SBNation.com User Blog: chupita

OU offensive line problems

chupita — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:10:32 -0000

As a self proclaimed Sooners hater; I can’t say that the recent news out of Norman hasn’t brought a big smile to my face. Don’t get me wrong, I never wish for kids to get injured, but I understand that injuries are going to happen and there’s really nothing you can do about it.

That said, I was reviewing the OU offensive line after the recent injuries, retirements, academic casualties, and just straight up quitting. If I am correct, OU has seven total offensive linemen that have played a down of D1 football. Is this accurate? Here’s the breakdown that I came up with…

Expected starting lineup:

LT D.Williams,RS Soph (started the opener against Tulsa in 2011 and then provided depth in 9 more games as a RS Fr.)

LG Shead,RS Soph (started 5 games at LG while Habern was injured and Ikard moved to C… provided depth in 5 other games in 2011)

C Ikard,RS Jr (started in 18 games as a LG and 7 games as a C over his career)

RG Irwin,Jr (has played 146 snaps in 2 seasons on the offensive line… never started a game)

RT L.Johnson,RS Sr (started 12 of 13 games as RT in 2011, but was a TE/DE in 2010)

Experienced depth:

Austin Woods,Jr (basically their deep snapper and backup center who played only 34 snaps on the line in 2011)

Tyrus Thompson,RS Soph (provided depth in 5 games in 2011 as RS Fr)

Redshirt Freshmen:

Derek Farniok (6’9 / 319), Robert Hollis (6’4 /333), Nila Kasitati (6’4 / 309)

High School Freshmen:

Kyle Marrs (6’5 / 320), Ty Darlington (6’3 / 266)

Expected starting lineup:

LT D.Williams,RS Soph (started the opener against Tulsa in 2011 and then provided depth in 9 more games as a RS Fr.)

LG Shead,RS Soph (started 5 games at LG while Habern was injured and Ikard moved to C… provided depth in 5 other games in 2011)

C Ikard,RS Jr (started in 18 games as a LG and 7 games as a C over his career)

RG Irwin,Jr (has played 146 snaps in 2 seasons on the offensive line… never started a game)

RT L.Johnson,RS Sr (started 12 of 13 games as RT in 2011, but was a TE/DE in 2010)

Experienced depth:

Austin Woods,Jr (basically their deep snapper and backup center who played only 34 snaps on the line in 2011)

Tyrus Thompson,RS Soph (provided depth in 5 games in 2011 as RS Fr)

Redshirt Freshmen:

Derek Farniok (6’9 / 319), Robert Hollis (6’4 /333), Nila Kasitati (6’4 / 309)

High School Freshmen:

Kyle Marrs (6’5 / 320), Ty Darlington (6’3 / 266)

2012 OU football prediction

chupita — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 02:00:05 -0000

Only 3 months til football season. Toby projected his prediction on the UT board, so I figured I'd be rude not to post my thoughts about the Sooners.

@ UTEP– One of OU’s four trips to Texas in 2012. No doubt they scheduled this game due to the recruiting benefits related to playing in the armpit of the state. UTEP’s horrible defense will even allow a pathetic OU running game to average 5 yards per carry. Win OU 1-0

Florida A&M – Really Bob? A division l team in this day and age? OU fans will promote this one as ‘Theguys that won a Championship back in 1978.’ Pathetic scheduling. Win OU 2-0

Kansas St – Klein, again, proves that he and the Wildcats are one-dimensional and an adrenaline filled crowd will help guide OU to their biggest home win of the year against an overrated top 15 team in Norman. Stoops will have a 28-point lead late in the 4th and Jones will still be in attempting passes. Win OU 3-0

@ Texas Tech- Doege lit a better OU defense up last season in Norman. This year won’t be any different as a horrendous OUsecondary is victimized again in Lubbock with no answer. Jones continues on last year inability to be a top-tier QB without Ryan Broyles, and the Red Raiders smack the Sooners for 3rd time in 4 years. Loss 3-1

