Our picks for the Big 12 Conference 2017 (with extras!)

[starbigd]

Problem is, can your running backs stay on the field?

I think they can outside of Warren. Depth really isn't an issue. Where we have trouble will be at DE and LB and we pretty much have NO TEs at all

Warren's problem IMO is his knees can't hold up his 250+ lb frame......he needs to lose about 30 lbs but he loses his effectiveness at 225 because he doesn't have speed. Porter is probably what Warren needs to be......Johnson is pretty much a speed/scat back, Toneil Carter is a freshman and Young is another in the Warren mold

 

[Deep Creek]

Problem is, can your running backs stay on the field?

Or, do they have to call for a fair catch on a pitch out? Show me a good running back and I'll show you a good offensive line. JMO.

 

[romeo212000]

Or, do they have to call for a fair catch on a pitch out? Show me a good running back and I'll show you a good offensive line. JMO.

True story. Oklahoma has a stable of running back talent. Not saying any of them will be on Perine or Mixon's level but with our offensive line I'm not the least bit worried about RB production. People just aren't getting that.

 

[starbigd]

True story. Oklahoma has a stable of running back talent. Not saying any of them will be on Perine or Mixon's level but with our offensive line I'm not the least bit worried about RB production. People just aren't getting that.

Same can be said for Texas. The OL will be one of the strengths of the team, and Conor Williams is the best tackle in conference

 

[romeo212000]

Same can be said for Texas. The OL will be one of the strengths of the team, and Conor Williams is the best tackle in conference

Orlando Brown disagrees.

 

[starbigd]

Orlando Brown disagrees.

I think the NFL draft will disagree with him.

2018 NFL Draft Big Board: Matt Miller's Way-Too-Early Initial Rankings

Brown is very raw.....he's not the polished player Williams is.

 

[romeo212000]

I think the NFL draft will disagree with him.

2018 NFL Draft Big Board: Matt Miller's Way-Too-Early Initial Rankings

Brown is very raw.....he's not the polished player Williams is.

A lot rides on his play this year. He has a chance to play himself into a top 10 pick.

 

[Hook'Em0608]

Yards per play is the most accurate nowadays. A lot more so than yards per game because of the huge disparity in number of plays the teams run.

I don't think this is true with all the hurry up spread stuff going on in the Big 12. Our defenses get gassed and give up yards when using traditional defensive sets. I think the more effective defenses in the Big 12 are backing off receivers so they don't give up the big play. They force them to march down the whole field on long sustained drives and try to create turnovers. Then once they are inside the 25, they play a more traditional aggressive blitzing scheme with tight man coverage.

YPP and efficiency ratings aren't going to pick up on this strategy. Some Big 12 teams have done a good job limiting TD's and forcing FG's while they hunt for turnovers. That is why I used PPGA. It seemed more fair to Big 12 teams and Air Raid teams. At least that was my theory from watching these style of teams play for well over a decade now.

After review, it appears that only West Virginia, Oklahoma St, and Kansas St have really adopted this strategy and only one of those is really running Air Raid offenses recently.

 

[Hook'Em0608]

Then he may not be true to the Air Raid if he does. From what I know about Air Raid, the defense you see (or the other team has ) dictates whether you run or pass and even what type of run or pass it is. Unless you botch the run opportunity and then they pass regardless.

This is true to an extent. But Mike Leach use to also talk about how almost every single play that comes in from the sideline was a pass. It was up to the QB to recognize the defense and audible to a run when the offense has the advantage in the box.

I'm sure Riley has his own philosophies and doesn't completely comply with Air Raid doctrine, but you have to also realize that this is the mentality of the man who taught Lincoln Riley his craft.

 

[Hook'Em0608]

Orlando Brown disagrees.

Connor Williams has given up like 1 sack his entire college career. He's the best player in America nobody even knows much about and if we don't win this year we will have wasted an all time great Texas Longhorn.

Where Williams is just an amazing technician, Orlando Brown has all the physical talent that makes scouts drool. Will be interesting to see who goes higher in the draft. Been awhile since the Big 12 has had OL talent like these two.

 

[romeo212000]

Connor Williams has given up like 1 sack his entire college career. He's the best player in America nobody even knows much about and if we don't win this year we will have wasted an all time great Texas Longhorn.

Where Williams is just an amazing technician, Orlando Brown has all the physical talent that makes scouts drool. Will be interesting to see who goes higher in the draft. Been awhile since the Big 12 has had OL talent like these two.

Both teams are really loading up on offensive line talent. Should make for some good games between them.

 

[Kevin12773]

This is true to an extent. But Mike Leach use to also talk about how almost every single play that comes in from the sideline was a pass. It was up to the QB to recognize the defense and audible to a run when the offense has the advantage in the box.

I'm sure Riley has his own philosophies and doesn't completely comply with Air Raid doctrine, but you have to also realize that this is the mentality of the man who taught Lincoln Riley his craft.

I enjoy reading your posts Hook em and there were times in the past when OU's D was gassed but Riley isn't Leach and I hope the remaining Stoops on the staff isn't on the staff much longer as his life line is gone

 

[Wishbone]

True story. Oklahoma has a stable of running back talent. Not saying any of them will be on Perine or Mixon's level but with our offensive line I'm not the least bit worried about RB production. People just aren't getting that.

OU has the quarterback and Offensive Line. Give me that every year, the running backs and wide outs will take care of themselves.

 

[Texas Jefe]

Same can be said for Texas. The OL will be one of the strengths of the team, and Conor Williams is the best tackle in conference

Orlando Brown disagrees.

Conor Williams was a consensus 1st team AA last year, I believe. Brown is good.

What I want is for the rest of the Tex OL to step up this year. Believe there is some good young talent, So Center Shackleford should be better this year, and looking for Patrick Hudson and Delance to be good in the future. But need someone this year to step up

 

[Texas Jefe]

This thread was good stuff.

Cant wait for the season to arrive! RRSO is the best- been watching all old games on LHN (yes, it is GREAT for a Tex fan who likes watching old games) and a bunch of old RRSO games.

As an aside, if you want to see the difference between what football used to be to what it is now, go watch an old game. I was watching, I believe it was an old Tex/Ark game. The offensive lines sprint to the LOS from the huddle, QB says 'down' and the OL all, in unison, put their elbows on their knees. Then QB says "set" and they all get in four point stances, in unison, like a finely tuned machine. "HUT!" and the OL FIRES OUT and smashed the DL/LBs.

It was an Offensive game on the LOS, whereas today it's a pass-protect, 2 pt stance, zone block game. Completely different. Visually, completely different game on the LOS.

Not saying the game was better, because it was definitely more 'boring' to a viewer. But if you played on the line, it was a much more satisfying experience, I'll say that.

I used to HATE to pass block-your defensive, backing up, on your heels, etc. Hated it. Of course today, that's where you make your money, as a LT and your pass blocking. But it was no fun.

 

[Hook'Em0608]

I enjoy reading your posts Hook em and there were times in the past when OU's D was gassed but Riley isn't Leach and I hope the remaining Stoops on the staff isn't on the staff much longer as his life line is gone

This could be a good or bad thing. Leach has a flawed outlook at football in my eyes, but you can't deny the man's success at places success is really hard to come by. If you think about it, all his proteges are still chasing the master. Even the "creator" of the Air Raid, Hal Mumme, has had no success without Leach.

Art Briles to me took the best parts of his own football philosophy and combined that with Air Raid philosophy. But he was a long time head coach. We will see if Lincoln Riley does the same. He has a shot, and last year he did deviate from the normal game plan after those two early losses. I will give him that.

Part of my comments on here the past couple days were just trolling OU fans he were going unchallenged in my eyes, part of it is concern that a big part of my teams national success comes off a strong OU. I really don't like giving the reigns to a young coach like that. It's a gamble that could pay off, but it is also a risk of disaster.

