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Could History Repeat Itself After Sooner Defeat? by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Columnist November 12, 2002
Barry Switzer stood before a dejected group of young athletes in the locker room of Memorial Stadium after taking a 27-14 beating at the hands of Miami. The Hurricanes had blasted a dominant Sooner D that had given up just 20 points in three games and Oklahoma's title hopes seemed to be dashed. Switzer stood there with a grin on his face and simply said, "I'll tell you what men, I'm inspired by our offense!"
The scene that you can find on old highlight reels of the 1985 National Championship season is almost chilling when you think of what those Sooners did after that game. The offense rolled through every team left on the schedule with the closest game after that being a 13-0 victory over OSU in the famed "Ice Bowl".
Obviously there are many differences in this year's game and that one. Texas A&M doesn't have the talent of Miami in '85, this game is further into the season, and this year's team isn't led by a Freshman Quarterback named Holieway. However, this was the first time since the end of the 2000 season that we saw an Oklahoma offense move the ball effectively from start to finish against someone other than Tulsa, UTEP, or Baylor.
The Sooners had scoring drives of 55, 72, 75, 73, and 65 yards while amassing a total of 401 yards (153 rushing, 248 passing). For the first time in the Stoops Era a balanced offense was effective against an above average defense and if not for a defense that has been rock-solid this season faltering, Oklahoma is still undefeated and rolling to a Fiesta Bowl. Instead, most act as if the Sooners have been exposed as a Championship fraud which couldn't be further from the truth.
The final three teams on the schedule for OU are ranked in the bottom half of the Big 12 and the country against the run and represent the number 8, 9, and 10 teams in the Big 12 in total defense. In other words, a Sooner offense that seems to be clicking for the first time in two years is getting ready to play three of the worst defenses its seen all year outside of UTEP and Tulsa with the opportunity of gaining loads of confidence.
The good news about the Oklahoma defense for Sooner fans, coaches, and players is that there are no tremendous mobile quarterbacks, starting or backup, left until a bowl game. The only thing that fans can hope is that the Sooner coaches come up with a plan to stop mobile quarterbacks in the off-season. Chances are Texas, Texas A&M, Missouri, and possibly OSU will be sporting these game-breakers next year.
The good news about the offense for Sooner fans is that they may be featuring their own mobile quarterback next year if Paul Thompson is the man in Norman. Then all those sprint draws you see with Nate Hybl running the opposite way, become in essence a spread option with the quarterback.
All in all, a loss is a loss and nobody is happy about it, but the Sooner season is not over, not by a long shot. All Oklahoma needs to have is an upset of Ohio State or Miami and they are right back where they were that infamous Thanksgiving weekend a year ago, needing to win out to get another chance.
So which version of history will repeat itself? Will Oklahoma find the silver lining from a disappointing loss in College Station and turn it around like 1985? Or will the Sooners stumble on their way to the party again and leave it all for us to wonder?
"I think I'm dumb, or maybe just happy. I think I'm just happy." --Kurt Cobain
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