Time for this loudmouth Longhorn to eat some crow...

This Blinebury article speaks volumes:

Oct. 13, 2002, 12:21AM

Texas' Brown more than meets his match in OU's Stoops
By FRAN BLINEBURY
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
DALLAS -- Bob Stoops.

Mack Stumbles.

That's the only way to define Texas-Oklahoma.

Or maybe we should make that Oklahoma-Texas, because it's pretty clear who's earned top billing.

The pertinent question is how much longer they can keep calling this affair the Red River Shootout if only one side comes in carrying a loaded gun.

One coach shoots from the hip. The other coach fires blanks.

Different people handle the pressure of the big stage, the brightest spotlight, in different ways.

Bob Stoops.

Mack Staggers.

That's three years in a row now in three wildly diverse ways -- a complete romp, a defensive struggle and now a seven-interception mistake-fest that had all the decorum of an outdoor toga party on a muddy lawn.

It's 112-41 since the 2000 season, if anybody's counting.

The stock market going south is a trend. This is the Boomer Sooner Wagon rolling downhill into the Longhorns like they were so many bowling pins.

Maybe write it off as a bad millennium.

On one hand, Texas leads the overall series 55-37-5. On the other hand, it could be evened up by the year 2020.

That's assuming the two head coaches stay in their current places.

To look at the jaunty step and into the dancing eyes of Oklahoma's Bob Stoops is to see the embodiment of sheer confidence.

"We always felt, even though we were behind a decent part of the game, that we were on the verge of breaking through," he said.

To listen to Texas' Mack Brown is to understand the meaning of equivocation.

"We lost this game last year and wound up at the end of the season with still a chance to play for the national championship," he said. "Sure, we want to win against Oklahoma. But it's not all about one game."

Tell that to half the crowd that filled the Cotton Bowl in what is probably college football's greatest game-day atmosphere.

Bob Stoops.

Mack Squirms.

It would be so easy to lay this one at the feet of Texas quarterback Chris Simms, who is 0-4 with one TD and 15 interceptions in games against Top 10 teams.

But doesn't every quarterback, every player at this level take his cue and feed off the emotion, energy and guidance of the head coach?

Didn't Stoops' record against Top 10 opponents improve to 9-1 with the win?

Didn't Brown's record fall to 3-8, including six losses in a row since the 1999 season?

Brown says he is a big boy and can handle the questions and the criticism, and that's a good thing, because it will continue until he can consistently deliver the goods in these situations, just like Stoops.

Brown can bristle all he wants at the "Coach February" label. But if you squint just a little, how much different, really, does he look than R.C. Slocum every autumn?

If not now, when for Brown and the Longhorns over Stoops and the Sooners? Brown's leaders on offense and defense -- Simms and defensive end Cory Redding -- are seniors, and with the rest of the talent that's been compiled in all those blue-chip recruiting classes, this was as good a chance as he'll probably have for several more to run the table.

"Don't blame Chris Simms for this," Brown said.

OK, then. What might Stoops be capable of doing with the Sooners if he had a quarterback with the physical tools, the arm strength of Simms?

Two years ago, the Sooners went 13-0 and won a national title with Josh Heupel, and he's not exactly lighting up the NFL these days. Saturday, Oklahoma kept its poise and its confidence and its killer instinct even with Nate Hybl struggling to hit 12 of 29 passes and tossing four interceptions.

It was OU that immediately responded to Rod Babers' 73-yard pick and return for a TD off Hybl that gave Texas a 14-3 lead late in the second quarter.

Antwone Savage returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards, then on fourth-and-two at the Texas eight, Stoops employed motion in the backfield and a hard count that drew the Longhorns offsides for a first down. Two plays later, Hybl hit tight end Trent Smith with a TD pass. Then Stoops went for the two-point conversion, Hybl found Curtis Fagan in the end zone, and it was 14-11 with five seconds before halftime.

Texas covered the squib kickoff at the 50, and Simms took a knee.

"We had the lead and were going into the wind," Brown said. "We didn't think it was time to try something."

If not in this game, if not there, when?

Longhorns killer Quentin Griffin ran through the Texas defense for 248 yards and one TD and scooped up a fumbled pass by Will Peoples for another score.

With just seven men in the box, Oklahoma held Texas to only 95 yards rushing on 35 attempts. Which means UT's vaunted offensive line was outplayed by the Sooners.

Texas' ace receiver Roy Williams, admittedly with a sore hamstring, caught just one pass in the second half.

"Into the wind in the third quarter, and Oklahoma held the ball in the the fourth quarter," Brown said.

Execution. Explanation. There is a difference.

"I'm not one to say we have anyone's number," one coach said.

"Give them credit," the other said.

Big game.

Bob Stoops.

Mack Shrinks.

 

You did not just quote Fran Blinebury.

sigh.

Davis is the problem, always has been, always will be.

 

Just got back from Dallas an hour ago. I was stunned to not have seen one OU fan run smack at me on the way out of the Fair Park. They came in expecting to win, and even felt sorry for us. I had an old OU fan come up to me in our hotel, and explain that he's been to this game every year since 1981, and he told me things will get better.

My final conclusion is that this team has peaked under Mack, and will not get any better unless some serious changes are made. If you're happy with Holiday bowls and 9 win seasons, then Mack's your guy.

 

The problem is Mack's refusal to fire Davis.

When the defense had problems with the secondary, and was geting torched by the Spread offense - Mack Brown went out and brought in Duane Akina to be the secondary coach - Duane Akina should be a defensive coordinator, and has a pedigree as a defensive coach second to none.

The offense is predictable, our running game has 4 plays. FOUR. We strand our runnig backs and QB's and expect them to make plays against talented defenses that are geared to stop it - because Lord knows we telegraph what we're going to do.

His loyalty to Greg Davis, and failure to let him go will eventually be his downfall.

 

"We had the lead and were going into the wind," Brown said. "We didn't think it was time to try something." - Mack on our big plays.

From the 50, I'd throw it to Roy Williams every time. -- Mike Stoops.

 

We were 8-2-1 against OU from 1989 through 1999.

Beginning with the 2000 game, it has been one long string of humiliation, and the most embarassing part has been our staff's comments.

Mack Brown held himself accountable for the 2000 debacle. I sort of took that to mean he'd try to fix things. Two years later, we're drowning in humiliation.

gr8-1, Baqui overheard this conversation:

 

From this morning's Daily Oklahoman in my hotel.

 

Just got back from the game in Dallas yesterday and the Texans game today. I'm not sure what has and hasn't been said, and I don't want to look through all the threads to relive it.

That being said, I have to agree with gr8-1 in eating some crow. Before I start, I'd like to apologize to the Sooner fans in general.

As I said during the week, my ticket was in the OU section, and I couldn't find anyone in the UT section to trade with. Anyway, the people I sat around were some of the most classy opposing fans that I have ever dealt with in my history of going to "road" sporting events for my teams. I'm not trying to say that they are representative of everyone, but they were all very nice people, and I didn't feel all that uncomfortable. It was definitely heated during the game, but no one ever got out of control, and I actually enjoyed talking football with them for a few hours. They definitely knew their stuff-- they were a lot more complimentary of our team than mduke and the soonerfans.com bunch would lead you to believe.

I haven't seen this game on tape yet, and maybe I will change my opinion when I do. However, from seeing the game in person, I'm not sure why the majority of the blame is going to Mack Brown, Chris Simms, Greg Davis, etc. The offense wasn't great, but we were playing a very good defense, and it wasn't exactly terrible either.

What has me concerned is how our front seven got bullied for almost the entire game. Quentin Griffin hasn't been able to run at all on good teams... and he only got 27 yards against us last year. 248 yards?!?!? I don't care what OU's field position is, or the time of possession, or anything like that. They continually dominated the line of scrimmage throughout the game, and exposed our defensive front seven as being soft.

Our secondary made some great plays on the interceptions, but even in the first half, OU was running it down our throat. Their offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage, and an offense that had been terrible throughout the year scored 35 on us. That, to me, is the problem. I'm more concerned with the loss this year than I was a year ago. There are going to be games, especially against great defenses, where your offense isn't going to score a lot. However, the great teams can point to their defenses as the constant reliable to keep them in games. I'm not sure we have that. I know what the statistics say, but truthfully, we didn't play strong teams.

