re: OU vs Bama / Playoffs / Lost 24-34

It's game day.

Go Sooners!

This play started downfall

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Alabama deserved to win and I'm not even mad, they are the better team. OU however outperformed any and all expectations this year and I'm proud of this team.

In order to get to the next level we must get a different offensive mindset. Arbuckle isn't cutting it. Maybe its the combination of Arbuckle and Mateer, it's hard to tell tbh because how many replays have we seen this year when Mateer's forcing a short out route or taking a sack and there's a guy wide fricking open 25 yards downfield? At least 3 times last night. Poor fundamentals, etc.

Offense had no answer to Alabama's blitz packages. Essentially abandoned the run game. Some things are working, hell we had 362 total yards but now, at the end of the season, I do not believe Arbuckle just needs another year or two with better O-Line play. It shouldn't surprise that Brent made another lazy OC decision, but there really is no reason we should have hired this guy. One year as OC at Western Kentucky, one year at Washington State, and now barely 30 years old, the OC at Oklahoma. He's not ready for this and there are dozens of very good, professional OC's out there who'd give their left nut to be at OU. Here's to hoping Nagy can make a change.

Well it still sucks to lose a game we were in the drivers seat. I am all over map on things.

I think Arbuckle has his shortcomings but he got us to 10-2 with a dinged up qb. Changing OC means another new system and new players. And next year our D will be loaded up again, so I think we need to give him another year. Can’t keep changing OC every year. The first 20 minutes were best offense we’d seen most of year. And we got thru games where qb was not able to use all his playbook so that throttled what he could do. Those 20 minutes showed what he can do with players using his system.

Which brings me to Mateer. He was not nearly as bad as some say. He was making the right plays and throws. We do need to open up the competition but fully healthy he can make plays. I think Hawkins will leave. Not at least bringing him in for a hail mary at end of first half was bad (assuming Mateer was still not able to make that long a throw). You might get lucky or a penalty. We have a true freshman coming in who looks legit. Lots of portal qbs too.

But to me the coaches put players in position to win and they let us down. We need better run game and oline and wr and te rooms. It was a running back who dropped the deep pass that changed the game. It was a great throw hit him in stride and likely a game sealing 24-0 lead. Then our punter failed us. And then our qb threw pick 6. Thats -7 for us and +10 for them. Change just those 3 plays and we win. Those were on players not coaching. Then our kicker failed twice to put icing in cake. Again, a player.

This was a player loss. I think if those players make the plays listed we’re celebrating today. And it sucks to get there and lose.

10 wins 2 years ago
6 wins a year ago (injury aided)
10wins this year but much better.

We will need to get oline fixed. 3 freshmen got experience but need some portals

Need running backs. Blaylock is great but need more.

Need to fix TE room and use it more.

WRs, we had some decent ones. Satenga was great but rest were up and down.

Need qb depth. Even if we keep Mateer, we need a better backup plan. Its obvious they have no faith in Hawkins to even get a few snaps. He’s a legacy kid and has been loyal too. But if you are him he won’t stick around. And I wouldn’t blame him. I think he kept his redshirt so will have 3 years somewhere.

We were close and because of that I hate to make knee jerk reactions. A new OCis new system. You risk losing committs and also portals. Do we tweak what we have or start over? And with so many openings the herd is thin.

It was a great year and I think we run back the staff. Unless any leave on their own. JJF might be the first one I’d let go tho.

We had everything in front of us. Deep down we all knew its hard to beat same team twice. Then to get up 17-0 and marching for more it looked like we would do it. That one drop changed everything. Everything.

This is pretty accurate. I think oline got better thru year so would bump that one to C-

JJF and Murray are our weak links. But is it because of oline? Or players?


“Sooner Magic”
@TerryButler61

Next morning thoughts with a clear mind. Opinions are my own.

GRADING THE STAFF

Venables (B) Improving as a head coach

Arbuckle (C-) High expectations coming in fell way short.

Bates (B) needs more responsibility to challenge him on a daily basis

Valai (B) see Bates

Bedenbaugh (D+) Reputation is great, 2025 development wasn’t.

Chavis (A-) Very bright future

Deakin (A) Special teams not the issue

Finley (D-) Kaneck keeps this from being an F

Murray (D) Can recruit better than coach

Jones (B-) did a good job with 2nd level WRs

Hall (B+) Secondary improved thru out the year.

Dreiling/Goodwin (B) Backers were solid all season.

quote:

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Sooners would easily beat either Aggie or the Convicts ….. we just drew a hungry opponent

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Yup. Deep down we all knew a rematch was trouble - even if we felt confident having home game. I’d much rather played anyone else.