The Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel took questions from readers in today’s Power Lunch Chat. Take a look at today’s Q&A and join our Power Lunch Chats Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on NewsOK.com/Sports.
10:58 a.m.
Hey, everybody, I'm up and running. So send in your questions and we'll get started.
11:00 a.m.
do you believe that ou is going to change defenses?
11:01 a.m.
Yes, I do believe OU will employ a 3-4 quite a bit. I think OU will keep the 4-3, too, but the Sooners don't have enough defensive tackles right now to sustain a 4-3 year long. I think they'll go with a 3-4 quite a bit. Or a 3-3-5. Something hybrid.
11:01 a.m.
Coach Gundy announces a new OC on Twitter! Seems like a slap in the face to the media to do it that way. Do you think he is punishing the media for digging around in the DC Bill Young business a few weeks ago?
11:03 a.m.
No. I don't see any difference between announcing it on Twitter and issuing a press release. Seems the same to me. If he wanted to punish someone, he could tell the people he's not mad at and not tell the people he's mad at. Or he could just tell Robert Allen, which is maybe what he did. I don't know. We can get mad at him. We should have dug it up ourselves, although I will say, some guy at Shippensburg would be hard to find. Wonder how Gundy found him?
11:03 a.m.
i know you dont get into the recruiting of these guys like some of us. what is your true gut feeling stoops has with this class?
11:03 a.m.
I think he's disappointed. I think OU lost a lot of guys it wanted. The good news is, he didn't lose them to OSU or Texas. He lost them to the SEC. So that's not disastrous.
11:03 a.m.
What's with Golden State's defense?
11:05 a.m.
Man, I don't know. The Warriors were playing some good D early in the year. I thought they had turned the corner. Then they give up 140 points to Houston and 67 to the Thunder in the first half. That's six quarters in a 25-hour span, 207 points. That's what? 34 points a quarter?
11:05 a.m.
do you believe there will be any staff changes at ou?
11:05 a.m.
Yes. I don't know, but you hear enough rumblings, and I've heard from some people that are pretty close to the program. So I'm guessing yes.
11:06 a.m.
Is Cody Thomas going to make it to Norman?
11:07 a.m.
I'm going to guess no. I know Stoops is expressing supreme confidence, but people down in Colleyville aren't so sure. I don't have any idea, really. I'm just guessing. Lots of these guys chase the money, and you can't blame them.
11:07 a.m.
Why the negative blog about OU and OSU basketball today? The Sooners and Cowboys are improved over previous years and for the first time in years are both currently projected to make the NCAA Tournament. Why not focus on the positive of that this season after spending the last few seasons writing about how bad the programs had gotten?
11:08 a.m.
It's a good point. But so was mine. After a monumental OU victory, the Sooners went 11 minutes without so much as a point and lost at home. After a monumental OSU victory, the Cowboys threatened to not reach double digits by halftime. My point in all this was to say it's not an OU or OSU issue. It's a college basketball issue. The sport is in trouble.
11:09 a.m.
Is Landry Jones really going to drop to the third round?
11:10 a.m.
I can't see it. I know I've been optimistic that Landry will be a first-rounder, and that's looking too optimistic. But no way will he drop to the third round. Someone will take him before that, just as a backup.
11:10 a.m.
What do you think of this Yurcich guy?
11:11 a.m.
I love the concept. I love the idea of hiring a guy nobody's heard of, from a school that we've barely heard of, but who just goes out and coaches himself up some offense. Fabulous concept. I have no idea if he'll work out, but I love the idea. There are good football coaches all over America, at every level.
11:11 a.m.
I have to say that I am surprised how good HT has played as the backup. Any chance they will sign him after his contract runs out?
11:12 a.m.
I'm sure there is, but that's down the road. I think he's got another year left on his contract. And like everything else, it's about money. If he wants a big payday, he can go on down the road. If he'll play for $2-3 million, he'll be welcomed with armed opens.
11:14 a.m.
Best recruit for OU? Best for OSU?
11:15 a.m.
Good night nurse, I don't know. I know the recruits that NEED to be the best, immediately. At OU, Quincy Russell. The Sooners are woefully thin at defensive tackle. If he doesn't pan out, OU is in trouble. At OSU, the kicker, Ben Grogan. The Cowboys always have a great kicker. They don't know what life is like without one.
11:16 a.m.
Glad recruiting's over?
11:17 a.m.
Sure. Now we can move past fantasy football. But it's not like the old days, when I covered recruiting. January was the worst month of the year around my house. I had my head to a phone all day and all night. And this was in the pre-cell phone years, so I couldn't even go out to dinner or anything. Just waited on calls. Everyone who says recruiting has changed is wrong. Technology has changed. Recruiting has not. It's not any crazier than it ever was. In fact, it might be tamer.
11:18 a.m.
Mack Brown announced that Texas is now going to an Up Tempo Offense, after preaching about how hey needed a physical SEC offense the past 2 seasons. Is this desperation on his part?
11:18 a.m.
No. Just indecision. He's grasping. Which we all do from time to time. That physical SEC stuff didn't mean anything anyway. No reason to get worked up about this.
11:20 a.m.
I don't know. College football recruiting is a lot like baseball steroids to me. I don't put any faith in anyone, that way, I'm never disappointed. I assume everyone is guilty and don't get worked up about it.
11:20 a.m.
Was Ole Miss cheating?
11:21 a.m.
Sorry, I got that set of questions and answers out of order.
11:22 a.m.
OSU BB has 5 road games left - Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia, TCU, and Iowa State. How many do they win?
11:22 a.m.
I'm going to guess three. If they win four, the Cowboys might win the Big 12. Win all five, and they WILL win the Big 12. Of course, OSU will have to play better than it did Wednesday night against Baylor.
11:22 a.m.
Are you fired up about the NBA All-Star Game?
11:23 a.m.
You know, sort of. I was going to say no, I'm not. But the reality is, I'll watch it. I like Durant and Westbrook. It will be interesting to see them with Harden. Interesting and fun.
11:25 a.m.
What would be the best 1st round matchup for the thunder?
11:25 a.m.
Utah. I don't think the Jazz matches up at all with OKC. I think it would be a four-game sweep. Might be no matter who the Thunder plays. But the Jazz don't match up.
11:25 a.m.
Do you think OU told that Fresno safety that he would start?
11:28 a.m.
Here's what I think. I think OU coaches told Hatari Byrd that he has a very good chance to start. That they are planning on him coming in and winning the job. That's not the same as saying he'll start, but you get the idea. This "preying" media that Mike Stoops referenced is nonsense. Our man Trent Shadid conducted the interview, and our man Jason Kersey heard Trent's side of the phone conversation. Jason says Trent repeated to Byrd, "Are you sure they said you would start? Do you mean they said you would compete for a starting position?" There are some media that preys on recruits. Just like there are some coaches who prey on recruits. The high-and-mighty act among coaches wears thin.
11:28 a.m.
Who has the better national brand right now, the Thunder or the Spurs?
11:28 a.m.
Thunder by a mile. If by better you mean brighter. More marketable. Etc. If you mean who will kick the other's butt, well, the Spurs remain a batch of mean ol' hombres.
11:29 a.m.
Hey, everybody. Great questions. Talk to you next week.
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