Sooner fan really looking forward to the game

[Voltopia]

Interesting perspective. I'd argue that any results from leather helmet days have zero impact.

Going back 20 years, Oklahoma trails only Alabama in winning percentage (81.6% to 79.0%).

For 20 years, the Big XII has Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Oklahoma State and West Virginia above your 60% mark. (Mizzu was in there about half the time)

For 20 years, the SEC has Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida, and Auburn. (Mizzu was in about half the time).

Both conferences had 5 teams plus Mizzu.

Yes, I get it, you believe Tennessee to be pedestrian. If we pick solely the last 20 years, being the worst stretch in the history of our program (coinciding with Nick Saban's tenure at Alabama but I'll leave that alone for now), then you can label us pedestrian. We get it.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I don't want to take anything away from the 1998 Vols -- congrats to Tennessee on that special year. But FSU had a much stronger decade.

As for BCS sorting it out -- the SEC had their chances. Tell me had the SEC champion Gators did against Nebraska.

Heh, friend, your arguments are getting weaker and ever more anecdotal.

But it's okay, we can leave it all behind and look to the future. Who do you think will win this Saturday? And what two teams do you think will be in Atlanta in December?

Go Vols!

 

[GAVol]

Disagree. I'd say the ACC and Big XII owned much of the 1990s with Miami, Florida State and Nebraska. Florida State had an incredible run under Bowden. Nebraska had some phenomenal teams too.

Hard to keep up with all the conference hopping. Miami wasn't in the ACC until sometime in the mid-2000s.

 

[trj]

Got news for you, if you don’t sort out that Oline you are a lower tier team this year. I’m with you though on your last point piss on the rest of the conference. I will root for you guys after we play bc I hate everyone you play more than you.

Been a crazy year. I understand why someone might be pessimistic on OU given our OL and WR situation, but I still think we'll hit 8-4 or 9-3 this year.

 

[trj]

Hard to keep up with all the conference hopping. Miami wasn't in the ACC until sometime in the mid-2000s.

Oops -- slipped up there. Good catch.

 

[bpalmer28]

I'm just pointing out that the Big 8 frequently bested the SEC.

Looking forward, I think that Oklahoma will soon contend in the SEC's top football tier. It's what we do.

I think you guys are about to become Arkansas. It'll take 20 years to get used to the glory days being behind you but it's not so bad after you embrace it. I know from experience!

 

[trj]

I'm looking forward to it too. And I'm sure it's been discussed heavily over the past 40-something pages or so but the matchup that stands out to me is OU's injury plagued O-line vs a strong and deep Vol D-line. I think that's the difference in the game. I'll also add that even if they were healthy, aren't they a completely new line? That's usually not the best recipe for success.

Yep, last year's OT is with the Cowboys, I believe the Center is with Panthers, and the other OT is with the Vikings.

The new faces include some transfer portal people (who each have a lot of starts) and our recruits which are mostly blue chips. They have the measurements and ability to be a strong unit with coach Bedenbaugh (who is an exceptional OL coach), but injuries have forced a continuing musical chairs of position changes. Nobody will be watching their progress with more interest than me.

 

[trj]

Yes, I get it, you believe Tennessee to be pedestrian. If we pick solely the last 20 years, being the worst stretch in the history of our program (coinciding with Nick Saban's tenure at Alabama but I'll leave that alone for now), then you can label us pedestrian. We get it.

Well, here's my perspective:

Tennessee was mostly pedestrian during the Dooley, Chaney, Jones, Pruitt years.

You made a good hire in Heupel, and now your trending up toward the top-tier of the SEC (and may be among the conference's top four as early as this year).

Do you disagree with this?

 

[volmanjr]

Yes, I get it, you believe Tennessee to be pedestrian. If we pick solely the last 20 years, being the worst stretch in the history of our program (coinciding with Nick Saban's tenure at Alabama but I'll leave that alone for now), then you can label us pedestrian. We get it.

We'll see how pedestrian he thinks we are come Saturday!

 

[DaddyChad]

Well, here's my perspective:

Tennessee was mostly pedestrian during the Dooley, Chaney, Jones, Pruitt years.

You made a good hire in Heupel, and now your trending up toward the top-tier of the SEC (and may be among the conference's top four as early as this year).

Do you disagree with this?

You’re not wrong. Success is more cyclical here. See teams like Auburn and Florida right now. They were national title teams years ago. You’ve only got a few doormats that never really contend like Kentucky, Vandy, Miss St, Carolina. Bama as great as they’ve been had to be turned down by Rich Rod to land on Saban; before that they spend some time in the wilderness as well. I feel like OU will be the same situation; you’ll have good stretches and bad ones as well.

 

[Nicovfl8]

You obviously didn’t look at this rankings by year when combining their W/L record with SOS to determine the best team in the country. OU is #1 several times the last 15 years and Tennessee appeared in the top 10 rarely. It’s a solid argument OU with their final ranking with SOS factored has done extremely well.

Who else do you play besides Texas and Nebraska? List them out. Because we have had to play Bama, Georgia and Florida for the past 30 years ever year. Plus with LSU or Auburn mixed in there sometimes.

 

[B81]

Even though OU is now in the SEC, it's easy to look at the SEC as an outsider. After all, Sooners were an outsider until a couple of months ago. I think the common perception of the SEC is that the top tier of the conference has been elite over the last 20 years. However, the mid-tier and the lower-tier of the conference has almost always been pedestrian.

One of the things I find most interesting about the SEC is how much coattail riding the mid-tier and lower-tier teams indulge in. If Oklahoma is having a down year for whatever reason, you will NEVER hear a Sooner say "yeah, but Texas was elite this year", or yell the equivalent of "SEC, SEC, SEC" unless it's done in a mocking way of a rival conference mate.

I think what you are confusing as coattail ridding is a thought from the mid tier programs that if we were in another conference and didn’t have to play such a strong schedule, we would be more successful. Tennessee has traditionally played bama Georgia and Florida every season. Those are 3 of the most successful teams over the past 20 years, with Florida falling off lately, and georgia further ascending.

When you start the year we all look at the schedule and try to decide which games are definite win, losses, and 50/50. Tennessee, for most of the past 15 years has had 2-3 guaranteed losses on the schedule.and several more 50/50 toss ups. Mid tier teams in other conferences do not.

When you play in the sec, if you are not elite, it is very easy to slip up and lose 4-6 games. So in a previous year where ut may have gone 7 and 6 in the sec, they may have gone 9-3 in a weaker conference.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[B81]

Let's assume you're a blue chip recruit pondering a school choice. Obviously player development and the chance to make it in the pros will matter -- more on that below. Perhaps you come from a big family with lots of cousins, aunts, uncles and so forth; you probably would like for them to be within driving distance of your home games. And obviously NIL is a big factor too. Unlike Nebraska, Oklahoma has been and will continue to be elite in all of these considerations:

• OU has more NFL draft picks than any other SEC school;
• OU is within easy driving distance of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, Oklahoma City and Tulsa (see this link for an indication of where high school football is king);
• OU has the third largest football operating revenue in the country (source: link);

Here's a few more musings about player development. One of my favorite movies is the sci-fi drama Gattaca. If you're unfamiliar with this movie, one of the underlying themes is can the capability of a person be reduced to a few easy to gauge metrics like IQ. I like to think that it's impossible to reduce people to a few such measurements. Two of my favorite NFL players are from Oklahoma City and Knoxville -- Wes Welker and Bill Bates. Neither of these players had the physical body measurements that you might expect from an exceptional pro football player. Welker was a WR that wasn't fast or tall, yet he was a 4 time all pro, 5 time pro bowl, 3 time NFL receptions leader. Likewise, Bates had an exceptional 15 year career in the NFL and won a pro bowl invite. They both had intangible leadership and intangible skills that set them apart during on-the-field play.

Today, I don't think either Wes Welker or Bill Bates would get the same career in the NFL. Welker wouldn't even get drafted. The game has become too much of a business. There's too much emphasis on 40 times, height, how far can you throw, how much do you weigh, and so forth. Perhaps you've seen Tom Brady's recent lament that franchises have "dumbed the game down."

Here's where I'm going with this. The NFL has become about instant return on investment and safe bets. Franchises are so risk adverse that I'm convinced that no team would give famous WR Jerry Rice a chance -- he went to Mississippi Valley State (so he was an unknown quantity against elite cornerbacks) and he didn't have elite measurables (4.71 sec forty yard dash). Instead, today's NFL flocks to the safe choice. In today's college football, a player that does well in the SEC is a safe pick -- even if there's a player at Mississippi Valley State that's actually a better player. Going forward -- it looks to me like college football is going to be to him that has, more shall be given. Oklahoma had to join the SEC whether they wanted to or not.

Make no mistake. Oklahoma has the culture and support of a blue blood. I think we're missing a few ingredients for a championship run this year, but we're trending in the right direction and we'll soon be there.

In todays game Jerry Rice would have transferred to a major program and got a ton of nil money to do so.

