Breaking down ND/OU

[woolybug25]

In the town I live, we had a parade today for this game. All the kids were out of school, not for the game but for parent teacher conferences. I have a four year old daughter who is already a sooner fan. A bunch of us guys were talking about the game at the parade. On our way home my daughter asks " dad, this is a big game for the sooner huh" I said " ya babe it is" she says " I hope Kenny ( stills) is ready to rock and roll. These kids around here understand this is a big one. I know for ND because it can be somewhat of a barometer for where your program is right now. It's huge for us because we rarely get to play top tier teams out of conference. Regaurdless of what ND's record is, it's big because or the rich tradition. I think that both schools should be applauded for making this game happen. With most schools not wanting these games midway through the season because of the risk, ND and OU are willing and it could push one of them right into NCG probability. It is getting energized around here.

On another note, you can get OSU vs TCU tickets for around 5$ right now.

This is a great point. Kudos to both schools for putting together possibly the best non-conference game of the season.

 

[Emcee77]

me on the outside

me on the inside

Gawd I know. I've been even more worthless than usual at work today. And I have no idea how I'll get through the entire day tomorrow. These late starts are TOUGH.

 

[eyeballjr]

At a state legislature budget hearing, University of Oklahoma President George L. Cross was once asked why he wanted so much more money for his school. Answered Cross: "We want to build a university of which the football team can be proud."

Read more: Universities: The Creation of Quality - TIME

This may explain a lot about the graduation rate lol

 

[Dizzyphil]

:jawdrop: he hates us!!!! this is the 1st positive thing out of his mouth towards us

GO IRISH!!!!!!

Diz

 

[stlnd01]

THIS^

I was posting this same thought 2 days ago on this board. I'm very concerned about your defensive front, but THIS is my biggest concern. It's why I think it likely that OU will be the much tighter team to start the game. I wouldn't be surprised if OU got down early. Which raises the question you have raised again here? Is this a mature team? I guess we'll find out.

Yeah. I kind of feel like Notre Dame's got nothing to lose here.
No one's giving us much shot to win and, considering 8-4 was considered optimistic, we're basically playing with house money at this point in the year. So while, yeah, it's arguably the biggest game we've had in 20 years, it also feels like there's a lot less pressure on us than, for instance, last year's USC game, or pretty much any of those Michigan games that seem to define our seasons lately.
Meanwhile OU folks are acting like this some kind of Game of the Century. Their guys are talking some **** about Notre Dame and four-year-olds are throwing parades. That seems like a lot of pressure; don't want to disappoint the little kids. Whereas we can just pin our ears back and rush the passer. Will be interesting to see how the passer responds.

 

[SoonerMagic]

I wouldn't say game of the century. OU played FSU at Tallahasee last year and it probably had bigger implications at the time. This is big because it's ND and its at home. As far as OU coming out tight or feeling pressure, I don't think that will happen. Stoops teams rarely seem tight in big games, we usually tighten up against an average team on the road.

stind01- I have seen a few ND fans on here mention OU coming out tight and ND getting ahead early. You guys are ranked 5# in the nation. Have some faith in your team. I'm telling you right now if the roles were reversed and OU was the higher ranked team and going into South Bend. I wouldn't be saying I hope they come out tight, I would be saying we are going to go up there and push the tempo and get a couple big plays and come out with a win. You need to have some faith in that ground and pound and that stellar defense. I think ND has a hell of a team and anything can happen tommorow night. But, I honestly wouldn't count on OU coming out tight. I have eaten crow on Sunday morning though.

 

[IrishEyesAreSmiling]

I'm just happy like some of you have said that both Notre Dame and Oklahoma agreed to do this game. its great for the sport and college football in general. i would love to see other powerhouse schools play other powerhouse schools but they instead play schools like Idaho St and South Carolina St.

 

[SoonerMagic]

Absolutely Irisheyes, OU has tried to schedule some SEC schools in the past and it isn't happening. We get you guys 2012-1213 and then I believe Ohio St. I'm glad Meyer is getting that turned around, but only since we're facing them. I highly dislike OSU

 

[IrishEyesAreSmiling]

Absolutely Irisheyes, OU has tried to schedule some SEC schools in the past and it isn't happening. We get you guys 2012-1213 and then I believe Ohio St. I'm glad Meyer is getting that turned around, but only since we're facing them. I highly dislike OSU

please tell me which 2 SEC teams declined you guys was one of them Bama.... or Florida?
cause Florida won't play anyone tough out of their state non conference wise.

 

[yankeehater]

Atkinson III out. He did not make the trip with flu like symptoms according to ESPN.

 

[SoonerMagic]

I can't say for sure but I don't think it was bama because we did a home and home with them way before Saban. I want to say LSU and Florida but don't quote me. Les Miles was actually somewhat successful when he was at okst. The deal is Stoops is 79-4 at home, Norman is a rough place to play and none of the SEC schools need any extra boost.

 

[eyeballjr]

We have a home and home with Tennessee in 4 or 5 years. How big of a hit is this Notre Dame to be without George Atkinson III vs. Oklahoma - ESPN.

Atkinson seems like a good back, and a heck of a returner. Hate to see that he isn't going to make the game.


Just seen the previous post. How will this impact the team. Heard he was the most explosive player on the team.

 

[North Buffalo Irish]

Absolutely huge loss. He is the one player on our offense that can put 6 on the board in a hurry. Ugh...


EDIT: OU should be trying to play a big-time SEC school in the JerryDome at least every few years. I know you guys already have the annual neutral-site game against Texas, but that venue against a SEC team just makes too much sense for it not to be happening.

