This logic always escapes me. I'm not trying to bag on anyone, but WHY do OU fans think they played terrible in that game? Maybe LSU had something to do with it. OU ran through the weak Big XII like exlax through a fat lady that year. They faced a bunch of defenses geared to stop the primitive Big XII offenses with Jason White, consequently, piling up record numbers. LSU hit them in the soft spot (offensive line) with a bunch of NFL caliber defensive linemen (the same thing would happen the next year vs. USC). White couldn't move, and he got roughed up. OU's receivers hadn't seen speed like that in the defensive backfield (even in practice b/c this was one of OU's weakest DB corps in recent memory), and had no answers for it.
OU's defense was pretty salty (as is par for the course with a Stoops team), but the dbs let them down sometimes. Brandon Everage was quite possibly the biggest bust of any Stoops player I remember.
It was a great game, matching a great team and a really good team. Many OU fans cite JW missing a wide open Renaldo Works for TD late in the game as the deciding play. Some question Chuck Long's playcalling when OU seemed to finally have established the run, only to go away from it late in the game. These are legitimate beefs, but it's not as if LSU played flawlessly. One of OU's scores came on the heels of a punt block in which they recovered for a tuddy. Punt blocks aren't all that frequent in football. LSU also left at least 3 points off the board in the first quarter when Justin Vincent rushed it down to inside the OU 5 yard line in the first quarter. The tigers would turn it over on downs when they had first and goal from the 3.
Again, not trying to attack anyone, but the "what ifs" are what they are, speculative. Did OU miss some opportunities, absolutely. Could the game have gone the other way, you bet your arse. In the end, though, the missed plays tend to balance one another out. The better team won, IMO.\
Oh, and on the Coker news...He SHOULD be on the hot seat. 9-3 simply isn't acceptable in Coral Gables on a yearly basis. They've had their share of misfortunes (many of which are Coker's own doing), so a sub-par year every now and then is to be expected. BUT...when you inherit the most talented team in college football history, you should not be looking at consecutive Peach Bowl appearances 4 years later. Miami should be able to recruit itself, and a UM coach should be able to assemble a staff competent enough to carry on the tradition. Before I get angry, I'll sign off and apologize for being so long-winded. Some things in college football really get my passion burning.
eace:
