OU football: Looking into the crystal ball
Shift of focus: This year the Sooners were all about offense, but next season it could be a defensive year
By Jake Trotter
Comments 
116
Published: January 12, 2009
This week, Oklahoma's collective fan base will be watching closely as Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford decides whether to leave early for the NFL or return for another year of school.
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But whatever Bradford chooses, the 2009 Sooners will shift from offensive juggernaut to a team reliant on a defense that should be the best in the Big 12.
While the offense will be decimated by graduation on the line and at wide receiver — not to mention the possible loss of Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham to the NFL — the defense could return up to nine starters and loads of depth on the front seven.
Though the defense struggled at times this past season, especially after losing middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds to season-ending knee surgery, the Sooners closed strong, holding three of the nation's top-six scoring offenses — Texas Tech, Missouri and Florida — to season lows in points.
Those late-season performances underscored the individual improvement of several young players who should only continue to get better next season.
With Frank Alexander, Jeremy Beal and Auston English at defensive end; Adrian Taylor, DeMarcus Granger (if he heals) and Gerald McCoy (if he returns) at defensive tackle; Mike Balogun, Austin Box, Keenan Clayton, Travis Lewis and Ryan Reynolds (if he heals) at linebacker; and Dominique Franks and Brian Jackson at cornerback, the Sooner defense should be a force to be reckoned with in 2009.
By Jake Trotter
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Haven't you all realized that Texas HATES winning the Big 12 Championship? They would rather win in lesser bowls to pad their stats. Mack's been to ONE national championship game--Stoops has been to FOUR. OU has a better chance of getting back, and recruits know that. Texas always discredits Big 12 Championships as if they're not "big games"--wouldn't you if you couldn't get to one? They don't realize that you HAVE to get there if you want to play in a national championship game--instead, they want to believe every year that there's only one game on the schedule. Well, you guys keep losing to the K-States and Texas Tech's of the world, and we'll go ahead and keep playing football after the Red River Shootout if that's OK with you. We'll be back everyone--4 times in 9 seasons proves that. Dean Smith went to 11 Final Fours and won 2 National Championships, and he's one of the greatest of all time. I'll take my chances with Stoops any day...BOOMER SOONER!!
Haven't you all realized that Texas HATES winning the Big 12 Championship? They would rather win in lesser bowls to pad their stats. Mack's been to ONE national championship game--Stoops has been to FOUR. OU has a better chance of getting back, and recruits know that. Texas always discredits Big 12 Championships as if they're not "big games"--wouldn't you if you couldn't get to one? They don't realize that you HAVE to get there if you want to play in a national championship game--instead, they want to believe every year that there's only one game on the schedule. Well, you guys keep losing to the K-States and Texas Tech's of the world, and we'll go ahead and keep playing football after the Red River Shootout if that's OK with you. We'll be back everyone--4 times in 9 seasons proves that. Dean Smith went to 11 Final Fours and won 2 National Championships, and he's one of the greatest of all time. I'll take my chances with Stoops any day...BOOMER SOONER!!
Kudos brother...I was at the game too. You summed it up perfectly. I congratulate the GAtors for their win but KW went into a fetal thumb sucking position on his play calling, especially in the second half.
Jeff......GONE!
Eric......GONE!
Gotta love it.
OK, enough of that. You folks who think Bradford is going to be totally naked and vulnerable behind next year's O-line are excessively anxious, IMO. Patton's army will be big, strong, well-drilled and effective. Maybe not quite a senior line, but maybe fewer false starts and personal fouls....?? Don't give up yet. I think you will be pleasantly surprised and relieved when the Big Red hits the field again for the spring game.
Loumar, I've always cheered for you guys since Stoops came on board. I know that I and thousands of other OU fans really, REALLY hated to see him go, but he's winning and he got some fine tuning while coaching here at OU. One thing I disagree with you is on the rematch possibility. A lot of seniors this year and some juniors will go pro, especially if Sam decides to jump the ship. I, for one, hope not, but I am curious about Landry though. If we could get a great passing AND running QB in one, I think we'd be better off. That's one thing that bit OU in the butt Thursday, we had no answer for Tebow and then if it looked like he was going to run, everybody jumped on the fake as he pitched it in the middle. I'm sure Stoops had a spy on him the whole time but everybody was chasing him. That frees up receivers and opens a whole new play book.
As for the Sooners, I hated to see them lose again in the NC game, but, I would rather see them lose in the NC game to a top tier team like Florida, than lose to a second tier team like Ore, or Ole Miss in a second tier bowl. Urban Meyer is a great coach, and so is Bob Stoops. Who do you think would do a better job. There isn't a single coach in America I'd rather have at the reigns of the Sooner Football Machine than Bob, and if it wasn't him, Urban is the only one in the country I think compares. Another great season, and I can't wait til next year, with or without Bradford. College football is the greatest sport, and its always a great day to be a Sooner Fan!
Shawn, in Soonerville
eat crow.
answer: put a bowl on their poarch.
signed,
Sponge Bob Bowl Flop
Ou will be potent on defense in 09, and if Sam comes back, then they will be great on offense as well. So Tim, enjoy your win because next year it will belong to OU.
after 5 years of failure and deception by the coaching staff, their is little trust in what a
person reads about them. There are all these returning players every year with same old end
results. Switzer maybe had 14-15 returning starters each year and still put a defense and
offense on the field that. by the end of the year, was rated in the top 5-10 on defense and
top 10 on offense, and could, most of the time, finish the deal in a bowl game. OU has
become the team everybody wants to play in their bowl because OU is weak at the end of
the season. OU knew the train was coming in the 4th quarter and could do nothing about it.
OU used to be the train, now they are the "putz". They spend all their time in the woodshed.
Anybody who halfway knows the game, actually coached, studied film, etc. would tell you OU should have been up 21-7 at the half and could of/should of won by 14. Didn't happen, no excuses. But the fact they were in the house at 14 is a reflection of the offensive play caller getting off the reservation....Kevin Wilson had a horrible game play calling. Florida is a great team.