We are both better when we are both good. Our modern hay day was when Mack Brown and Bob Stoops were chasing national titles on a regular basis. It hasn't been the same for either team since UT fell off the map. I'm hoping our rise is coming, and I don't want that to coincide with OU's fall. I want to beat a great OU team every year.

 

[Deep Creek]

I don't think this is true with all the hurry up spread stuff going on in the Big 12. Our defenses get gassed and give up yards when using traditional defensive sets. I think the more effective defenses in the Big 12 are backing off receivers so they don't give up the big play. They force them to march down the whole field on long sustained drives and try to create turnovers. Then once they are inside the 25, they play a more traditional aggressive blitzing scheme with tight man coverage.

YPP and efficiency ratings aren't going to pick up on this strategy. Some Big 12 teams have done a good job limiting TD's and forcing FG's while they hunt for turnovers. That is why I used PPGA. It seemed more fair to Big 12 teams and Air Raid teams. At least that was my theory from watching these style of teams play for well over a decade now.

After review, it appears that only West Virginia, Oklahoma St, and Kansas St have really adopted this strategy and only one of those is really running Air Raid offenses recently.

There is some validity to the philosophy of backing off and not giving up the big play against those teams. Even if they move down the field their effectiveness drops somewhat. They get closer to the goal line, the field shrinks significantly and then you force them to "play in a phone booth" for lack of a better term.

 

[Deep Creek]

This could be a good or bad thing. Leach has a flawed outlook at football in my eyes, but you can't deny the man's success at places success is really hard to come by. If you think about it, all his proteges are still chasing the master. Even the "creator" of the Air Raid, Hal Mumme, has had no success without Leach.

Art Briles to me took the best parts of his own football philosophy and combined that with Air Raid philosophy. But he was a long time head coach. We will see if Lincoln Riley does the same. He has a shot, and last year he did deviate from the normal game plan after those two early losses. I will give him that.

Very accurate IMHO Hook'em. Briles is a pretty damend good coach but has a ton of character flaws as a person IMHO.

Question...do you think a coach with a more "tradtiional" style could win at places like Baylor and Tech without the "elite" players the big names can get? I think the lower echelon of the P5s have to do things out of the norm since they can't really land the big fish recruits in any significant numbers...especially in the two lines. Just wondering what your thoughts were on that.

 

[Cowboyinexile]

Very accurate IMHO Hook'em. Briles is a pretty damend good coach but has a ton of character flaws as a person IMHO.

Question...do you think a coach with a more "tradtiional" style could win at places like Baylor and Tech without the "elite" players the big names can get? I think the lower echelon of the P5s have to do things out of the norm since they can't really land the big fish recruits in any significant numbers...especially in the two lines. Just wondering what your thoughts were on that.

We are about to find out at Baylor. They now have the facilities and Rhule is saying the right things. I get the feeling they are still a little shady at recruiting but who isn't these days.

He wants to emphasize ball control and defense but he has no depth on either line (or really anywhere but qb and rb) this year. I'm guessing that won't go well. But Rhule signed a 7 year deal so he has time to turn it around.

 

[starbigd]

We are about to find out at Baylor. They now have the facilities and Rhule is saying the right things. I get the feeling they are still a little shady at recruiting but who isn't these days.

He wants to emphasize ball control and defense but he has no depth on either line (or really anywhere but qb and rb) this year. I'm guessing that won't go well. But Rhule signed a 7 year deal so he has time to turn it around.

Baylor made one really good hire.......they got a pretty much legendary HS coach from the Dallas area as an assistant, a guy that Texas tried to hire under Strong - Jerry Maguire, from Cedar Hill.....a school that has basically become a 6A powerhouse.

If you guys want to know why Kansas at one point was leading the conference in recruiting its because they did the same thing......hired a legend out of Louisiana HS to coach their RBs.....now they're landing recruits from Louisiana they normally would have ZERO shot at getting