I'd like to see a Hatter update after North Texas............that "athletic" OL didn't look very good against Phil Steele's 110 ranked team.
The offensive line looked fine against North Texas. UNT played near the line and we averaged over 5.1 yards per carry rushing it and surrendered zero sacks on 20 passing attempts. Plus, after the first quarter the offense was rolling. If Hubert doesn't fumble going in we put up 42 points while being fairly conservative. While we didn't produce 500 yards the yards per play numbers were very good and that was after an abysmal first quarter.
I have zero concerns about our offense this year.
Was the defensive line as bad as they looked or was that asskicking they took a result of North Texas using big sets against a soft zone coverage?
First, it is quite possible that North Texas has a Big 12 caliber offensive line. What I would caution, when placing blame on the defensive line, is to look at the numbers. North Texas surrendered 10 tackles for loss (6 by DL), 3 sacks, and surrendered 3.6 ypc rushing it. Those numbers would suggest the defensive line was NOT terrible. I think the biggest reason North Texas had success in moving and maintaining the ball is that we simply played very soft zone coverage. The philosophy being, if they're going to drive it then they will need to sustain very long drives. We didn't feel they could do it. Their QB had a very good game completing passes underneath but they didn't have a single reception greater than 20 yards. We are more than willing to give teams that sort of stuff underneath all game long. The other reason North Texas had long drives is because we didn't tackle worth a damn. Part of that is simply focus. Look, we were very disinterested in playing that game. I believe Snyder prepared for OU all week and just threw in a gameplan for North Texas with the impression that a team full of veterans could manage a game vs. an opponent that was an explosive threat. The kids knew that as well.
I will reiterate time and again that Oklahoma will attempt to throw the ball downfield more often. They are far less likely to just sit back and take the underneath stuff for 12-13 play drives. They have question marks in their pass protection and, as good of an NFL prospect as he is, Jones is nowhere near as mobile as the QBs we have faced the past three games. Outside of Ikard, both Missouri State and Miami had more experience on their offensive lines.
This Oklahoma team is not the threat offensively that they were a year ago. Not with the line play they had plus the presence of Broyles. Sure, their wide receivers are more skilled and better athletes than our secondary but it still calls for chemistry with their QB and execution by their offensive line. You can't simply throw talent on the field and it works like a machine.
Good stuff.
We'll see different stuff against OU than we did the first 3 games defensively against OU. No guarantee it will work, but I expect us to be a bit more aggressive. The key will be how we handle the deep throws and tackling (which at times was the biggest concern in watching the NT game to me).
One thing I like...while the presumed three starters for OU's wide receiving corps are very good downfield type threats...none of them are scary after the catch. I can't recall a time we played them when they didn't have someone who terrified you in terms of YACs. Broyles, Bradley, Clayton, Savage...even H-Back/TEs like Norman, Trent Smith, and the deep threat at TE last year. The receivers they have this year are guys that can stretch you deep (Stills) or make the acrobatic grabs (Brown and Metoyer) but I have yet to see anyone who will truly make you pay after the catch. It is possible that guys like Neal and Shepard, true freshman, have been incorporated into the offense the past two weeks but until they get in they're not a threat.
These teams, while possessing some familiar names, are vastly different teams than a year ago. And I felt that was the worst half of football (2nd half OU) that a Snyder team has played in a while.
BTW, Snyder vs. Stoops in Norman had two very competitive games ('01 and '09) and a beatdown in '05. He really has not taken a good team into Norman to face Stoops. This might be the best one to do that.
