2013 (half-assed) Preview

Here we are faithful reader(s), back again for another fall of The Steamroller. It's been a somewhat uneventful off-season. There were a few position coaching changes but the base staff remains intact and Mike Stoops emerges from under the blanket of not being acclimated to the new style of play in the Big 12. In other words he really doesn't have many excuses left. 

On that note the defense looks pretty thin. Up front we return very little and those that are back aren't raising tents in the pants of sooner nation. The secondary could be decent. Aaron Colvin looks tough but little else is proven and in some cases (I'm looking at you Gabe "Gas Rag" Lynn) all that's been proven is that he couldn't cover a baby's eyes with both hands. That said there are some young bucks who will vie for meaningful PT so it might not be as bad as we think. The LBs are all promise and no production up to now but we can hope Corey Nelson et al can figure it out. Things look bleaker than they have in years but the unknown also brings promise with dread. 

Offensively, things look much better with proven experience at almost every position save one. That of course is QB where a redshirt frosh won the job over the only guy who does have experience there. I'll take that as a positive sign. He's well positioned to succeed with the loaded backfield and WR corps, not to mention a pretty well seasoned OL. As for our QB, I'm clinched up like everyone else hoping for Bradford not Bomar. 

It's kind of a strange year. It's the lowest my expectations have been in years, but while the untested nature of the squad isn't ideal, I'm almost excited about not knowing. The wildcard here is Knight, and while he's been (allegedly) a world-beater in practice, that's a long way from Saturday mornings.  I'm hopeful, I like that expectations are down. Lets hope that the lack of pre-season consideration for anything meaningful pertaining to the end of the year gets Bobby back to his old ways and has this team playing like the Sooner clubs of old. 

I'm predicting a Big 12 championship, which may speak more to the conference than to our squad. 

This year's MF is none other than Aaron Motherfuckin' Colvin. 

We haven't discussed this year's Old Steady but I'm leaning to Brennan Clay. Mitch?

I'm pumped to have another fall of football at hand. We'll be back soon to talk ULM. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner.

Super Bowl XLVII

So...It's Super Bowl Sunday. Niners-Ravens.

Did you know the Harbaugh brothers are coaching against one another? Well they are and it's awesome because that never happens.

Did you know it's Ray Lewis's last game no matter what (hopefully)? It is. And few people are more divisive than Ray Lewis. The press corps will tell you.

Did you know when Colin Kaepernick was a ute, he wanted to play in the NFL for the 49ers?

Fine. You want hard-hitting? You want to know who I think is going to win and why?

::Scratches head, searches for fresh angle::

In Steamroller fashion I'm going scarlet/garnet/crimson colored glasses and rooting for the Niners. Here's why. Back in the Niner glory days my dad was a big fan. Admittedly, Montana, Rice, Craig, Young, Lott, Haley, Deion, etc. Those were heady days. This is also the franchise that gave us Merton Hanks's neck.

Merton "Giraffe" Hanks

Also, whilst I was in middle school, I loved the Jim Harbaugh-led Indianapolis Colts. They played hard and wore black shoes. For the uninitiated, that last sentence is why you should never get sucked into that vortex that is college football recruiting. 17 year olds choose which institution of higher learning they'll play football for based on similar criteria and flimsier. Might I recommend the book Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting by Bruce Feldman for a "deeper dive" without having to lose your dignity by visiting recruiting message boards.

Finally, I like this Colin Kaepernick fella. He's a lithe bad boy (tattoos). Whoops, I've said too much. I mean he throws a nice spiral and he's part of the National Football League's new wave of young Quarterbacks who are going to shape offensive trends for the remainder of the decade.

OFFENSE

Here's the deal. Baltimore is here because the team is rallying around Ray Lewis and they want to carry him off the field on their shoulders. They do not want him to lose his last game. It's a more powerful rallying cry than the time honored but effective, "Nobody believed in us" routine. The Niners don't have that. That debnidly puts them behind the eight-ball.

They do have Kaepernick and Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree and, perhaps most important, Vernon Davis. There's also this; Everyone's favorite NFL writer, Peter King, says the Niners offensive coordinator Greg Roman is the smartest football mind he spoke with on either team this week. It should be noted that Peter King picked the Chiefs to win the AFC West this season.

I'm going to pick Crabtree for my OPOG. I hated him because he was so damn good while he was at Texas Tech and he's finally looking like a man amongst boys in the NFL.

DEFENSE

Dare I call the Ravens offense dynamic? They have Joe Flacco who is solid and playing very well. Ray Rice is a beast. Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith make nice duo. I particularly like this Smith kid. He has "wheels".

