WEEK 6 - OKLAHOMA PREVIEW
06 Oct 2022 | Sam Martens
Longhorn Faithful,
I return to you after an inexcusable 2 week hiatus. Life happened, and I woke up two weeks later with no write ups to speak for, and for that I am sorry.
But the long-awaited fall weather has returned and this means one thing…the Texas Longhorns will fight the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Shootout in the Cotton Bowl.
Let’s begin now.
Let’s begin now.
TExas Tech & West Virginia Recaps
We will not spend too much time remembering our painful afternoon in Lubbock, but it is important to understand how (I am still unsure how), we fell short. Texas scored two touchdowns in the final six minutes and looked to be in control up 24-14 at halftime. Then Red Raider HC Joe McGuire told his team that Texas will fold in the 2H so to keep fighting. And fold we did.
Sure, we can talk about the defense being out there for 1,000 plays and failing to get off the field for 6 out of 8 4th downs. Sure, we can talk about Bijan Robinson’s uncharacteristic fumble to open up OT to give the Red Raiders the win. But what McGuire told his team had nothing to do with football. He knew that his team could be mentally stronger and will their way to victory. That is a straight jab, uppercut, and hook to Steve Sarkisian and a Texas program who thought they were righting the ship. That is, in Sarkisian’s words, “unacceptable.”
And I know you are all tired of hearing me over the past few seasons talk about teaching moments. What a loss to Kansas, Tech, etc. can do for a program. But know this. McGuire’s public post game speech was about as downright disrespectful a statement one can make about another group of young men and coaching staff you can make. And he was right to say it. I have little doubt that Sarkisian and Co. have it saved on tape and prepare to play it during every halftime Texas plays hopefully for the rest of his career. It is a constant reminder of the weakness that has plagued both Steve to date and the Texas program for the better part of a decade. We will use this as fuel.
The Burnt Orange bounced back with a relatively easy win over a troubled Couch Burning Mountaineer team. We will absolutely not gloat over a comfy win over a struggling JT Daniels offense, but our team responded well and more importantly handled a 2H in a confident manner. But that is easy to do at home, and Sarkisian will have to wait to face our 2H demons on the road for a later date. While not a true road game by any means, we learned last year that the Cotton Bowl is an elusive environment to put the OU Losers to bed in the 2H.
Oklahoma Sooners Preview
The Red had an eventful offseason, to say the least. Former HC Lincoln Riley showed the fan base what we all knew to be true, that Southern California (and countless other places) is simply a better place than Norman, Oklahoma. Following Riley’s departure, the Sooners lost countless other starters and key depth players to the portal and the NFL draft.
In walks in Brent Venables, the undisputed top Defensive Coordinator of the last 10 years. Venables, native to Kansas, finally departed a Clemson program he saw win 2 National Championships and contend for several others. He spent over 14 years as an assistant in Norman prior, so the move made sense for a man we all suspected was long overdue for a HC but for Dabo Swinney to hold hostage. Venables becomes the 23rd Head Coach in Sooner State history. Venables and Losers opened the season at No. 9 in the national polls and many expected to pick up where they had been with Riley. Not so fast, says Gus Johnson. Kansas State came to Norman and put up over 500 yards in route to a 41-34 victory. The following week it got much worse in Fort Worth, as TCU elapsed over 660 yards and drummed the Sooners 55-24. Venables and Losers are now unranked, as are our Longhorns… The offense is led by OC Jeff Lebby (Ole Miss) and transfer QB Dillon Gabriel (UCF), who took a vicious cheap shot to the dome last week. His status is unknown for the RRS. Behind him runs Davis Beville (who sucked against TCU), General Booty (admitably top name in football), and freshman Nick Evers. All 4 of these Losers could see time this weekend, but all 4 are a step down from what we have seen from OU in Dallas the last 15 years.
On the ground, OU is led once again by Eric Gray (transfer from Tennessee, loser program) with 460 yards averaging near 7 yards per attempt. But Venables will sprinkle in dosages of Javontae Barnes, a promising freshman from Sin City Nevada. Continuing to limit the run and should be our top priority. Mavin Mims, Jr. also returns to lead the Sooners in receiving. He is a constant deep threat, reminding us of two 2H long TDs in our collapse last year. TE Brandon Willis and X position Theo Wease, Jr. are the likely two other threats to gameplan around. Limiting the Juniors and Whatchu Talkin Bout Willis will be PK/Patterson’s plan in the air. OU’s Big Uglies have struggled more this year than in the past. They are younger than in the past. Couple that with a new system imposed by Lebby, and this offense has struggled to put together full drives. But as we have learned beginning in our Chuck Strong years, struggling offenses seem to find success in the Cotton Bowl. But somehow, the defensive side of the ball is where Venables’s squad has yet to find any success. They have been gashed by opposing running backs in both Big 12 games to date. Venables tried a 3 man front against TCU to help with a lacking defensive line and strong linebacker play, but that proved worse. Defense ends Reggie Grimes and Ethan Downs have not been able to get off any blocks in conference play. Their linebackers David Ugwoegbu and Danny Stutsman are 2 and 3 in Big 12 in tackles (behind Jaylan Ford), but I think can be exploited when forced to cover/move with Bijan, Roschon, and Sanders in the open field. Defensive back Billy Bowman is likely their top defensive player and heaviest steroid user, but it looks like he may not be able to suit up this weekend. Safeties have been a revolving door for the Sooners, and I am not sure who plays majority snaps.