 

[MPClinton22]

Well hopefully this just means we can take even longer to score, thereby letting our defense stay fresher.

But seriously, a big loss but I don't think he'd be ripping off any huge runs against this team, their secondary is too athletic to let that happen. Do you think we could see Davonte in the backfield at all? I'd love to see what he could do, and OU has no film on him. Just something to consider.

 

[Kansas Irish]

Atkinson seems like a good back, and a heck of a returner.

Just seen the previous post. How will this impact the team. Heard he was the most explosive player on the team.

Apparently you've followed ND for as long as you've joined here. How will it impact the team? It's never good when a player is out.

 

[eyeballjr]

Absolutely huge loss. He is the one player on our offense that can put 6 on the board in a hurry. Ugh...


EDIT: OU should be trying to play a big-time SEC school in the JerryDome at least every few years. I know you guys already have the annual neutral-site game against Texas, but that venue against a SEC team just makes too much sense for it not to be happening.

It really doesn't seem like they are SEC yet, but there are talks of doing something like this with Texas A&M

We play Tennessee in 2014 and 15, Ohio State in 2016 and 17, and LSU in 2018 and 19. So we got a couple scheduled. Florida did back out, at least that is what our AD said right after the 2008 MNC game. They would play us in the swamp, but would not return the favor.

 

[SoonerMagic]

LSU will only play Oregon in Jerry's world. That's what LSU calls a neutral site game. We get to play texas in Dallas during the Texas state fair and that's a neutral site game. I don't look for any of the SEC schools of any relevance to play anyone very good before conference. I don't know who Arkansas will schedule after losing to Louisiana Monroe!

 

[SoonerMagic]

That's what they do to us, you can come here and play but were not coming to norman

 

[eyeballjr]

Apparently you've followed ND for as long as you've joined here. How will it impact the team? It's never good when a player is out.

You hit the nail on the head, just figured you guys could give me more insight on it than the talking heads at ESPiN. I have caught bits and pieces of ND games, but haven't really sat down and watched one.

 

[NDdomer2]

You hit the nail on the head, just figured you guys could give me more insight on it than the talking heads at ESPiN. I have caught bits and pieces of ND games, but haven't really sat down and watched one.

He is our biggest home run threat but we haven't really got him going in any other games but Navy and Miami. Our Kick return team has been very poor at giving him a crease, as we only average like 19 and change per.

This one hurts but I honestly don't think it's as bad as if Cierre/Theo was out.

 

[Emcee77]

Well hopefully this just means we can take even longer to score, thereby letting our defense stay fresher.

But seriously, a big loss but I don't think he'd be ripping off any huge runs against this team, their secondary is too athletic to let that happen. Do you think we could see Davonte in the backfield at all? I'd love to see what he could do, and OU has no film on him. Just something to consider.

I do think we will see Davonte play more. They can use him on end arounds like we did with GAIII against BYU.

 

[koonja]

I do think we will see Davonte play more. They can use him on end arounds like we did with GAIII against BYU.

+1. GAIII doesn't seem to be seeing the holes much on KR this year, so I don't think we miss him there. I hope BK let's #19 be the motion man.

 

[NDhoosier]

You hit the nail on the head, just figured you guys could give me more insight on it than the talking heads at ESPiN. I have caught bits and pieces of ND games, but haven't really sat down and watched one.

Honestly, this will only give more carries to our NFL prospect Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick. GAIII is easily the fastest guy on the field, but he doesnt have very good cuts and has been missing holes quite a bit this year (he is a sophomore, so he is still learning). But this fanbase has been begging for Wood to get more touches, now he will, and that is only a good thing for ND fans.

 

[OU_Sooners75]

Maybe with GAIII out, it creates a situation where Grolson will likely be freed to make more plays with his feet.

 

[aubeirish]

Maybe with GAIII out, it creates a situation where Grolson will likely be freed to make more plays with his feet.

It has nothing to do with GAIII playing or not. It has to do with ball security. Golson has been a little "nonchalant" with the football. It's a huge concern for Kelly, especially since last year. That is the main reason why Golson is not running a lot more.

 

[mgriff]

GAIII is our home run threat. To say he won't be missed is ludicrous. I feel confident that Cierre and Theo will still play well but if they get a seam they aren't guaranteed to score; GAIII is. Just bummed because it seems like this is the week where we need big plays and we lost our speed demon.

 

[stlnd01]

Losing Atkinson hurts, but of the three RBs, losing him hurts the least. Maybe Neal can make something happen on a kickoff. We at least seem to block better on those than on punts.

 

[stlnd01]

I don't look for any of the SEC schools of any relevance to play anyone very good before conference. I don't know who Arkansas will schedule after losing to Louisiana Monroe!

I don't know. Alabama played Michigan and went to Penn State. LSU has played WVU and Oregon lately. Florida has FSU every year and South Carolina has Clemson. Arkansas and Georgia may not play anyone outside the conference, but plenty of their other heavy hitters do.

 

[mrmiller8]

GAIII being out to me doesn't feel like a huge concern. Wood and Theo are much more than capable of controlling the running game between the two of them. The last two games I think he has a combined 50 rushing yards. Riddick is showing me the most right now and on most big plays that's the guy I want back there.

 

[woolybug25]

Does anyone know for sure if Neal is the guy replacing GAIII for kickoffs?

You never know, Neal hasn't got a single shot to strut his stuff on punts, he could have his coming out party with a KO return today.

I actually agree with Sooner above. I sometimes feel that our running game has "too many cooks in the kitchen". By only using two backs, GAIII's 5-10 touches will either go to Cierre/Theo and designed QB runs. It might make us more dynamic, who knows.