The Sooners take on the Sinners from Baylor today. The luster of this one doesn't match recent years. That bodes well for the Sooners.
In the past, Art Briles would dial up the ol "5 yard out and up your ass until you stop it" routine. It's effectiveness was more due to Baylor's offense being lethal than defensive ineptitude (though at the time it didn't feel that way). This year it will be because the Red Carpet (hat tip) is rolled out.
Today it might be BD Mayfield's turn to embarrass. I know I'd love to see it. It's legitimate to ask how Baylor has a football team at this point anyway.
OFFENSE
I had lunch with Travis Frye, a gentleman and scholar, who tossed out a theory that Mayfield might not play today. Mr. Frye has a side project wherein he diagnoses others drug use, plastic surgery and now, apparently, unreported football injuries. He thinks Mayfield suffered a concussion late last week and couldn't have possibly passed protocol this week.
Of course the public has heard nothing on this but it could certainly be possible. Although I also think it's likely the protocol, if it was protocoled (?), was "passed". Wink Wink Nudge Nudge Nuff Said.
If true, and he doesn't play, all bets for victory are off. The dropoff from Baker to Austin Kendall is like Domantis Sabonis stepping into the Thunder lineup to replace Kevin Durant.
The big confirmed news today though is the return of Semaje Perine and Joe Mixon. I'm going with Samaje for my OPOG today on the basis of two things. One, the Baylor run defense sucks. Two, Semaje is rested and, I assume, ready to put on some pads and run over, around and through some fools. I think he has his best day of the year today. He'll go for about 175 and three scores. Keith's lock of the week.
DEFENSE
All I can say here is that hopefully the D has built up enough confidence against Kansas and Iowa State to lift them a peg above the suboptimal brand of football they demonstrated most of the season.
This one boils down to the Sooners stopping Baylor's rushing attack. Paradoxically I think it's the secondary that will be the key. If they can be halfway decent it should free up the front to focus on stopping the rushing attack. That secondary needs to be physical and I'm not sure they have it in them. Or, perhaps closer to the mark, they aren't coached that way.
Picking someone for DPOG on this side is nearly impossible since most are injured or new. I have no idea who's even playing at a given time. So, just because for some reason he's my favorite player on that side of the ball I'll pick Sir Neville Gallimore.
THE SCORE
I have no reason to believe the Sooners are 18 points better than the Bears like the current line indicates but I haven't watched much Baylor football either. On paper these teams look pretty even so I expect yet another blood pressure raising shootout. So double down on the Zestril and hang on. Sooners 56, Baylor 49.
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Thursday, November 3, 2016
ISU
The Sooners, fresh off a dominating performance against KU, roll up to Ames on a short week to take on a scrappy Iowa State team. The Red Carpet actually put together some stops last week and looked something like a defense. Normally I'd temper all excitement with some shots at KU, but this defense is so abysmal any victory is huge. Let's hope something is starting to work, but not hold our breath while doing so.
OU, once an embarrassment of talent in the backfield are now without an injured Perine and a suspended Joe Mixon. The suspensions are just as much of a part of the Stoops clown show as the big stage embarrassments and non-adjustments. I don't have much else to say about it. Hopefully someone else can step up, but Mixon and his all-around production will be hard to replace.
Offense
With hardly anyone in the backfield, the choices for OPG are narrowing by the minute. I'd love to go against the grain somewhat and say Mark Andrews, he's due to break out (a sentence I feel I've been repeating since last year), but I am going with The Secretary. It's almost dumb to pick Dede and not Mayfield, but I'm doing it because I envision some nice plays after the catch.
Defense
Well, as promised they finally played like a team. I still don't think there is anyone over here who is worth DPG, but I'm going with Steven Parker tonight. I think he plays well. This could go back to nobody next week.
Score
This feels like a let down to me. Not that I expect anyone was overly fired up to play/beat KU, but they dominated. It's just the type of win that gets the Stoop boys overconfident and going through the motions. Couple that with a missing Mixon and Perine, a road game against a team/school who still gets fired up to play OU, and a short week and this looks like a recipe for a loss. In the upset special, I think Iowa State wins it 31-27. Man, I hope I'm wrong.
Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner
OU, once an embarrassment of talent in the backfield are now without an injured Perine and a suspended Joe Mixon. The suspensions are just as much of a part of the Stoops clown show as the big stage embarrassments and non-adjustments. I don't have much else to say about it. Hopefully someone else can step up, but Mixon and his all-around production will be hard to replace.
Offense
With hardly anyone in the backfield, the choices for OPG are narrowing by the minute. I'd love to go against the grain somewhat and say Mark Andrews, he's due to break out (a sentence I feel I've been repeating since last year), but I am going with The Secretary. It's almost dumb to pick Dede and not Mayfield, but I'm doing it because I envision some nice plays after the catch.
Defense
Well, as promised they finally played like a team. I still don't think there is anyone over here who is worth DPG, but I'm going with Steven Parker tonight. I think he plays well. This could go back to nobody next week.
Score
This feels like a let down to me. Not that I expect anyone was overly fired up to play/beat KU, but they dominated. It's just the type of win that gets the Stoop boys overconfident and going through the motions. Couple that with a missing Mixon and Perine, a road game against a team/school who still gets fired up to play OU, and a short week and this looks like a recipe for a loss. In the upset special, I think Iowa State wins it 31-27. Man, I hope I'm wrong.
Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner
Iowa State
The Sooners TCoB against Kansas last Saturday which was nice to see. The defense got some much needed positive results though I would hasten to add that they shouldn't go glad-slapping one another's buttocks just yet. Offensively, the Sooners kept on trucking. Dede Westbrook is apparently the real deal. He had about a million total yards. I like what he brings to the table. Can you believe his was the first punt return for a TD since Jalen Saunders in 2013?
From the unfortunate news department, wunderkind cum bona fide lunkhead Joe Mixon got a parking ticket and proceeded to rip it up in front of the enforcement officer. Honestly, it's a move we've all dreamed of pulling. But he's on a deserved short leash and won't be making the trip to Ames. I hate that the powers that be have to yank the chain so hard over a parking ticket but I don't think they have much choice given history.
OFFENSE
With Mixon and Perine out it's up to Abdul Adams to handle the load with the ground game. He's been serviceable and that's really all he needs to be to soften up Iowa State enough for the Mayfield-Westbrook show.
I would highly recommend the Sooners also utilize Dimitri Flowers. He is inexplicably underused and while I am not saying he is as good as Joe Mixon he does catch the ball well and would provide some continuity for an offense who has been utilizing two back sets all season.
I'm going with Adams as my OPOG since the Sooners have to take advantage of Iowa State's atrocious run defense and to set the table for the passing game.
DEFENSE
Before I forget I would like to congratulate Jordan Evans on his sweet INT for TD last week. That was fun to watch.
I am starting to get lulled into this, "Woe is us, look at our injuries piling up" mentality. This is dangerous. I'm getting set up for bad times down the road as the wins pile up and players start coming back. Plus I've been fully on board the "It's the coaching, stupid" bandwagon and I'm too invested to change course.
Question: Would you rather get let down against West Virginny, Baylor or OSU and get properly relegated to a bowl game you can win? Or beat those guys in shootouts, win the Big 12 and get roasted in a bowl game the Sooners have no business being invited to in the first place? My pride says win the Big 12 but my sour memories aren't excited about playing someone like A&M or Lousiville. Plenty of time to sort through these emotions I suppose.
First things first. Hold Iowa State to their season average of 26ish points.
THE GAME
The Sooners will do yeomen's work on offense. The ground game plays well despite not having Perine or Mixon and Baker, Dede and Andrews take care of the rest. The D almost holds Iowa State below their scoring average. Sooners roll 42-28.
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner
From the unfortunate news department, wunderkind cum bona fide lunkhead Joe Mixon got a parking ticket and proceeded to rip it up in front of the enforcement officer. Honestly, it's a move we've all dreamed of pulling. But he's on a deserved short leash and won't be making the trip to Ames. I hate that the powers that be have to yank the chain so hard over a parking ticket but I don't think they have much choice given history.
OFFENSE
With Mixon and Perine out it's up to Abdul Adams to handle the load with the ground game. He's been serviceable and that's really all he needs to be to soften up Iowa State enough for the Mayfield-Westbrook show.
I would highly recommend the Sooners also utilize Dimitri Flowers. He is inexplicably underused and while I am not saying he is as good as Joe Mixon he does catch the ball well and would provide some continuity for an offense who has been utilizing two back sets all season.
I'm going with Adams as my OPOG since the Sooners have to take advantage of Iowa State's atrocious run defense and to set the table for the passing game.
DEFENSE
Before I forget I would like to congratulate Jordan Evans on his sweet INT for TD last week. That was fun to watch.
