jgf2017 said

One thing that I think benefits FAU is that it's the 1st game of the year. OU has a new QB, LT, to replace among others. OU scheduled us to be basically a tuneup game that they'd win 65-3 or something. The problem is, we're maybe the nation's fastest rising program with a 10 game winning streak. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd at least expect OU to have some growing pains on offense Sept. 1. If there's a game to beat them it's the opener. And OU's defense, which was terrible last year, shouldn't be counted on.

Posted On: Aug 12th 2018, 5:49 PM #379354

I can agree with that. Tentatively at least. I do think OU's defense is going to be improved. We had a lot of injuries last year. Not that it's an excuse for how poorly they played throughout the season, but if there was any resemblance of even a top 50 defense, OU probably wins the NC last year seeing what Georgia was able to do to Bama.

I think OU's defense takes a step forward as the offense steps back a bit.

Hoot_N_Holler said

So, in game thoughts?

I would imagine both teams would come out with "scripted" plays on the first drive or two to see how the defenses react.  With both teams having a new starting QB, next comes the old adage of getting them some confidence before you take chances.

My fear is that we use the run to set up the pass.  Everyone will be keying in on Motor, so I hope they don't go to that well too often too soon.  Set up the balanced attack, take the early deep strikes down the field to get the LB's back and the safeties out of the box.

On defense, blitz right out of the gate.  Shake Murray early, don't let him get in a groove, take the home team out of the game.  Pretty much every broadcast you've ever heard.

That's how I'd call it, though I could be wrong…

Posted On: Aug 12th 2018, 6:33 PM #379357

OU fans are actually hoping Murray is the answer to people blitzing OU. With his running ability, he's the first QB OU's had that was a true runner/sprinter. Honestly, we've had such consistency at QB for 3 years it's hard to grasp the change. I think Riley is such a dynamic playcaller that OU will always have a stout offense under him. It's just can the defense improve as the talent does? IDK

Let me rephrase that, he's the first highly talented dual-threat QB OU's had in decades. Jason White was supposed to be one, but he kept busting up his knees to the point he had to become a pocket passer only.

And for the record, I've been an Oklahoma fan from a distance for years.

Bob Stoops helped my Florida Gators win our first national championship, I worked two of the Orange Bowl national championships down here in Miami in the 2000's (routed for them against Florida State, the other was against the Tebow led Gators).

That's a rather peachy outlook for OU this year. They do play in a joke of a conference, so they could make the playoffs just because of the utter garbage they'll be playing against week in and week out. But, OU hasn't won a NC since 2000, and Stoops is gone. The defense is awful. Granted, I could see the QB Murray being good, but there's a heck of a lot of question marks. If they were in a real conference like the SEC they'd lose 4 games no questions asked. Who knows, Lincoln Riley could end up being a mediocre coach and this is the beginning of their downfall. More signs point to that than them winning NC's.

jgf2017 said

That's a rather peachy outlook for OU this year. They do play in a joke of a conference, so they could make the playoffs just because of the utter garbage they'll be playing against week in and week out. But, OU hasn't won a NC since 2000, and Stoops is gone. The defense is awful. Granted, I could see the QB Murray being good, but there's a heck of a lot of question marks. If they were in a real conference like the SEC they'd lose 4 games no questions asked. Who knows, Lincoln Riley could end up being a mediocre coach and this is the beginning of their downfall. More signs point to that than them winning NC's.

Posted On: Aug 12th 2018, 10:55 PM #379365

I admitted it was through Crimson glasses. I didn't hide that fact. I also admitted it's preseason, meaning everyone thinks highly of their team. Didn't hide my enthusiasm that way either.

Conference joke or not, I think OU has done pretty well for themselves since then. Including against top opponents from non-joke conferences to use your term. And pretty well vs some top SEC talent. Hell, as long as it's not Clemson, we seem to more than hold our own the last 5 years or so. Oklahoma has never shied away scheduling home-and-home games with big opponents. I think Tenn, Ohio State, Notre Dame were the last 3 series. FSU I think was right before them. And that's when FSU was rolling with Jimbo.

Big 12 is down, there's no denying it. But it's all cyclical. Wasn't but 10 years ago we had 3 top 10 teams, all 3 in the top 3 at one time in the same year, from the same division. Which happened to be in that aforementioned 2008 NC game season where OU got beat by Tebow's Gators.

In fact OU has future schedules with the current UCLA one starting this year, then Tennessee and Nebraska, Michigan and then LSU. Granted, you can't determine where they will be in 10 years when scheduling these programs, but if you schedule the name, you're likely to get good opponents more times than not.

jgf2017 said

That's a rather peachy outlook for OU this year. They do play in a joke of a conference, so they could make the playoffs just because of the utter garbage they'll be playing against week in and week out. But, OU hasn't won a NC since 2000, and Stoops is gone. The defense is awful. Granted, I could see the QB Murray being good, but there's a heck of a lot of question marks. If they were in a real conference like the SEC they'd lose 4 games no questions asked. Who knows, Lincoln Riley could end up being a mediocre coach and this is the beginning of their downfall. More signs point to that than them winning NC's.

Posted On: Aug 12th 2018, 10:55 PM #379365

Dude you are wrong.

Most of the SEC in 2017 over ranked and very poorly coached. LSU,UF USC, Texas A&M plus the bottom feeders like Ole Miss, UT, UK and Vnady, none of those team finish in the top 3 of the Big 12

They scored over 50 vs a team with NFL players all over the field.  They have question marks just like we do. One thing I hate about offseason talk is other teams have questions marks and your team will be fine.
Do you realize we brought in a QB last week and he is taking 1st team snaps? That is very concerning.

OU is very way more talented than us and deserve to be 21 point favorites. We need to be able to throw to win thus game. Can not depend on Motor getting 7.5 yards a carry to victory like last year against very poor C-USA defenses.

OU has lost 4 OOC home games in the last 20 years and 2 of those were to other top ten teams. I am not getting my hopes up.   

+10

We don’t have a qb or an Oline that’s played together and new coordinators in every role. Motor scored all of those touchdowns thanks to a really good Oline. 

I could be taking snaps at OU this year and they’d still be favored by a ton. 

We absolutely have a punchers chance, but that’s if we have a +3 TO margin day, the D and ST need to score for us too.

I am interested to see how well OU ends up this year with a full season of Lincoln Riley showing his coaching chops. Having a guy like Mayfield is once in a lifetime for a coach and can cover up some inadequacy. This year will show if he’s a top flight coach or not. (I have no opinion on it, just recognizing how big of an advantage a guy like Baker is)

Lane is an X factor for us. He proves again and again, he’s a really damn good football coach. Still learning the CEO thing…but Xs and Os, he’s one of the best and that matters in games like this. 

Looks like SB Nation has saved us some work:

FAU vs. Oklahoma: How many points can Lane Kiffin score on Mike Stoops? - SBNation.com