The Niners defense is stingy. Patrick Willis is a bona-fide man amongst boys. Justin Smith has been a badass for forever. Aldon Smith has nearly 20 sacks. For shits and grins I like what this Dashon Goldson offers in the name department.

For my DPOG I'm going Aldon Smith. Why not?

THE SCORE

I really think this game could be one of the most vicious Super Bowls of all time. These two teams might be like Tommy and Brendan Conlon in Warrior. I'm hoping anyhow.

The Rally Around Ray factor is going to be massive but this is a man's game. It's Chess not Checkers like college. For that reason I can still talk myself into the Niners.

Niners 24 Ravens 17

I wonder what the commercials will be like?

Texas A&M

My original title for this post was "Johnny Footbal...er Texas A&M", but Mitch beat me to the punch on that one, so-to-speak. This is always a bitter-sweet post for the season. It's the last until a long summer, football void. Yet, it's generally preceding the most important game of the year. Although this isn't a BCS bowl (NIU more than proved their worth by kinda hanging with an underwhelming FSU team for nearly 3 quarters), it's certainly the cream of "the rest" if you will. In fact, apart from the National Championship and last night's (in hindsight) less-than-competitive Fiesta Bowl, I don't think it's reach to say this is the most interesting matchup of this bowl season. That fact alone has me pumped for this one.

This is the end of an era of OU football. It's the last game for an icon, the hero to all who've ever done less with more, the master of hurrying under center then standing up and looking to the sideline to see what he should do, JC's favorite son, Lonnie Jones. Needless to say, my mention of this post, and the game it pertains to, being bitter-sweet certainly alluded to Lonnie regarding the "sweet" part of it. I'm not sad to see him go, not even a little. When he inevitably throws a terrible pick this evening, I'll get some small bit of satisfaction knowing it's the last game I'll have to endure it.

However, this might also be our last year of real contention for a bit. We stand to lose quite a bit in terms of personnel. Too much to even begin to highlight really. This doesn't even include the underclassman who may leave early. I know we probably have some pretty decent young guys who will step up next season, but I think there are going to be some rough times next year. I digress however, tonight is a huge challenge and I am not sure if I've had this much doubt going into a game in a long time.

We all know about Manziere (Can I say that this nickname is number one on my list of disappointments as it pertains to conference realignment? It's too perfect, we could even alternate in "The Bro" from time-to-time. Such a bummer), he's an absolute animal. Not to mention, if you were to have Japanese scientists design a cyborg QB tailor-made to shred every OU defense of the last decade it would be this guy. This alone is terrifying, but throw in an all-world offensive line (including a possible #1 overall NFL draft pick/4 year starting LT) facing a subpar and now depleted DL and things look very grim indeed.

Our best chance in this one is to hope that we can keep pace with their scoring, we get a couple of more turnovers than them, and that Mike Stoops is able to work some of his old magic (read: don't count on it). This is getting depressing, on to the picks!

Offense

Last game of the year and I haven't given this too much thought really. I've thought about the game, but not who I think will step up. There are several people who I'd like to see step up, in fact I hope they all do. I'd love to say Justin Brown in his last collegiate start, or Fuckin' Shitbag who may also be suiting up as a Sooner for the last time, but I'm not. I'm going to go with Damien Williams. I think tonight is his coming out party on the national stage. It's high time everyone else got a look at the guy we've known was hard all year. I like him to break off at least one long one and show that extra gear. It will be awfully fun if he does.

Defense

I have about as much confidence here as I have any other game this year, that is to say none. I really wish David King or one of the guys up front really put on a clinic tonight and keep the Manziere in check. Sadly, I don't see it. For no other reason than I'm going with my heart here, I'm picking Tony Motherfuckin' Jefferson. He's gotten to the point, I think, where he's so consistent that it's hard to notice how much he does. Tonight, I think we get a taste of how dominant he can be. I've got a bad feeling this is his last game as a Sooner. I think he knows it, and I think he steps up accordingly.

Score

As I said, I've got an awful feeling here, I really do. But, I also have faith and I think if we play as well as we're capable of that we can win. They're good, but they've got the same number of losses that we do. I think the offense does it's thing, and the defense does just barely enough. It's a close one, and it comes down to the fourth quarter. Sooners pull it out (tee hee) 31-30.

Now, for the last time this season, let's roll some motherfucking heads and show these rotten bastards that they're lucky to have left the Big 12.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner.

OU vs. Johnny Football dba Texas A&M

Even though the Sooners were hosed by the BCS, the AT&T Cotton Bowl does present a more attractive matchup than all the other BCS games save the Championship. Our beloved Sooners take on Heisman Trophy™ winner  Johnny "Football" Manziel and the Aggies  down at Jerry World where, according to sources, people are paying $200 for standing room only seats. These folks, with something between "Too Much" and "Not Enough" discretionary income, are eager to see if the Sooners can avoid going 0-3 against Heisman Trophy™ finalists this season.