In walks in Brent Venables, the undisputed top Defensive Coordinator of the last 10 years. Venables, native to Kansas, finally departed a Clemson program he saw win 2 National Championships and contend for several others. He spent over 14 years as an assistant in Norman prior, so the move made sense for a man we all suspected was long overdue for a HC but for Dabo Swinney to hold hostage. Venables becomes the 23rd Head Coach in Sooner State history. Venables and Losers opened the season at No. 9 in the national polls and many expected to pick up where they had been with Riley. Not so fast, says Gus Johnson. Kansas State came to Norman and put up over 500 yards in route to a 41-34 victory. The following week it got much worse in Fort Worth, as TCU elapsed over 660 yards and drummed the Sooners 55-24. Venables and Losers are now unranked, as are our Longhorns… The offense is led by OC Jeff Lebby (Ole Miss) and transfer QB Dillon Gabriel (UCF), who took a vicious cheap shot to the dome last week. His status is unknown for the RRS. Behind him runs Davis Beville (who sucked against TCU), General Booty (admitably top name in football), and freshman Nick Evers. All 4 of these Losers could see time this weekend, but all 4 are a step down from what we have seen from OU in Dallas the last 15 years.
On the ground, OU is led once again by Eric Gray (transfer from Tennessee, loser program) with 460 yards averaging near 7 yards per attempt. But Venables will sprinkle in dosages of Javontae Barnes, a promising freshman from Sin City Nevada. Continuing to limit the run and should be our top priority. Mavin Mims, Jr. also returns to lead the Sooners in receiving. He is a constant deep threat, reminding us of two 2H long TDs in our collapse last year. TE Brandon Willis and X position Theo Wease, Jr. are the likely two other threats to gameplan around. Limiting the Juniors and Whatchu Talkin Bout Willis will be PK/Patterson’s plan in the air. OU’s Big Uglies have struggled more this year than in the past. They are younger than in the past. Couple that with a new system imposed by Lebby, and this offense has struggled to put together full drives. But as we have learned beginning in our Chuck Strong years, struggling offenses seem to find success in the Cotton Bowl. But somehow, the defensive side of the ball is where Venables’s squad has yet to find any success. They have been gashed by opposing running backs in both Big 12 games to date. Venables tried a 3 man front against TCU to help with a lacking defensive line and strong linebacker play, but that proved worse. Defense ends Reggie Grimes and Ethan Downs have not been able to get off any blocks in conference play. Their linebackers David Ugwoegbu and Danny Stutsman are 2 and 3 in Big 12 in tackles (behind Jaylan Ford), but I think can be exploited when forced to cover/move with Bijan, Roschon, and Sanders in the open field. Defensive back Billy Bowman is likely their top defensive player and heaviest steroid user, but it looks like he may not be able to suit up this weekend. Safeties have been a revolving door for the Sooners, and I am not sure who plays majority snaps.
Texas Longhorn – Oklahoma Sooner Game Preview
The Red River Rivalry will kick off at 11 AM central time in the Cotton Bowl with a temperature of 78 degrees (!!). We did not secure Gus Johnson as the broadcast is covered by ABC and Joe Tessitore, Greg McElroy, and Katie George. The spread is now -9 for the good guys with an O/U of 66.
Let’s start off with the news that Quinn Ewers will return and start for your Texas Longhorns. Need I remind you, we are undefeated in full games Quinn has played (1 😊). Jokes aside, this is a welcomed return as Quinn’s arm adds levels to our offense that gutsy Hudson Card could not.
Now let’s also get this straight. The Red River is a nothing matters, clean slate, all out slugfest that has been within a score every year for the last 9 trips. But you read the preview on this Oklahoma team, and I have hopefully explained to you that they are what we thought they were, Losers. This game will not be close and will be the dream trip we always hope for in Dallas. A Longhorn blow-out win.
Here is why. I don’t expect Dillon Gabriel to play. If the Losers ignore doctors and play him, so be it. Won’t matter. We are going to play a strongside 4-3 with a safety shadow over Mims’s side that should allow there to be minimal running room at best. I expect our defense to get home a little more than past weeks and convert our flurry of hurries into sacks. My spotlight players are Jerrin Thompson and Anthony Cook. Expect big things from our safeties this week.
Offensively, this is not rocket science. Run the damn ball 15 times to open the game. They have proven to be weak stopping the run, and Bijan should put up a Heisman performance. Couple that with a few over top breakers from Quinn (I see a 50+ yarder for Casey Cain in the future), we should have 28 points at halftime. Sark plays Joey McGuire’s speech at halftime, we run the damn ball more, and the Horns coast to victory on a beautiful day in Dallas, Texas. My challenge to Sark this week is to remain creative with his playcalling in the 2H when we have a lead. We need to be unpredictable, dominant, and cerebral in our 2H offense.
There is no greater joy in life than bashing the Losers. Enjoy this one Longhorn Faithful.