| FTBL Game Week: Alabama at Oklahoma (press conferences, news updates, & discussion)

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

The Monday press conferences will be posted around noon or so. Until then here's a little numbers dive into OU's offense... And I know, the numbers alone don't tell the whole story, but at this point in the season, they do tell a good part of it. And for the Sooners, on offense, that part of the story ain't real good.

Just looking at league totals here for Oklahoma with (Alabama's defense in each corresponding category in parentheses)...

Scoring Offense - 15th (4th)
Rushing Offense - 14th (12th)
Passing Offense - 16th (5th) [The Sooners have had multiple WR's out with injury this season]
Turnovers Lost - 15th (1st)
3rd Down Conversion % - 16th (5th)
Plays of 20+ Yards - 16th (2nd)
Sacks Allowed - 16th (13th) [FWIW, The Sooners have allowed 41 sacks through 10 games]

Good news for the Sooners, they are a pretty good 5th overall in Red Zone Scoring %.

For those that haven't seen much of them this season, OU's defense is actually pretty chippy, but they've been put into some bad situations this year thanks to their lethargic and mistake prone offense.

One other note on their offense... Most will recall Venables fired his offensive coordinator about a month ago after their loss to South Carolina. They promoted the TE coach to call plays, a job he'd never fully had before. In the 3 games since, OU's offense scored 14 @ Ole Miss, 59 vs. a bad Maine team, and 16 @ Mizzou.

 

[Justneedme81]

The Monday press conferences will be posted around noon or so. Until then here's a little numbers dive into OU's offense... And I know, the numbers alone don't tell the whole story, but at this point in the season, they do tell a good part of it. And for the Sooners, on offense, that part of the story ain't real good.

Just looking at league totals here for Oklahoma with (Alabama's defense in each corresponding category in parentheses)...

Scoring Offense - 15th (4th)
Rushing Offense - 14th (12th)
Passing Offense - 16th (5th) [The Sooners have had multiple WR's out with injury this season]
Turnovers Lost - 15th (1st)
3rd Down Conversion % - 16th (5th)
Plays of 20+ Yards - 16th (2nd)
Sacks Allowed - 16th (13th) [FWIW, The Sooners have allowed 41 sacks through 10 games]

Good news for the Sooners, they are a pretty good 5th overall in Red Zone Scoring %.

For those that haven't seen much of them this season, OU's defense is actually pretty chippy, but they've been put into some bad situations this year thanks to their lethargic and mistake prone offense.

One other note on their offense... Most will recall Venables fired his offensive coordinator about a month ago after their loss to South Carolina. They promoted the TE coach to call plays, a job he'd never fully had before. In the 3 games since, OU's offense scored 14 @ Ole Miss, 59 vs. a bad Maine team, and 16 @ Mizzou.

So In another word, we shouldn't be struggling against them, but you never know with this team.

We should be able to confuse them with our motions on offense and be able to do what we did similar against LSU but this time throwing ball.

I expect defense to stifle them to the point they're making mistakes.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Another woeful stat for OU's offense... Take away their game against Maine, and the Sooners wouldn't have had a 100 yard rusher or a 100 yard receiver all season. And only once would they have had a 200+ yard passer in a game (Arnold had 225 in a game vs. South Carolina that got the OC fired).

 

[TerryP]

It's now an SEC game. It might be the one road trip I'll consider the next time it comes around.

The trip in '02 was one of, if not the best, road game experience I've had. I wandered over to some of the OU tailgates but spent most of my time at the Bama tailgates. As did, a LARGE number of OU fans. I kid you not, if you don't remember, there were over 300 RV's that made the trip that season. In the Bama lot, it was about 2:1 Bama to OU fans...those folks just walking around looking in awe at the number that had shown up, and ... well, some nice vehicles out there. \

In all, I think I've spent about a month in and around Norman: mostly Shawnee. Funny, to me. The last time I was out there it was 110+ in the afternoons and the people there were melting. I was golfing. I was sweating a little, but playing at least two rounds most days. I was playing at a CC, so no green fees. But, when I said, "I'm taking the turn again" a few times they just said, "go ahead, grab a new cart if you need one."

Aight.

---

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On paper, this should be a 17-20 point W.

I've seen a few people write about the Venables defense as being one constructed to stop the mobile attack from the QB we're seeing from Bama. And I'm left asking...when has his defense faced a mobile QB? It wasn't in the ACC. I can't think of a dynamic player out of the Big12 at the position.

 

[TerryP]

I expect defense to stifle them to the point they're making mistakes.

Another woeful stat for OU's offense... Take away their game against Maine, and the Sooners wouldn't have had a 100 yard rusher or a 100 yard receiver all season. And only once would they have had a 200+ yard passer in a game (Arnold had 225 in a game vs. South Carolina that got the OC fired).

14 may be gracious.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

 

[BamaFan334]

It's now an SEC game. It might be the one road trip I'll consider the next time it comes around.

The trip in '02 was one of, if not the best, road game experience I've had. I wandered over to some of the OU tailgates but spent most of my time at the Bama tailgates. As did, a LARGE number of OU fans. I kid you not, if you don't remember, there were over 300 RV's that made the trip that season. In the Bama lot, it was about 2:1 Bama to OU fans...those folks just walking around looking in awe at the number that had shown up, and ... well, some nice vehicles out there. \

In all, I think I've spent about a month in and around Norman: mostly Shawnee. Funny, to me. The last time I was out there it was 110+ in the afternoons and the people there were melting. I was golfing. I was sweating a little, but playing at least two rounds most days. I was playing at a CC, so no green fees. But, when I said, "I'm taking the turn again" a few times they just said, "go ahead, grab a new cart if you need one."

Aight.

---

---

On paper, this should be a 17-20 point W.

I've seen a few people write about the Venables defense as being one constructed to stop the mobile attack from the QB we're seeing from Bama. And I'm left asking...when has his defense faced a mobile QB? It wasn't in the ACC. I can't think of a dynamic player out of the Big12 at the position.

We're leaving Friday morning to head that way. Give me some pointers on places to eat since I know you're usually really good at that stuff. Gonna get me a cowboy hat finally. Been wanting one for years but didn't want to get fitted in Georgia, so gonna find a place for that too.

 

[mando]

Bama has been playing better BUT their inconsistencies especially on the road and Venables having two weeks to prepare will make this a tougher game than people think. As always which team will show up? Which team will show up the team that had 15 penalties and a frustrated Milroe or the one that played the last three games.

 

[Justneedme81]

Bama has been playing better BUT their inconsistencies especially on the road and Venables having two weeks to prepare will make this a tougher game than people think. As always which team will show up? Which team will show up the team that had 15 penalties and a frustrated Milroe or the one that played the last three games.

How many time we have heard this narrative: " having two weeks to prepare..."

 

[mando]

How many time we have heard this narrative: " having two weeks to prepare..."

Defensensive minded coach... I do not recall using it when GOAT was on the sidelines. For a year 1 coach that has struggled at times I will use it.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

How many time we have heard this narrative: " having two weeks to prepare..."

For some staffs I think it makes a pretty significant difference. Others, not so much. This time of year though, the real value is in the extra rest, especially for a team like OU and Vandy who just got the weekend off. And as I noted weeks ago, this is the 4th SEC team to have a bye before playing Bama... more than any other team in the conference.

 

[Rolltide24]

We are 2-1 against teams coming off a bye. 0-1 when we did not come off a bye and the opponent did (Vandy). 1-0 at home off a bye (UGA), 1-1 on the road after a bye.

It’s one thing to play 4 teams after a bye, but to play 3 of those on the road? That’s icing on the cake. Or flies on the shit. And both games where the opponent had a bye and Bama didn’t? Both on the road…

 

[Justneedme81]

We are 2-1 against teams coming off a bye. 0-1 when we did not come off a bye and the opponent did (Vandy). 1-0 at home off a bye (UGA), 1-1 on the road after a bye.

It’s one thing to play 4 teams after a bye, but to play 3 of those on the road? That’s icing on the cake. Or flies on the shit. And both games where the opponent had a bye and Bama didn’t? Both on the road…

Next year, hopefully it'll be another team going through that, not Alabama.

 

[TerryP]

We're leaving Friday morning to head that way. Give me some pointers on places to eat since I know you're usually really good at that stuff. Gonna get me a cowboy hat finally. Been wanting one for years but didn't want to get fitted in Georgia, so gonna find a place for that too.

I would just wander around in your shoes (kids, etc.) That said, there's a new place that has opened a few blocks from the stadium, "Coaches Corner," that's been recommended to me. I talked with Blake Ferguson (former punter at OU, look at the Shula era games) and he mentioned the place to me before the season started. There used to be a deli there ... so I'd imagine the food should be decent. He said it looks like it'll be a great game day place (maybe about like The 'tooth in T-town?. Or Bob's place.)

There's a convenience store that's about halfway between the campus and the golf course...had a HELL of a chicken sandwich there! I hope you took your 'sticks' and can play that course when you are there...it's a tough one.

BTW, it's sort of wild seeing Switzer's house overlooking the campus.

 

[rick4bama]