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Big Game Hunters Sooners Control the River by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Columnist October 13, 2002
Quentin Griffin is Texas born, but Sooner bred as he proved with his 32 carry, 248 yard performance against the team most Texans dream to play for in OU's 35-24 victory over Texas in Dallas on Saturday. Once again the OU defense stayed one step ahead of the UT offense, but the story of the day was Mighty Mite himself and the surging Sooner offense.
The records aren't easy to find, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better coach and staff in a big game than Bob Stoops and Co. Stoops improved to 10-1 against Top 10 teams at Oklahoma and 5-1 against Top 5 teams since his arrival in 1999. The story as Stoops eluded to in his post-game conference, Quentin Griffin is a dominant running back when he walks into the Cotton Bowl.
"Quentin is very special. He had an incredible day. He loves to play in the Cotton Bowl. It's unfortunate he's a senior," Stoops said after his Sooners improved to 6-0 on the season and locked up the #2 ranking in both national polls.
Yes, the defense was amazing once again and, yes, the special teams put it all together for the first time this season, but for the first time since the 2000 season the Oklahoma offensive staff came in with a phenomenal game plan. Sooner coaches felt they could have success against an over-aggressive, speedy defense with a series of spread draws to get #22 into the open field, and it worked like a gem.
Many, including yours truly, have given Griffin grief over the last few years, but he proved his worth on Saturday. There's never been a doubt that the man could run, but the offense never seemed conducive to letting him run. Now, thanks to a spread, wide-open draw where he can make a play in the open field and his shifty hips brought a special dimension to Oklahoma.
"Griffin had a chance to make plays running the ball and that changed the game. When you can run the ball and kill the clock - it keeps our defense out there. He really stepped up and showed up today," Texas Defensive End Cory Redding said after his team dropped to 5-1.
If this offense has finally figured out the Kevin Wilson scheme and created a ground game, Oklahoma will definitely be a National Championship front-runner. Many frown at that with the game Nate Hybl threw out there, but I'll make a bold statement, Hybl will not have another four interception game this year.
The other game against a big-time team this year (Alabama) the Oklahoma special teams almost cost them the game, this time it was nearly perfect. Antwone Savage had an 81-yard kickoff return at a huge point in the game, Trey DiCarlo was perfect, Antonio Perkins was solid, and Blake Ferguson averaged 43.2 yards per punt and dropped three inside the 20.
The Oklahoma version of the big-game Steel Curtain showed up again on Saturday, once again after being told they weren't very good. A week after giving up 400+ to Missouri the Sooners gave up just over 200 yards, many in late prevent defense, to a confused Texas offense still trying to figure out why John Blake was fired.
Back-to-Back wins were not enough to say simply enough that Bob Stoops and Co. were tremendously better than Mack Brown and Co. However, the performance of this staff on Saturday proved that they were superior to Texas by out-coaching a Longhorn staff in serious need of a big win.
Bob Stoops is now 37-7 at Oklahoma after following a 12-22 tenure by John Blake and has the Big 12 South frontrunner firmly planted in Norman. As one last statement I would like to lay to rest the most over-done, outlandish, dead-wrong quotes laid out repeatedly this weekend, Texas has more talent than OU. Yes, the recruiting "gurus" have given UT multiple National Championships the last few years, but how can this still be popular thought?
Is Cory Redding better than Jimmy Wilkerson? Benson better than Griffin? Johnson better than Lehman? Vasher better than Strait? From now on if you hear this statement spewed forth by anyone tell them they are full of, for lack of a better word, crap.
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."- Albert Einstein
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