Oklahoma football: Stoops says no leadership void

When OU loses a football game, fans search for reasons why. Much of the time, they settle on the correct areas. Turnovers, defensive breakdowns, stale offense, plus all the many reasons that lead to such developments.

Coach Bob Stoops looks at Oklahoma's Landry Jones (12) as he walks off the field after a three and out during the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and Texas Tech University Red Raiders (TTU) at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. in Norman, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

But sometimes fans invest problems. And here’s one. Lack of passion, notably in Landry Jones. Sometimes they extend that criticism to Bob Stoops or the defense or whoever. But much of the time, it falls on Landry.

And it’s usually nonsense. Maybe you want a gung-ho quarterback, but that’s not the norm. Most quarterbacks are calm in demeanor, because that’s what the position demands. Some quarterbacks are fiery in personality, but often as not, such a personality gets them in trouble more than lifts them to greatness.

And asking someone who is not fiery to be fiery is the ultimate recipe for disaster.

Bob Stoops said Monday he was pleased with his team’s intensity against Kansas State, despite a 24-19 loss. OU lost not because it wasn’t ready to play, or because of a lack of passion, but because of sloppy play – three turnovers, and it could have been six; plus a defense that played strong the whole game failed to get off the field in the fourth quarter.