Trouble in Norman? From several sooner sources: Major problems in Norman, first off nothing more on Brandon Williams but Carey believes it's just a matter of time before he transfers. James Haynes, Josh Aladenoya have left the team and rumor is also Max Stevenson as well. Some believe that Landry Jones is turning pro and Drew Allen is cleaning out his locker. There has been some rift between some players and position coaches. Also some animosity between Willie Martinez and Bob Stoops. Leadership is a very big problem at OU right now. Travis Lewis hasn't spoken to the media since after the K St game and has also thrown teammates under the bus. And finally Mike Stoops was in Norman today but his chances look slim with Arkansas St leaning towards Malzahn, and Murdock doesn't think any staff changes are coming unless Venables lands a HC job, No local media was allowed at the team banquet." SoonerFans: http://www.soonerfan...us-on-our-hands Folks, you may not like some of the things you are about to hear but they have to be said. I have a son leaving this program and have many mixed emotions. It has been a tough road and there have been mistakes on both sides of the equation. I will say that from my experience on the inside of the program that there are serious problems in this program. Please don't attack me as an OU hater because I have a great respect for this program. The (morale) that I have witnessed is one of the lowest that I have seen in a program. This program is seeing an exodus because the people in charge of this program have forgotten that they have to be able to inspire those around them. The truly great coaches and programs have this ability and it pays great dividends. Yes, the players have a responsibility, but it still requires inspiration. As far as my son goes, I had never seen him have any problems until he arived at OU. It is a tough amd new environment but something went really wrong and unfortunately we may never know what it was. For those that will disagree, the proof will be in the pudding. It always plays out in the end. We wish you the best of luck and hopefully this program can return to the program that we thought it was. P.S. Some of your coaches are not who you think they are." Marcus Trice on Twitter @Dare2Live_4 Marcus Trice With the (I'm going to get Banned if I do not EDIT this Immediately) I've been hearing. I'm Blessed and Thankful God told me to leave OU when he did. Doesn't surprise me though. All about the $"""
wow. i have not even had local radio on in several days. i wonder if i am missing anything good? instead of college sports radio on xm in my truck, i have got to train myself to listen to local!
At face value, perhaps. But think about this, THOSE are THE most likely scenarios. Sometimes you have a picture perfect scenario PRESEASON, then crap and fall in it.
A rant from Damien Mackey who was a DB on their NC team of '00 Long but interesting read. The HEART of a Sooner I have tried to tone down my feelings and emotions for/towards the the program I love so much. My career ended on that field, and I wouldn't change one thing about it as I felt as a team we gave all we had (from the coaches, trainers, admin, equip guys) and reaped the dividends. Here are my concerns (and if someone copies and pastes it on another board, or hand mails it to Bob and Co...i will not be ashamed of what I am about to say...it's my program too). When I first was invited to this board Josh_M found me on the Sooner Fans board in an uproar because I saw a team that didn't look like the one we re-built and passed on to the 04 crew. Even though they lost in fantastic fashion, you could still see some of the imprint of a team that played with grit, passion and for eachother. The super stars were still the hardest working players on the team, and the 4th string white guy was best friends with Mark Clayton... After that crew graduated (many to the NFL), things just went heywire. Initially I thought it might be the johnny five-star qb recruit that received the checks from Big Red and didn't think much of it, but if you go back to my first RANT...i think it was against K-State in like 08 when they had Freeman and Prince was the HC...i see the SAME exact bull PONIES today that I saw then. OU is a historical team built on hitting, hustling and playing like one big family. We saw guys come in from teams as early as the 70's and they all stated one common thread "you play for your brothers" period, point blank.........and i.just.dont.see.it.......... my cousin was at OU just a year ago and literally lived with Kenny, Tony and Co. the things I heard about the team, the culture, the chemistry, and the relationship with the coaches really blew me away. those of you who think we lack talent are wrong, those that think the kids don't want it are wrong. as much as it pains me to say this. the problem is the coaches and it starts from the top. does that mean Bob needs to get fired...NO. but i think he really needs to sit down and talk to his team because he has lost them. the kids ALL LOVE HIM...they really do. and in fact it was that way while i was a sooner. he was/is the preverbial "good cop" in the program. he sticks up for his kids, he tried to keep us out of trouble and he wants to see us be successful. Im not gonna bash on any of