Elsewhere, in storylines, you have former Sooner Co-Offensive Coordinator Kevin Sumlin going up against Josh Heupel (advantage Sumlin), Landry's last stand, and the Sooner Defense with one last chance to prove it can stop anything in the middle of the football field.

OFFENSE

The 2012 Sooner offense has never really looked like the juggernaut of years past that keeps defenses on their heels with a relentless attack. But it has been able to go toe-to-toe with some of the top offenses in the country. They've struggled against the best defenses but the Aggies are not elite. In fact, I think they're ripe for exploitation.

Of course it starts with Landry. Our relationship might be love-hate but it's never boring. I will toast his obligatory INT. I will seek pleasure in knowing there's three passing TD's following it, that this game means nothing and it's the last I'll ever see of him in a Sooners uniform.

He has everything he needs to go out on a high note. The rest of the offense is all systems go thanks to Jalen Saunders not getting left in Norman after getting busted with marijuana (a deadly gateway drug kids dabble in).

I think the offense will have a field day and I really hope Trey Millard gets a lot of chances. I like him for my Offensive POG. I would like nothing more than for him to show how badass he is to a national audience. As much as I would hate to see him leave, he should take NFL money.

One last note on Landry. I hope that in the NFL he gets to study under a Master thereby improving his chances of success. Say, somebody like the Denver Broncos. That would be an awesome fit. I'm certain Navin feels the same way.

DEFENSE

The last time the Sooner D took the field they looked like they had buttoned some things up. But, they weren't playing a dynamic QB or offense like they'll face Friday night. The Sooners have been abused for a lot of the season. Most of it is their own doing in the form of missed tackles and poor D-Line play more than being lost or out game planned. Can they get it straightened out against a truly top-flight offense?

Don't you think the Sooners have to have one person shadowing Johnny Manziel on every play? Who is that going to be? Not Tommy Wort. Could be Corey Nelson, Frank Shannon, Javon Harris, Gabe Lynn, Julian Wilson or Tony Motherfuckin Jefferson. Maybe they take turns. Hell, I don't know what the answer is here. But Johnny Football is the way, the truth and the light of this offense so the Sooners must break him (in Ivan Drago voice). It would stand to reason that the DPOG should come from this group. But, alas, no.

It seems like in bowl games the best player on defense that year is the defensive POG. This year it's hard to argue for a clear cut best player so I'll go with my favorite, Aaron Colvin. My runner-up choices (for DPOG, not player of the year) would be Javon Harris for the second straight game or Frank Shannon. Neither would surprise me with a good game, particularly Shannon. But Colvin is the choice here.

SCORE

Obviously, this one has shootout written all over it. The advantage for the Sooners is that they call a matchup against this type of offense, "Next".  A&M hasn't faced a Sooner level offense outside of Lousiana Tech (whom they could not stop). I'm also not mentally prepared to put A&M into the elite class of the SEC. If they aren't elite then they're average, contrary to what any SEC fellating scribe  (read: all scribes) might like you to believe. The SEC is overrated this year. Book it.

I like the Sooners here 42-38.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner! Tip them PBR's and enjoy it.

OU vs. TCU

Well that was exciting wasn't it? It was easily a top 5 Sooner game I've seen in person.

For grins, my top 5:

5. OU vs. Texas 1996. It was my Freshman year at OU. Only RRR game I've been to. I bought my ticket the day I enrolled. My seat was about 3 rows behind the texas bench and on the 50 yard line. OU was shit that year but won in overtime. First walkoff win I saw until...

4. OU vs. Oklahoma State 2012. A puncher's brawl. No Defense. Last team with the ball wins. OU had the ball last. Unbelievable game by the Sooners. If half the teams of the Stoops era had this team's guts, Stoops would probably have 3 titles.

3. OU vs. Nebraska 1985 - Being but a wee lad I had no idea what was on the line here. Winning seemed as natural as Saturday morning cartoons. I don't have much memory of the game except for sitting in the North End Zone with my Dad and freezing our asses off. This, along with parking cars for money to buy tickets, are my first memories of Sooner football.

2. OU vs. Nebraska 2000. The cherry on top of the cake that was Red October. Best football atmosphere I've ever felt. First time I physically felt electricity in the air.

1. The National Championship game versus Florida State 2001. The culmination of a boyhood following the Sooners. Grew up during the good times, went to OU during the bad. Standing at the doorway of the real world back on top.

Back to last week.

