectations, and why not. The Sooners wouldn't be here if they weren't considered one of the blue bloods of college football. Yes sir, we belong with anyone.

But what better way to have championship aspirations than by also joining the premier conference with a new Offensive Coordinator, a new Defensive Coordinator, kind of a new Quarterback, and an all new offensive line. Well, that's what our Sooners are doing.

At least the boys start off with a Friday night cupcake against the Temple Owls. 

OFFENSE

We got our first taste of the Seth Littrel/Joe Jon Finley/Jackson Arnold offense in the Alamo Bowl, a loss against Arizona. The offensive line was bare bones in that one and the trio had mere weeks to prepare. The results were uneven with flashes of brilliance from JA along with some boneheaded mistakes.

If what we saw is, in fact, a taste of what's to come, you can expect a lethal offense. There was a ton of shotgun play action, quarterback read plays that led to a lot of defensive hesitation which Arnold exploited either with his legs or by finding easy throws.

Also, and this is important, he can throw a deep ball. Newcomer Deion Burks should feast by getting an extra step on defenders as a result of the play action. If he doesn't Andrel Anthony is back in good health. He was OU's best threat prior to his going down with a "leg" last year. 

This misdirection scheme should also provide opportunities in the flat for Gavin Sawchuck with easy passes or gaping holes via the now patented pulling guard run blocking.

For my OPOG I'm going with Jackson Arnold for the simple fact it's now his team, his time and he needs to get a solid performance at home under his belt to settle any nerves. But, it would be really nice to see this re-assembled hodge podge of an offensive line get some good reps under their belt as well.

DEFENSE

Zac Alley takes over for Ted Roof and, by all accounts, Alley is a Brent Venables clone. Hopefully, unlike Venables, he knows how to use timeouts in end of half situations and can keep himself on the sidelines during game play.

Beyond that, the Sooners seem poised to make a leap on this side of the ball. They return Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman, both studs. The linebacking group must be deep as Jaren Kanek, a starter last year, is now 3rd team. Also keep an eye inside where true freshman Jayden Jackson is getting the start at DR.

What should we look for on Friday from this group? Depth, competitiveness and physicality, all led by my DPOG (and you and I both know it will be Nate's as well) Danny Stutsman. He's one of those heart and soul type guys that will lead this group all year.

THE SCORE

It's kind of cool this one is on Friday night. A lot of eyeballs will be watching. It's also a bit of a bummer it's going to take away from Friday Night Lights in Oklahoma. That said, it will look like a college football elite versus a high school football team. 

This is the scrimmage the Sooners need to shake the rust off and to start getting a comfort level amongst teammates.

It's almost over before it starts but it'll be fun to see some new faces.

OU 70, Temple 6

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Oklahoma Sooners vs. texas

Fellas, it's a pretty narrow path to a championship. For OU, you have to be undefeated heading into Dallas. Check. Their non-conference slate was borderline clinic. Box scores have been gaudy. Second, you have to beat texas, and third you have to handle your business the rest of the way. 

Texas, for their part, has also followed the same formula. They have handled their business and now we have what everyone wants; OU and the Longhorns undefeated for the first time since 2011. The winner is on the inside rail for the Big 12 championship. For OU, the path looks really favorable if they can escape the Cotton Bowl with a win. 

It's all in front of us now. Let's get it. This could be an all-timer. 

OFFENSE

Dillon Gabriel is for real. Let's have a little mea culpa here and admit that. He's a game manager. While he might miss something big or easy every now then, he's not killing you with dumb plays. He keeps the offense in good down and distance with his feet, too. 

The wide receivers are rounding in to form. Andrel Anthony leads the way and Nic Anderson really looks good to me. Jaden Gibson is a big target who can make catches in traffic. All these guys bring something to the table to keep the Longhorns honest on defense. 

The big question marks will be how well the Sooners can run the ball and how quickly can Dillon Gabriel get settled in. The Longhorn defensive line is going to be much bigger and better than any the Sooners have faced.

I'm going with DG as my OPOG. It's his first Red River Shootout and he's liable to be a little high strung. If he's some semblance of his typical self, the Sooners should be in business.