Texas – Constant pressure, an unstoppable running game, a relentless secondary and a group of youngsters looking for revenge is the story here. The team that wins the line of scrimmage, and controls the turnovers always wins the RRSO. OU’s running game continues to fail, and their lack of experience at WR bite their butts. Texas out rushes OU 265 to 46, and the secondary forces three turnovers by the uncomfortable Jones. Loss 3-2

Kansas – brand new QB’s and a brand new system (for Kansas) equal a blowout for OU. Bob plays Blake Bell 50% of the time as he realizes that the off-season personnel losses and OU’s inability to compete at the highest level equal building for 2013. Win 4-2

NotreDame – In front of a cautious, but optimistic crowd in Norman, Brian Kelly invokes his revenge late in the 4thquarter to put the Sooners down for the 3rd time, and with 2-losses in Norman the same year. Notre Dame holds a dreadful OU running game to under 75 yards and grinds out the victory. Loss 4-3

@ Iowa St – Still just Iowa St – Blake Bell runs for three (less than 5 yards out) TD’s and OU throttles Iowa St on the road. Win 5-3

Baylor – Game will be a shootout – Florence and Jones put up huge passing yards, but the lack of defense (as we saw in their bowl) allows OU to notch another home win. Win 6-3

@ West Virginia – Again, neither team brings a defense to this game, but West Virginia has the better weapons in a high scoring affair. The home crowd elevates West Virginia to the win, and Geno Smith has the OU secondary thinking he’s Robert Griffin. Loss 6-4

Oklahoma St – Bedlam!? Hardly – this one will have two teams on the decline and just an in-state rivalry. T-Boone decides to watch this game from his house, and the young, mistake prone Cowboys realize that they don’t have any more 40-year old baseball burnouts available. Win 7-4

@ TCU– TCU’s personnel losses, and in-season injuries will doom the Frogs in their 1sthome game against the Sooners in the Big 12. TCU endures a bad season (by their standards) and learns that the Big 12 is much more difficult than their old conference. Win 8-4

Overall: a senior QB that will never elevate past what he was his freshmen year, zero (and I mean) zero running game a, only one WR with any meaningful experience (and he's only a #2 guy), no TE whatsoever, a line that failed to open holes for the running game, no edge rushers that scare the worst of QB's, DT's are softer than the Pillsbury douboy, and a secondary that was torched on a weekly basis... and lost their best players.

(Ed. note - We'll allow this to stay up, but we're removing your baseless and ridiculous accusation you put in at the end here. Happy trolling.)

Only 3 months til football season. Toby projected his prediction on the UT board, so I figured I'd be rude not to post my thoughts about the Sooners.

Florida A&M – Really Bob? A division l team in this day and age? OU fans will promote this one as ‘Theguys that won a Championship back in 1978.’ Pathetic scheduling. Win OU 2-0

@ Iowa St – Still just Iowa St – Blake Bell runs for three (less than 5 yards out) TD’s and OU throttles Iowa St on the road. Win 5-3

Baylor – Game will be a shootout – Florence and Jones put up huge passing yards, but the lack of defense (as we saw in their bowl) allows OU to notch another home win. Win 6-3

(Ed. note - We'll allow this to stay up, but we're removing your baseless and ridiculous accusation you put in at the end here. Happy trolling.)

Applewhite and Akina?

chupita — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:56:10 -0000

I am concerned that UT may lose the AA's during the offseason.

Akina and Applewhite, IMO are the best coaches on the entire Longhorns coaching staff and both are in conversations for jobs at Florida and Hawaii.

Losing Applewhite would be a huge blow to our recruiting abilities, as he pretty much held the 2010 recruiting class together. I don't understand how Applewhite isn't already our offensive coordinator and it would be a horrible loss if Muschamp snagged him for their offensive coordinator.

Akina has done nothing short of an amazing job at UT as DB's coach. His heart seems to be in Hawaii and this could be his best opportunity to get back home and eventually finish his career as a head coach at the Golden Warriors.

I wish the best for the two of them, but definitely don't want to lose the two best coaching talent on our team.

I am concerned that UT may lose the AA's during the offseason.

Akina and Applewhite, IMO are the best coaches on the entire Longhorns coaching staff and both are in conversations for jobs at Florida and Hawaii.

I wish the best for the two of them, but definitely don't want to lose the two best coaching talent on our team.