OSU v. Texas A & M Preview Article

Gundy, Cowboys Seek Perfection

Players / Coaches on Both Sides Reserved

Stillwater - Looking to start a season 4-0 for just the third time since 1988, Mike Gundy held his weekly press-conference last Thursday before a few deserved days off, the lack of “locker room” material for Mike Sherman’s Aggies and an abundance of coach-speak infiltrated the interview rooms. Quotes from the Cowboys were appropriately reserved in anticipation for the battle of unbeaten’s. 

Gundy said, “In our opinion, they’re [Texas A & M] very similar to what they were last year...I would expect them to try to pound it at us and run the football and keep the ball some...Defensively, they blitz a lot and it’s a different kind of pressure.”

Defensive Coordinator Bill Young had this to say regarding Texas A & M’s explosive offense, “...A & M is one of the top offensive teams of the country and they have almost all of their skill players back.” And Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen said, “We’re looking forward to the challenge. We’re going to try and be consistent with our offense and be able to compete at a high level.”

Not much to read into those statements from the Cowboys head man and assistants. But don’t be fooled by these simplistic statements. Be certain that when these teams meet, the chain gang should have an exhausting time running up and down the field, trying to keep up with these high-powered offenses. 

Gundy did have one small, telling statement about his squad’s upcoming tilt with the boys from College Station: “It’ll [Texas A & M’s defense] look different for our group because we haven’t seen a lot of blitzes,”  perhaps the only insight into what the OSU coaches feel may be a point of concern Thursday. 

That may be the most telling statement from either side of this game. Obviously, Oklahoma State will see a much different team this Thursday night compared to their first 3 opponents. Forget that Texas A & M struggled with Florida International last Saturday. The Aggies, armed with Big XII pre-season Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, will strut into Stillwater with something to prove. Count on it. 

Why? Oddly enough, it is the Aggies that find themselves lacking the clout most figured Sherman’s group to have rolling into Stillwater. In somewhat of a twist of fortunes, it is the Cowboy team that finds themselves ranked in the top 25 this season, checking in at No. 24 in this week’s USA Today Coaches’ Poll.  

The Aggies have yet to face a formidable foe either, even though the aforementioned FIU team gave the Aggie fans a big scare in their last game. Both squads will play in their first true test of the season Thursday as they both begin conference play. 

Coach Sherman will look to extend the Aggies all-time lead in the series to 18-8 with a win, though the Cowboys have come out on top the last two meetings, the most recent a close 36-31 victory at Kyle Field in light of former WR Dez Bryant’s now infamous NCAA suspension. 

Coach Gundy will be looking for a milestone of his own come Thursday: his 40th win as Head Coach of his alma-mater Cowboys. Only Pat Jones (62) and Jim Lookabaugh (58) have more wins than Gundy. Don’t look for Gundy to go into deep discussion about his possible milestone, though. His comments will most likely be as tempered as this opponent’s were this Monday in College Station. 

Coach Sherman’s comments, while guarded, gave some credence as to what his team needs to do, in his opinion, to play better Thursday. “[We had] too many second and third-and-longs [against FIU] due to penalties and sacks.” He said his defense would be fired up to play on national television for the first time this season remarking, “I think the guys have a little bit of a chip on their shoulder because of how we’ve played in the past.”

Senior Aggie Quarterback Jerrod Johnson offered his thoughts on what his team would expect to see when they arrive in Stillwater and it was the best attempt at humor from either side. “Oh, it’s typical OSU. They are big, fast, athletic, and they run to the ball well. If you watch the way they walk off the bus, they are very impressive.”

Not even the usual joker of the Aggies, Senior Linebacker Von Miler, had many quips for the media Monday. “This is what we’ve been waiting for and we finally have a chance to go out there and play a really good team.” Junior Wide Receiver Jeff Fuller said, “I feel like we’re a lot more mature this year versus last year,” when asked how his team’s 3-0 start this year was different from last year’s.

For a real measuring stick, one might wish to take a look at each team’s prospective rankings in some critical areas that should help decide the winner on Saturday. First, OSU ranks No. 2 in scoring offense as A & M checks in at No. 12. However, A & M comes in at No. 18 in scoring defense whereas OSU follows with a No. 84 rating. 

Oddly enough, despite having All-American and Doak Walker Award hopeful Kendall Hunter, the Cowboys actually check in one spot below the Aggies - armed with Runningbacks Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray - in rushing offense at No. 31. Both teams average just over 204 yards per game in that department, but in rushing defense, A & M ranks high at No. 4 and OSU lags behind at No. 55. 

