The OU Review: Breaking down FSU video
CAMPUS CORNER — Back in the Corner, few hours of sleep under my belt. Just turned on DVR of the game, which I did manage to snag this evening thanks to my mom and couple of other people who told me about it.
Some thoughts, as I go …
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I know we’ve talked an awful lot about it, but the atmosphere really was incredible. Note that Doak Campbell rarely is ever like that. But when it is, it’s up there with anything I’ve seen and heard in college football. Now, that said, I’m about to see it go dead silent after this first OU drive. What a punch to the gut that was.
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As everyone knows, these are the scripted plays. I’m sure Josh Heupel and the offensive coaches were thrilled when they found out they were getting the ball first, because they knew this kind of crowd-quieting drive was possible. It was impressive just how physical OU was, often running the ball left — right at impressive end Brandon Jenkins. Everything about this was a statement: “We’re not finesse. We can line up at run right at you, too.”
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FSU was timing its jumps well all night. Really close to jumping offside on about five occasions that I can recall. Watching this first drive, Landry Jones‘ little scooping motion seemed to be a tell. That’s at least the way it appears.
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This was easily Brennan Clay‘s best drive. The holes are freaking huge on most of his runs. Gabe Ikard and Don Stephenson were doing work early.
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Dominique Whaley‘s first carry was interesting, to me. It was the same stretch play they’d run with Clay, moving Trey Millard over there as an extra blocker, but Whaley bounced it outside, around Stephenson blocking Jenkins. Interesting part is, there aren’t too many backs fast enough to get that to the edge, and Whaley did and picked up about 5 yards. It was one carry, but, against that defense, it told me his speed is legitimate against anyone.
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Ryan Broyles was Ryan Broyles on this drive. Curious to see what FSU did to him to take him away. Or to prevent OU from being what it was on this drive. The coaches had to be feeling good about themselves after this plow-down-the-field march. Broyles converted two first downs, including that stretch on third down near the red zone. Sort of uncanny that he popped back up, along with Jones, just when the Sooners needed him. He’s all over the field on this first drive, having the sort of game I think we all expected.
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Just saw Brandon Williams on the sideline. Looks like a beast. Wondering, more and more, if we’ll see him this season. No need, based on what I’ve seen with Whaley and, to lesser degree, Clay. But, you know, it’s a long season. I seriously doubt OU is into recruiting promises, but wonder if it told him redshirt was possibility.
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Didn’t realize Millard is from Columbia, Mo. Guess we’ll talk this week to him. I think there’ll be a lot of energy for this game, considering what happened last year.
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Whaley is really instinctive at the point of contact. Legs always going forward. Always falls forward. Seems to get that extra yard or 2. Always good in your power back. Don’t hate me for saying this, but you see a lot of those guys in the SEC. I say that because OU has found that in a walk-on who played in the slot in high school. It really is an incredible story. I wondered in this game if we would fall back down the depth chart, outclassed by better competition. Nope. Here to stay. That’s best D the Sooners will see all (regular) season. Trying to think now who might be second. A&M, I guess.
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I really liked the full house-looking formation near the goal line. (Did they try that again on the other end of the field? I think it was more straight I-formation. We’ll see soon.) It allows Millard and James Hanna to get a running start, momentum, into their blocks. Whaley can then spot the hole. Nearly got in before Jones’ sneak into the end zone. Can’t say it enough. Such an impressive drive. Didn’t see another one like that – for either team – all night.
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FSU had two players limp off on the first drive, a show of strength. Then again, appeared Greg Reid was sort of faking it, to slow down OU.
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Fitting that Tom Wort made first tackle of the game for OU. He grew up big time Saturday night. FSU really, really wanted to run, to control the clock and ball. Beyond E.J. Manuel, it did not. Running backs finished with 13 carries for 4 yards. That’s insane. Chris Thompson, who I thought could possibly have a big game, rushed five times for minus-9 yards. Give Sooners front and linebackers all kinds of credit for that. There you see it on first play. Give to Ty Jones, and Wort immediately is on top of him. Great pursuit of handoff angles all night. Manuel’s keepers on those plays were only real problem for OU.
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I don’t think we talked enough about Bert Reed‘s absence from this game. Like I said all week, he’s not Broyles – but he’s as close as they have to Broyles. You wonder why FSU’s offense couldn’t really get going. It didn’t have him. Kenny Shaw was serviceable — pretty good, actually — early on. But, when he got hurt, it left the Noles virtually no middle-of-the-field guy.
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Thompson just listed as an impact player by ABC. Yeah … about that …
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I noted Manuel’s shaky throws in the opener against Louisiana-Monroe. He just missed an open receiver down the left side. Missed about two or three open passes he needed to hit, especially considering the offense’s struggles against the OU D. Got to hit what you’re given.
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Now a positive on Manuel. He just shook free for his longest run of the night. Wort really overpursued, biting on the fake and chasing Thompson as Manuel ran by him with the ball. Tony Jefferson just whiffed on the tackle. Aaron Colvin and Demontre Hurst both were juked out of their shoes. Poor footwork and positioning as Manuel bounces it outside. Hurst tried to recover, but didn’t get enough of a hit on Manuel’s lower half. Manuel went 28 yards, one of FSU’s biggest plays of the night. Just checked and, yup, longest run. Frank Alexander seemed to downplay Manuel’s running ability. It is a part of their offense, for sure. You can see why — especially with the lack of a proven running back.
