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re: Football Players and Coaches and other Stats Thread
Posted by 41 on 9/16/26 at 11:01 am to OK Roughneck
RichRod has an offense well suited for a good to great running QB and who can hit passes when the box is stacked. It is kind of the opposite of BA's air raid.
1
Good to Great
Posted by 41 on 9/15/26 at 11:47 am
I think this is part of our problem. We anoint players as the Face of the Program and skip the approach that every job has to be won each week. Then we starting off thinking we are good and the next step is greatness. Actually, you have to prove you are good every game and every season. I think we backed off when Michigan played so poorly in week 1.
We are not good now. We are mediocre or below. I hope that the team's team's leadership raises the standard for every player. They should have had a players' only meeting after that pitiful performance against Michigan.
Oklahoma adopts new mantra ahead of 2026 season
Story by
Sooners Wire
Oklahoma adopts new mantra ahead of 2026 season
Oklahoma adopts new mantra ahead of 2026 season
Jaron Spor, Sooners Wire
Wed, Jul 22, 2026
·
2 min read
In 2025, the Oklahoma Sooners embraced the mantra "Hard to Kill," representing a team that consistently found ways to overcome adversity and prove doubters wrong.
The Sooners entered the season with low expectations following a disappointing 6-7 campaign, and head coach Brent Venables faced significant pressure to turn the program around. Even after a promising start, Oklahoma was doubted again following a home loss to Ole Miss that dropped the Sooners to 6-2. The remaining schedule provided little room for error, with road trips to the Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide and home matchups against the Missouri Tigers and LSU Tigers.
To reach the College Football Playoff, Oklahoma needed to win all four remaining games. That is exactly what the Sooners accomplished. Oklahoma finished the regular season 10-2 and earned its first College Football Playoff berth since 2019.
While "Hard to Kill" perfectly represented last year's team, Oklahoma is entering 2026 with a new standard and a new goal. General manager Jim Nagy revealed the program's new mantra during SEC media days in an interview with On3's J.D. PicKell.
"The mantra in the building right now is going from good to great," Nagy said. "We had a good team last year. Love those guys. The goal is to, you know, take the next step. A lot of things we can improve upon."
Oklahoma's transformation under Venables has been about changing expectations. Last season, the Sooners proved they could overcome adversity and return to the College Football Playoff. Now, the standard has changed.
The goal is no longer just to surprise people or prove the doubters wrong. Oklahoma wants to become one of the best teams in college football, and the new "Good to Great" mantra reflects that championship mindset.
LINK
We are not good now. We are mediocre or below. I hope that the team's team's leadership raises the standard for every player. They should have had a players' only meeting after that pitiful performance against Michigan.
Oklahoma adopts new mantra ahead of 2026 season
Story by
Sooners Wire
Oklahoma adopts new mantra ahead of 2026 season
Oklahoma adopts new mantra ahead of 2026 season
Jaron Spor, Sooners Wire
Wed, Jul 22, 2026
·
2 min read
In 2025, the Oklahoma Sooners embraced the mantra "Hard to Kill," representing a team that consistently found ways to overcome adversity and prove doubters wrong.
The Sooners entered the season with low expectations following a disappointing 6-7 campaign, and head coach Brent Venables faced significant pressure to turn the program around. Even after a promising start, Oklahoma was doubted again following a home loss to Ole Miss that dropped the Sooners to 6-2. The remaining schedule provided little room for error, with road trips to the Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide and home matchups against the Missouri Tigers and LSU Tigers.
To reach the College Football Playoff, Oklahoma needed to win all four remaining games. That is exactly what the Sooners accomplished. Oklahoma finished the regular season 10-2 and earned its first College Football Playoff berth since 2019.
While "Hard to Kill" perfectly represented last year's team, Oklahoma is entering 2026 with a new standard and a new goal. General manager Jim Nagy revealed the program's new mantra during SEC media days in an interview with On3's J.D. PicKell.
"The mantra in the building right now is going from good to great," Nagy said. "We had a good team last year. Love those guys. The goal is to, you know, take the next step. A lot of things we can improve upon."
Oklahoma's transformation under Venables has been about changing expectations. Last season, the Sooners proved they could overcome adversity and return to the College Football Playoff. Now, the standard has changed.
The goal is no longer just to surprise people or prove the doubters wrong. Oklahoma wants to become one of the best teams in college football, and the new "Good to Great" mantra reflects that championship mindset.