 

[Sooner Redzone]

Who else do you play besides Texas and Nebraska? List them out. Because we have had to play Bama, Georgia and Florida for the past 30 years ever year. Plus with LSU or Auburn mixed in there sometimes.

Team Rankings does elaborate stats. They combine record and SOS to determine rankings. Don’t know what to tell you they are unbiased. They don’t mesh with some of the mantra.

 

[fairdinkem]

In todays game Jerry Rice would have transferred to a major program and got a ton of nil money to do so.

True this!

 

[butchna]

Let's assume you're a blue chip recruit pondering a school choice. Obviously player development and the chance to make it in the pros will matter -- more on that below. Perhaps you come from a big family with lots of cousins, aunts, uncles and so forth; you probably would like for them to be within driving distance of your home games. And obviously NIL is a big factor too. Unlike Nebraska, Oklahoma has been and will continue to be elite in all of these considerations:

• OU has more NFL draft picks than any other SEC school;
• OU is within easy driving distance of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, Oklahoma City and Tulsa (see this link for an indication of where high school football is king);
• OU has the third largest football operating revenue in the country (source: link);

Here's a few more musings about player development. One of my favorite movies is the sci-fi drama Gattaca. If you're unfamiliar with this movie, one of the underlying themes is can the capability of a person be reduced to a few easy to gauge metrics like IQ. I like to think that it's impossible to reduce people to a few such measurements. Two of my favorite NFL players are from Oklahoma City and Knoxville -- Wes Welker and Bill Bates. Neither of these players had the physical body measurements that you might expect from an exceptional pro football player. Welker was a WR that wasn't fast or tall, yet he was a 4 time all pro, 5 time pro bowl, 3 time NFL receptions leader. Likewise, Bates had an exceptional 15 year career in the NFL and won a pro bowl invite. They both had intangible leadership and intangible skills that set them apart during on-the-field play.

Today, I don't think either Wes Welker or Bill Bates would get the same career in the NFL. Welker wouldn't even get drafted. The game has become too much of a business. There's too much emphasis on 40 times, height, how far can you throw, how much do you weigh, and so forth. Perhaps you've seen Tom Brady's recent lament that franchises have "dumbed the game down."

Here's where I'm going with this. The NFL has become about instant return on investment and safe bets. Franchises are so risk adverse that I'm convinced that no team would give famous WR Jerry Rice a chance -- he went to Mississippi Valley State (so he was an unknown quantity against elite cornerbacks) and he didn't have elite measurables (4.71 sec forty yard dash). Instead, today's NFL flocks to the safe choice. In today's college football, a player that does well in the SEC is a safe pick -- even if there's a player at Mississippi Valley State that's actually a better player. Going forward -- it looks to me like college football is going to be to him that has, more shall be given. Oklahoma had to join the SEC whether they wanted to or not.

Make no mistake. Oklahoma has the culture and support of a blue blood. I think we're missing a few ingredients for a championship run this year, but we're trending in the right direction and we'll soon be there.

Receivers with Walker’s skillset are drafted every class. One’s that don’t, like Adam Thielen only need an opportunity to have quite a career.

 

[MyAll]

The Longhorns can only offer 85 scholarships. Even if the Longhorns had their pick of the state (they don't), they could only take a fraction of the blue chips. Oklahoma will continue to recruit among the top 3 in the SEC (as they have for years).

Haha it's 105 and top 3? What are you right now 8th 9th?

 

[MyAll]

The Longhorns can only offer 85 scholarships. Even if the Longhorns had their pick of the state (they don't), they could only take a fraction of the blue chips. Oklahoma will continue to recruit among the top 3 in the SEC (as they have for years).

Just a quick check of the recruiting site checked until I found where Oklahoma had finished 3rd or better in the SEC recruiting. Took a minute as it was in 2010 and that was a 3rd place finish. A couple of 4th place finishes but mostly between 5th and all the way to 10th

 

[trj]

Haha it's 105 and top 3? What are you right now 8th 9th?

Even with the roster limit change this year, Texas high schools produce much more than Texas can possibly recruit in any given year.

OU's 2024 blue chip team talent ratio was 73%. That's currently fourth in the SEC behind Bama, Georgia and Texas A&M.

 

[Shirleyudontmeanthat]

The Longhorns can only offer 85 scholarships. Even if the Longhorns had their pick of the state (they don't), they could only take a fraction of the blue chips. Oklahoma will continue to recruit among the top 3 in the SEC (as they have for years).

lol this is the most delusional quote of this thread ! lol so you guys are going to recruit a top 5 class ( overall for all schools ) class every year ?? Wow

 

[MyAll]

lol this is the most delusional quote of this thread ! lol so you guys are going to recruit a top 5 class ( overall for all schools ) class every year ?? Wow

Right? There's alot to like about Oklahoma and if you're an OU fan you have every reason to defend how good they've been. But to say you're going to continue with top 5 classes when you haven't had a single one in almost 15 years is just willfully ignorant. Kinda like Tennessee, OU will have to do more with less to compete with the teams that sign top fives every year. Difference is we're in a state that is starting to produce better talent and they're not.

 

[MyAll]

Even with the roster limit change this year, Texas high schools produce much more than Texas can possibly recruit in any given year.

OU's 2024 blue chip team talent ratio was 73%. That's currently fourth in the SEC behind Bama, Georgia and Texas A&M.

So it was recruiting rankings you were talking about but when you realized that was wrong we went to blue chip ratio lol. The secret to the blue chip ratio is all 4 stars count the same and is a very simple metric created by one guy. We also have traditionally recruited alot of middling 4 stars which is why we both have recruited more classes in the high teens than in the top 5. BIG difference in 88 average classes and the 92 plus that the bamas, georgia, Ohio states get every single year.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Must’ve done SOMETHING! Believe a dude well-versed.

@fairdinkem
That’s a badge to be honorably worn!

 

[trj]

lol this is the most delusional quote of this thread ! lol so you guys are going to recruit a top 5 class ( overall for all schools ) class every year ?? Wow

You've misunderstood me. My statement was meant to underscore that Oklahoma is not a "Johnny come lately" -- that we've had success in recruiting and on the field under 6 different hall-of-fame coaches over the last 7 decades. When you added every year, you stretched what I meant.

Let me try to make a more clear statement.

Oklahoma is trending up. The way Lincoln Riley left our program set us back, but every Sooner I know prefers our current state over how things were before he left. I predicted preseason that the Sooners will probably have an 8-4 or 9-3 record this year -- and down the road I think Oklahoma will often be in the top tier of the SEC. I'll define top tier as among the top 4 SEC team records for that year. I don't think OU will win the SEC championship every year, but I think they will often "be in the hunt." During the times when OU's ranks in the SEC's top 4, I think Oklahoma will be able to recruit at a high level (among the top 4).

Perhaps you find the above delusional. But consider this: OU currently ranks among the SEC's top tier in national championships (#2 in SEC), in Heisman trophies (#1), in NFL draft picks (#1), in weeks as AP#1 (#2), in all time winning percentage (#2), in winning percentage against ranked opponents (#2), and in College Hall of Fame coaches (#1). The Sooners currently have the #4 ranked blue chip ratio among SEC teams (73%), a young team, a decorated coaching staff, a constant stream of facility upgrades (we just completed a $370M south end zone renovation), and the third largest football revenue in the nation. We're an easy drive from the Dallas/Fort Worth which produces tremendous high school talent, and we have a history of recruiting well nationally.

 

[bpalmer28]

You've misunderstood me. My statement was meant to underscore that Oklahoma is not a "Johnny come lately" -- that we've had success in recruiting and on the field under 6 different hall-of-fame coaches over the last 7 decades. When you added every year, you stretched what I meant.

Let me try to make a more clear statement.

Oklahoma is trending up. The way Lincoln Riley left our program set us back, but every Sooner I know prefers our current state over how things were before he left. I predicted preseason that the Sooners will probably have an 8-4 or 9-3 record this year -- and down the road I think Oklahoma will often be in the top tier of the SEC. I'll define top tier as among the top 4 SEC team records for that year. I don't think OU will win the SEC championship every year, but I think they will often "be in the hunt." During the times when OU's ranks in the SEC's top 4, I think Oklahoma will be able to recruit at a high level (among the top 4).

Perhaps you find the above delusional. But consider this: OU currently ranks among the SEC's top tier in national championships (#2 in SEC), in Heisman trophies (#1), in NFL draft picks (#1), in weeks as AP#1 (#2), in all time winning percentage (#2), in winning percentage against ranked opponents (#2), and in College Hall of Fame coaches (#1). The Sooners currently have the #4 ranked blue chip ratio among SEC teams (73%), a young team, a decorated coaching staff, a constant stream of facility upgrades (we just completed a $370M south end zone renovation), and the third largest football revenue in the nation. We're an easy drive from the Dallas/Fort Worth which produces tremendous high school talent, and we have a history of recruiting well nationally.

Congratulations on your pre-SEC success. I hope you enjoyed it. You’re in a different world now.