I am starting to get lulled into this, "Woe is us, look at our injuries piling up" mentality. This is dangerous. I'm getting set up for bad times down the road as the wins pile up and players start coming back. Plus I've been fully on board the "It's the coaching, stupid" bandwagon and I'm too invested to change course.
Question: Would you rather get let down against West Virginny, Baylor or OSU and get properly relegated to a bowl game you can win? Or beat those guys in shootouts, win the Big 12 and get roasted in a bowl game the Sooners have no business being invited to in the first place? My pride says win the Big 12 but my sour memories aren't excited about playing someone like A&M or Lousiville. Plenty of time to sort through these emotions I suppose.
First things first. Hold Iowa State to their season average of 26ish points.
THE GAME
The Sooners will do yeomen's work on offense. The ground game plays well despite not having Perine or Mixon and Baker, Dede and Andrews take care of the rest. The D almost holds Iowa State below their scoring average. Sooners roll 42-28.
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Kansas Jayhawks
Today the Sooners welcome the beleaguered Kansas Jayhawks to Norman. Nobody should be happier about that than Mike Stoops. Last week his "Defense" surrendered half a mile in yardage and managed to set modern football back a decade. Thankfully, Texas Tech's D was not to be outdone as they allowed the Sooners to run and pass over, around and through them all night.
There's not much else to say about Kansas honestly. The most exciting aspect for me is it's a great game to take my son to.
OFFENSE
The holy triumvirate of BD Mayfield, Joe Mixon and the secretary Dede Westbrook have really rounded into form in Samaje Perine's absence. It's easier to read Hillary Clinton's emails than it is to get an injury report out of the Sooners so I have no idea if Perine will play tonight. On one hand the smart thing would be to hold him out since they shouldn't need him. On the other hand I wouldn't be surprised if he was back fielding punts. To put it more on the nose I'm not real impressed with the decision making of this staff sometimes.
I'm going to hop on the Dede Westbrook train this week. He is starting to exude confidence and with the Jayhawks sucking so completely he could easily go for 150 today. I'm actually going to predict 200. Boom.
DEFENSE
Here's the deal. The Jayhawks average 20 points a game. If they score 20 today Mike Stoops should quit. If they score 14 it might need to still be on the table.
If this defense doesn't come out fired up and ready to play some Rookie Level Madden D, Sooner Nation can and should be apoplectic.
SCORE
40 points is a huge spread but the Sooners should be able to cover. The defense has a lot to prove and the offense just needs to keep on trucking.
Sooners 56, Jayhawks 24
Later Mikey. Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner
Kansas
Hello reader(s), today's post will be brief as I have family in town and little time to put into this. Plus, it's Kansas so at the risk of displaying my poor attitude toward the game, no one is going to be too fired up for this one. I'm guessing the stadium has some bare patches today. KU has never beaten OU in big 12 play, that's a long time. Allegedly they play better defense than in years past, but I don't really know. They're a basketball school that also has a football team, that's about the end of it.
OU really had the full "defense" on display last week. As Mitch astutely pointed out, Tech was a one dimensional team coming in, and OU made them record setters in that one dimension. Pretty shitty is about the most positive assessment I can make for the Red Carpet. Today should be a little more manageable, though I'm sure KU will have one of their best offensive days of the season.
Offense
You could have named 3 or 4 guys last week as an OPG pick and been right. I questioned whether Joe Mixon was ready to be "the guy" and carry a full load. He answered that with a resounding yes. What a game. I do think KU will be keying on him today, in spite of a balanced Sooner attack. I could easily take The Secretary, but instead I'm going with Baker today. I think KU tries to take the run game out of it as much as they can, and he goes off with a big day.
Defense
That was an embarrassment last week. Winning helps everything, but there is no way anyone can call that performance more than dog shit. Still waiting on someone to step up.
Score
As I mentioned, I think KU has one of their better performances of the year in this one offensively. But, I think they are really overmatched on the road against a talented Sooner offense and the home crowd. OU flies out early and this one isn't in doubt after half time. Sooners win 49-24.
Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner.
OU really had the full "defense" on display last week. As Mitch astutely pointed out, Tech was a one dimensional team coming in, and OU made them record setters in that one dimension. Pretty shitty is about the most positive assessment I can make for the Red Carpet. Today should be a little more manageable, though I'm sure KU will have one of their best offensive days of the season.
Offense
You could have named 3 or 4 guys last week as an OPG pick and been right. I questioned whether Joe Mixon was ready to be "the guy" and carry a full load. He answered that with a resounding yes. What a game. I do think KU will be keying on him today, in spite of a balanced Sooner attack. I could easily take The Secretary, but instead I'm going with Baker today. I think KU tries to take the run game out of it as much as they can, and he goes off with a big day.
