Just got back from Houston. It was a fun trip, until the game happened. My grades for the week:
Venue
NRG Stadium was awesome, but the game wasn’t. And Houston fans were hit and miss. Since we lost, we Sooners fans couldn’t say anything. That didn’t stop some Houston fans from talking. Some were just not holding back. It wasn’t a college crowd. More like 35 year old single dads. Grade: A-
OU Offense
The Sooners should have been up by 14 early. Perine got hurt, but OU didn’t stick with Mixon and his big play ability. When Oklahoma got behind it seemed like offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley panicked. We should have run the ball more. Grade: C-
OU Defense
That was not pass interference by Dakota Austin. Even the Houston fans knew it. Then Austin got picked on after that and things got worse. It was a bad decision by the coaches to put him on Houston’s tallest receiver. Will Johnson (outside linebacker) gave up a touchdown. He was thinking of sacking the quarterback and then their running back runs a wheel route. It took someone to bite. Johnson bit. Houston scored. Over all the defense looked weak in the first half and played good in the second half. Grade: C
Coaches
I didn’t think we should have tried that field goal (which Houston ran back for the touchdown). That became a 10 point turn around (the margin of Houston’s win, as it turns out). Instead of OU getting 3 points, Houston got 7. The coaches under utilized Mixon. Not just running, but receiving. We don’t have Sterling Shepherd any more. If we did, things would be different. Also, how many times does Mark Andrews catch and score touchdowns? Almost every time he touches the ball. He got two TDs on Saturday, but we still didn’t go to him enough. Grade: C
Turn around play
Houston’s 109 yard field goal attempt return. I don’t think we should have tried it, but at least you have to cover it. It was set up when Oklahoma had to take another time out in order to get 11 players on the field in field goal formation. That’s not good. Houston didn’t have their safety in the return position until after that second time out.
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