How Would You Answer These Questions About The OU/BYU Game?

1. The Sooners are taking BYU very seriously. It’s the first game of the season, Idaho State (FCS) is their next opponent, and BYU is ranked! Not to mention it is on national TV. With the entire summer geared towards preparing for this game, and plenty of returning leadership on the team, they’ll have their nose to the grindstone.

2. I’m pretty confident that the offensive line will be able to protect Bradford for several reasons. (A) Trent Williams is one of the most talented linemen in the NCAA. (B) A few other guys on the line have game experience (Simmons has a LOT of game experience). © Even the new starters have talent. It’s not like the guys who went to the NFL all got drafted in the first round, and it’s not like these guys were mediocre recruits. This line has talent!

3. I think the Sooners are going to sit back in some sort of Cover 2 scheme and try and let their linemen get pressure initially. Max Hall is a solid QB and the major threat from BYU is in the passing game. They’ll make sure they have 6-7 guys in coverage on most plays. Maybe they’ll gamble a bit more in the beginning of the game.

4. Nope. No effect. Unless Reynolds gets hurt.

5. Injuries on both sides of the ball. Miscommunication on the offensive line so atrociously bad that it negates the amount of playmakers we have on the team. Botched extra points, field goal attempts, snaps, etc. (all the stuff you take for granted).

How seriously are the Sooners taking BYU?

I’d assume they’re taking it seriously. Obviously not on the same level of Texas or Oklahoma State – but it is a very respectable non-conference game for the Sooners. (Unlike Idaho State the following week…)

The offensive line seems to be the only area of inexperience how confident are you of the line being able to protect Sam Bradford?

Even as a BYU fan I’m pretty confident OU’s line will be terrific.

What is the plan of attack of the Sooner defense against BYU’s offense?

Stuff the running game up the middle – Unga doesn’t have great speed toward the outside. Pound Pitta coming off the LOS, he’s terrific in the open field. OU’s secondary should more than hang with BYU’s receivers because of their athleticism.

Is LB Mike Balgoun not playing going to affect the defense?

No.

What needs to happen for BYU to upset Oklahoma?

I’m just hoping for an injury free, clean game that is enjoyable for its offense.

1. Stoops will have them prepared, they aren’t looking past BYU to Idaho State. I’m serious.

2. The level of talent and speed BYU will field this year won’t be test Oklahoma’s line. Their best lineman, Jorgensen, was eaten up by our and TCU’s O lines last year. You will be stunned at how slow they are: stunned. Last year our QB hit 30-36 against them, he was a great manager but no Sam Bradford talent-wise. You will notice big wide spots where BYU players are supposed to be. You saw TCU’s D last year? They were (and are) vastly superior to BYUs D talent-wise. The word out of camp is they improved their secondary speed, I doubt it is enough to buy their front 7 enough time.

3. Utah plays mostly man coverage and sends as many as 8-9 guys. This is effective since Hall hates being beaten up and it stacks up the interior running game. They want to throw often, but make them one dimensional and Hall panics. Sure, he ate up some crappy teams, but not any decent ones. If they can mix it up (run/pass) they can be scary fast down the field, but last year they choked when it counted. While Hall and BYU’s offense is geared to take advantage of a Blitz (watch their running backs sprint out so he can dump it off, they will average like 40 catches in a year for their starters; the complaint on Unga was he only caught 42 last year), Hall can get rattled more than former BYU QBs so I’d attack, then drop guys off from different spots at times, randomly. He’ll throw to what was formerly an open spot, like he did last year at Utah when lineman Paul Kruger dropped back and picked it off. Also, their TE is always—always—thrown to as much as any of your wideouts are. He’ll tap someone briefly and slide out and start looking over his shoulder. They’ve had single (not position) TEs average 60+ catches in a career. Gordon Hudson caught about 80 annually (nine TE all americans, see here).

4. No. Had he been dropped immediately prior to the game, it may have unsettled some of your guys a tad. But, there were indications he might be in trouble so I have zero doubt your coach prepared adequate backup plans and that you guys are deep enough to cover it seamlessly. I owuld be surprised if it affected them at all this year.

5. Magically increase their 40 times. Absent that? Unga runs wild? If they could run, they’d trouble you. They have to protect Hall, they must play physical and close enough at the corners to buy time for the front 7 to slow you down. If they get the bounces off every ball? I mean, if they get enough breaks they could beat you of course, but they must get them. I think OU has to come in flat footed and with the flu for BYU to win.