Sooner fan really looking forward to the game

[Shirleyudontmeanthat]

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.

Better enjoy all these stats from the big 12 … they are now irrelevant. You guys are in the deep end of the pool now. Baylor , k state as your 2nd hardest game of the year is a fading memory

 

[McDad]

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.

Lots to be proud of.

Should be a good game Saturday.

 

[Vfl2407]

SEC has always been one of the best forever but the best the last 15+ years

Hey RedZ, do you think before the game that there will be any
S-E-C, S-E-C chants. I’d love to see the Vol fans in attendance join in with the Sooners as showing the nation the Sooners a hearty welcome before the two teams start blasting butts. lol.

 

[Sooner Redzone]

Hey RedZ, do you think before the game that there will be any
S-E-C, S-E-C chants. I’d love to see the Vol fans in attendance join in with the Sooners as showing the nation the Sooners a hearty welcome before the two teams start blasting butts. lol.

Possibly

 

[FBtime]

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?

As a matter of fact...I do NOT agree. Tennessee was not in any way pedestrian...we were garbage.

 

[bpalmer28]

@Sooner Redzone who are the 5-7 players y'all are hoping to get back for the game Saturday and how much of an impact do you expect them to make?

I think most casual fans under-estimate the impact of key players. We're seeing this year that losing Keenan Pili last year was a much bigger loss than we all realized. He just plays MUCH better than the guys we had out there last year, and it's made a huge difference. It has taken us two years to effectively replace Jalin Hyatt and three years to effectively replace DBs Alontae Taylor and Theo Jackson. If you guys are getting 5-7 key players back I'd expect your team's performance to look completely different this weekend.

 

[bpalmer28]

@Sooner Redzone who are the 5-7 players y'all are hoping to get back for the game Saturday and how much of an impact do you expect them to make?

I think most casual fans under-estimate the impact of key players. We're seeing this year that losing Keenan Pili last year was a much bigger loss than we all realized. He just plays MUCH better than the guys we had out there last year, and it's made a huge difference. It has taken us two years to effectively replace Jalin Hyatt and three years to effectively replace DBs Alontae Taylor and Theo Jackson. If you guys are getting 5-7 key players back I'd expect your team's performance to look completely different this weekend.

Here's what Copilot had so say. Nic Anderson is obviously an impact player who can change the look of an offense.

"Oklahoma is hoping to get several key players back from injury for their upcoming game against Tennessee. Here are some of the players they are looking to have return:

1. Nic Anderson - The wide receiver has missed all three games this season due to injury1.
2. Branson Hickman - The starting center suffered a sprained ankle in Week 11.
3. Jake Taylor - The offensive tackle has also been out but is expected to return2.
4. Kendel Dolby - The starting cheetah (a hybrid linebacker/safety position) missed the last game1.
5. Gentry Williams - The cornerback was out in the last game1.
6. Dasan McCullough - The linebacker has been sidelined as well1.

Getting these players back would be a significant boost for the Sooners as they prepare to face Tennessee."

 

[ChapelHillSooner]

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!

This is a ridiculously uninformed comment.

Arkansas has never been Oklahoma. They had a couple of good/great years in the '60s but their program is not OU's program - before or after being in the SEC.

One problem Arkansas had was when they joined the SEC they cut off a lot of their traditional recruiting ground in Texas.

Fayetteville isn't 2 1/2 hours from the northern DFW suburbs like Norman. OU is the closest powerful football program for at least half that metro area. That has and will continue to be one of our major assets.

 

[ChapelHillSooner]

I will also say that since so many here want to completely erase OU's historical achievements, I'll put OU's 1970's teams up against anyone.

We didn't play a lot of games against the SEC so I'll have to use Nebraska as a proxy:

Nebraska went 15-1-1 against the SEC for a three decade period. During the first 20 years of that period, OU won far more against NU than they lost.