Both teams rank in the top ten of total offense in the NCAA as well. Lastly, in total defense, the Cowboys come in at No. 78 in the country as A & M drops in at No. 10. Now, mind you, I’m not much of a numbers person, but in trying to glean insight from each team’s respective press conferences and remarks, one must look to all sources available. So, all numbers aside, all comments pushed to the back-burner, this game should prove to be entertaining to say the least. Either by way of strong defensive outputs or offensive shows, be sure to tune in to Thursday night’s game.

Coming off a school-record 722 yard outing against Tulsa, the Cowboys should be primed for another tough battle against their rivals from deep-South Texas Thursday night on ESPN. And while neither team has played a team worthy of writing home to mom and dad, I fully expect this game to be filled with hard hits and big offensive outputs from each squad. 

The Cowboys are off to their fastest scoring start in school history and Coach Hologorsen has his team 16-for-16 in red zone scoring, tops in the country, getting big numbers from his own top skill players. Sophomore Wide Receiver Justin Blackmon leads the NCAA in scoring, receiving yards per game and touchdown receptions. Junior Quarterback Brandon Weeden is No.  3 in the county averaging 325 passing yards per game and ranks second with 11 touchdown passes. 

With all the typical reservation and respect shown from both sides of this game, Thursday night sets up as a much anticipated clash between what many people feel could be two of the Big XII South’s top contenders. Have no doubt, when Mike Sherman and company take the field at 6:30, all the talk, all the statistics count for not. Fans for each team should be in for a great treat as college football get an early kick this week. 

For more stories, questions or comments concerning NCAA & high school football, check out my blog at  http://footballimp.blogspot.com or email me at brett_t_hill@hotmail.com. (Published in the McALester News-Capital. Big thanks to sports editor, Jay Knight.)

OSU v. Tulsa Game Article

Cowboys Blow Away Golden Hurricanes, 65-28

Stillwater - The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Tulsa Golden Hurricanes took the field Saturday night for the first time since 2004, a game that saw the Cowboys take home a win 38-21. 2010’s matchup proved to be nothing short of an offensive shootout for the home Cowboys. 

This would be the school’s 71st meeting, and the first time Head Coaches Mike Gundy and Todd Graham would meet on the gridiron. The Cowboys, led by Senior Running Back Kendall Hunter and Junior Quarterback Brandon Weeden, the Hurricane’s by fellow Juniors, G.J. Kinne, Quarterback, and Damarius Johnson, Wide Receiver. 

Each team got four cracks at the field to start the game. Oklahoma State struck first with a 48 yard drive that saw Placekicker Dan Bailey hit a 49 yard field goal. After Tulsa failed to push the Cowboys defense, OSU hit pay-dirt again, this time, a Brandon Weeden pass to Michael Harrison for the game’s first touchdown giving the Pokes a 10-0 advantage.

The Cowboy defense made it’s impact felt on Tulsa’s second possession when Cornerback Broderick Brown intercepted Tulsa QB G.J. Kinne. OSU would push the ball into Tulsa territory where Bailey hit his second field goal of the quarter from 34 yards for a 13-0 lead.

Tulsa would get its first big play of the game when Damarius Johnson ran the Cowboy kickoff back 43 yards; however, the Golden Hurricanes were unable to capitalize on good field position and gave the ball back to the Pokes.

Weeden and Junior Wide Receiver Hubert Anyiam would hook up twice on the following drive, first for 34 yards and then for an 18 yard touchdown. Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen saw his squad put up 219 yards and 20 points in the first quarter alone. 

The Golden Hurricane would use a 17 play drive spanning the latter moments of the 1st quarter into the 2nd to reach the endzone for the first time. Kinne would punch the ball in from one yard out to make the score 20-7. 

Unfortunately for Tulsa, the Cowboys once again had an answer. Brandon Weeden led the Pokes down the field on a 81 yard drive, hitting Sophomore Wideout Justin Blackmon for a 7 yard touchdown pass. 

On the ensuing Tulsa drive, the Cowboys defense would step up again and make another big play. Cornerback Andrew McGee picked off Kinne in the endzone as it looked as though the Golden Hurricane were about to score and returned the pick 79 yards to the Tulsa 21 yard line. 

It only took Brandon Weeden one play to find a familiar target as Justin Blackmon streaked into the corner of the endzone for a 21 yard touchdown toss. As the half came to a close, the Pokes would once again take the ball down the field after a good punt by Tulsa’s Michael Such to the Cowboy nine yard line. 

Weeden found Junior Wideout Josh Cooper in the endzone for a 19 yard touchdown pass and the Cowboy lead was extended to a whopping 41-7 as the teams entered halftime. 

Weeden trotted to the locker room touting a 207.5 passer rating as he completed 22 of 31 passes for 328 yards and 5 Cowboy touchdowns. All-American candidate Kendall Hunter added 59 rushing yards on only 11 attempts for an average of 5.4 yards per carry. Blackmon ended the half with 5 receptions for 93 yards and 2 scores of his own. The Cowboy offense and defense were on a major roll in this in-state battle for bragging rights. 

The Cowboys wasted no time to start the second half. After a three-and-out by Tulsa, Weeden took three plays to find Blackmon again, this time for an 81 yard touchdown reception, Blackmon’s third of the game. 

Another Tulsa punt would see Head Coach Gundy pull Weeden from the game, opting for backup red-shirt freshman Clint Chelf. The Cowboys would score again with a Dan Bailey 27 yard field goal, making the score 51-7, but the Pokes were not done yet.

Tulsa’s Kinne would commit his third turnover of the game, tossing an interception to Andrae May. Four plays later, Chelf found Hubert Anyiam in the endzone for a 10 yard touchdown, extending the Cowboy lead to a staggering 58-7. 

Tulsa would finally light the scoreboard for only their second touchdown of the game mid-way through the 3rd. G.J. Kinne found Sophomore Half-Back Willie Carter on a flat pass to the corner of the endzone for a 7 yard strike for a score of 58-14.

Weeden ended his day with a total of 414 yards passing on 25 completions, 6 touchdowns and a passer rating of 234. Wideout Justin Blackmon added one more touchdown to his statistics, giving him a total of 9 for the season, currently tops in the NCAA. As a team, the Cowboys totaled an unbelievable 590 yards to end the third quarter, averaging 9.7 yards per play.

The rest of the game saw each side’s second team payers take the field and it was Tulsa’s backup Sophomore QB Shavodrick Beaver that would lead the Golden Hurricane’s to their third score of the game, capping a long drive with a 2 yard touchdown dive by Freshman RB Trey Watts. 

The Cowboy’s Clint Chelf would commit OSU’s first turnover of the game, tossing a beautifully returned 81 yard “pick-six” to Tulsa Freshman DB Marco Nelson, making the score 58-28. 

After a Chelf 27 yard touchdown pass to red-shirt Freshman Charlie Moore, the final score was 65-28. Coach Holgorsen’s potent offense would rack up a devastating  726 yards of total offense, a new school record. The Cowboy defense did allow Tulsa’s offense over 400 yards, but the Golden Hurricane’s three turnovers proved to be their demise. 

Up next for the Cowboys is a long layoff until their much anticipated Big XII home opener September 30th with the Texas A & M Aggies, who struggled with Florida International on their home field. For Tulsa, a tilt with Central Arkansas awaits at home on the 25th, a game the Golden Hurricane’s should be able to use to get back on track and into the win column.  

You can follow my blog at http://footballimp.blogspot.com for other high school and college football write-ups or email me at brett_t_hill@hotmail.com. 

2010 OSU v. Tulsa Preview

Cowboy Fans Should Expect "Similar" Game

Stillwater - "Defensively, we have to defend the pass down the field better and tackle better in space." These were Head Coach Mike Gundy's opening words to the media this week after the Pokes come-from-behind win against the Troy State Trojans inside T. Boone Pickens' Stadium.

The Cowboy's secondary will undoubtedly be put to the test this Saturday as Todd Graham and his Golden Hurricanes of Tulsa march down the turnpike to Stillwater. Led by Quarterback G.J. Kinne - ranked 2nd in the NCAA's in total offense per game with a 395.5 yard average - the Golden Hurricane look to rack up similar numbers to their team's 4th best total offensive average in yards with 562.5 yards per game. Tulsa's "do-everything" back/receiver Damarius Johnson enter the game ranked 6th in the nation in all purpose yards per game.

When asked about Tulsa's big three (Kinne, Johnson, and FB Charles Clay) and what Tulsa does on the offensive side of the ball, Coach Gundy replied: "They're very explosive...They're very good at playing with speed, a lot of what Troy did and what we try to accomplish on offense."

Second year Defensive Coordinator Bill Young had this to say about Kinne: "Tulsa is going to be very similar to Troy in the way that they have a quarterback that throws the ball extremely well." A clear echo of what the coaching staff sees as what could turn out to be a very similar game to last weeks foe, Troy, in this Tulsa team.

As to be expected with Coach Graham's Tulsa team, the offensive side of the ball always ranks near the top of the NCAA in many various categories. However, in year's past, the achille's heal of the Golden Hurricane has been the defensive side of the ball. This year, Graham's squad comes to "the Boone" with an abysmal 99 ranking in the NCAA's total defense category, allowing an average of 420.5 yards per game.

That statistic bodes well for the new Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen, leading the No. 8 ranked total offense onto the field for the Cowboys this Saturday, averaging a whopping 533 yards per game. Holgorsen, coming from Kevin Sumlin's Houston Cougar staff this year, is very familiar with this Tulsa coaching staff and system. "...I'm pretty familiar with how they run their program [from his time in Houston] and their defense, so we are going to keep watching film and come up with a plan to execute," he said when asked what his preparation for this game would be.

Oklahoma State also ranks 63rd nationally through two games this season, not anything to write home to mom about, but still respectable when considering the Pokes rank 21 spots ahead of their arch rival Sooners, and, more importantly to the coaching staff, 36 spots higher than their Saturday opponent. Clearly, as the saying goes, "...something's gotta give."

History seems to be on the side of the Cowboys in this one.  The last time the Pokes lost to the Golden Hurricane in Stillwater was all the way back in 1951. The last meeting between the two schools took place in 2004, a 38-21 win with memorable performances from the likes of Cowboy legends Donovan Woods, Vernand Morency and Darrent Williams.

The Cowboys will undoubtedly rely on All-American Candidate Kendall Hunter to lead the Cowboys. He and Sophomore WR Justin Blackmon [along with Oregon RB Kenjon Barner] lead the NCAA with six touchdowns each through the first two games. OSU will have to cut down on the penalties and fumbles if they wish to foil Tulsa's bid for an upset victory. The Pokes racked up 139 yards in penalties last week against Troy and committed 5 turnovers lost to the Trojans after having none in the first game of the year.

Coach Young's defense will need to see Senior LB Orie Lemon continue his good play thus far, leading the NCAA in fumble recoveries with two. The secondary will also most likely get a steady workout from Kinne and Co., too. CB's Andrew McGee and Broderick Brown along with Safeties Markelle Martin and  Victor Johnson will need to step up in a big way for the Cowboys to keep the high octane Hurricane offense out of the endzone and off the scoreboard.

Fortunately for Cowboy fans, Dana Holgorsen and his offense will no doubt have answers to the Golden Hurricane as this game, on paper, looks like an offensive, high-scoring game in waiting. What is yet to be seen is how each team will play defense against the other offense. With OSU's success this year in the red zone - 9-9 with seven touchdowns and two field goals - I'll give the edge here to the Cowboys. My prediction: OSU 54, Tulsa 41.

You can follow all my write-ups covering high school and collegiate football at http://footballimp.blogspot.com or reach me via email at: brett_t_hill@hotmail.com






 

POTAC / FUMAC 2010

If you don't understand the meaning of POTAC or FUMAC, go ask any McAlester or Ada resident. They can tell you not only the exact meaning of those phrases, but the connotations and feelings behind the anagrams. To say that the two schools do not care for one another would be an understatement of epic proportions.

For quite some time now, McAlester and Ada have been heated rivals, matching up head-to-head for 91 meetings, the first in 1915. Ada holds a 60-29-1 advantage, but McAlester has begin to turn the tide against the storied Ada football program, winning the last five meetings including their 21-20 thriller last Friday evening.

One common theme for the game was the amount of "yellow" thrown by the men in black...and white stripes. McAlester seemed inundated with personal fouls, late hits, pass interference, holding and illegal formation/shift penalties. To be expected? Possibly. The game did take place in Ada, and if there's one thing you can usually count on in any rivalry game, it's the fact that both teams will be hyped up, on edge, ready to hit somebody. And, as McAlester players, coaches and fans probably knew, the home team will most likely receive the benefit of the doubt when it comes to close calls.

On this night, however, the Buffaloes of McAlester would prove that overcoming those odds, even though tough at times, are possible.

The Buffaloes took the field riding high after their 48-21 drubbing of the Durant Lions, the Cougars maybe not quite as high after a 28-7 loss to other storied rival Ardmore; however, the electricty in the air of Norris Field has a way of curing any doubts in either team and both squads came out ready for a dogfight. That is exactly what the fans of these rivals received.

 The storied rivalry grudge match started off fast, seeing McAlester stike first within the first three and a half minutes, then allowing the Cougars to drive for a score of their own, entering halftime, the scored knotted 7-7, the historic rivalry in the middle of what seemed a defensive struggle in the making.

The second half saw the Cougars take the ball right at the No. 5 ranked Buffaoles, scoring twice, but missing what would prove to be a crucial PAT. With four minutes left in the game, the Buffs would make one last surge against their arch rivals.

McAlester QB Tony Keifer led his team down the field on a 70 yard rive, aided in part by unnecessary penalties by the Ada defense giving McAlester 30 yards on their way to a second score. McAlester missed the PAT after the score and the Cougar lead was down to 20-13.

With only 2:55 left to play, the Cougars looked to have the game in hand, despite the late score from McAlester. But, as high school football often goes, one should expect the unexpected. The obvious on-side kick from the Buffs was covered by McAlester's Tanner Scott, giving the Buffs a real chance to drive the field for the tying or winning score.

It took McAlester a little over one minute for QB Tony Keifer to push the Buffs offense down to the Ada 10, then a hook up with Junior WR Alverey Braxton over the middle of the field as Braxton bullied his way into the endzone. McAlester Coach Bryan Pratt wanted the win and no ties in this match and trotted Keifer and company out for the 2 pt. conversion attempt. Keifer rolled out and found Cody Lefors in the back of the endzone for the conversion and a 21-20 lead.

Ada was not done and had a legitimate shot at taking back the lead. The Cougs got great field position after a botched kickoff that landed out of bounds. From their own 35 yard line and with 1:58 remaining, Ada began their drive.

Ada completed a pass from QB Wyatt Robson to WR Skylar Alexander who was hit late out of bounds, giving the Cougars the ball in Buffalo territory. After a four yard run, spike to stop the clock and a sack by McAlester's Devin Rolan and Adam Boyd, Ada tried one last heave into the endzone that fell incomplete ending the game.

Often times, rivalry games can be lopsided, especially when both squads are coming off of emotional games like McAlester and Ada did last Friday night, both playing in rivalry games of their own seperate from this classic. One might have thought that McAlester - ranked No. 5, coming off a big win, and armed with a D-1 collegiate level WR prospect in Braxton - would have had an easy advantage coming into this battle. But, as we often times also see with rivalries, previous wins, rankings and accolades usually mean nothing when the players step on the field. Both schools certainly proved that addage on September 10, 2010.

I have attended several high school football games over my lifetime and I can honestly say that this rivalry game could compete with any in the state of Oklahoma. It may not have the draw in sheer numbers that Jenks v. Union has, it may not have the same hatred due to close proximity as Davis v. Sulphur or Purcell v. Lexington, but make no mistake, this rivalry is one-of-a-kind and a game that, if you have never attended, should be in your bucket list. Afterall, how many rivalry games have come up with anagrams like POTAC and FUMAC to represent their fan's disdain and overall hatred as much as these two schools?

NOTE: For more information and reading on this game, go to http://mcalesternews.com/sports/x305042190/Cougars-zebras-not-enough-to-stop-the-stampede for Jayson Knight's write up on the night's events.

Coming Tomorrow: McAlester v. Ada

Tomorrow, I will post my thoughts and observations on a great game between the McAlester Buffaloes and Ada Cougars; a classic that went down to the wire as the Buffaloes held on for a razor thin 21-20 victory.

Heisman Hit-Men

Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium has a nice "ring" to it, doesn't it? Associations of a family environment, a place where you can feel comfortable bringing your wife and kids to a game and enjoy the plaudits of fans of the Oklahoma Sooners. Are these possibilities realistic? Sure. Unless you're an opposing quarterback facing one of Bob Stoops' and Brent Venables vaunted defenses. 


This summer, on July 7, 2010, Florida State decided it was time to promote their Senior QB as a potential Heisman candidate through the web - something the Seminole's last two Heisman winners, Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke, never received - launching www.cp7forheisman.com. Two days later, ESPN blogger Heather Dinich interviewed Ponder about his Heisman aspirations. Asked is he felt that he had to be a superstar and if the margin for error was not there this year, Ponder shrugged off the idea that a Heisman campaign might affect his play, "Not Really. It doesn't really add anymore pressure than I already put on myself. I always have high expectations for myself that things like this don't really change what I want to do for myself. It's no big deal."


Despite not being named to many people's pre-season Heisman lists, writers from papers like The Orlando Sentinel, The Miami Herald and The Florida Times-Union have all written several articles on Ponder's impending run at  Heisman during the 2010 football season. Ponder again gave reporters the typical football player's response when again probed if he felt he had a good chance at the prestigious award and the hype surrounding it: "I'm not putting any goals into the Heisman. As long as you play as a team, that's going to take care of itself," he said. "I don't care if I throw for 2,000 yards or 4,000 yards; if we win 10, 12, 14 games, then I'm satisfied. If you don't win games, you're not going to be considered for the Heisman. So, it really is a team award. I'm not that big into individual stats."


When thrown into that situation, the task at hand changes drastically. All of a sudden, you have to stare down the likes of Travis Lewis, Ronell Lewis, Jeremy Beal, Frank Alexander, Tom Wort, Curtis Lofton, Gerald McCoy, Tommie Harris, Dan Cody, Lance Mitchell, Roy Williams, Derrick Strait, Antonio Perkins, Rocky Calmus, Torrance Marshall, Ontei Jones, Jimmy Wilkerson, Remi Ayodele...are you scared yet?


If you were Christian Ponder traveling into Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium this past Saturday, I would agree that you would not show one ounce of fear. You would strap on your pads, buckle down your chin strap, trot out onto the field with every air of confidence that a potential Heisman candidate quarterback should exhibit when he faces great adversity on the road, in a hostile environment, in the face of what you know is a defense fielded by two of the best defensive minded coaches in the country.


A natural reaction from a seasoned, veteran, fifth-year-senior qb. Ponder, a native of Colleyville, Texas - a suburb of Dallas - had several members of his family in attendance, a homecoming of sorts for a young man that has spent his days so far away from home. No doubt his father - an alumni of Florida State University Football himself - mother, and other members of his family hoped for a much different outcome. Regrettably, the Sooner defense and Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables had a much different style of homecoming in store for the young Ponder.


Only Christian Ponder knows what exactly went through his head on September 11, 2010 when his Florida State Seminoles took the field. All things considered, I would say that he was riding a high wave of strong, elating emotions after he directed an eleven play drive, spanning seventy yards in just under five minutes for the 'Noles first score of the game, pushing back the Oklahoma defense, looking like a tight game might be in store for the 85, 630 fans in attendance. 


However, as the saying goes in Norman, Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is where Heisman campaigns - and the dreams of college football grandeur for the opposing team's fans - come to die. 


The Seminole's fans were proudly displaying their school pride, doing the "Tomahawk Chop" proudly after the first score by FSU, tying the game at 7 all. Unfortunately, for the Seminole fans that drove over 1,000 miles to watch their beloved team, it would be the last time they would have much cause to celebrate with the famous "chop" for the remainder of the game. 


It was the Oklahoma Sooner fan's doing most of the "chopping" as they mocked the Florida State fans in the crowd, much like the horrendous nightmare then Head Coach Bobby Bowden and his feared, high-powered offensive team - lead by controversial (at least in the eyes of Sooner fans) Heisman winning quarterback Chris Weinke - had to endure at the hands of one of college football's most dominate defenses to date. 


Some say that the Orange Bowl is merely an extension of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium since the Sooners have made several trips to Florida to play in the famed bowl game, visiting 18 times out of the 43 total bowl games OU has played in over its program's history. If one believes that, then you can see how the Sooners normally react when facing the likes of a Heisman candidate or, in the case of the 2001 Orange Bowl, a Heisman winner. 


OU has halted Heisman dreams of quarterbacks like Graham Harrel, Texas Tech, 2008; Chase Daniels, Missouri, 2007; Seneca Wallace, Iowa State, 2002; Ell Roberson, Kansas State, 2001; Eric Crouch, Nebraska, 2000. These quarterbacks all made their respective trips to Norman, looking for a W and a furtherance of their Heisman campaigns. All failed after stepping onto Owen Field and now, the Sooners can add Christian Ponder, Florida State, 2010 to that list. 


Ponder's day in Norman started solid, moving the ball with his feet on runs of nine and fifteen yards, respectively. Passes for fourteen and nine yards also helped the 'Noles gain crucial first downs as the Sooners seemed on the verge of a repeat performance of their lackadaisical outing against the Utah State Aggies only one week earlier. 


Whatever words were spoken - most likely yelled at the tops of their collective lungs - by Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables and his host of defensive assistant coaches, the Sooners responded with an almost perfect outing after the Seminole's initial drive and score. On the ensuing offensive drive for Ponder, bad decisions started to creep in to his game. An intentional grounding call on third an eight from the 18 forced Florida State into a shallow punt from their own six yard line. 


Later, Ponder would miss on crucial passes to his wideouts and they too helped the Sooners gain confidence and dominance over the 'Noles, dropping passes and failing to make plays on balls thrown in tight areas as Sooner defenders deflected passes showing their ability to blanket the talented receivers Head Coach Jimbo Fisher fielded. 


Ponder would be sacked three more times during the game, while throwing two interceptions - one to Linebacker Travis Lewis and another to Cornerback Jamell Fleming (his second of the year).  At half time, Ponder had only 80 yards passing, no touchdowns and the three aforementioned sacks. His day would only get worse the rest of the way, finishing with a total of eleven pass completions against twenty-eight attempts, 113 yards in the air, twenty-three rushing yards on nine attempts, four sacks taken, and no touchdowns. 


Head Coach Jimbo Fisher opted to pull his Senior QB late in the fourth quarter when OU Placekicker Patrick O'Hara nailed his last field goal and Oklahoma's final score of the game sealing a 47-10 game. Ponder sat silent on the bench as OU fans continually mocked the 'Noles with their own "Tomahawk Chop" and, after Backup QB E.J. Manuel led the 'Noles on their last scoring drive of the game with time literally expiring, Ponder's day and, most likely, his hopes of Heisman glory came to an end inside Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. 

My Article in the McAlester News Capital

A big thank you goes out to Jayson "Jay" Knight here for getting me set up and allowing me to cover this game for him. I will hopefully be covering more games for him and the paper in the weeks to come. McAlester News Capital is a great paper and the experience thus far, amazing! 


OU Dominates 'Noles 47-17


McALESTER — After a kickoff for a touchback, OU’s offense took the field with Landry Jones at the helm for the Sooners looking for redemption after last weeks sub-par performance. Jones led the Sooner offense down the field with crisp, accurate passes, racking up 77 passing yards. After a 14 yard pass to senior Cameron Kenney, running back Demarco Murray rushed two times gaining three yards each rush to the FSU 1 yard line. On third and 1 yard to gain, Murray took the handoff from Jones, diving over the offensive line for the games first touchdown.

    As the Sooners took the field for the first time on defense, ‘Noles quarterback Christian Ponder took the field, leading a ‘Noles offense that racked up 56 points week one against Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Samford. The Sooners defense was not able to keep Ponder in check as the ‘Noles drove the field 70 yards in four minutes, forty-two seconds for a one yard touchdown run by ‘Noles running back Jermaine Thomas.

    When the Sooners took the field for the second time, Landry Jones once again looked to lead his offense down the field to pay-dirt. The Sooners drove 80 yards in three minutes, forty-one seconds, a drive highlighted by a beautiful 22 yard pass over the middle of the field to Demarco Murray, 21 yards rushing for reserve running back Mossis Madu and capped off by a perfect fade route pass to the endzone  from Jones to wide receiver Ryan Broyles, the Sooners once again took the lead 14-7.

    The Sooners defense once again took the field, noticeable more excited and ready for the ‘Noles and Christian Ponder. After the ‘Noles committed a block in the back on the kickoff from Tres Way, Ponder failed to move the offense and on third down in FSU territory, Ponder was called for intentional grounding after defensive end Frank Alexander pressured the senior quarterback. After a 10 yard punt return by Ryan Broyles to the OU 46 yard line, the Sooners offense once again took the field. After 3 plays for 11 yards, the first quarter ended. Once the second quarter began, the Sooners took the field and two plays later, Jones connected on another perfect pass, this time to senior wide receiver Cameron Kenney for 37 yards. The Sooners led then at 21-7.

After the Sooner score, FSU found themselves in trouble. Christian Ponder moved the ‘Noles offense down to the OU 40 yard line when Ponder was sacked for a 3 yard loss back to the Sooner 43 yard line. A punt into the endzone gave the Sooners the ball back at the 20 yard line and they made quick work of the ‘Noles defense. Five plays for eighty yards in just one minute and twenty nine seconds found the Sooners in the endzone once again. Landry Jones found tight end James Hanna for a forty-six yard touchdown pass, Hanna’s first of his career. Patrick O’Hara continued the Sooners woes at the place kicker missing the extra point giving the Sooners a 27-7 lead.

    Florida State took the field looking to get back in the game once again, but the Sooner defense had other plans. Ponder completed a 14 yard pass to start the drive, but went three-and-out and gave the Sooners the ball back at their own 21. Jones hooked up with wide receiver Ryan Broyles on three consecutive plays 31 yards,  but Jones’ pass on 1st down from the Florida State 37 yard line was ruled a fumble and recovery for Florida State, giving the ‘Noles new life on offense.

    After three different reviews to determine the yard line of the fumble, the ‘Noles took over on their own 40 yard line; however, the Seminoles could do nothing with their opportunity and punted the ball back to the Sooners after three plays. Oklahoma took over at their own 30 yard line after just a 26 yard punt from Shawn Powell. Oklahoma had its own problems on offense after Jones took a 9 yard sack back to the Oklahoma 20 yard line.

    After another three-and-out series for the Seminoles, Oklahoma took the field on the Florida State 49 after an eight yard return by Broyles and a fifteen yard late hit penalty on the Seminoles. Jones hit junior receiver Dejuan Miller for a thirty-four yard gain to the Florida State thirteen. After two incompletions, Jones found senior running back Demarco Murray for a twelve yard gain, then Murray once again drove through the Seminoles defensive line for his second 1 yard touchdown of the game. After a drive of six plays for forty-nine yards in just fifty-seven seconds, OU took a commanding 34-7 lead.

    At the half, OU had 321 yards passing from Landry Jones, the second highest total for an OU quarterback all-time, second only to former Heisman winner Sam Bradford against North Texas in 2007. Jones ended the half with three passing touchdowns, Ryan Broyles also lit up the Seminoles defense with eight grabs for eighty-nine yards and a score while Demarco Murray, although only gaining 21 yards on the ground, scored twice as OU entered the locker room with a comfortable 27 point margin.

The Seminoles came out quick on offense in the second half. Running back Jermaine Thomas busted off a 34 yard run that took the Seminoles to the OU 41 yard line, but they could not move the ball past the OU 37 and punted to the Sooners where they took over at their own 5 yard line. After the Sooners moved the ball out to their own 17 yard line, center Ben Habern hiked the ball over Landry Jones’ head and after a positive play on third down, the Sooners were forced to punt. Tres Way boomed a 65 yard punt, his longest of the day, and pinned Florida State on their own 15 yard line.

    The Sooners finally got their first big defensive play at 9:30 in the third quarter when Seminole quarterback Christian Ponder dropped back to pass and was picked off by linebacker Travis Lewis who returned the interception to the Florida State eight yard line. On a third and goal play from the seven, Landry Jones completed a pass to tight end Trent Ratterree for a touchdown. After the PAT, the Sooners took a commanding 41-7 lead.

    The Seminoles took the field trying to get anything to click on their offense. A big hit by Sooner Linebacker Ronnell Lewis on the kickoff might have been an omen of things to come. Seminole Quarterback Ponder dropped back on a second and twelve and threw his second interception of the day to Jameel Fleming. Four plays and one minute, seventeen seconds later, the Sooners scored again, this time, however, a 39 field goal by Patrick O’Hara, atoning for his missed PAT earlier in the game.

    By the end of the third quarter, Oklahoma had answered all the critics of their performance the previous Saturday against Utah State where, although Oklahoma pulled out the win against the Aggies, the Sooners admittedly did not play up to expectations. Chalk it up to nerves, first game butterflies, whatever the reason, OU dominated a highly talented and top 20 ranked Florida State for three quarters, much like the Sooners felt they should have dominated the Aggies of Utah State. Bob Stoops’ offense was clicking on all cylinders and the defense stepped up to the challenge of taking on a Heisman candidate quarterback in Christian Ponder, forcing him into bad throws, intercepting him twice, only allowing him to pass for 94 yards and registering three sacks.

After sacking Christian Ponder for the fourth time in the game, place kicker Dustin Hopkins put the Seminoles back in the scoring column with a booming 52 yard field goal that took the score to 44-10. Oklahoma would answer that score with a fifteen play, 54 yard drive that spanned five minutes and thirty-four seconds, resulting in a 38 yard field goal by Patrick O’Hara. On the drive, true freshman running back Brennan Clay was injured and had to be taken off the field with an apparent neck injury. The Sooners lead 47-10 at that point as Florida State Head Coach Jimbo Fisher pulled his senior quarterback in favor of backup E.J. Manuel. After a fumble recovery by the Sooners defensive back Gabe Lynn and a punt by Tres Way, Seminole quarterback E.J. Manuel was able to put Florida State back into the endzone, making the final score 47-17.

    The Sooners took home a convincing win, dominating on both sides of the ball against a talented group in Florida State. Question marks in the defensive backfield were answered with two interceptions of what was touted as a Heisman quarterback. It has been said that Owen Field is where Heisman campaigns come to die. The Sooners certainly lived up to that billing today.

    The number 10 ranked Sooners certainly proved their worth in staying in the top ten, if not proving that the first game of the year was a mere aberration. A crisp, well-prepared and motivated Sooner club stepped on to Owen Field today and silenced every critic they may have had during the previous week. Count this Oklahoma team as back, ready to make a Big XII Championship and National Title run.

OU’s home game winning streak has now been extended to 32 games. (I'm adding in a little here that I forgot to add to the article for the paper...sorry Jay!) Next up for the Sooners, a clash with The Air Force Academy, the first time since 1965 that a service academy has made the trip to Owen Field. That game saw the Navy Midshipmen shutout the Sooners 10-0. Armed with a vaunted rushing attack, the Falcons will surely look to take the ball right at the heart of the Sooners defense and test young tackles Jamarcus McFarland and Stacy McGee. This could easily be a game that Sooners senior defensive tackle makes a name for himself as a rush stuffing stud worthy of serious conference accolades as he overcomes last year's horrific leg injury in the Sun Bowl. 

The Football IMP: Impartial, Modest Prerogative

Welcome to The Football IMP. Call me a rascal, call me a scamp, I will be giving you an unedited look at football in the state of Oklahoma. My name is Brett T. and I will be blogging about the 2010 football season. We will look at Oklahoma High School Football games, the University of Oklahoma Football, Oklahoma State University Football, the University of Tulsa Football and maybe even some small college football as well. I will be covering many programs this football season, attending many games. First up will be the rivalry game between two Oklahoma High School Football powers: Ada and McAlester; the other, a virtual mauling on September 11, 2010 between the University of Oklahoma and Florida State University.