DEFENSE

As mentioned, the depth here compared to last year is just night and day, but the biggest difference I see is physicality. There are some dogs (dawgs?) out there looking to feast and they are going to be flying and cracking pads in this one. 

The D-line has to occupy the Longhorn line. I'm looking for guys like Adepoju Adebawore to apply some pressure on the edges. From there, it's discipline. This has been a very opportunistic group to this point. Hopefully they can force Quin Ewers into some mistakes while keeping him contained. 

The other obvious point of emphasis is stopping the texas run game. Texas can always run the ball. The Sooners have been pretty solid in this phase, but are we who we think we are? Thus far, the Sooners have been able to get off the field. Their bread and butter has been third and fourth downs. 

Mentally, I get the sense the Sooners are ready in this one. Danny Stutsman is the lynchpin of the D and he's my DPOG today.

THE SCORE

This really could be an all timer. I think this one's going to be fast and physical. I think the country is going to watch this one and see that the SEC is getting a couple teams that can hang. 

I think the Sooners are looking to have long, keep away type drives. The defense is going to absolutely fly around. 

My only fear is the Sooners are a little less tested than the Horns. However, in a rivalry game, in Dallas, this is neutralized. The Sooners are going to be ready and they'll respond when they get hit in the mouth. 

The Sooners win and beat the (narrowing) spread. 

OU 31, Texas 24 

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner. Texas fucking sucks

SMU Mustangs vs. Oklahoma Sooners

 Happy Saturday, Sooner fans. The mood about town this week has been one of extreme measured cautious optimism. It's borderline paranoia. Yes, the Sooners pitched a shutout, not easy to do. Yes, they put up 70 plus, also not easy to do. But there is some real PTSD from last year and for good reason.

Here's what we do know, though. The defense is better across the board. Their collective understanding of the defense seems to be better and they are definitely faster. The offense took care of business. Dillon Gabriel played great and Jackson Arnold has us looking forward. My favorite Arnold play was a swing pass that was so well placed it made the first move for the receiver, forward and away from the defender. It was a simple play, but it was cool to see the awareness.

Also, it cannot be overstated how often Arkansas State stepped on their own dicks. They fucked it up every time they needed a play or had a chance to make one. They are a bad team.

Thus, today marks a better test for the crimson and cream. I don't know shit about SMU but I'd bet my ass that they have a better quarterback and at least one skill player who can do damage. I hope their defense is better. SMU seems like they'd have some decent defensive lineman. That's pure speculation.

OFFENSE

As mentioned, I hope the SMU defense is decent. Dillon Gabriel can use all the work he can get to gel with the new receivers. I liked what I saw last week from Andrel Anthony and Jaquaize Pettaway. Those guys will need to step up if Drake Stoops can't go this week. Jayden Gibson and Gavin Freeman both looked great too. 

Today look for more of the running back by committee and a little more quarterback run game. I think I'll go with Jaden Gibson for OPOG. He came in a couple years ago with high expectations and he's struggled a bit. Maybe getting off to a good start is a boost for him. He's easily the biggest receiver the Sooners have and, at 6'5", it would be baller for him if he could become a frequent target. 

DEFENSE

Build, build, build. This group looked great last week. They did a good job of playing hard for 60 minutes. They looked fast and their tackling was pretty solid. They had a couple breakdowns that AS couldn't capitalize on and the Sooners didn't get a sack.

I definitely hope to see some more QB pressures and/or sacks. I'd like to think the Sooners played conservative but I'm not falling for that shit. 

I'll go Danny Stutsman for my DPOG. Obviously he's good, but I like his ability to take ownership of this defense and being a true captain on the field. It'll be huge for this defense.

THE SCORE

I like the Sooners to beat the spread (currently -16.0). Even if the SMU offense can score a little bit and even if the Sooners don't score every time they touch the ball, the Sooners, at home, are three scores better than the Mustangs.

I like the Sooners 35-14.

