Comparisons to 2013 season

[TulsaGrad07]

This season has a remarkable sense of deja vu about it. Remember back in 2013 when Blankenship had a rough start? His record through the first 7 games back then is the same as this year's record with Monty at the helm. And I remember reading the Tulsa World comments back then about how pissed off people were with the play calling. "Stop running it up the damn gut on first and second down BB! Show some creativity, try an option, a sweep, a toss, something other than a draw up the middle!" I checked the write up on our loss today and the exact same comment was in there and it's eerily reminiscent of what got BB in the dog-house. The play calling in last week's game as atrocious. Instead of implementing a passing attack against a porous secondary, we ran it up the gut with our #2 running back for 3 quarters. When the game was out of reach and Monty let Skipper start slinging passes, the guys clawed back and almost won. I'd rather see our guys win than have a determined coach try to exculpate a "system" that doesn't WORK.

 

[tupatsfan]

Definitely curious playcalling. The entire time we were coming back I was just sitting there thinking "Why the hell weren't we calling plays like this all game?!!"

I think Monty is a good coach and have to believe this randomness of his coaching goes away next year. He can't be that stupid to not realize he needs to let Skipper throw the ball downfield so we know what we have in him.

 

[TU_BLA]

There is a HUGE difference between that year and this year. That offense was senior laden and had a TON of returning starters including WRs, a senior QB, and 2 SR RBs. The question was always on defense with the 2013 team. The defense wasn't terrible but the offense was a disaster.

This team is young all over the place except OL which has played about how we expected. Young WRs, young QBs. What you are forgetting is the play calling this year is not much different than last year with the exception that last year had a few more 1st and 2nd down play action passes in the mix. Part of this is to get the offense some rhythm and Skipper some confidence.

And that #2 RB may end up being the best RB we have ever had on this campus. I know some on this board have said he is our version of Barry Sanders. TUPatsFan will know this, Brooks compares favorably to Deon Lewis of the Patriots in size and running style. Better yet, Brooks is a better blocker than Lewis and compares favorably to James White in that regard. Brooks plays now because he can block, he can catch a pass, and he can run the football hard.

 

[TulsaGrad07]

There is a HUGE difference between that year and this year. That offense was senior laden and had a TON of returning starters including WRs, a senior QB, and 2 SR RBs. The question was always on defense with the 2013 team. The defense wasn't terrible but the offense was a disaster.

This team is young all over the place except OL which has played about how we expected. Young WRs, young QBs. What you are forgetting is the play calling this year is not much different than last year with the exception that last year had a few more 1st and 2nd down play action passes in the mix. Part of this is to get the offense some rhythm and Skipper some confidence.

And that #2 RB may end up being the best RB we have ever had on this campus. I know some on this board have said he is our version of Barry Sanders. TUPatsFan will know this, Brooks compares favorably to Deon Lewis of the Patriots in size and running style. Better yet, Brooks is a better blocker than Lewis and compares favorably to James White in that regard. Brooks plays now because he can block, he can catch a pass, and he can run the football hard.

Brooks is really talented. No argument there!! He won't get to do much statistically when most every run play is right up the middle into a wall of humanity. I'd love to see a reverse, or a flea flicker, or SOMETHING to keep defenses honest. I'm impeaching the play calling, not the players.

 

[quincy101]

Season kind of reminds me of the middle years of St. Senator Dave Rader(R-Tulsa). Beat teams you shouldn't(UH), lose to teams you should beat(New Mex, UConn). We'll see how the rest goes. Unlike Rader though, we'll have a winning season next year. TU Football: 1st,last,always!

 

[chito_and_leon]

This year also feels a lot like 2009, the year Graham decided to call plays. He realized it was career limiting and switched the next year. Bill doubled down on his failed approach. Which will Monty be? We won't know until next year. The statistics seem to say that most coaches are the Bill type but we can hope.

 

[Barlass]

This year resembles '09 way more than '13.

I remember looking at our schedule in 2013 and planning vacation for a return trip to the Liberty Bowl. Who was going to beat us in conference? UTSA? North Texas? What a horrible season that turned out to be.

Like this year, 2009 was a transition year (even though we almost beat a top10 Boise and a top10 Houston that year). Hopefully Monty is Graham like in making some changes in the off season to assure a successful 2018.

 

[goldenhurricane2]

This year resembles '09 way more than '13.

I remember looking at our schedule in 2013 and planning vacation for a return trip to the Liberty Bowl. Who was going to beat us in conference? UTSA? North Texas? What a horrible season that turned out to be.

Like this year, 2009 was a transition year (even though we almost beat a top10 Boise and a top10 Houston that year). Hopefully Monty is Graham like in making some changes in the off season to assure a successful 2018.

I agree... a lot of similarities between this season and ‘09. Plus... we’ve lost two games on last second field goals. I’m just not ready to throw the program under the bus like some folks around here.

 

[jerandlaur]

Isn't this a fun game. I think it's more like 2004. No wait, 2014, since we only had two wins. No wait, 2009. Wait, wait, maybe more like...

This season is a bust. None of us know why and we can only hope that next season is better.

 

[TulsaGrad07]

Isn't this a fun game. I think it's more like 2004. No wait, 2014, since we only had two wins. No wait, 2009. Wait, wait, maybe more like...

This season is a bust. None of us know why and we can only hope that next season is better.

The good news is that in most cases, it didn't take long for another 10 win season to pop up. So my fingers are crossed that's the case in the near future. I'd love to see us somehow upset Texas, or Arkansas or compete with Ohio State in the coming years. So solidifying a QB and effective defense scheme need to happen before the end of the year. I will give the Defensive coaches credit for buckling down after the Tulane game and getting the guys to force the other team to actually PUNT now and then. Now it's time for the offensive coaches to learn from their mistakes so we can field a competitive team next year and draw some recruits.

 

[Raisin_Cane]

Isn't this a fun game. I think it's more like 2004. No wait, 2014, since we only had two wins. No wait, 2009. Wait, wait, maybe more like...

This season is a bust. None of us know why and we can only hope that next season is better.

It's actually really easy to figure out why. It has a lot to do with new quarterbacks on offense and a defense made up almost entirely of freshmen and sophomores that are being thrown in way earlier than expected plus an all-around unlucky injury season.

 

[TU_BLA]

It's actually really easy to figure out why. It has a lot to do with new quarterbacks on offense and a defense made up almost entirely of freshmen and sophomores that are being thrown in way earlier than expected plus an all-around unlucky injury season.

I am liking what I am seeing from the FR and SO on defense right now. Lots of talent there. I think people will be pleasantly surprised with our DTs the next couple of years. Robinson, Stevenson, Flanary, Prince have all grown up a ton this season. Not sure what happened with Edmiston but he was a freak last week against UCONN with 17 tackles. A couple DEs can come in and give us anything close to what Smith and Bru have given this season and we're good to go on that side of the ball. (BTW, Smith is having one of the quieter really good season from a DE that we've seen). I think Gipson is one of those guys who can really be a force next year. Long and fast off the edge plus really smart.

 

[tupatsfan]

Edmiston seems REALLY slow to me. Am I wrong there?

 

[TU_BLA]

Edmiston seems REALLY slow to me. Am I wrong there?

He's not going to cover anyone on passing downs. I don't think he is as slow as it might appear sometimes. Honestly on Saturday he was flying around and making tackles all over the place (17 tackles is nothing to sneeze at). I think he has had a harder time adjusting to the overall speed of the game. Where he was probably faster than most RBs in HS and bigger/stronger than the kids trying to block him, that isn't the case at this level. I know in the games vs the triple option teams, he struggled to read the play after the snap and his reaction to fill the gap he was assigned was slower. He doesn't have the pure make up speed like Petera has. But he also plays a position in our scheme where strong/powerful is more important than pure speed as those qualities are needed more for the OLBs (Suits, Revels, Cannon) where they may be asked to cover a slot receiver or the RB out of the backfield. Edmiston needs to be able to fill the gaps in the DL to make a tackle. Our DL has also played better meaning OL can't get off a DL block to get into the 2nd level and take out the LBs. The value of a good DT isn't in how many tackles they make necessarily, but how many blockers and how long they make the OL block them to free up the LBs/S in run support. The LBs and safeties need to make the right read on the play and fill the gaps quickly. It took a while for Edmiston to understand that, but also the DL has been playing much better thus you have seen Wilson, Edmiston, Suits, and Whitfield making a ton of tackles at or near the LOS instead of 5 yards downfield. The next thing for Edmiston to master is to make sure when he grabs onto the ball carrier that the ball carrier isn't able to fall forward for 2-3 extra yards as sometimes that extra yard or 2 is the difference between sustaining a drive or the D getting off the field.

 

[noble cane]

Season kind of reminds me of the middle years of St. Senator Dave Rader(R-Tulsa). Beat teams you shouldn't(UH), lose to teams you should beat(New Mex, UConn). We'll see how the rest goes. Unlike Rader though, we'll have a winning season next year. TU Football: 1st,last,always!

Problem with Dave’s middle years was that we had more kids on crutches by game 5 than we had playing. We played so many big schools early and we had poor training and rehab facilities. Our injuries mounted as the seasons went on and pretty soon even our freshmen and sophomores were so beaten up that they were shells of their former selves by the time they were juniors and seniors. We had no real redshirts that weren’t injury related.

 

[quincy101]

Was it M. Kazadi that virtually beat Iowa into the ground with only one arm. I think he'd torn a muscle(can't remember exactly) & used his other arm for solo tackles, tackles for loss, pressure on their QB-one of the greatest, toughest performances I've ever seen. One of many examples that proves Noble's point, except this guy didn't let a rather severe injury hold him back & Rader needed him, one arm or not.

 

[TU_BLA]

Was it M. Kazadi that virtually beat Iowa into the ground with only one arm. I think he'd torn a muscle(can't remember exactly) & used his other arm for solo tackles, tackles for loss, pressure on their QB-one of the greatest, toughest performances I've ever seen. One of many examples that proves Noble's point, except this guy didn't let a rather severe injury hold him back & Rader needed him, one arm or not.

Kaz played a little more than half a game with a torn biceps I believe it was. I can’t remember if it was specifically the Iowa game though. I remember him making a ridiculous one armed tackle where he flung a Wyoming RB like a frisbee though. That was the Homecoming game we busted out the throwback red jerseys.