OU vs. texass - Defense recap

We'll get to the defense in a minute, but on the day after we beat texass how can we start with anything else but some highlights!

Feel free to re-watch that again and again and again!  Now on to the defense.

Despite the fact that UT's struggling offense out gained OU in the end, I have very little if anything to complain about regarding OU's defensive performance.  Yes they could have got more pressure on Gilly throughout the game and yes they shouldn't have given up that long Monroe TD, but ultimately they were able to get the job done and proved to be infinitely better than UT in one glaring respect.

DISCIPLINE.  We have it and UT clearly does not and nowhere was that more evident than on the defensive side of the ball.  I've taken a liking to CC's "Coach F-bomb" so I'm going to go ahead and borrow it here.  Coach F-bomb is quickly getting more attention for his sideline hysterics (which by the way have clearly rubbed off on Macky.  Calm down old man before you give yourself a stroke) than for the defense he trots out there every Saturday.  At least that was the case until yesterday, as Muschump's vaunted defense displayed the kind of intelligence normally reserved for a Vince Young Wonderlic exam.  Coach F-bomb might want to stop jumping around on the sideline and start coaching his defense to not commit some of the dumbest penalties I've ever seen.  Wait, what am I saying?  Never mind that, you just keeping jumping away Will!  Jump your way right into the Alamo Bowl!

As has become the custom, let the bullets start flying:

• The amount of young talent on display for OU on not only the defensive side, but the offensive side as well (see CC's outstanding breakdown) was absolutely staggering.  For once, Bob and the coaches don't appear to be lying to us when they spent all summer talking about how talented these kids were.  texass can keep their recruiting national championship trophy they award themselves every year, I'll take our recruits every day of the week and twice on freaking Sunday!
• Obviously I mentioned above, but you just can't say enough about a true freshman cornerback in Aaron Colvin making his first career start in the Cotton Bowl and playing like a freaking stud!  The kid had lockdown coverage all day with the exception of one play and finished the day as the 4th leading tackler.  He is clearly not afraid to come up and make a hit and played exceptionally well in the place of Jamell Fleming (again a perfect example of never believe anything our coaches say about injuries).
• The state of California was very, very good to OU last year.  CC addressed the performance of Kenny Stills (um, can you say a star is born) so allow me to say the following:  Tony Jefferson is a freaking player!  This kid is going to be special.  He was all over the field yesterday and on more than one occasion gave a UT ball carrier a shot that will not soon be forgotten.  Again, a true freshman ladies and gentlemen stepping up in an atmosphere like no other and having a monster game.
• Mr. Tom Wort just removed a considerably sized monkey and pretty much every OU fan off his back after his game on Saturday.  Wort was making plays all over the field and had by far and away his best game in his biggest moment to do so.  It was clear that texass thought he was a liability and tried to exploit that only to be turned away time and again.  Wort was outstanding in coverage, which was a HUGE improvement from the first four games, and played like the Tom Wort we all expected before the season started.
• There's not much left that can be said about Jeremy Beal.  The guy just continues to get the job done and did so again yesterday coming up with two important sacks.  We expected the UT tackles to be a liability and they proved us correct, but credit to Gilly for repeatedly stepping up to avoid pressure and being the only reason OU didn't get to him more.  
• I also thought the DT position played much better yesterday, specifically Stacey McGee, getting more of a push that we've seen through the first four games.  There were countless replays shown throughout the television broadcast that unintentionally highlighted our D-linemen getting tackled by a beaten UT lineman.
• Much like Beal, Travis Lewis is a guy we just expect to play big in big games.  And as usual, he did not disappoint.  Now obviously I'll never know what it really feels like to play on that field and beat the hell out of texass, but seeing those pictures of Travis with the Golden Hat on allowed me to live vicariously through him for that brief moment and I'm just guessing I wasn't the only OU fan doing exactly that.  Just a sweet, sweet feeling.

So, while there are absolutely still things this defense needs to improve on today is not a day to reflect on anything negative.  It's the day after we beat the hell out of texass and I'm having a hell of a time up here on cloud nine with the rest of my fellow Sooner fans!

Enjoy the win everyone and be sure to tune in tonight for Sooner Nation as CC and I attempt to delay the celebration just long enough to breakdown the OU win over texass yesterday.  And just in case anyone was wondering, YES texass most definitely still sucks!