LINK
Heinieke transferred from tOSU.
How about NCs?
Great work here. A very enjoyable read.
LR will forever be hated by Sooners for the low class and cowardly exit, but even though it took years, we now have a great culture, defense and physicallity that we would have never reached under LR.
LR will forever be hated by Sooners for the low class and cowardly exit, but even though it took years, we now have a great culture, defense and physicallity that we would have never reached under LR.
I do not think all our eggs are in Mateer's basket. Our coaches should have 1 or 2 or more guys ready to play. But the rest of the offense would have to play exceptionally well to carry a young QB. Maybe I have crimson colored glasses, but I could see that happening.
I think that this is a great hire and we were very fortunate on timing and everything. He comes with obviously great credentials but also as a known commodity. He worked for Kevin Wilson for 6 years and got to know BV when BV was recruiting his sons a few years ago. Hard to imagine a better hire to hit the ground running. Tory, X, Hatton and other RBs have to be impressed and very optimistic. Can't wait to see the results.
I am not sure Joe C left all of our coaching staffs better than he found them. Except for hiring Stoops, and successfully replacing Sherri, I don't think coaching of major sports improved under Joe C. Here is who he inherited. I could be wrong, but firing Blake was a no-brainer, but I give Joe C credit for Stoops but that seemed more like Sooner Magic than Joe C, but what do I know?
When Joe Castiglione took office as the Athletics Director (AD) at the University of Oklahoma (OU) on April 30, 1998, he inherited the following head coaches for the university's major athletic programs:
Major Program Head Coaches (April 1998)
Football: John Blake (1996–1998). Castiglione eventually fired Blake after the 1998 season and made Bob Stoops his first major hire in December 1998.
Men's Basketball: Kelvin Sampson (1994–2006). Sampson was already the coach and met with Castiglione during the AD hiring process.
Women's Basketball: Sherri Coale (1996–2021).
Baseball: Larry Cochell (1991–2005).
Softball: Patty Gasso (1995–Present). She was hired by the previous AD, Donnie Duncan.
When Joe Castiglione took office as the Athletics Director (AD) at the University of Oklahoma (OU) on April 30, 1998, he inherited the following head coaches for the university's major athletic programs:
Major Program Head Coaches (April 1998)
Football: John Blake (1996–1998). Castiglione eventually fired Blake after the 1998 season and made Bob Stoops his first major hire in December 1998.
Men's Basketball: Kelvin Sampson (1994–2006). Sampson was already the coach and met with Castiglione during the AD hiring process.
Women's Basketball: Sherri Coale (1996–2021).
Baseball: Larry Cochell (1991–2005).
Softball: Patty Gasso (1995–Present). She was hired by the previous AD, Donnie Duncan.
No, I know that you are right, but it is a shame for Cale and for OU not to be able to stand up to wokeness in order to do what is right. I guess Dusty and Mixon would have been kicked out of school with no opportunity to return. I don't know much about Mixon these days except his NFL performance and the unusual current injury/status situation, but look at Dusty. What a great result from the way Bob and OU handled it. He is a poster boy for making the most of second chances. I guess Baker would have been kicked off the team for his antics. Geez
That is probably true, but I hope we are not just conceding to the "wokeness". If it is right to take a position, I think we should advocate for it. Not that a message board can change the world or even influence it, but if former FB players stood up for Cale, I think it would matter whether he got rehired or not. Maybe that happened and I missed it. It is a black mark based on 30 seconds or less if I understand it correctly.
Let's not forget that OU was slow to the game on NIL and that caused a gap in the OL by classes, which is a recipe for disaster at a position where it usually takes longer to develop. Plus, the injuries were ridiculous. Injuries on OL with little depth to start with, injuries/boycott by WRs, No TEs, poor TE coach, Littrell/Finley as OC, then Arbuckle as new OC, last year, we played with 2 very good RBs with great heart but were injured and had guys sit on their arse rather than play (ott, Tatum, Barnes), etc. Now the OL looks very very strong and OL recruiting looks great. Thx to Nagy also here. BB should be fired up to direct this monster he rebuilt.
You guys should read the replies to DeDe's endorsement of Cale. So different than many posters on other boards. Seriously, DeDe or someone should rally other former players. If there is not strong support, then we should move on. The former players, like the fans, could appreciate the totallity of Cale's career at OU, not just one mistake that took what, 30 seconds?
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