State of the Union: Oklahoma
3 comments so far
February 1, 2007 by
The ninth in a twelve-part series about the state of the Big 12
When a coach hears he "can't win the big one", it means he's not losing many little ones. When he hears, "he hasn't done it with his own players", it means he has gotten it done with someone else's. You have to really nitpick to find anything wrong with the OU program.
The Sooners have been the class of the Big 12 conference, if not the nation since 2000. They coach well, recruit well, and play well, which is why they own four conference titles - two more than any other conference team since Big 12 play began.
But there are some concerns in Norman. By taking an admirable stand in kicking quarterback Rhett Bomar (the top rated recruit of 2004) off the team for violating NCAA rules, head coach Bob Stoops left himself a little thin at quarterback. Three-star JC-transfer Joey Halzle will compete with three-star sophomore Sam Bradford to start for the Sooners in 2007, though it's possible four-star true freshman Keith Nichol will figure into the mix.
Considering the rival Longhorns managed to beat the Sooners the past two years and return their starting quarterback, it's easy to see why some Sooner fans might get nervous. Losing to Boise State can't have helped build confidence either. The Sooners also have an odd pattern of only winning the conference in even-numbered years.
Still, the Sooners are the reigning conference champions and have a lot going for them. Despite the short-term worries the program is as strong as most any in the country. They haven't lost a game to a Big 12 North team since 2003. They've lost only a single home game in five seasons. 2007 may not be a banner year for the Sooners, but OU will probably still be one of the top teams in the conference.
» Enjoy this article?
Send it to your friend or get Husker news by email!
Post a comment
James Moore Feb 01 07
Oklahoma is still the flagship program of the conference of the moment. You've got to tip your hat to Coach Stoops. They do a teriffic job of recruiting, evaluating players for their system, and after last year we know that Coach Stoops is a formidable presence on the sideline. He's done a teriffic job down there and it seems that Texas and Nebraska are still fighting for permanent residence in the Big 12's resident penthouse.
Jim Barnett Feb 01 07
Oklahoma is a class program. Young people will make young people mistakes. The only short comings I see at Oklahoma are defensive backs (coaching)and Oklahoma not playing back up quarterbacks. When Mike Stoops was at Oklahoma the corners were shut down corners able to play man to man. OU is playing alot of zone: this translates to "let us depend on th athleletic ability of the players." The sooners have failed to play a back quarterback in games like Middle Tenn State. That being siad overall Bob Stoops players are better coached then most. Notice I did not compare because OU sits on a high pedestal. I am a Ravid OU fan living in Virginia.
James Moore Feb 02 07
Jim, I'm a fanatical Nebraska fan living in Virginia!!! How small the world is!!!