Man, what a game against OSU. No Defense except when it mattered. A classic Lonnie game. One stereotypical costly pass and gaudy numbers otherwise. Two double digit comebacks. Then an awesome celebration that made you remember these are just college kids. The wind was so strong up in the 103 that my eyes started misting over.

So now TCU. It's TCB Saturday Part Deux. Win and a BCS game invite is all but assured. (Great question posed by friend Lucas Howard. Do you want the Sooners to go to a BCS and face Oregon? Holy smokes. I like their chances against Kent State.) Potential letdown maybe? Sure, but this team has shown over the course of the season that they can take a punch. According to Rocky that's what winner's do.

OFFENSE

Man I want to throw Landry a bone here but I can't. I dare not even speak of what he's been doing the last couple of weeks. Instead I go Justin Brown who's been as reliable a receiver as any of the greats the last few years. He's gathered in something ungodly like 30 catches the last three weeks. Sure handed, hard to bring down, great blocker. Damn, sure do wish we had this guy another year.

PS. Please, dear Baby Jesus, don't let TCU see the tape what happens when you get pressure on Landry.

DEFENSE

It seems ludicrous to say, but maybe the boys are getting their sea legs back under them. Sure, they've given up yards in chunks and they're as soft up the middle as a three dollar tart, but they made plays when they had to last week and they need to hang their hats on these modest victories.

That said, TCU does not have the kind of offense that can score 50 points against average defenses. Even these supposed experts who say the Horned Frogs rush the ball very well are being kind at best and paranoid at worst.

TCU is not that good. I can't believe I'm doing this but I'm going Javon Harris here. If he makes me look like an asshole then it will be no surprise. But, if he can turn 3 whiffs into tackles, the defense just got about two touchdowns better. It's time for him to be a difference maker in a good way.

THE SCORE

TCU comes into the game being able to exploit the soft run defense of the Sooners. But can the Sooners take away the pass and make TCU one-dimensional enough to lock in on the run? Is the historically great TCU defense good enough to keep the Sooners offense off the field?

Maybe and no.

The Sooners are too much of a load on Offense and this could be almost like a home game for the Sooners. Fort Worth is an over 50 Sooner fan's wet dream. The only better regional location is Branson.

All things bode well for our Sooners.

OU 31 TCU 17

Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner

TCU

The last game of the 2012 regular season sets OU to face the Horned Frogs of TCU on the road in Texas. TCU the last new addition to the Big 12 the Sooners have yet to face as a conference foe. They aren't as good as a few years ago, but still play solid defense and are a tough win on the road. Not to mention, I'm sure they'd like nothing more than to beat the Sooners on the way out of their first in-conference season with us.

This game marks the last (non-bowl) game of the Lonnie Jones era. It's not much of a "grey" area as to where I stand on Lonnie. As Mitch mentioned last week, he'll leave as the winningest QB in OU history with nearly every passing record, yet it constantly feels as though he underachieves. However you stand on the issue, he's nearly done, and I'm not terribly upset. I am confident of one thing however, I will not be saying the words "I wish we had Landry back" next season.

In spite of my general distaste for his play, Lonnie has done pretty well the last couple of weeks. He made some big plays against WVU and managed the game well against the pokes. He'll need to be similarly protective of the ball today in order for us to win. The real question is whether or not he will be intimidated playing a school with "christian" in the name ("does god love them more than me?"...cries).

We all know that we are counting on texas to beat Kstate in order for a victory over TCU to mean a conference championship (don't give me that "co-champs" horseshit, they beat us, end of discussion). In other words, congratulations Kstate on winning the 2012 Big 12. What is more annoying is that Kent State has a real shot at getting a BCS game. This sucks. Hopefully we crush TCU, things go our way and we're playing for a bowl not sponsored by a weed-eater. (Update: I just read that Kent State lost last night, now we're looking at the less likely scenario that NIU jumps into the top 16, not impossible but more improbable than Kent State making that leap if they had won.)

Offense

Will I reverse my unwritten policy of never picking Lonnie as my player of the game? Will I throw him the ever-so-smallest of bones on his way out? I know my co-author knows the answer to those questions without reading any further (no I will not). I do however semi-contradict myself by picking WR's often. Today will be another example of that. I'm feeling a bit like going on a limb today. I'm going with Sterling Shepard. No real reason, we've got a ton of weapons on O. He's one of them, and I have a gut feeling he will do something awesome.

Defense

Not much to say here. I'm going with Tony Motherfuckin Jefferson. It's a guess. That is all.

Score

I just can't envision another 99-98 track meet today. They play better defense than that (I think) and I don't think they can score that regularly. Although, if anyone can make them look good on offense it's us. I think we do enough, win the game and watch the scoreboards the rest of the afternoon. Sooners beat the Horned Frogs 35-24.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

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