First, the Pat Bostick watch is over in Pittsburgh. His father has come out and said he should be back in Pitt's camp by this weekend or early next week, so all the Panthers can exhale and continue their safety dance. And, I have to say I love the Wannstedt bashing -- sounds like we have ourselves a little anti-Pitt coup...keep up the heat!
But, to what I really wanted to get into today...Everyone has their britches in a bunch because I didn't rank Oklahoma in the Top 10. There's been a lot of hating going on so I want to back up my stance even further.
- Let's review my top 10: USC, Michigan, Florida, LSU, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M and Tennessee. With the exception of Wisconsin, all of those schools have a solidified starting quarterback -- all of whom have some form of experience. Oklahoma does not. Oklahoma does not have an option with a lick of experience. "Yeah? So what about Wisconsin?" Well, Wisconsin will run the ball down your throat with P.J. Hill. I know Oklahoma will as well, but there's going to be a drop off in the running game this year. Allen Patrick is good, but Adrian Peterson was the second-best player in college football last year (Calvin Johnson being first). You don't just lose the best running back in the game and stay the course. Patrick will be fine, he'll average over four yards a carry, but he's not AP. Sorry, that's just the way it is. And finally, if you look at the two quarterback battles, I really think Wisconsin will come out with a more favorable option, no matter who Brett Bielema picks, than whoever Bob Stoops settles with.
- Oklahoma is arguably the fourth-best team in their conference. Yeah, there are only four good teams in the league, but the stronger side of the bracket is the Big 12 South, where Oklahoma calls home.
- Do I really think Texas A&M is that much better than Oklahoma? Yes. I do. We went over this, but we'll go over it again. If Texas A&M's defense improves in the slightest fashion, the Aggies will control football games with their rushing attack. Oklahoma has better receivers than aTm and a better offensive line, but it's not like A&M's line is weak: It paved the way for a Top 10 rushing offense last year.
- September 8 is huge for Oklahoma. If the Sooners can top Miami at home, then maybe I'll take a bite of crow (but there's no way I'd eat the whole thing that early). However, I think Miami has a great chance of winning that game if a quarterback decided to show up. I honestly see Miami winning this game, and that could set the tone for a very long season in Norman.
- "The coaches obviously don't agree with you. The poll shows it." So what? The poll had Florida State as the preseason No 10., and we all know how that turned out (look up 6-6 in the dictionary).
If I wanted my poll to look like the coaches poll, I would have waited until this month to be talking Top 25. But, that clearly wasn't my motive. So while all of you chant Boomer Sooner, I'll be at Yell Practice.
And stop hating.
Comments (12)
you an idiot oklahoma is one of the two best teams in the big 12 the other being texas to say ou is the fourth best team is the dumbest thing i've ever heard.the north is still a joke and only texas can run with oklahoma in the south so until someone other than texas or oklahoma steps up it will remain the big 2 and the little 10.
As far as the running backs go, you're forgetting that OU won all 8 games that Peterson didn't play in. You're also forgetting about DeMarco Murray, Moses Maddu, Chris Brown..., there's not just one RB, Oklahoma has as much depth at this position as any team in the country. As long as they have a QB that can get in near Malcom Kelly, it shoudn't be much of an issue.
No hating, just debating. A&M in your top 10? I guess your cable went out during the Holiday Bowl. A&M is a fraud until they prove otherwise. They beat Texas because the Horns were still in shock from their K-State loss and McCoy was at 50% or less. The Sooners beat A&M in College Station despite only having 39 passing yards. This year's game is in Norman.
Just want to point out that Oklahoma has won 4 conference titles with 4 different QBs, none of which were considered NFL caliber (although Paul Thompson remains on the Pack roster for now). The Sooners' rushing total in 2006 increased in Peterson's absence. What truly separates Peterson from his successors is his stamina for the entire game - thus the nickname 'All Day.' The Sooners will be just fine because they have three backs to share the carries and they are running behind an offensive line that will be even better than last year. By the way, did you see the spring highlights of DeMarco Murray?
Your analysis barely considers the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma has a better defense than A&M. The Sooners might have the best defense in the conference with the question marks in the Texas secondary.
Quit hating? If you don't want people to criticize your opinions don't put them out in public! A little sensitive aren't you?
Besides saying A and M is better than OU invites it. How many times has Franchione beaten Stoopes??
When Oklahoma beats down the Aggies again in Norman I just hope you aren't full of excuses.
I thought Fran would turn A&M into a contender when he left Alabama but here are the cold hard facts on Fran's tenure in Aggieland (per aggiesports.com).
3-10 in November
5-16 against Top 25 opponents
2-12 against OU, Nebraska, Texas and Tech
You woke up thinking you had a brain storm. Too bad it was just gas.
DEFENSE! DEFENSE! DEFENSE! Oklahoma wins the conference most years because they've got solid schemes on the other side of the ball. A solid O-line and running game will help the young QB develop. A&M will be a fine team, Frans best yet, but when you come to Norman you usually don't leave with a win.
Boomer Sooner!
Im a huge OU fan but im also a realist, you make many valid points, and I too think ou deserves to be top 25 but not top ten(yet), how the season progresses will detirmine the polls that matter(i.e. final)however one thing I will disagree with you on is the OU running back situation
Allen Patrick, and Chris brown are known quantitys, and can get the job done, and the unkown Demarco Murray and Mossis Madu look good, so AD will be missed but the time share going on will more than make up for his loss (plus less d's stacked against the run)
Man, I thought that journalism is supposed to be based on 2 things: cold, hard facts and an unbiased opinion!! OU's defense is going to be special this year. Not only do they have the best secondary with 2 guys on the Thorpe watch list, but there Def. ends are better than last year and their d-line is going to be a wrecking crew. Rufus Alexander had a sub-par year last year and he has said since then that this years LB's are better than him. So lets see how the Aggies run the ball this year. Second point, OU's offense is going to be as explosive as anyone's in the nation. Not only do they have a stable of RB's (with reggie bush look-a-like Murray), two amazing TE (Finley and All-World Gresham), their top 5 WR's back (including future 1st rounder Kelley), the best O-Line in the NATION, and a QB that is as athletic as they come in Sam Bradford (who has been there for 2 years now getting reps and learning the system). So go ahead and sound IGNORANT and say that OU is the 4th best team in the South. A&M needs to win in Norman sometime...maybe OU wil spank them 77-0 again!!
I had pizza for dinner last night.
Point being, this guy's opinion is about as useful as knowing what I had for dinner last night.
You know, like all of the other people that have blogged here have said, u have no idea what u are talking about!!!! How is Ou's running game going to be weak. They have Allen Patrick back, and Demarco Murray, by the end of the year, will be one of the top 5 backs in the nation. in my opinion, Demarco is just as special as AD, because he is faster and shiftier. also, ou will have one of the best, if not the best, defense in the nation. If you look at last year it wasn't the inexperience at qb that killed us, it was the defense. I can't see anyone in the big 12 other than maybe Texas beating us, especially not the #9 team in the nation (hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah) the Texas A&M Aggies. Franchione will choke once again and A&M will go to some podunk bowl once again. BOOOOOMMMMER SOOOOOOONNNEEER!!!
ouch, 4-0 for the sooners must hurt. and how about that lost for the aggies to Miami. No QB! right!!!