Preliminary notes:

Oklahoma is the template that Butch Jones would appear to be following

* establish stability

- Bob Stoops is now firmly into his 16th season in charge of the Sooners. He has an overall record of 162-39 (81%), has won 1 national and 7 conference championships, and has the support of his long time administration. Given Fulmer's career record, Stoops would be a first ballot HOF'r right now at the age of 54.

* control in state recruiting while plucking from surrounding fertile states

- Oklahoma has controlled the borders, keeping the best prospects at home. They have also raided Texas for the best players in that state to supplement their local haul.

* develop a balanced roster that is able to replenish graduating seniors
and early draft entrants with experienced players who have been in the
system for several years.

* defend your turf

- Stoops has only suffered 5 losses in his tenure at Owen Field.


Sooners on Offense

- Sooners employ a traditional spread offense and use formation and different personal groupings to create confusion for opposing defenses.

- They show a pistol formation, a pistol with what could be described as an inverted wishbone, and the pistol with an offset fullback. they will pass out of any of these formations, but watch the fullback and the ball usually follows.

- They show the triple option out of the inverted bone and when they motion Shepard to make a three running back set.

- While not as fast as the Ark St qb, Trevor Knight is a very effective runner, is excellent in his ball fakes and decision making in whether to keep of pitch, and is a good passer. Not a great passer.

- Their running game is relatively simple with long runs coming more off missed tackles than the OL generating monster holes.

- The OL is massive averaging approx 330 per man. 3 RS Sr's, RS Jr, and a true Jr. They can move but aren't as aggressive as their reputation. (think the UT line Albert Toenia)

- When the back goes in motion, look for a quick pass to the same back. we did not see a fake off of this set and pass to the opposite side.

- The passing game is most effective off of traditional play action with the favorite route being a sideline go route. Did not see wheel, angle, or traditional screens routes to the backs. They show the common 2 wides on one side, 1 on the other, they will stack 2 receivers, show trips to a side, and even motion to effectively get 4 receivers on a side.

- Sterling Sheppard is by far their best receiver and the go to guy for Knight. He is good but Sutton should present a good challenge for him.

- Alex Ross and Keith Ford are interchangeable at tailback. They are both averaging at least 7 yards per carry. True freshman Perine will be the next in line of great backs at the school.


Sooners on Defense


- They typically run a 3-4 and the three down linemen can all move. The three don't generate a consistent pass rush from what we could see, but they often bring Grissom and Striker to the line and these two are disruptive.

- They often use the blitz on obvious run downs to overload the offensive line, bringing up a safety to make it 6 on 5.

- Both Alexander and Evans are very good inside linebackers. Evans was sent off in the first game for targeting and is very aggressive.

- Their secondary is not as good as the front 7 and there should be opportunities if our o line can hold up.


Special Teams

Michael Hunnicut is an all American candidate at PK. They have blocked 31 kicks under Stoops.


The Sooners are a top 10-15 team, but it would surprise if they raise the national championship trophy at the end of the season.

Thanks for reading.

The Tony Basilio Radio Family Contributors

WHERE'S BEANO WEEK 3
NEVER FORGET

WHAT WE LEARNED IN WEEK 2

NATION:
FOUR IS ENOUGH: As talk of the first season for the College Football Playoff heated up the main topic of discussion was the format’s exclusion of at least one Power-5 Conference Champion. With only four spots available and 5 power conference champions there is no way that all deserving contenders would be given a fair opportunity, right? Wrong! We all forgot just how accommodating the current membership of the Big-10 can be....

STRONG IS ONLY A COACH’S NAME: The eyes of Texas are upon you Charlie and in what has to be the most premature criticism in blogging history I write what have you been doing since last December? Judging by the results versus BYU alone the perception would be very little. Oh I guess that’s not entirely fair; Texas’ defense slowed the Cougar rushing attack down from 550 yards in 2013 to paltry 248 and 4.1 yards per clip last Saturday. Taysom Hill who has been a one-man two-year plague ran for 99 yards and three second half touchdowns while throwing for 181 additional....

SEC:
PT BARNUM WAS RIGHT: The wisdom of there is a sucker born every minute was never so profoundly demonstrated then this past Saturday in stadiums throughout the country and specifically in the Southeast. SEC schools fleeced their fans out of millions of dollars with a menu that would make Shawshank Prison inmates gag...[more]

'T...I would like to see UT will give OU a game and make Gooner fan squirm, but my head says OU is experienced on both lines of scrimmage (and team strengths) and UT could barely muster 3yds/carry against Ark St. OU will make UT one dimension and "lay the wood"...though they will not be donning their new unis with the same motto. OU has a good run game and if UT cannot force them pass, OU will be hard to handle...T. Knight can be erratic.