Defense
That was an embarrassment last week. Winning helps everything, but there is no way anyone can call that performance more than dog shit. Still waiting on someone to step up.
Score
As I mentioned, I think KU has one of their better performances of the year in this one offensively. But, I think they are really overmatched on the road against a talented Sooner offense and the home crowd. OU flies out early and this one isn't in doubt after half time. Sooners win 49-24.
Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Texas Tech
Sorry about my missing last week. I was out in the woods outside of Davis, OK at Camp Classen. I was there for a father-son camping weekend. It was good times and thank you for asking. Cellular reception was spotty at best unfortunately. Why didn't I plan ahead for just such a contingency you might ask? I have a "day job" is one reason and I don't roll that way is another.
Anyways we won and from the highlights it appears Lincoln Riley is actively looking to find ways to exploit the speed of one Dede Westbrook. From the Hot Take Department, "The offense is better overall as a result." I have no idea what the defense looked like but the Sooners won in fairly convincing fashion and Mike Stoops is still frothing and spewing on his headset microphone so I assume it was a passable performance.
On now to Texas Tech and four hours of my wife openly lusting for more close-ups of Klifford K. Kingsbury. "He's an asshole" I say. "He looks like Ryan Gosling and Ryan Gosling is my Free Pass celeb". Oh. So I'll just empty this trash real quick while you mentally make a baby with him.
OFFENSE
I'd like to ride the hot hand here and say Dede is going to light it up again. But I like the Baker Mayfield against his old nemesis Klifford angle a bit more. So here's to BD Mayfield going over, around and through a prototypically weak Texas Tech D.
What's Perine's status any way? That information is better protected than any data point on the Interwebtubes.
DEFENSE
I didn't get to watch these guys last week but I'm not sure it matters. Patrick Mahomes is poised to give the Sooners fits. Lubbock is always a tough place for the Sooners to play. I don't feel good about it.
Who's giving a shit on this side of the ball for the Sooners? I'll pick that guy for DPOG.
SCORE
I hate to sound like a broken record but the potential for barn burners exists every game. The Sooners have to score 38 plus against everyone to have a chance for the D. It makes for good entertainment if you can keep your innards from spilling out on the floor from anxiety.
I'll say 52-35 Sooners
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner.
Anyways we won and from the highlights it appears Lincoln Riley is actively looking to find ways to exploit the speed of one Dede Westbrook. From the Hot Take Department, "The offense is better overall as a result." I have no idea what the defense looked like but the Sooners won in fairly convincing fashion and Mike Stoops is still frothing and spewing on his headset microphone so I assume it was a passable performance.
On now to Texas Tech and four hours of my wife openly lusting for more close-ups of Klifford K. Kingsbury. "He's an asshole" I say. "He looks like Ryan Gosling and Ryan Gosling is my Free Pass celeb". Oh. So I'll just empty this trash real quick while you mentally make a baby with him.
OFFENSE
I'd like to ride the hot hand here and say Dede is going to light it up again. But I like the Baker Mayfield against his old nemesis Klifford angle a bit more. So here's to BD Mayfield going over, around and through a prototypically weak Texas Tech D.
What's Perine's status any way? That information is better protected than any data point on the Interwebtubes.
DEFENSE
I didn't get to watch these guys last week but I'm not sure it matters. Patrick Mahomes is poised to give the Sooners fits. Lubbock is always a tough place for the Sooners to play. I don't feel good about it.
Who's giving a shit on this side of the ball for the Sooners? I'll pick that guy for DPOG.
SCORE
I hate to sound like a broken record but the potential for barn burners exists every game. The Sooners have to score 38 plus against everyone to have a chance for the D. It makes for good entertainment if you can keep your innards from spilling out on the floor from anxiety.
I'll say 52-35 Sooners
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner.
Texas Tech
Let me start by offering apologies for my shit piece last week where I mistakenly thought the Sooners had a road game. I relied (never again) on The Oklahoman and its crack reporting, who evidently isn't aware that when listing a ____ vs ____ matchup, the home team is always second, I digress.
The Sooners head down the road to Lubbock today to take on yet another high-flying Red Raider offense, currently featuring the nations leading passer. The Red Raiders score points in bunches, and have likely had special made cups brought in this week to accommodate the boners produced in awaiting the Sooner "defense". The Red Carpet is currently allowing 33 points/game which is, astonishingly not worst in the conference. They have allowed a conference-worst 1664 yards through the air, the run defense is better, but then, why would you run if you don't have to. Tech is going to score today, a lot.