Of those teams they beat:

1970 - NU beat SEC champion LSU 17-12 (OU lost 21-28)
1971 - NU beat SEC champion Alabama 38-6 (OU lost to NU 31-35)
1977 - NU beat SEC champion Alabama 31-24 (OU beat NU 38-7)
1986 - NU beat SEC champion LSU 30-15 (OU beat NU 20-17)

I won't go into the 1990's games where NU destroyed SEC champs Florida and Tennessee as OU was terrible during that period.

I am not saying any of this to trash the SEC teams but to say that evidence shows that OU would have fared well in the SEC in the decade of the '70s and '80s.

 

[TAF]

#WGWTFA

 

[Sooner Redzone]

Here's what Copilot had so say. Nic Anderson is obviously an impact player who can change the look of an offense.

"Oklahoma is hoping to get several key players back from injury for their upcoming game against Tennessee. Here are some of the players they are looking to have return:

1. Nic Anderson - The wide receiver has missed all three games this season due to injury1.
2. Branson Hickman - The starting center suffered a sprained ankle in Week 11.
3. Jake Taylor - The offensive tackle has also been out but is expected to return2.
4. Kendel Dolby - The starting cheetah (a hybrid linebacker/safety position) missed the last game1.
5. Gentry Williams - The cornerback was out in the last game1.
6. Dasan McCullough - The linebacker has been sidelined as well1.

Getting these players back would be a significant boost for the Sooners as they prepare to face Tennessee."

@bpalmer28 Probably Nic Anderson #1 or #2 WR. Hickman the center is huge if he’s healthy. The backup not good yet…. young. Dolby the nickel is important. I expect that’s it. Maybe Williams the corner. If our OL was healthy we still wouldn’t win. Oh can we? Need to be real fortunate.

 

[GoVols64]

This game is going to be a good one. OU is going to be healthier than they have been to date and get a couple of key players back. When you can scheme to your impact players it frees up a lot of options you may not have had on the call sheet with lower tier guys. I believe Tennessee will get the W AND cover but it will be a pull away late type of game.

We need to play aggressive, hard nosed football on Defense and smart, take what they give us on offense. Protect the ball, don't make dumb mistakes (penalties) and grind out a very respectable road win.

If OU comes out hot and gets Uncle Mo on their side we could be looking at the Mizzou game from last year where we are in a hole and struggling to dig out. I don't see it getting out of hand like that game as we have a much more potent offense but anytime you get one dimensional it is feeding time for a defensive coach like Venables.

LFG!!!!!

 

[Vol737]

I’d like to invite all the OU fans to visit the Pub Forum and see the “Ladies of OU” thread. Welcome to the SEC and thanks for your solid contribution!

 

[OrangeMoundTNVol]

I present to you the greatest o-line coach in the nation.

 

[rgvol]

Had a hella time in Knoxville a couple of years ago. Got to see the stadium - awesome. As our initial SEC contest nears, just want to put the two teams in perspective.

UT OU
NC's (Claimed) 6 7
Conf. Championships 16 50
Head-to-head (W/L) 1 3
Heisman trophy 0 7
N/C games since 2000 2 4
Consensus AA Players 41 82

See ya' in Norman, guys.

SEC Championship is all that matters around here. As far as conference Championships.

 

[LouderVol]

Really… irrelevant? Here maybe the highlights will help. You’re smart… Can you interpret this for us?

eliminate Alabama for arguments sake
View attachment 677529

I will always get a chuckle seeing "Louisiana State". Its usually half a second of "wat?" then "oh yeah, lol".

 

[LouderVol]

Mostly agree but you won only 2 titles from 1998 to 2005. So I do think the Saban era is when it kicked in. But Les Miles won at LSU and Urban Meyer at UF so the Saban era marked the timeline. But it wasn’t just Bama by any stretch but yet the real dominance he was the leader of the pack.