I do agree, Tulsa was a horrible team...throw it out.

Go Pokes!

Go Vols!

Mickey S, Knoxville,'

Tennessee Offensive Line vs Sooners Front Seven:

Oklahoma’s typical defensive alignment is a 3-4 defense. For the purposes of this game we will focus on a 4-2 alignment and Oklahoma’s nickel personnel because offensively Tennessee plays in 11 personnel (1 back and 1 tight end). This may be Tennessee’s toughest nickel defensive front it will face all year. In the nickel front LB #19 Erick Striker is the star of the front. He will play defensive end for OU in nickel. OU will line Striker up in several places, including both right and left. Both of Tennessee’s offensive tackles will be facing an elite college pass rusher in Striker. Striker put on a show in the Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama by consistently putting pressure on A.J. McCarron. DT #80 Jordan Phillips at 6’6” 310lbs is a “do it all” type of inside presence against the run and pass both.


Oklahoma Offensive Line vs. Tennessee Defensive Front Seven:

Size is the word of the day. Oklahoma’s offensive line is massive. With a formidable ground attack, an elusive quarterback and a line the size of the Great Wall of China, John Jancek will have to devise a monster defensive scheme to drum up pressure on QB #9 Trevor Knight and keep them to 30 points or less. Knight is capable is dissecting a secondary with no pressure in his face. The emergence of RB #28 Alex Ross has brought an extra dimension to the up-tempo pass oriented offense. Ross brings size at 6’1” 221lbs. He has great vision, can run for tough yards between the tackles and possesses a 4th gear once he gets to the secondary. Tennessee’s LBs AJ Johnson, Chris Weathered, Reeves-Mayben and nickel back Justin Coleman will get lots of thrown at them in both the passing game and running game. In week 2 vs. Arkansas State, Tennessee displayed athletically they are not capable of generating pressure and sacks if not purposely devised by Jancek. Jancek will need another ‘A’ game scheme like Week 1 for this Tennessee front to stand a chance against the OU high powered offense.


Tennessee Passing Game vs. the Oklahoma Secondary:

The success of Tennessee’s passing game will be based on two things – 3rd down conversions and a complimentary running game. Worley for two games straight has played like a stellar SEC pocket passer. The featured guys in the secondary are S #10 Quentin Hayes and CB #2 Julian Wilson, who is a future pro.. Wilson is a rangy corner at 6’2”. Opposite him however, CB #15 Zack Sanchez goes 5’11”. Look for Red Zone opportunities and deep throws to go at Sanchez. I do believe Worley is playing confidently with his skillful set of wide receivers that he doesn’t need to throw away from Wilson. This one is simple. If given time, Worley can pick apart a secondary, but he desperately needs some sort of running game to keep OU’s pass rushers honest.


Tennessee Secondary vs. Oklahoma Passing Game:

WR #3 Sterling Sheppard is a game changer. He is an explosive athlete capable of evading tacklers, making tough catches and playing bigger than his size. Tennessee normally plays with their safeties in the deep and the corners in the short zone. I see Tennessee providing help to its safeties with its corners to provide help on Sheppard given S Brian Randolph is not an “in space” type of player and Todd Kelly Jr. is talented yet green. Ultimately, Tennessee will have its matchup problems with Sheppard in the passing game but they can get help if they can generate a pass rush and mix up coverages.



JC’s Outlook:

Tennessee is at a huge disadvantage in this matchup. OU is all about offense and it remains to be seen if Tennessee can slow down a potent offense with tremendous size upfront. It’s the worst of both worlds for the Vols defensively. Don’t be surprised if Worley has an excellent game throwing the football again. Last year in Tennessee’s toughest games, he showed grit and this year he’s displaying execution.


Go Vols

Jerry Colquitt
UTK '95
Fema Quadrant X

'Tennessee takes the first step along what is one of the most difficult schedule stretches in the country. Oklahoma will give the Vols a good idea of where they stand at this point.


1. John Calipari just stays one step ahead of everyone else. His idea to hold a preseason NBA scouting combine to allow teams to view his players is sheer genius.

2. Mark Fox is finally starting to get some traction on the recruiting trail. He's a good enough floor coach to win big if he can get players.

