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Sooner Victory Lacks Luster, Season Begins Saturday by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Columnist September 29, 2002
When talking of unimpressive performances against mid-major, athletic underdogs the Sooners needn't go any further than Austin, Texas to find understanding. Much like the Longhorns opening performance against North Texas, the Sooners looked uninterested and complacent in a 31-14 victory over South Florida on Saturday Night.
In week one against the Mean Green of North Texas the Texas Longhorns ran the ball 35 times for 28 yards and totaled just 214 yards of offense scoring 27 points. Against South Florida the Sooners totaled just 239 yards and ran the ball 33 times for 45 yards scoring 31 points. Both teams have been rolled defensively by SEC foes Alabama and Arkansas as Alabama rolled up 534 yards and 336 rushing on North Texas while Arkansas rolled up 547 yards, 307 yards rushing against South Florida.
What does all this mean? Nothing, OU and Texas meet October 12, 2002 in Dallas, Texas and that will determine if Oklahoma is National Title material or not. However, Missouri wants to give its opinion first.
The defense stepped up once again as the first team pitched another shutout (both scores came in the final minute against the second team) and let up roughly 220 yards. Lance Mitchell and Teddy Lehman are playing as well as expected and once the defense plays somebody who can't run like Tyler Watts or Marquel Blackwell (i.e. Chris Simms) the pressure will be more evident.
The critics of the offense need not jump on the proverbial back of Nate Hybl, this dud wasn't the fault of the quarterback. Hybl, who still hasn't thrown a pick in 2002, threw 30 passes and completed 19 for 177 yards and two touchdowns. The biggest improvement in his game seems to be that Nate finally has figured out how to get rid of the ball in the midst of pressure.
Critics of the offense need to point to the glaring predictability of the ground game to which Bob Stoops made point of after the game. "That's something we have to guard against, something that probably will adjust from game to game." Stoops said after his team improved to 4-0.
When Griffin is in the play seems to be some sort of draw, Works gets a pitch-out, and Kejuan Jones goes straight up the middle with little variance. The predictability isn't just relegated to the ground the deep passing game consists of mainly streak patterns, short passes are predominately screens, and there is no intermediate passing.
After a tremendous first half with three receptions of 20, 14, and 25 yards, Trent Smith caught the ball just once in the second half for 11 yards on the opening drive of the third quarter. All four of Smith's receptions were for first downs and all three drives where he caught a ball concluded with touchdowns. Point made? Get Smith the ball!
Granted, Mark Clayton missed the game recovering from minor knee surgery, but the passing game lacked imagination. If the Sooners can get Smith involved in the game and get Savage or Clayton deep against Missouri the screens and running game open up, if not, it's trouble.
What to take from all of my jargon? The real season, or conference play, begins Saturday at Missouri and soon enough we will have forgotten about South Florida just as Rice was forgotten two years ago. If Oklahoma is for real we will know soon, if not, we'll know then too.
"Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like it the least." --Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
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