Tilting at Windmills

Look, by now no one probably needs an in depth preview and analysis of the annual war tomorrow in the Cotton Bowl.  If you’re like me, you’re tired of reading about it already and ready to get it on.  Me? I had some employment obligations today (friggin work) and it’s killing me.  I’ve already yelled at my assistant twice, ate too much at lunch causing my already queasy stomach to feel even worse, and am looking at the clock every 2.4 seconds wondering if it’s time for the best weekend of the year to start. 

Piss off, it's OU-TX weekend.

Truly, it is my favorite weekend of the year but the stress levels that accompany it make me wonder why I look forward to it.  Usually, Friday afternoon lunch is about the last time my butterfly ridden stomach will accept food (if you don’t count cold beer as food) and with the customary 1100 start in recent years my body is usually an energy drained, dehydrated, cotton mouthed wreck on saturday morning and the 4 hours of the game only cause these symptoms to exacerbate themselves.  Combine that with beer and fried shit after the game and I calculate that every OU/TX weekend takes an average of 4.5 years off my life.  But it is what it is - if your blood bleeds crimson and I thank God mine does, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Being a sooner born, sooner bred Oklahoman living in the lone star state makes it even worse, any Texas Sooner can tell you that.  The annual bitch slap they received from 2000-2004 and the glorious BCS computers’ brilliance of last year (.9351-.9223 BITCHES!) has generally woke the legions of freshly purchased at the neighborhood Valero store UT T shirt fans up and scores of people that have never stepped foot on the 40 acres have staked state pride to the annual showdown in the Cotton Bowl.  It’s their right and I understand it but these people really should be buying UTEP and UTSA t shirts instead – the elitist arrogant constituency in Austin really doesn’t want you,  hard working day laborer, believe me they turn their nose down at you…unless their yard needs mowing.  Alas, UTEP and UTSA don’t get on TV much so there that goes out the window. 

What's going to be the excuse this time, Mack?

As for the game – I don’t think it’s a huge secret what our issues are and what we need to do to win this game.  UT is a good team but they have their flaws and have played virtually no one yet.  Each team this week will be seeing the best defense the other has seen all year.  For us, Miami’s D was comparable at least speed wise.  Miami is as good or better than UT in their front 4 but not as good in their back 7.  UT has seen nothing even remotely close to what we will bring on defense.  Our front 4 should cause their overrated OL some problems, I would like to see BV rotate the tackles a little bit in the game to keep McCoy and Taylor fresh for the 4th quarter but we’ll see.  That hasn’t been happening all year – loss of Granger hurting here and an obvious lack of confidence in guys like Cordero Moore and Stacey McGee.  It makes you miss the solid contributors in the rotation like Corey Bennett and Steve Coleman.. it’s a dead horse but a solid game for the LB’ers – Reynolds and TLewis need to be solid and Clayton will most likely play a big role in passing plays over the middle and tackling in space.  We all know Shipley is a stud and Dan Buckner – their hybrid WR/TE could give us some problems.  I think Keenan Clayton shows up in a big way – in my opinion he’s one of our unsung heroes on D this year, along with Sam Proctor and Brian Jackson.  I feel good about our 2ndary limiting them from big plays down the field, we must get pressure and tackle well in space.  Their running game is an absolute joke and they have no one on the level of a Javarris James so without significant breakdowns that shouldn’t be an issue. 

G.K. McCoy has said that he wants this game to be put in the D’s hands – that they’re ready.  Considering that critical stops late in close ball games have been an issue lately – I hope he’s right, that might be what it comes down to.  Everyone has probably seen the stat that the team who ran the ball better has won each of the last 10 games (or since Stoops took over) so….

Offense.  As mentioned, UT is much improved on defense bolstered by some solid linebacking by R. Muckelroy and some freakishly good talent in the secondary led by safety Earl Thomas.  Their front 4, thought to be a liability coming in has been solid but again has played no one who tried to efficiently run the ball on them, save CU but CU is not a good football team this year.  So there you go – we need to run the football effectively – problem? Yea – there’s a few.  An inexperienced OL missing it’s second most experienced player (Simmons) is not exactly what you want going up against Baylor, much less the horns.  Williams-Good-Habern-Jeffries/Evans – Jones will need to elevate their play to a level we have not seen yet this year.  Can they do it? We’ll see. 

Dignified scribes have said that if we rush for or more than 150 yards we should win this game.  DeMarco Murray/Chris Brown are capable – but they must be given the space.  Murray is poised for a huge game, in the backfield or slot – 25-30 touches is imperative for him as he is as healthy and in form as he’s ever been.

Put another 6 on the board.

All that and not 1 mention of the Sammy Heisman – he will be fine – this shit is old hat for him –  but he must be kept upright and be kept clear of # 2 in orange – the dirty, helmet to helmet hittin, DWI gettin, apartment complex destroyin Sergio Kindle.  The receivers must catch the ball when it inevitably hits them in the hands in space.  Caleb, Miller, TENNELL, someone could step up and be a hero. 

Special teams just need to continue what they have been doing all year – much better this year in that regard but danger is lurking against TX here.  KR DJ Monroe is dangerous and Shipley has returned a punt in damn near every game this year.  His KO return hurt us bad last year – with our deficiencies in other places that can not happen again.

McCoy and Shipley whistled for a fashion foul!

That’s it for me – I’m losing my train of thought really easily right now and I think I’m gonna throw up for the 1st time this weekend.  And no – Mom, wife, insert family member here…it’s not just a game – it’s friggin OU/Texas!

I like us by around a field goal and think McCoy gets his wish – and the D finally comes good with that big stop at the end of the game.

Boomer.