A Bad Season Gets Worse: OU's Eldrige, English Out For The Year
I just posted this on SBNation.com, but it deserves a repeat mention here. The Sooners are on the brink of in a tailspin.
over 2 years ago
Peter Bean
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It's tragic.
No, really…it is.
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
Just goes to show that every nat'l champ needs a little luck
Coming into the season UT and OU had a lot of similarities when it came to rankings, potential, and expectations. One team has risen to the top being fortunate to avoid the major injury bug, and one team has fallen into obscurity partly because of a roster decimated by season ending injuries. Sometimes you avoid the injury plague and sometimes you don’t.
by aaronlybrand on Nov 10, 2009 8:04 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Absolutely true
However, many said OU wasn’t deserving of their top-five ranking based on the huge losses on the OL and with the WRs. It’s hard to say how things would’ve gone without the injuries, but I don’t think they would’ve been in the title hunt even without the injuries. Not this year.
by burntorangehorn on Nov 11, 2009 8:17 AM CST up reply actions
just because they weren’t deserving doesn’t mean they’d be as bad as they are now, with everyone healthy, i dont see OU sitting with more than 2 losses…. they probably could have won the BYU game, the Miami game, and the Nebraska game had they still had a 100% Bradford, Gresham, etc etc ad nauseum. Hell they might have beaten us. It’s not like we played some earth shattering game against them. They could be undefeated right now if they were what, 12 points better over 4 games? They’d be in the title hunt.
by Displaced Longhorn on Nov 11, 2009 8:35 AM CST up reply actions
I didn’t argue that they would be as bad as they are now. I just don’t think they would’ve been a top-five team even with Bradford and Gresham.
I would argue about the 12pt./4 losses issue. With Bradford and Gresham, those games might have gone differently, but it’s not like OU lost the Miami game because of problems in the passing game, or that they were in control of the BYU game prior to the loss of Bradford.
by burntorangehorn on Nov 11, 2009 8:39 AM CST up reply actions
When I read about OU's latest losses, I started thinking about UT's
good healthy. And comparing it to 2005. Neither team, to my recollection, was hit hard by physical issues.
The losses on the current team consist, to my recollection, of three true freshmen — and at least two have played so little they can get a redshirt out of the 2009 season. Otherwise, it’s been a game here or there, and a couple of the O-linemen playing hurt or missing practice time. Plus, of course, the two academic casualties.
If anyone of consequence went out in 2005, I don’t recall it. Seems like WR Brian Carter (a starter for a time) missed a few games. LB Scott Derry, who was probably a second-teamer, missed the season.
Like Aaron says, luck is part of it.
Tragic? No
Deserved. Maybe not for the particular player but the community college known as paperclip u and their dustbowl fans deserve this season. Every fat single one of those Switzer loving Sooner trash deserve their season.
Fuck all of them.
Your tongue can't repel flavor of that magnitude!!
Well said
After reading the first few posts, I was starting to feel a little pity for the wheels flying off ou’s wagon. One can respect the sooner players as students and athletes, and not wish the worse upon them. Practice hard, play harder, a lot of work, and a little luck (Great point aaronlybrand) makes a difference.
With that said, I can’t help but agree, screw the fans and their reckless, selfish coach.
I love Texas and
sure as hell don’t love BlowU, but these are PEOPLE. Injuries suck but nobody DESERVES them. We as Texas fans, are classier than that.
Agreed
Perhaps you misunderstood. My statement was not aimed at the players, hence the “screw the fans and their reckless, selfish coach.”
I agree with you completely Jacob, and have nothing but best wishes and respect for every player, Longhorn or otherwise.
I was just being sarcastic
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
I feel bad for the players
But watching the fans faces after each loss has been somewhat satisfying. Not all of them, but many of them, were major league a-holes when I was in school and OU was beating UT every year in the RRS. After Arkansas fans, OU fans were the worst I came across during my time on the 40 Acres.
Karma
Aint it a bitch? Last year I was so sick and tired of seeing Stoops’ disgustingly smug grin as OU kept throwing bombs even when they had the game in hand. And hearing from Sooner friends “Waaaah but we’re Texas waaaah 45-35 boo hoooo nobody cares!!!” Week after week. I won’t lie it was tough not strangling some people last year. God it feels so good. Sooner tears are so tasty. I usually have to wait to see them choke in their bowl game. They may not even get to one this year! Haaaaaaahahahaha.
Agreed
You don’t get to run up the score and intentionally embarrass programs over and over and over again without some recourse.
by chilimilkjones on Nov 11, 2009 6:59 AM CST up reply actions
While I obviously don't actually believe karma is involved here
I think something that could be considered close to it is at work. I wonder if Stoops is wishing that he had actually played his second-string guys more after building 40-point leads last year. Then his O-line might not have allowed Bradford to get hurt and his receivers would know how to catch a football. They basically screwed over this season for themselves by throwing all their eggs in the 2008 basket and running the score up every game so they could pass us in the polls. At least they made the best out of it by making everybody who freaked out about the 60-point-game streak look like dumbasses.
Frankly, I’m not sure that it is easy to say that OU is necessarily rebuilding and that next year they will be back to top form. If possible our defense is going to be better next year, and I think GG doesn’t miss a beat replacing Colt. It is never easy to look that far ahead, but I could see Texas, with Mack and Boom running the show and the amount of young talent that is already coming into its own, and how thin OU looks at some positions, looking like favorites over OU for the next few years in the Big XII. And I couldn’t be happier about it.
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
That is Karma at work
You nailed it exactly why it is Karma. Stoops ran up the score, and now is paying the price with lack of depth. He recruited guys without any character, actual criminals, and now has a team in disarray. I think that he is now playing the hand he dealt himself. And, he is still doing it. Look at Jenks H.S. and the ridiculous nonsense that is going on—Jarrett Lake, Gibbs, all nonsense.
IMO, Stoops also helped convince first round NFL picks that they weren’t so that they would return to OU, and now look at the mess he has (so unfortunate for those guys). How can any HS kid look at the advice Stoops gave these guys on the most important aspect of their potential NFL careers (projected draft position) and think he will be honest. Does anyone think that Stoops warned Bradford that the O-Line was going to suck eggs? Bradford should have known better but is young; Stoops did know better but mislead (again IMO). That is Karma.
Now, Longhorns have to keep focused on the goal of the NC. No cockiness, no negative—just focus on positive of being in the game and getting the second chance to show we are deserving of the NC win.
You don't think GG misses even a beat?
It’d be pretty unlikely that GG would step in and perform like an All-American his first season as a full-timer. I sure hope you’re right, but I think the expectations should be a bit more realistic.
by burntorangehorn on Nov 11, 2009 8:20 AM CST up reply actions
I don't mean to say that he will play at Colt's level
I guess I meant that he’ll play well enough to keep our offense moving. Not every freshman QB can do that (ahem… Landry Jones…). I believe that with the weapons surrounding him, coaching, system, and natural talent, we aren’t going to suffer because of youth at the position. Colt was able to come in without having taken a snap in a game and just as much as I would have expected of him, and I think GG should be able to do the same next year.
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
Sounds a bit more reasonable.
Really, I’d be happy with anything approaching a season like Colt had as a freshman (2570yds. 68.2% 29TD 2rushTD), minus the head trauma. 2500yds. and 25 combined TDs would be fine. Obviously 3000/30 would be great, and probably enough to set up a good chance at a title run.
by burntorangehorn on Nov 11, 2009 3:28 PM CST up reply actions
Does ther loss of eldridge really hurt them?…
by UT_BKC on Nov 10, 2009 10:45 PM CST via mobile reply actions
I think so..
..their O-line is so bad, that ANY injury will hurt their depth. Plus, he was versatile like Chris Hall.
by vy til i die on Nov 11, 2009 12:35 AM CST up reply actions
Consider the depth
Definitely hurts them. I haven’t scoured every second of their season, but he seemed to me like their second-best lineman this season. TW has been playing pretty crappily, with lots of penalties and some poor protection, but he’s still been the best. I’d put either Eldridge or Good as second-best among them, but I’d lean toward Eldridge.
by burntorangehorn on Nov 11, 2009 8:23 AM CST up reply actions
Are you kidding me?
He’s the greatest center/TE/football player to ever play Sooner football at OU ever.
well, he used to be...
until they get a good look at … who is it that’s taking his place again?
I never feel good about players getting injured
but am glad that Stoops is having one hell of a bad year… as well as Sooner fans
--always Texas--
by longtimelonghorn on Nov 10, 2009 11:54 PM CST reply actions
The Oklahoma Sooners have lost three more players for the season.
Coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday that starting offensive lineman Jarvis Jones will miss the rest of the year with a fractured heel suffered during a 10-3 loss at Nebraska on Saturday.
sad_trombone.wav
by Displaced Longhorn on Nov 11, 2009 8:37 AM CST reply actions
With Jones and Eldridge gone...
…OU is left with seven, count ‘em, SEVEN offensive linemen on the roster: Trent Williams (starting LT, Stephen Good (starting guard), Ben Habern (starting C, was the guy who was injured early in season and necessitated Eldrige’s move from TE), Tavaris Jeffries (starting RG; missed three games with suspension), Corey Brandon (starting RT), Brian Lepak (reserve), and now Erik Mensik (reserve) is being moved from TE to be an emergency tackle.
Man, that’s not many guys. Expect them to have problems keeping their guys fresh for the fourth quarter, especially if there’s even a mild injury at some point. For a team that, like Texas, bases a lot of its success on a stronger depth chart, this isn’t good for them.
by burntorangehorn on Nov 11, 2009 8:51 AM CST reply actions
My only regret
Is that this gives Stoops more players to toss under the bus to explain his season.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Nov 11, 2009 8:51 AM CST reply actions
I used to think Jones was looking great for the Sooners
But playing behind a line like this, he might end up scarred and beyond repair, like David Carr did for the Texans.
by burntorangehorn on Nov 11, 2009 8:53 AM CST reply actions
even if he’s not.. they could be. or even if he is.. they might not be. a football team is not made up entirely of it’s QB.
by Displaced Longhorn on Nov 11, 2009 12:24 PM CST up reply actions
I Officially Give Sooners Pass in 09
This amount of injuries – you truly have to give Stoops a pass this year. Truly ridiculous.
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