The issue is you can break Saban out as his own Category and its still the SEC before any other conference since we started playing for National Titles instead of just giving it to whatever 8-2 team played in the Rose Bowl the year before. yes that was mostly hyperbolic, but there are some claimed National Titles that fit that description. To be fair I don't think TN should count one of the ones we claim either.

even from 98 to 05, the SEC had 2, Big 12 had 2, Pac had 1, Big 10 had 1, ACC 1, Big East 1. so even during that span we were at the top. but not as clear cut by ourselves. and during that time you also had an undefeated Auburn in 2004.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

I will also say that since so many here want to completely erase OU's historical achievements, I'll put OU's 1970's teams up against anyone.

We didn't play a lot of games against the SEC so I'll have to use Nebraska as a proxy:

Nebraska went 15-1-1 against the SEC for a three decade period. During the first 20 years of that period, OU won far more against NU than they lost.

Of those teams they beat:

1970 - NU beat SEC champion LSU 17-12 (OU lost 21-28)
1971 - NU beat SEC champion Alabama 38-6 (OU lost to NU 31-35)
1977 - NU beat SEC champion Alabama 31-24 (OU beat NU 38-7)
1986 - NU beat SEC champion LSU 30-15 (OU beat NU 20-17)

I won't go into the 1990's games where NU destroyed SEC champs Florida and Tennessee as OU was terrible during that period.

I am not saying any of this to trash the SEC teams but to say that evidence shows that OU would have fared well in the SEC in the decade of the '70s and '80s.

Love my Vols, love the SEC. Just the same, I must admit, some Vols and SEC fans mouth blast without an inkling of history, either that or they ignore/deny history just to mouth blast. Solution? Learn, at least, to show respect for opponents. You see, without opponents, we wouldn't have anybody to play games with.

 

[LouderVol]

@bpalmer28 Probably Nic Anderson #1 or #2 WR. Hickman the center is huge if he’s healthy. The backup not good yet…. young. Dolby the nickel is important. I expect that’s it. Maybe Williams the corner. If our OL was healthy we still wouldn’t win. Oh can we? Need to be real fortunate.

We know how much difference a center can make. when Cooper Mays was out for us last year we looked far worse on Oline.

 

[Vol8188]

Had a hella time in Knoxville a couple of years ago. Got to see the stadium - awesome. As our initial SEC contest nears, just want to put the two teams in perspective.

UT OU
NC's (Claimed) 6 7
Conf. Championships 16 50
Head-to-head (W/L) 1 3
Heisman trophy 0 7
N/C games since 2000 2 4
Consensus AA Players 41 82

See ya' in Norman, guys.

You disappear already?

 

[Volanta]

You disappear already?

Lol. When we win we won’t hear from him. Watch.

 

[SlipKidVol]

This field is not SEC caliber

 

[Creeker]

Y’alls field is a piece of garbage.

 

[ConantheVolbarian]

To be fair, Oklahoma still played Texas every year (it was just an OOC game) so they had Nebraska, Texas, and generally 1-2 more tough opponents OOC. Colorado had good teams here and there as well. People forget that because Colorado has pretty much been crap since 2001.

The Big8 teams seem to handle themselves well against the SEC back in the day. Take 1995 Florida vs Nebraska or 1997 Tennessee vs Nebraska as examples.

Most the old Conferences had 2-3 powers and more regional teams. SEC had 6 historic powers but even with it, Auburn and LSU really weren't as good as they have been since 2000 (especially LSU) and Florida really wasn't that consistent of a program until the 1990s. Auburn did have some great teams in the 1980s but they were pretty bland before then.

Ironically, Tennessee was once an SEC power but boy did we fall off hard after 2001 (I really think the SEC CG in 2001 was our last big swan song, we just didn't look the same, even with Fulmer, after it. Heupel is getting us back).

We were in the 2007 SEC championship game I think

 

[volbound1700]

We were in the 2007 SEC championship game I think

Yeah but even that team lost an ugly game @ Cal and got blow out bad by both Alabama and Florida (they weren't in either of those games). They somehow beat Georgia and won head-to-head to make it to Atlanta.