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns

 Sooner fans, this is a bizarre situation. I understand the talent level of the first three teams the Sooners faced may not be the same as the next two but I don't know that I've ever seen a drop-off on defense the way that I've seen from when the Sooners played Nebraska and the following two weeks against Kansas State and TCU. Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt were jerking off on the Sooner defense in Lincoln. Against Kansas State they got manhandled. 

OK fine. We all knew the Wildcats are tough. I hoped the Sooners could not only match that toughness but exceed it. They didn't. They Wildcats put up almost 700 yards in Norman. 

OK fine. Surely against TCU in Fort Worth the Sooners would rebound and look coherent against, at best, a more balanced offense. Nope. The Sooners regressed again. On one play the Sooner D dropped eight on a  third down passing situation and let someone break free over the top. It doesn't matter who it was for the Horned Frogs or who got burned on defense. It was unacceptable. 

It begs the question: Are there bad apples? Bad talent? Poor coaching? All of the above?

I wonder though, if quarterback play doesn't somewhat contribute to the decline of the defense. It shouldn't, let's be clear. But, it has to be frustrating seeing your own quarterbacks sailing passes over open receivers or hanging on to the ball too long and having to go back on the field cleaning up messes.

That is not an exoneration of the defense. Dillon Gabriel has been terrible, though. I imagine if you broke down tape and judged passes that 8 times out of 10 should have been completed, the OU offense looks completely different. And a completely different offense take the pressure off the defense, etc.

Make no mistake, though, there are real problems. There are way too many penalties across the board. There are way too many defensive lapses. And the offense can't stay ahead of the chains.

Now here comes Texas. Perpetually overrated. They can lose any game they play. And yet, it feels as if this season is already lost. It may be. Dillon Gabriel probably isn't going to play. Even if he did, he's clearly not on a level the Sooners are accustomed to. 

What the fuck is going to happen this Saturday?

OFFENSE

Dillon Gabriel is probably out. It sucks, but fine. He's been pretty piss poor. Sooner fans rightly should be concerned that he was named the starter before he attended his first kegger and it was because of what was behind him. Davis Beville filled in after DG was concussed on a vicious hit at TCU and he was not good. He held on to the ball too long. He was 7 of 16 for 50 yards.

OK, so, the Sooners have played three QB's in practice this week not named Dillon Gabriel. Can one of them be solid enough to win the Red River Rivalry?

My OPOG is whoever plays QB, whoever plays the most snaps and whoever gains the confidence of the offense and the defense, if that's even possible.

My guess, and 100% pure guess, is that it will wind up being General Booty. He has playing time under his belt at at least a college level unlike Nick Evers. And he's not Davis Beville or Dilllon Gabriel.

I mean, that's really the best I can hope for.

DEFENSE

I honestly can't recall a faster fall from grace then the drop-off from the Nebraska game to the TCU game.

Now, you face a Longhorn team that has a first class running back. Okay, so the Sooners sell out to stop him. What if they can't? A legit question. This is a team that dropped 8 on third and long and still let someone leak out over the top for an easy score.

What is on  the table that is positive for this Sooners team on defense? They get no pressure on the QB, cause no turnovers and are tackling poorly. It's a mess.

Obviously the Sooners have to stop Bijan Robinson. If he gashes for 6.8 yards the Sooners are fucked.

For traditions sake I will take Danny Stutsman for DPOG but I don't think anyone is worthy.

THE SCORE

I've listened to a lot of arm chair quarterbacks say that this will be blowout one way or the other. I hate to say it but I'm not sure the Sooners have enough on either side of the ball, particularly at QB, to get the job done. 

That said, the Longhorns can lost any game they like. If the Sooners can bottle up Robinson to the tune of 3-5 yards per carry and they can manage to put the Longhorns into predictable situations and they can get lucky with whoever is at quarterback, then maybe they pull off a miracle. 

I don't think it's gonna happen. But, if it does, the Sooners can win 27-24 or something very close.

These are two teams who are wounded, not particularly good, and desperate for something positive. It could be pretty entertaining. But the difference is the Sooners don't have anything remotely close to Caleb Williams under center. That's tough to overcome. 

Sooners 27, Longhorns 24

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Oklahoma Sooners versus Oregon Ducks in the Valero Alamo Bowl

Life comes at you pretty fast, Sooner fans. The last month has been bananas. The Sooners lost to the Cowboys in Bedlam. Then Lincoln Riley bolts for USC. Doom and gloom sets in for a week before the triumphant return of Brent Venables buoys the hopes and dreams of Sooner Nation yet again. We had a season with championship aspirations and a Heisman Trophy quarterback and now we've got the Alamo Bowl, Spencer Rattler gone and Bob Stoops coaching the game.

There have been decommitments,  transfers and opt outs. Rattler, predictably, is gone. Austin Stogner went with him to Shane Beamer and South Carolina and Jaden Haselwood left for Arkansas. Perrion Winfrey, Isaiah Thomas and Nik Bonitto are notables on defense who have opted out of the bowl game. These are major blows but much has been salvaged. Theo Wease (he of 0 catches all season) entered the portal but decided to stay, there have been a couple of transfers from the portal on their way in and the recruiting class is still top 10 for whatever that is worth.

Most importantly, Caleb Williams thus far has stayed. I think if he was leaving he would have done so already. But besides going to USC to follow Riley, where else could his situation be improved? Kennedy Brooks, Marvin Mims and Mario Williams have also decided, thus far, to stay. I wouldn't be surprised if Brooks opts for the NFL after the bowl game, however. 

I think they've been convinced to stay by Jeff Lebby who, statistically, has had a top five offense nationally the last three years at Ole Miss. The Sooners offense, by contrast, has been around 40 the last three years. I didn't realize this until I obsessively started following the coaching search.

All of which has me looking at the program in a new light. First, it's possible OU just got better all around. Anybody would say Brent Venables is an upgrade from Alex Grinch and statistically the offense has room for improvement. Second, it's possible that the legend of Lincoln Riley is just that. It will be very interesting to watch the development of his former players compared to his new guys over the next three years. Third, there now seems to be a very intense focus on player development and for OU to become known as a conduit to the next level. 

Oregon, if you can believe it, finds themselves in a similar if not worse situation. They also lost their coach and due to transfers and opt-outs are missing something like thirty players for the bowl game. With expectations now through the floor and nothing on the line, this one looks like it could be a pretty fun one to watch.

OFFENSE

It's Cale Gundy calling plays and one wonders if this means everything will be simplified or if new OC Jeff Lebby has been doing any work trying to install some of his offense to try out. My guess is there will be a let 'er rip approach but with a heavy lean on the run game. By that I mean I don't think the run will be abandoned the way Lincoln sometimes would and I also expect there won't be a lot of playing for field position or punting. I bet the Sooners go for it on 4th at least three times, not including some late game obvious 4 down situation. 

I'll go with CW for my OPOG because I think he'll have quite a few designed runs for him. I wouldn't call it a coronation per se, but I think this will be a showcase game for him. 

DEFENSE

This is where things get real interesting. Nearly the entire D-line has opted out. You have a handful of coaches sticking around before heading off to new jobs and you've got Bob Stoops and Venables around but, in the case of Venables, not technically part of the staff. 

I think this lends itself to a hair on fire approach where a lot of new faces get a lot of snaps to audition for parts in next years D. Things could get extremely ugly but with Oregon being so shorthanded maybe the Sooners catch some breaks. 

Defense seems harder to adjust in a short time frame and I'll be interested to see if there's as much pre-snap movement or if new concepts are being installed. I will be shocked, in a bad way, if the D does not come out highly motivated and flying to the football. Those that are here and intend to be on campus next year should be very keen to be on Venables radar as soon as possible.

For my DPOG I'll go with Danny Stutsman who impressed me all season and who absolutely should be on the short list for players to make a big jump next year in the new Venables defense.

THE SCORE

Surprise, surprise I think the Sooners win this one going away. The line is Sooners -7 and I'd be jumping all over that if I were a betting man. There is no reason to think the Sooners offense can't be potent, especially with one of the best defensive players in the country opting out for Oregon. 

And don't forget this game is a meaningless exhibition, which is when Oklahoma teams really shine. All this points to good times and one last ice bucket bath for Coach Bobby.

Sooners 42, Ducks 17

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner