Inside OU's breakdowns

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By Scott Wright and John Rohde
Published: September 30, 2007

Aside from individual miscues Saturday, Oklahoma battled breakdowns on a group level as well. These were the most damaging:

Run stoppers
Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables says there was no big mystery to why Colorado beat the Sooners Saturday.

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"I know how we lost. We let them run the ball,” he said. "That's it.”

Colorado came in averaging 123 rushing yards per game, including a 359-yard performance last week. But on Saturday, the Buffaloes rushed for 161 yards on an OU defense that prides itself on stopping the run.

"They started running the ball on us,” OU safety Nic Harris said, "and after that, they could do whatever they wanted.”

Offensive line
For the first time this season, the OU blockers didn't look worthy of the preseason hype they received as one of the best lines in the country. The physically imposing front five struggled to open holes, especially early in the game.

After the 7:31 mark of the second quarter, just two of 15 carries by OU running backs went for more than nine yards.

Quarterback Sam Bradford was sacked once and pressured on other occasions.

Special teams coverage
Colorado averaged 26.6 yards per kickoff return and 21.8 yards per punt return.

The Sooners also muffed a punt return at their own 16-yard line with 4:44 left to set up the game-tying touchdown and interfered with a Colorado fair catch.

Poor coverage cost OU until the bitter end when CU's Chase McBride returned the final punt of the game 31 yards to the 50-yard line, setting up the Buffs' game-winning drive.

"We didn't play very well obviously,” Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "We didn't play very well as a team today, whether we had foolish penalties at bad times, not taking advantage of field position, or giving up field position, and just not stopping the run.”

Conditioning
Likely due to a combination of two things — the thin Colorado air and an even thinner time of possession by the Sooner offense — OU defenders said they wore down in the final quarter

"We just got a little tired at the end of the game,” cornerback Reggie Smith said. "But it shouldn't matter.”


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David, Arlington - Oct 2, 2007 1:35 AM
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I hate losing, but at least we picked a great week to lose. we can still bounce back and win the big-12
David, Arlington - Oct 2, 2007 1:35 AM
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Come on, Bob. How can you blame that on the refs? I always hate it when other teams whine because they feel officiating didn't go their way, now we're doing exactly the same thing (at least you are). Please stop.
Barney, Mayberry - Oct 1, 2007 12:46 PM
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If you look at the history of this series in Boulder .. we dominated back in the mid 80's but struggled of course through the 90's and even though we won 34-20 in 2003 that game was alot closer than the score. I saw uninspired play from the Sooners and the Buffs were all jacked up. One other comment, "Somebody tell Reggie Smith to call fair catch and catch the punts standing up". Colorado deserved this win, a note to the obvious OSU posters and their cupcake commentaries which division of college football is Sam Houston State ???
Frank, Ponca City - Oct 1, 2007 10:30 AM
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Oklahoma's early creampuff schedule (other than Miami, which is in a rebuilding mode) did little to prepare them for the Big 12 and certainly contributed to their unearned lofty rating in the polls.
Rich, Greeley - Oct 1, 2007 9:54 AM
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...sometimes it isn't which team has the best players but which team plays the best-occassionally this happens to the best of the best-the sooners will bounce back
Pat, Mooreland - Oct 1, 2007 7:26 AM
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I pretty much agree with Brent's take on the loss, but felt that they should have gotten out of their failing game plan when it didn't work. I appeared that the plan was to establish the run and establish the run and establish the run. Didn't work. Most of our success in the previous games with a good mixture of passes and run plays. This time very few passes lots of run attempts. I am sad, thought we might have a chance of going all the way. Well maybe next year.
robert, san antonio - Sep 30, 2007 9:14 PM
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This article hit the nail on the head. Every part of the OU game was terrible. The players had better refocus and fast before next Saturday.
William, Fairfield - Sep 30, 2007 1:55 PM
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Oklahoma's defence was on the field almosst all of the fourth quarter.
beryl, dallas - Sep 30, 2007 11:36 AM
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Five of the top ten teams lost. 7 of the top 13 teams lost. #3 OU lost by 3 ON THE ROAD. #7 Texass lost by 20 AT HOME. #4 Florida lost by 3 AT HOME. #10 Rutgers lost by 10 AT HOME! Yeah... OU is the most overrated team in the nation. *rolls eyes* Mike, you're an idiot. Go back to the sandlot, child!
Richard, Oklahoma City - Sep 30, 2007 3:48 AM
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the most overated team in the nation.You guys must have gotten fat eating all those cupcakes....lol
James, Edmond - Sep 30, 2007 2:47 AM
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It is interesting to me that the thin air in Boulder is never mentioned or seems to be a problem in years OU wins up there.
Tom, Overland Park - Sep 30, 2007 5:53 PM
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sometimes great or good teams play bad games, that's it! Upset Saturday and SC almost blowing against a comparable team to Colorado
James, Aberdeen - Sep 29, 2007 11:52 PM
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I dont know what game the Zebra's watched, but, on Fox Sports SW, the game our group saw was different from that of the Referee's. The catch was reviewed from 3 different camara angles, and the talking heads all indicated that the catch was a catch. The Colorado offensive line was holding our Defensive line the whole game. On holding Manu Manu's hair, if I had girly hair and played a down I am sure that someone would inadvertently get their hands in it as well, I bet he even wears a skirt.

Our conditioning wasn't as it should have been, and we were sluggish, and yes the O line had trouble, and the D line got pushed around a bit, but,

Once again, beaten by the Zebra's.
Bob, Hugo - Sep 30, 2007 6:00 PM
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