Big 12 Roundtable - Where Things Stand Now

by Peter Bean on Sep 11, 2007 8:57 PM CDT in Football Comment 15 comments

Oklahoma blogger C&CM has put together a Big 12 Roundtable, in which us Big 12 bloggers gather round a metaphorical table and answer questions. If you've got your own thoughts, add 'em below.

1. Based on what you now know to be your team’s strengths and weaknesses - if the game is on the line, do you want your offense or defense on the field?

The offense, without question. I'm excited about what this defense might become by the end of the year, but right now, Colt McCoy's the one guy who's shown he has that killer instinct to win a game. Give him the ball and let him see what he can do with his stable of offensive weapons.

2. If you had to pick a team from the AP Top 10 for your team to play this weekend, who would you pick, and why? (OU & Texas are not options.)

Wisconsin, and it's not close. But I've beat this particular horse to death now.

3. You can take one player off your team and trade him for any player in the conference who plays the same position. Who are you taking?

Really? If only...

Uh, Kansas can have Brandon Foster. We'll take Aqib Talib.

4. Conference Power Rankings! Rank the teams in the conference from first to worst.

Oklahoma

Texas

Missouri

Nebraska

Texas A&M

Oklahoma State

Texas Tech

Kansas State

Colorado

Kansas

Baylor

Iowa State

5. Big 12 Players of the Week – Make your selections for offensive and defensive players of the week for week two.

Offensive Player of the Week: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. I'm throwing up as I type this, yes, but he earned it. Five touchdowns and another outstanding performance. Defenses will adjust to what OU's doing, but the redshirt freshman has been absolutely phenomenal so far.

Defensive Player of the Week: Joe Mortenson, LB, Kansas. Recorded nine tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, in Kansas' 62-0 win over Louisana Tech.

--PB--

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Answers

1.Offense no doubt. Weapons all over the place and a fearless kid at the controls.

2.Ohio State. I'm surprised that they're in the top 10 quite frankly. Their offense can be described in two words: Chris Wells. You stop him and you stop the attack altogether. Yeah, they do have a good defense, but not invincible. Witness last year's national title game against a Florida offense that sputtered on and off throughout the regular season. They didn't exactly shut down Michigan either. Texas would only need 20 points at most to beat them. Wisconsin (I'm still a skeptic too) almost got the nod here, but I believe that their offense is more dynamic and can beat you in more ways than Ohio State's. Louisville was tempting for a minute due to their complete lack of a defense, but then I remembered that Texas has two Tweedles starting in its secondary.

3.You nailed it PB

4.
1.Oklahoma
2.Texas
3.Nebraska
4.Missouri
5.Texas Tech
6.Texas A&M
7.Oklahoma State
8.Kansas State
9.Kansas
10.Colorado
11.Baylor
12.Iowa State

Offensive Player of the Week - Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly (4 receptions for 102 yards and 3 TDs) - Has to be considered among the Sweeds and Bowmans of the league (projectile vomit). A matchup nightmare who leads an experienced and talented WR corps, and appears to have a capable young QB to get him the ball.

Defensive Player of the Week - Colorado LB Jordon Dizon (15 tackles) - Seems like he's been there forever, but he currently leads the nation with 35 tackles. An undersized and underappreciated (myself included) linebacker on a middle of the road team.

by Sweed4Heisman on Sep 11, 2007 9:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't worry about tOSU

They will plummet when they lost to Washington this weekend.

Officially a Limey Longhorn

by patienthornsfan on Sep 12, 2007 2:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very good possibility...

