So I'll just warn you all now, you're probably not going to like what I have to say. I fully appreciate the fact that it makes me "that guy" to complain about this offense after they put up 600+ yards and win by 33 points, but bare with me while I try to explain.
It starts with the fact that we saw a very similar performance from this OU team two weeks ago against Iowa State. The offense looked great, the defense played amazing, and we all thought "FINALLY! This was the OU team I was waiting to see." Then they come out and play a terrible game, making all kinds of mental mistakes, yet again on the road against a Missouri team that now looks pretty overrated. So forgive me if I'm not quite ready to jump back on the "this is a great team again!" bandwagon. This is a very bad Colorado football team, sorry CU fans but I sincerely doubt I'm telling you anything you didn't already know. OU was playing at home against a significantly over matched opponent, this is how those types of games are supposed to play out. So they did what they're expected to do, let's hold off on the parade for a little bit. Call me Debbie Downer, but I'm just not going to fall into the same trap. This team still has some major issues, but they were fortunate enough on Saturday to play a team not capable of exploiting them.
If I haven't already lost you, check out the rest of the recap after the jump.
Look, don't get me wrong I'm as happy as anyone that our Sooners came out and put this game away early. I thought there was a chance they could come out flat and no one is happier than me that I was wrong. But when you get past the 400+ yards passing from Landry, the 200+ yards receiving from Broyles, and a TE almost cracking the century mark (clutching my chest, possible heart attack) there were several things that weren't so positive. But for now, let's focus on the positives.
- #1 on this list by a WIDE margin is the fact that after last night, Kevin Wilson will actually realize that this offense is capable of throwing the ball vertically down the field. It's an amazing revelation, I know, but if you try something there is a chance it might actually work and we saw it for the first time all season against CU. Let's just hope Kev was taking notes up there in the booth last night.
- Obviously Landry put up some great numbers and the zero turnovers is always a good thing. I still think he locks onto Broyles way too much, but there's no point in continuing to harp on something that is apparently never going to change.
- I've said it before, I'll say it again. There are no words to adequately describe just how good Ryan Broyles really is. I've read on multiple occasions that OSU fans think Blackmon is a better WR than Broyles and in a word, um no. Blackmon is a very good player, but Broyles is in another stratosphere compared to just about everyone else. Sorry Poke fans, but there's just no arguing this one.
- The TE position does actually exist in this offense!!! That's one of the most frustrating things about this kind of game, we get glimpses of what our TEs might be capable of then they immediately go back into hibernation. Ratterree played a great game and Hanna had a nice TD catch, but also dropped a key 3rd down pass early in the game that stalled a potential TD drive.
- I'm sure I wasn't the only one happy to see Trey Franks get more involved in the offense. 4 catches for 55 yards and he made one very nice catch in traffic and also showed some good open field moves as well.
So, that's what went well on offense. Now we can address some of the negative aspects of last night that will likely get lost in shadow of the 635 yard output.
- This one goes out to scarab. We're all painfully aware with how in love Kevin Wilson has become with the sideways passing game. I am not a fan, but I'm also not ignorant enough to say they need to change something if it continues to work. And by all accounts, the constant horizontal passes appear to work a majority of the time. So with that said, last night Landry was 20-21 for 151 yards on sideways passes. On non-sideways passes, he was 12-25 for 302 yards. Naturally, you'd expect his completion numbers to go down on non Colt McCoy type passes so no real complaint there. I think what we as fans don't like is this offense is clearly capable of going down field and yet the play calling very rarely ever seems to exploit that fact. To the best of my memory, this was the first game all season where OU took multiple shots down the field. I know I'm just a fan so I can't possibly know anything about the game of football, but doesn't it stand to reason that if you're able to back the defense off the line of scrimmage by taking your shots deep periodically throughout the game it just might help loosen up the running game?
- Speaking of said running game, what the heck happened with that last night?!? 44 carries for 147 yards and a 3.3 average against Colorado? Really? What's worse is DeMarco Murray with 11 carries and Roy Finch with 10 carries clearly demonstrates the fact that Kevin Wilson didn't even really try to establish the run game. I read all week that one of the reasons we lost to Mizzou last week was because we became too one dimensional on offense (see Landry's 50 pass attempts). Well remind me again, who exactly is responsible for calling those 50 pass attempts? Oh, that's right it's our outstanding offensive coordinator. The guy who decides we should put the game in the hands of our QB who's never really won a big game on the road against a team that just gave up 300+ yards rushing to one Husker RB. Good call Kev!
- More of me bashing Wilson and the running game, get excited! As I said above, Roy Finch had 10 carries last night against Colorado. He had nine carries in the first half. Anyone else see the problem there? I said it after his first action this year, this kid has a burst that no other current OU RB has and with this o-line that is something this offense desperately needs. So here you have a kid who is averaging six yards per carry and you decide it's a good idea to give him one carry the entire 2nd half? This is just one of the many reasons I think Kevin Wilson is a terrible play caller and if you've got an argument against that theory I'd love to hear it.
- This offensive line has made some noticeable improvements, but I still think it's fairly similar to the 2009 version and that's not a good thing. They aren't have the breakdowns in pass protection that the '09 guys did, but they appear to be just as bad at opening up running lanes. There is some serious problems when you can't get the running game going against this Colorado team.
- Kenny Stills, 1 catch for 8 yards. Again, anyone else see the problem here? For this kid to have one catch is absolutely unacceptable. It clearly didn't stop him from laying one hell of a block on a Broyles TD catch (if you didn't see this, it's worth your time to find it), but there is no excuse for him not being more involved in this offense. The kid is just a flat out play maker and if Broyles does leave after this year, wouldn't it make sense to try and develop this kid in these kinds of games to be Broyles' replacement? Again, I'm just a simple fan so what could I possibly know?
- This probably doesn't deserve to be in the "negative" section seeing as he made both his FG attempts, but should we really be excited about Stevens making two glorified extra points? I guess since it's Jimmy Stevens the answer has to be yes, but as soon as we're happy with that then we've officially lowered our standards and I'm just not okay with that.
- Also not really offense related, but this kickoff situation is a joke. Stoops appeared to rotate between Way and O'Hara on kickoffs all game and with the exception of one O'Hara kick that reached the end zone, the kickoffs were pathetic. I wasn't there, but from what I've read there was a noticeable wind at times last night and yet we have zero touchbacks? This after I watch the NU vs. Mizzou game and the NU kicker (and it's not even their stud Henery) boot them out of the end zone time and time again. When the opposing return guy is routinely sprinting up towards the 15 or 20-yard line just to catch the kickoff that's not really a good thing. So just to be clear, we now have five kickers on scholarship none of whom can consistently hit a field goal and/or are capable of putting kickoffs deeper than the 15-yard line? Awesome.