We got so many issues and it starts and ends with the coaching. We already know this, but there are some glaring problems and some that we don’t put much thought to. One is our mind frame. Let’s face it, if you play up to your competition and play down to your competition you are going to have pretty much every game close. If you are playing every game close, you are going to win some and lose some. Losing some is 4, 5, maybe even 6 losses. That’s just all there is to it. Sooner’s win most of their games so when it is close they a fresh mentality to face it. If you are always close every single week then it’s mentally draining and you have the attitude you hope you pull it off. There are certain teams we should have beat by double digits. Oklahoma St, KU, Iowa St should have been double digit wins when looking at the schedule to start the season. But we don’t show up every game. Our most impressive game this year that we showed up ready was LSU and we lost. If we play like that every single game I strongly believe we are 9-1 right now. DEFENSE: I’m going to start with the defense. This was suppose to be our weakness due to how many starters we lost last year. Although I wouldn’t say they are good, they are the bright light of this team and it’s pretty dim. First I don’t think we have the LBs to play a three man front. It’s just mind boggling that we seem to not have outside containment enough and this goes back to the start of last years game vs Maryland in their jet sweep that averaged over 10 yards a carry. But we seem to adjust to that for the rest of the season last year. But we haven’t really stopped it all year this season. On Saturday, a had off to their running back would bounce outside and run for 10 yards without even being touched. We did stop that at times as well. But way too many times it was easy yardage for them. Also one thing that drives me crazy is seeing our opponent’s WR lock up our CB on run plays. The DB should win that battle almost every time. WRs are there to catch the ball first. If they can block decent then that’s a bonus. Our CB tend to not get off the WR blocks and it’s hard to watch. Another thing is I’d like to see us dictate to the opponent’s offense and be really aggressive to start the game. That sets the tone right from the start. Last two games we are giving up easy TDs. I’m not going to say a lot about the defense because although they aren’t a top 20 defense, they are the squad that going into the season knew it was going to have a lot of new starters. They have played just good enough that if our offense scores like they should we win with no problem. OFFENSE: Well let’s just put this out here because we all know what we are thinking. The play calling is hideous. It has zero creativity. The majority of runs are into a pile of players between the tackles. It’s like we want to show our muscle and that’s not happening when they are stacking the middle and daring us to run to the outside. No counter runs and no sweeps. We are just so predictable. Iowa St were aggressive and was playing everything within the first 5 yards of the LOS. But we just kept running the ball straight a head like a 8th grade team would. When we allowed Sam to pass and out of 4 and 5 set WRs we actually looked really good. But as you know we only did that a few times during this game, but had success. When the game was on the line to put them away we went by to the 8th grade offense. Never ever call a run design to Sam again. It hasn’t worked all year accept for a very low percentage of success. I’m talking about snapping the ball and Sam immediately tuck the ball a run. 4th and less than a yard we snapped it to Sam and lost 4 yards. I’m not talking about pass played were the defense gets spread out and then Sam tucks it and runs. That does have success. Stop with the jail break or anything into the flat until we opening up the offense and get the ball down field. You don’t run that play to open up the down field. You throw down field to open up that quick pass into the flat. Because success down field backs the DBs off the LOS where they aren’t playing up and tight. This also goes for the passing to open up the run. We are so busy trying to establish the run that we aren’t moving the ball. Again our leader is Sam and let him hit a few passes to back the defense off the line of scrimmage. Then we can take control of the ground game to eat up yards. Then we have complete balance. This is exactly what Lincoln Riley’s offense does. Our bright spot on offense is our WR. They pretty much show up every week. Specially Duvernay. Sam when throwing hard tight spirals he’s on target much more than when he’s trying to throw with touch. That’s why he struggles with the deep passes. It’s like a pitcher that can throw hard into a small little box consistently but when fielding a ball and the throw to 1st base can be all over the place at times. Special teams is a mess. Not talking about Dicker the Kicker. He’s money. We do need him to get the ball into the end zone on kick offs because I don’t trust our coverage team. Also punt return of awful. Seems to be a little more consistent since putting B Jones back there all the time now.. As a whole we are the most undisciplined team I’ve seen. All we had to do is not even rush the FG attempt by Iowa St and we win. The kicker missed it and game was over. But we had a team captain that’s an senior jump off sides which has to be the dumbest play this year. It’s just astounding that we don’t understand the situation during a game. But this is much bigger than that one play. We’ve had so much excitement with Tom Herman’s team making a big play only for it to called back due to a penalty. Also how many times are we going to hit someone and get a targeting call? I understand that will happen. But we seem to have players out for a half a game all the time. Late hit out of bounds or leading with the crown of the helmet. They get injured because they are always going for a knock out shot instead of tackling with wrapping up. It makes me sick because I’m afraid we will have more recruits leaving us. We were #4 this year at one time. Currently #6. With all the problems we have we see Oklahoma winning the Big 12 every single year. That’s suppose to be us and we are sick of it. It’s our state players that OU is robbing from us. Then they use those same players to win Big 12 titles. This all is unacceptable. Again, let’s go back to what I originally said. If we just want to be good enough to be in a game at the end then we will get the result of where we are at right now. Oh one last thing. It would be nice for once to get a coach that will give an *** chewing on the sideline when needed. Iowa St QB played a great game and one series he came off the field and the HC was right there giving him an *** chewing. Kids respect that and will play harder without getting complacent for that coach. JUST FIX IT NOW!!!!
This also drives me nuts. Hate to get too much into the weeds, but IMHO, we should better teach and practice some arm-sweeps, hand use, forearm to forearm chops, forearm to wrist chops, block moves, swims, double-arm punches, two arms thrust up between the WR's arms then outward, and other techniques to quickly shed a WR open field block. This is kind of where Karate meets Football. And get tough. Challenge the CB's and S's manhood. If you're on defense, you shouldn't let a WR hold a block on you for more than a second or two max.
Maybe if you know so much you should apply for Herman's job? Think your skin is thick enough? Herman and staff are having a tough time, but they will make the necessary changes or be gone. What good do bitching fans who have no power really do? Let Herman and his staff do its work and triumph over this challenge. Remember, it is only his 3rd year. No one said the road back was to be paved with gold bricks.
Look at last year to this year. We beat Oklahoma in Dallas last year and they took it personally and wiped everyone out on their schedule to get another chance at us. Their attitude is we own the big 12 and we’re coming back to get it. They went into that Big 12 game knowing they were going to win. This year we get beat by Oklahoma and we pretty much folded up and not accept the challenge to getting better and beat every team to get another shot. We have to get stronger mentally and have great leadership on this team from the coaches and our players. Crave another shot at them and then be pissed off and take their heads off in the Big 12 championship. They are winning the Big 12 every single year and I’m sick of it. It’s like we just accept it as that’s just the way it is.
I don't think what gets put out on Horn Fans has a lot of impact on Herman preparing for Baylor. The athletic department is run by CDC and doubt he's spending time over here either. I'm sure he's getting an ear full from the big donors anyway. If a fan wants to ***** you can just move on. If a recruit leaves I don't think it's because of what he sees on a message board, but what he sees on the field. We have 2 issues IMHO. One is coaching and they need to be less aggressive when behind early and more aggressive when we are ahead. Take the play the defense gives you instead of trying to run into 8 man fronts. Other is lack of Sr. leadership. The big games we have lost, we've had major issues with the play of our Sr.s with last week being the most obvious. Although I do think we win that game if CJ plays. Need another WR to take the pressure off Duv.
