| 01 November 2009
Kind of a strange game last night. Really OU's closest struggle at home during this current streak since Missouri in 2007 or the dreaded Baylor OT game in 2005. A tale of 4 quarters, 1st and 4th Qtrs belonging to a dominating OU offense and OU defense, and then 2nd and 3rd Qtrs where KState exposed the OU defense and controlled the clock. Then we had a nightmarish glimpse back into 2008's kickoff return coverage.
Positives:
- Probably Landry Jones best game as a Sooner to date. In the first quarter, for a ten minute stretch OU looked like the fast break dominant offense of last year. Landry completed 70% of his passes, and for the most part was making excellent decisions. He's clearly getting in sync with his WR more, and about the only thing missing last night was a deep pass play. Also, perhaps the biggest sign of improvement. OU's 3rd conversion rate was 10 of 13, and Landry converted 6 of those 3rd downs (which were 5 yards or greater) by hitting WRs.
- No probably about it, this was the most complete game by the Sooner WRs corps. Ryan Broyles is clearly an All Big 12 performer at WR right now. If not for his injury, he might have made a run at the season yardage record for a Sooner WR. Broyles' RAC yardage was highlighted by his amazing pickup on 3rd and 24 where he picked up the last 15 yards by tiptoeing down the sideline. While we have become accustomed to Broyles' playmaking this year, Dejuan Miller clearly had a breakout game as well. Of the previously mentioned 3rd down conversions, Miller is becoming a clutch move the chains weapon for Landry. It's a shame he had such an awful BYU game because now that he's mentally back in the game, Adron Tennell is clearly a big weapon for OU at WR. At some point. Landry's going to hit Tennell for a huge pass play where he's behind the defense. You almost wish that OU had redshirted Tennell last year, so now that he's hitting his stride he could return with Broyles and Miller next year.
- Demarco Murray's return provided a huge boost. At this point, Murray is running more physical than Chris Brown and doing a better job running out of the shotgun nearly the goal line and getting into the end zone. Murray did a nice job getting 21 yards on a simple pass play setting up Broyles heroics that converted the 1st and 45.
- The OL in general did a very nice job with pass protection, Landry had time to make plays and find receivers. There were several holding calls which hurt drives, but Landry made plays to overcome those hurdles on back to back drives. Before killing the clock on their last two drives, OU had a very respectable 5 yards a carry average, and you can see signs of a better running game out of the spread shotgun formations.
- OU's offense twice answered KSU touchdowns that reduced the margin to 5 points. And on both of those drives OU had to overcome serious penalty issues. It's the clutch response that was a great sign.
- It's a small positive, but there was a James Hanna sighting. He made a nice catch for 19 yards early on, and then was mysteriously unseen again.
- OU's secondary for the most part had a very solid game. They gave up some passing plays but really that was due lack of pressure on KSU's QB. KSU's biggest pass play was their wildcat pass to banks. And KSU was very lucky to complete that pass at all.
Negatives:
- OU's defense had a great start and BV was using a different LB look for KSU's running attack, and for the 1st QTR that look and changing up personnel was working. Then, KSU started running out of a more wildcat, shotgun, and 3 WR looks. And OU started missing tackles, missing gaps, front four had a harder time getting off blocks, and KSU started getting some positive yardage.
- Several times 3rd and long, OU either was too passive in rushing the KSU QB, or lost containment and allowed Gregory to scramble for big yardage.
- Just very disappointing game from OU's LBs overall. Hard to name a LB that had a good game. Front four was less disappointing but McCoy and Taylor did not have their usual impact. KSU seemed to scheme away from Beal reducing his impact (Beal still got 4 tackles for loss). Defense seemed to tire a bit in the 3rd Qtr (OU went 3 and out very quickly on their first 2nd half possession), and KSU clearly worked that running the ball.
- The kickoff return touchdown. OU actually had been doing a great job on Banks all game. Then Franks, Trice, and Hurst got out of their lanes and Banks got a clear path and that was it.