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The hold negated the TD, but how did Javon Harris let Shaw go completely free on that play? Not something you could see on TV. Harris is good for some highlight plays, now – for his own team and the other team.
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What Bob Stoops wouldn’t give for a kicker like Dustin Hopkins. (No offense, Jimmy Stevens.) Dang, he’s good. Made 53 yards look easy. He’s from Houston?!? How does that happen? How does he get out of the state?
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My recorded version of the game just skipped past Jones’ first INT. Dang. Wanted to see that. Looked like he had a chance to throw it away, held on to it too long and rush got to him as he was throwing. If anything, Jones usually throws the ball away too early. Needed to get rid of it that time. Nigel Bradham INT, though, did not lead to any FSU points because of that crazy possession ending in Wort’s tip and pick.
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OK, the Shaw play at the goal line. First of all, man did he find a hole in the zone. Makes the catch in middle of a diamond of OU defenders (shouldn’t be that open when you’re dropping eight). He also makes the catch at the 3-yard line. So, you’re telling me he caught it at the 3, dropped it at the goal line — and it’s an incomplete pass? Huh? I’m wondering if the officials were impacted at all by the emotions of the play, of Shaw being down, in not ruling that a fumble. Not saying that’s what happened. Just throwing it out there.
Hit(s) looks legal to me, honestly. Not dirty. Just timing of it, with Wort and Harris arriving at the same time. Harris initially looks like he’s leading with his helmet, but it’s really his left shoulder. You’re trying to protect receivers; I get that. But isn’t it defender’s job to break up the pass? Wort and Harris did their jobs and you punished them. I didn’t like this play at all — for obvious reason that Shaw got hurt, but I really did not like the ruling, which was never really made clear. Glad it didn’t alter the game significantly and Wort wound up INT’ing Manuel soon after.
What a weird play. Official signaling TD. Wort saying incomplete. Travis Lewis saying OU ball. Flag goes up way late – after it became obvious he was hurt. Was this an official covering his tail, if Shaw was severely injured? Emotions were in control of the flag in this case, I think. Brent Musburger arguing correct penalty call. Kirk Herbstreit already said he thought it was legal. As Musburger makes his case, Herbstreit goes silent. Tells me everything. Herbstreit now notes late flag.
I’m wondering now if it’s at all possible flag was for Travis Lewis’ demonstrative reaction, jumping around and signaling it was OU’s ball – considering there was a player lying motionless on the turf. But Lewis didn’t seem to know that. He was turned facing the opposite direction. Once he saw Shaw, he calmed down and started quietly pleading case with refs. I think Lewis later came over and apologized or checked on Shaw.
You can tell even ESPN/ABC crews, with as many folks as they have in production, could not figure out what was going on. Strange play. Glad Shaw is OK, most importantly.
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Such an athletic play by Wort. Manuel takes him for granted, presuming he can dump off over top of his head. But Wort gets off the ground and stays with the ball to intercept it. Just a great play.
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Quick three-and-out on OU’s third possession. FSU D-line playing at different speed than initial drive. Front four not quite getting to Jones, but affecting his timing and footing.
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Jones had all kinds of time on that first deep ball to Stills, down the left sideline. This play shows off how skilled Stills is. He knows the safety is coming over, trying to level him. He makes the catch and adjusts so that he can avoid having his head taken off. He still catches, I think, an elbow to the helmet that knocks him silly a bit. But he comes back soon after that. What a great night for Stills.
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Still surprised OU couldn’t find a way to get Millard going more. On second-and-7, Jones play-fakes to Whaley and then drops to Millard in flat. He gets inside the 10, where the Sooners stalled. Millard can be so effective. Just a matter of figuring out how to get him the ball.
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You noticed during these goal-line situations the Sooners kept looking confused about the calls. A couple of times, Jones tried to change the plays and the clock got really low on them. Without the script of that first drive, the consistency and confidence were not present. A lot of that, though, is the road and crowd and all that. Both of these goal-line stops for FSU were in the end zone that includes the student section. It’s no coincidence. It was loud on that end.
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On third-and-goal, Musburger just said “it’s decision time for Oklahoma.” Third-down field goal time?
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The Sooners just wanted to power it in. Whaley’s second-down run was a good one. But FSU ain’t Tulsa.
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It’s crazy how many guys FSU had close to the line of scrimmage on third-and-goal from the 2. Couldn’t put hat on hat for everyone, because it’s 11 on 9 (not counting Whaley and Jones, who obviously aren’t blocking). I am fine with the first- and second-down calls, but – against the look from FSU – OU needed to change the play or call its last timeout of the half and figure something else out. Why not spread the field? Diamond worked vs. Tulsa? Do something other than run straight into a wall.
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Jimbo Fisher said the receiver went the wrong way on Manuel’s horrific pick, directly to Harris. Either way, Sooners wishing Harris could have returned 4 more yards.
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On first-and-goal this time, you do see the Millard-in-flat play-action. He’s sort of covered, but Jones could have thrown that to the outside and let Millard try to make a play to get in the end zone. He went very cautious on that one. Millard wasn’t open, but he wasn’t covered up, either. He tried to throw into tighter windows during the game. I recall more than one to Stills, when he was blanketed.