3. It is shocking not to see Spain or Brazil in the FIBA World Cup semifinals. Both squads looked atrocious in bowing out in the quarters.

4. The Ravens should just quit trying to rationalize or explain their initial handling of the Ray Rice issues. The sooner they stop talking, the sooner the focus gets off of them.

5. If you want the perfect contrast to the ugliness of the Ray Rice affair, familiarize yourself with the story regarding the Bengals and Devon Still. There is good news out there, you just have to look for it.

6. We'll see if Georgia can avoid the type of inexplicable letdown that has kept the Mark Richt Era from being more championship laden. South Carolina will be a desperate football team tomorrow.

7. If it can be proven that Oregon waited to expel the basketball players accused of sexual assault to aid their APR, everyone should be fired. That would be beneath contempt.

8. Tomorrow night is the kind of scene that keeps us coming back to college football. Two of the most storied programs in the national square off in Norman with the National stage almost to themselves.

9. Tennessee must weather the storm in the first five minutes. If the Vols can avoid big mistakes early, they should be able to hold close into the second half.


Tune in to Show Cause today 1-3 to hear from Jim Ross, Mike DeCourcy, and Berry Tramel. We're also feverishly working to a jaw dropping mystery guest on with us. Hint....He worked professionally in both Norman and Dallas.

Go Vols

Keith'

'Yo Tony,

The Thursday night sports report featured a segment in which Bob Stoops compared his and Butch Jones beginnings at Oklahoma (1999) and Tennessee (2013), respectively. He said he could appreciate the difficult situation Coach Jones inherited. Although Stoops never mentioned it, I suspect the rationale for this comparative contemplation contained a subliminal suggestion that The Big XII is better than The SEC because in 2000 (Stoops' 2nd year) Oklahoma won the BCS National Championship; and in his own mind, Bob Stoops probably thinks there ain't no way Butch Jones and the Vols can duplicate that feat in year number two at Tennessee.

Next, a good showing by Tennessee on Saturday night could reap some unintended consequences. It's a lights out recruiting weekend for Oklahoma. Do well; you never know what might happen. Stink it up; we all know what will happen.

This will NOT be Coach Jones' first encounter with the Sooners and Bob Stoops. In 2010, OU narrowly defeated Cincinnati 31-29 in Coach Jones's first year with the Bearcats. Wille Martinez coached the Oklahoma secondary in that game.

For what it's worth, I submit for Tennessee to have a chance to beat OU, at games end, the stat board must contain the following:

1. Tennessee had a +3 in turnover margin;
2. Tennessee rushed for over 200 yards;
3. Tennessee passed for over 250 yards;
4. Tennessee had no more than 20 penalty yards;
5. Oklahoma had at least 80 penalty yards;
6. If Oklahoma led at the half, the lead was not more than 10 points; and (the obvious)
7. Tennessee scored more points than Oklahoma.

Yesterday, we reported on an OU player meeting his untimely demise while drinking milk. Lightening strikes twice. This time an OU football player only attempted to drink milk (at least that's the official story), but this time the bull fell on him. Wonder if it was Bevo?

If you have an Oklahoma defensive back, an Oklahoma linebacker, an Oklahoma defensive lineman, and an Oklahoma running back in a car, who's driving? … Officer Callahan.

NEWS FLASH: OU Football Player Arrested for Stealing a Police Cruiser. When apprehended, police questioned the suspect about his motive. The player explained, "On the door, it said nine eleven, 911. Ain't that a Porsche?""
--
MIKE G'

'Some observations on program changing wins

1) A nobody team beats a highly ranked, highly favored team. (Stanford beating USC under Harbaugh is one of these. LSU beating UT in 2000, and 2001. Georgia beating UT in 2000 and 2001. Auburn beating UT in 2003. Alabama beating UT in 2007.)

2) The QB of the future is on campus. Andrew Luck, Matt Mauck, David Greene, John Parker Wilson.

3) The underdog has people step up-even in the face of adversity. In 2001, LSU’s starting QB and running back were injured and done before halftime. I wonder if the result would have been different, had they stayed healthy.

4) The favorite team makes uncharacteristic mistakes.

5) The underdog is surprisingly physical.

6) The favored team is actually overrated.

7) The game sets the trajectory for the two head coaches-cementing the dynasty of one and dooming career of the other.

8) The game sets the trajectory for the two programs. One of them is skyrocketing up. The other is tumbling down.


Here's my Don Dare food for thought.


When is Tennessee going to have the program changing win?
Who will they beat to do it?'