If Hybl didn't make some awful throws in the first half (unforced errors), OU's offense might have put up 45 points. The offense was so-so at best, but we got enough points to win in a defensive game against a team with a below average offense. We only really had one bad mistake, where Strait was sitting on the slant and picked off the pass. The first interception hurt, but it was deep enough that it was basically a punt. We took a chance to stretch the defense, it didn't work out, but it didn't hurt us all that much in field position. The third interception was just a tremendous play by the defense... the pass was there for BJ, just a remarkable hit and a great bounce for the Sooners. Not much you can do.

I guess my point through all of this is that the defense should be our first concern. I don't think that the offense is perfect, or that we don't need better playcalling, but that is not my disappointment after this game. I'm stunned at how our second ranked defense got physically manhandled on the line of scrimmage. You can try to say that they were worn down, but this happened in the first half as well. Hybl just made enough bad throws to negate their dominance in the running game.

 

Ask and ye shall receive:

He said I couldn't tackle. He said I couldn't play. I din't get Roy, but I got his running back. They can thank him for that. - Lance Mitchell, 10 solo tackles

They stayed in basic formations all day. That made it easier. -- Lance Mitchell

Maybe Chris can't get it there -- Mike Stoops

We knew they didn't have anything on us other than a few big plays. -- Teddy Lehman

Not just in points but in the demeanor that our guys and theirs would have going into the locker room. Our guys could feel that it was slipping away from them (the Longhorns). -- DC, Brent Venables

I'd rather Superman jump over and hit Chris' arm than lose 35-24. -- Roy Williams

We were moving the ball last year. This year it was three and out every time almost. -- Roy Williams

We were saving it for this game. If you're not gap sound, that play will rip you. -- Mike Stoops on the Quentin Griffin sprint draw play

He did a good job with the draw play -- Mack Brown on Quentin Griffin.

I'll take this one. Chris is one of the best quarterbacks in the country and in a couple of situations today, a ball came of of a hand or our guy ran a wrong route. - Mack Brown

Chris Simms is playing as well as anybody in the country. He'll continue to do so. -- Mack Brown

No excuses -- Mack Brown

 

I guess my point through all of this is that the defense should be our first concern. I don't think that the offense is perfect, or that we don't need better playcalling, but that is not my disappointment after this game.

I think the focus is on the offense because:

(1) The offense only scored 7 points. The defense scored 7 and the defense put us in position for the other 3 - the offense gained no yards on that possession. (another 7 were scored after the game was over)

(2) The defense gave up lots of yards, but few points until the 4th quarter. At that point, they had been on the field the entire second half because we had gained only 1 first down. Most people think the defense was simply exhausted by mid/late 4th quarter. Q. Griffin did well in the 1st quarter, but we adjusted and shut down their offense the rest of the way until the 4th.

(3) Our offense basically had one of the worst outputs in any recent UT history - it was at 130 total yards before the last drive. Every team OU has played has done better than that against them.

The defense certainly showed some vulnerabilities, but the offense continued a season-long trend of suckage.

 

Well, the last drive isn't totally meaningless. The game may have been over for all intents and purposes, but the OU fans (and the players) were all very intense and wanted to keep us out of the end zone as much as possible. Also, part of the problem with the offense was that OU's punter consistently put us inside our own 10, and there's only so much you can do that deep.

I will agree on one thing... OU read Greg Davis. The one area we have thrown it downfield consistently is to the middle on slants, and Derrick Strait sat on that route in the second quarter and got the pick. I think after OU started to stop that play, Davis went back in his shell. However, by that point, we already had points on the board, and combined with the pick return that should've been enough.

I have to disagree with you on point 2. My beef is not with the entire defense. The secondary played a very strong game, and that is what saved us before the fourth quarter. Remember, on Babers INT return in the second quarter, OU had it inside the 25. They had it inside the 20 on Pearson's pick in the first quarter. They were running it through our front seven at will, even in the first three quarters. It just didn't show up on the scoreboard because our secondary kept making great plays to cover it up.

 

Just watched some of my tape of the game, and I was so pissed that I had to turn it off during halftime. On that Strait INT, Simms only looked at Shanahan. He stared him down, rifled it in there. Shanahan saw that Strait was in position to catch the ball. Kyle stopped running his route, and watched Strait pick it off instead of trying to bat the ball away.

 

I will agree on one thing... OU read Greg Davis. The one area we have thrown it downfield consistently is to the middle on slants, and Derrick Strait sat on that route in the second quarter and got the pick. I think after OU started to stop that play, Davis went back in his shell. However, by that point, we already had points on the board, and combined with the pick return that should've been enough.


I agree to an extent. We started out playing-to-win. After the INTs, Davis got more and more conservative. During the 2nd half, we went run-run-incomplete pass on virtually every possession. In a normal game, I think our 17 pts is enough and we can hold OU. However, that assumes that the offense gives the defense some breathers, which it didn't do. I really think they just got tired toward the end.

I have to disagree with you on point 2. My beef is not with the entire defense. The secondary played a very strong game, and that is what saved us before the fourth quarter. Remember, on Babers INT return in the second quarter, OU had it inside the 25. They had it inside the 20 on Pearson's pick in the first quarter. They were running it through our front seven at will, even in the first three quarters. It just didn't show up on the scoreboard because our secondary kept making great plays to cover it up.

Oh, I agree that some weaknesses certainly showed. In the 2nd/3rd Q's, though, they were moving the ball through the air. Griffin had 100+ yards in each of the 1st and 4th quarters, so he didn't get much else in between (part of that is that he was cramping up and out of the game for a while). But ultimately they didn't really give up any significant points. Until the 4th Q, it was just 2 field goals, and the 8pt TD which was partially due to a special teams breakdown and a penalty (we had stopped them and forced 4th down).

The comments afterward only fueled the focus on the offense. Roy Williams in particular complained that we didn't give the WR's the opportunity to make plays and were too conservative.

<B>Just watched some of my tape of the game, and I was so pissed that I had to turn it off during halftime. On that Strait INT, Simms only looked at Shanahan. He stared him down, rifled it in there. Shanahan saw that Strait was in position to catch the ball. Kyle stopped running his route, and watched Strait pick it off instead of trying to bat the ball away.</B>

Baqui -- there were a couple of plays like that. On the BJ interception, Simms did the same thing. He had Tony Jeffries wide open streaking to the end zone because his defender had fallen down. He could have floated a pass to him, but Simms never looked away to find him.

The guy opposite Trev Alberts on ESPN nicknamed Simms "Western Union" because he telegraphs all his passes. Oddly, there was a short mini-interview with Simms about his maturing and one thing he said was that when he goes to the line of scrimmage, he now has a good idea of where he's going with the ball (as opposed to last year) which is exactly the problem.

 

Hybl did a great job of making the UT DBs look all-world in the 1st half...

Hybl had no clue what zone defense meant yesterday.

 

For reference, OU's first 17 pts:

FG: 68 yard drive
TD: 16 yard drive
FG: 11 yard drive
FG: 38 yard drive

The first drive, we sucked. After that, the only time they scored until late was when we gave them good field position.

For the offense, we had 209 total yards. 71 came on the 2nd drive. Another 60 came after OU took the 18 pt lead. That means we gained about 70 yards in nearly 3 quarters. Tulsa, UTEP, South Florida, Alabama, and Missouri all gained more yards & first downs vs. OU.

 

It just goes to show you, the value of field position. If OU had UT's crappy field position, they are hard pressed to score more than 10-14 pts.

 

Jeffery didn't get open on that play until well after the ball had been thrown.

 

Major is right, Griffin got all his yards in the 1st and 4th quarters. He had around 120 yards in the 1st quarter, yet UT was still ahead 14-3 until the end of the half. The defense is the only reason UT was even in the game at all. Griffin then had a big 4th quarter after the Texas offense could only manage ONE first down in the second half until the final couple of minutes.

Of course ZERO TDs and 14 INTs are either a coincidence, or the fault of Greg Davis.