- Happy Monday, Sooners fans! I hope everyone enjoyed this year's installment of the North Canadian River Shootout?
- The Sooners and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane combined for 1,376 yards of total offense this past Saturday in Norman. While it might be tempting to gnash your teeth at the thought that 603 of those yards belonged to Tulsa, I recommend a little perspective before increasing your dental insurance. First, this is not the Tulsa of last year that won all of two games: this is a Philip-freakin'-Montgomery squad, and this is what the man does. And, in a way, this is what Tulsa does: you remember when their basketball program was the incubator for Nolan Richardson, Tubby Smith, Buzz Peterson, and Bill Self? Tulsa has the smallest enrollment of any FBS school, but they make up for it with good hires that they know will be temporary positions.
- (TRUE FACT: Earl Campbell won the AFC rushing title in 1981 by rushing for 1,376 yards on the season. You can look it up.) (Research is cool.)
- And this, I think, is why Coach Stoops looked at the Baylor game last year and decided that Heupel's days were numbered. The HUNH spread offense is just flat-out hard to defend when it's done right. So if you can't beat 'em, find another way to beat 'em. If you're gonna get shot, make sure you shoot 'em back. This was our first taste of what Riley's Air Raid could do against another Air Raid offense.
- I somehow made it to the fifth bulletpoint without talking about Baker Mayfield. Through three games, this kid has not yet done enough to earn himself a nickname -- one doesn't simply earn a nickname after three games, it's just not done. But today's poll question posits some ideas worthy of rejection. Regardless, the kid was, umm, pretty good on the day. Four passing touchdowns, two rushing. 32/38 for 487, 85 on the ground. Read coverages, made quick decisions. Hit nine different receivers. And, umm, oh yeah, he was kinda elusive and stuff....
- Ye gods.
- After one of his later scrambles, I joked to my friends, "Oh, he's Michael Vick!" My joke got the laughs that I had hoped for; there is no universe in which he will be confused with Mr. Vick as a running quarterback. Call me a Saints homer, but in some ways he reminded me on Saturday of Drew Brees in his decision making and "It Factor." Probably the better quarterback to compare him to? Josh Heupel, circa 2000. (I even saw a shovel pass in this one!)
- (TRUE FACT: OU had 773 yards of total offense. 773 is the area code of the north side of Chicago. Al Capone did his thing on the north side of Chicago. And Al Capone was an OG.) (Sometimes, on my logic trains, I spend all my time in the bar car.)
- I'm giving PJ Mbanasor a pass for his performance this weekend. The kid's a TRUE FRESHMAN who got thrown to the wolves because his teammate Jordan Thomas decided to test how much of a knucklehead he could be and get away with it. (Answer: not that much, apparently.) Mbanasor will be a better player because of what he had to endure on Saturday when Tulsa quarterback Dane Evans, erm, also gave him a pass or two. I'm honestly a little more concerned about the couple of times I saw Tulsa receivers get behind OU safeties only to get slightly overthrown. New DBs Coach Kerry Cooks had an easy first couple weeks on the job -- Tulsa now gives him a mountain of tape to look over to prepare for the Big XII season.
- Auburn is still ranked 25th in the coach's poll. Auburn is still ranked 25th in the coach's poll. Auburn is still ranked 25th in the coach's poll. I'm sorry, I keep trying to let that sink in, and it's just not.
- Around the league in one bulletpoint: Iowa State took a good Toledo squad to double overtime, Bill Snyder is a genius as his M*A*S*H* unit won in triple overtime, karma prevented Texas from getting to overtime, Okie State stole candy from a baby, TCU impressed against SMU, and Kliff Kingsbury walked the walk. Baylor and West Virginia were idle. Kansas somehow managed to play Idle and not lose, although the score was closer than it looked.
- Peace and love, Sooners fans! 3-0 ain't such a bad place to be.