the position coaches because i don't know most of them and the ones i do know...we played our hearts for them and know the wanted nothing but success for us. But i will say this. I am now a head coach of a high school program and when we make mistakes those said mistakes fall on MY shoulders. And I know...I know...some of you will call me sour grapes or ask for my solutions and I will say that I promise im not upset about any past history between myself and OU...i almost cried when we lost to USC...i make a very comfortable living with a gorgeous wife and my second child (first son) on the way into the world. So this is FOOD for thought... We are a TOP 5 program in the nation...a GIANT..we walk on most any field and out class the players on the opposing team before they ever kick off YET we scheme as if we need smoke and mirrors to compete. I love slinging the ball over the field but football is won and lost in the trenches...that hasn't changed. We beat ...errr...KILL tech if we run a 4-3 defense (nickle when they go 3 wide..dime/base when they go 4 wide) and allow our ends to attack the qb's up field shoulder and the d tackles to penetrate controlling one gap...the backers have a "man" zone responsibility where they can either blitz a gap, pick up a leaking back or sink into the middle of the field. behind them the corners are either up it bump in run coverage or squating at about 4/5 yards. The safeties split the field...real deep at 12 yards a piece, or one robs at about 7 looking for run or quick game and the other safety bails to 16 on the snap of the ball...to eliminate any deep give-aways. the reason this defense is soooo important is because it sets a psychological mindset into the offense. it says...THEY AINT GIVING US ANYTHING EASY. are there plays to beat that defense, of course. but that's why you go and get better players, and thats why you disguise what you are doing at times. it pains my heart on 3rd and 10 when we line up...vanilla as hell, with three down linemen, dbs off at 9 yards, backers in the b gaps sitting on their heels and the qb can see that we are in a BIG zone and can visualize the whole route combo pre-snap and choose when and where his read will come free...sigh...pains my SOUL. on the next 3rd and 10 when we line up in said coverage, but now all the sudden our backers can't hold their water and the qb can easily see we are bringing a blitz and knows where his hot reads over the middle will be replacing the spots vacated by our blitzing backers....sigh again... lining up in a "man" look gives the qb indecision and eliminates inferior athletes. now the qb has to think and with any type of pressure, he'll have to choose one or two guys to look at and then throw the ball away. The qb knows you are committed to pressure and will even feel it when its not there and get the ball out of there. inferior teams become one dimensional and the turnovers start to follow. Dline is having fun and making plays. backers get to clean up the short stuff and db's stay engaged and become ultra competitive. a lot of balls get tipped and safeties are there to make plays....wait a minute. that sounds a lot like LSU and BAMA..sigh..that reason and that reason alone is the reason OSU would get a mud hole stompted into them. they wouldn't be able to beat the tight coverage. for the life of me...i can NOT understand why we will not run this. fleming is a STUD...proly not AA good but had he been doing this for 2 yrs he could be. hurst is also very solid and has good ball skills. tony is PERFECTLY made for a safety that plays halves at times but comes up to run blitz, rob intermediate stuff and just disrupt the box. colvin is another STUD...tonight he made TD saving tackle after TD saving tackle (he and Tony) allow him to play over the top and go sideline to sideline. Keep lewis at the willie backer and put bird in as the mike. to be that thumper that closes air on run plays and allows others to run to the football. nelson makes a solid hybrid backer/safety and rotate 7 to 8 dline with the expectation that they will go full bore 3 to 4 plays and then get 3 to 4 plays to recouperate. it eliminates so much thinking and allows our TOP 10 classes to out CLASS 95% of the competition. unfortunately our problems stem much deeper than just that. it would probably take a books worth of writing to detail it all, but sometimes i feel like it needs to be put out there and maybe one day i will bare the truth. as for now, i will lick my wounds, and live to fight another day. the cliff notes of this RANT is basically that we don't put our players in the best postions to make plays. my thinking..and this is only my THINKING is that the coaches believe our players are good enough to give up a little but eventually they will make a play if given enough chances during the course of a drive, but these coverage beating route combos are awesome now. given ample time to throw, there are 3 to 4 route combos to beat any coverage and mainly ZONE coverage without the threat of blitz. don't take my word for it, as i am now just a fan more than a decade removed from the game, but these are my humble thoughts. i won't lead the revolution with flaming pitchfork just yet....but something drastic needs to be done and soon...the KIDS deserve better...WE deserve better.