Remember, when I said OU is not the worst in points per game in the Big 12 (if you don't, seek medical attention immediately, I literally said it two sentences ago), guess who is? That's right this game is going be 85 Bears vs 00 Ravens. Normally, I'd go with a close low scoring affair in the face of this matchup, but the defenses are just too terrible, and both teams winning is predicated on scoring last in a shootout. Tech will be fired up as this is Mayfield's first trip to Lubbock since transferring, a story the Fox announcers stayed up all night devising inventive ways to run into the ground by the end of the first quarter (cue cut away to Mayfield being interviewed in street clothes, one-on-one, in a canvas directors chair).
Offense
Perine being out really hurts the offense I think. He's obviously a monster, and I think the best player on the team, but he's also fresh legs and a change of pace for Mixon. I don't know if Mixon is ready to do the yeoman's work of 30+ carries and even more touches, it doesn't feel like his style. I'm sure Mayfield will be fired up, but he'll also be a marked man and the the offensive line isn't the best we've seen. I do like Baker to have a solid day and he does so by going to his new favorite target, The Secretary--Dede Westbrook. Dede dials up 150+ yards, a touchdown, and 4 cups of hot coffee for the afternoon sales meeting in an all-around solid day.
Defense
I have to admit, at first I enjoyed coming up with different ways to hate this defense, but now it's just pathetic. I assumed at some point a player or two would stand out as solid against this turd backdrop. Alas, while bright spots have been seen, there is no consistency apart from the fact that collectively the D will be embarrassed.
Score
As I alluded to earlier, this will be a track meet. Even in years when OU had something resembling a defense they've been scored upon early and often in Lubbock. Will OU have enough to win on the road? Stoops is already in his patented mode of winning out after some terrible losses to salvage a slightly-more-than-mediocre season where he can hang his hat smugly on some selective end-point statistic about how the season was a success. So yes, the Sooners do enough to win 54-48.
Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner.
The Sooners head down the road to Lubbock today to take on yet another high-flying Red Raider offense, currently featuring the nations leading passer. The Red Raiders score points in bunches, and have likely had special made cups brought in this week to accommodate the boners produced in awaiting the Sooner "defense". The Red Carpet is currently allowing 33 points/game which is, astonishingly not worst in the conference. They have allowed a conference-worst 1664 yards through the air, the run defense is better, but then, why would you run if you don't have to. Tech is going to score today, a lot.
Remember, when I said OU is not the worst in points per game in the Big 12 (if you don't, seek medical attention immediately, I literally said it two sentences ago), guess who is? That's right this game is going be 85 Bears vs 00 Ravens. Normally, I'd go with a close low scoring affair in the face of this matchup, but the defenses are just too terrible, and both teams winning is predicated on scoring last in a shootout. Tech will be fired up as this is Mayfield's first trip to Lubbock since transferring, a story the Fox announcers stayed up all night devising inventive ways to run into the ground by the end of the first quarter (cue cut away to Mayfield being interviewed in street clothes, one-on-one, in a canvas directors chair).
Offense
Perine being out really hurts the offense I think. He's obviously a monster, and I think the best player on the team, but he's also fresh legs and a change of pace for Mixon. I don't know if Mixon is ready to do the yeoman's work of 30+ carries and even more touches, it doesn't feel like his style. I'm sure Mayfield will be fired up, but he'll also be a marked man and the the offensive line isn't the best we've seen. I do like Baker to have a solid day and he does so by going to his new favorite target, The Secretary--Dede Westbrook. Dede dials up 150+ yards, a touchdown, and 4 cups of hot coffee for the afternoon sales meeting in an all-around solid day.
Defense
I have to admit, at first I enjoyed coming up with different ways to hate this defense, but now it's just pathetic. I assumed at some point a player or two would stand out as solid against this turd backdrop. Alas, while bright spots have been seen, there is no consistency apart from the fact that collectively the D will be embarrassed.
Score
As I alluded to earlier, this will be a track meet. Even in years when OU had something resembling a defense they've been scored upon early and often in Lubbock. Will OU have enough to win on the road? Stoops is already in his patented mode of winning out after some terrible losses to salvage a slightly-more-than-mediocre season where he can hang his hat smugly on some selective end-point statistic about how the season was a success. So yes, the Sooners do enough to win 54-48.
Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner.
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