...I'm not sure the Buckeyes know what they're getting into up in Seattle, that will be a very interesting game to watch.

by Sweed4Heisman on Sep 12, 2007 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yup

pretty much agree, especially with the one about wisconsin.
BTW, so C&CM organized this roundtable,eh? Has this been scheduled for awhile or is it a more recent development? Because teh cynic in me cant help but wonder about the timing of it (on the heels of the sooners' fast start)and that they might have chosen this as an opportunity to grandstand a little bit.

by mento on Sep 11, 2007 9:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I see...said the blind man

I just clicked on the C&CM link and found out that it is indeed a weekly feature-well, serves me right for not visiting BON more frequently. nevertheless, their answers do smack of arrogance and grandstanding. the arrogant bastards even rank the horns below nebraska.

by mento on Sep 11, 2007 10:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Shhhh

We want 'em to get over-confident.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Sep 11, 2007 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ahhhh... if only

the guys who run c&cm were the ones actually coaching the sooners on the field.

by mento on Sep 11, 2007 10:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

y'all are way overrating A&M

I'd put us at just above Iowa State.

Our defense is going into their 'odd year swoon' under Fran, and we haven't shown we have the ability (or the inclination) to pass the ball at all. A bad defense plus a one-dimensional offense versus the spread teams we'll face this season equals a 5-6 loss season.
I know we play teams with no defenses (Mizzou, Tech, Baylor), but I think they'll be able to score enough that it won't matter.
I am really, REALLY not looking forward to conference play beginning.

by Beergut on Sep 12, 2007 12:27 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Your reverse-psychology Karma rant

won't work here.

by BrooklynHorn on Sep 12, 2007 12:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

this isn't reverse psychology

This is quiet unease barely covering unadulterated panic.

I don't think we can stop anyone on defense, at all.

by Beergut on Sep 12, 2007 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But your QB is better than our QB

At least according to Rivals.

15 Stephen McGee QB Texas A&M 6-3/220 Burnet, TX 14
McGee has outrushed Pat White so far this season.
16 Colt McCoy QB Texas 6-3/195 Tuscola, TX 13
McCoy has thrown more interceptions than TD passes.

Officially a Limey Longhorn

by patienthornsfan on Sep 12, 2007 2:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i fail to understand

how the ratio of touchdown passes to interceptions is in any way indicative of the quality of a quarterback. the two have absolutely nothing to do with each other. it's just an easy thing to say. the ratio should be passes NOT intercepted to interceptions or "throws an interception every X passes." that would actually mean something.

by billyzane on Sep 12, 2007 7:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Your wish is granted:

Big 12 QBs Int % (percentage of passes that get intercepted):

Chase Daniel 0% (on 96 attempts)

Todd Reesing 0% (on 52 attempts)

Sam Bradford 0% (on 48 attempts)

Stephen McGee 0% (on 44 attempts)

Graham Harrell .8%

Cody Hawkins 2.7%

Sam Keller 3%

Blake Szymanski 3.2%

Josh Freeman 4.3%

Colt McCoy 5.6%

Bret Meyer 6%

etc.

I think it's still too early for this to be a meaningful statistic. For instance, McGee or Bradford could go down significantly without throwing that many interceptions more. They don't have enough attempts. Chase Daniel is good.

by Red Blooded on Sep 12, 2007 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No passing game...

...I expected some kind of improvement in the offseason, but apparently there wasn't much. If they ever do discover a downfield passing game, they would be extremely tough to handle. But for now, the 5 yard hitches and quick outs to Bennett aren't scaring anybody.

by Sweed4Heisman on Sep 12, 2007 8:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no kidding

I was just hoping we'd see more 4-wide, 1-back sets (10 personnel) on the field, and let McGee pass the ball.
I was optimistic we might actually become a true spread option offense.
Nope. Fran wants to stay with his two TE sets, so he can pound the ball at will.
If Fran wasn't so obsessed with showing everyone who much stamrter he is than every other coach, and would simply focus on using the talent he has to win games, he'd actually become a pretty good coach. But I think he's too insecure to do that.

In a lot of ways, Fran is our version of Mackovic. The System trumps everything, even winning. If a play doesn't work or a game is lost, it is b/c the players failed, not The System.

by Beergut on Sep 12, 2007 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs