Tag: Oklahoma

Sold out stadium, away night game, hostile and fired up Sooner Nation , high flying Sooner offense, announcers Herbstreit and Brent Musberger calling the game–actually looking to pan ND as losers and still not relevant. Funny to see them eat crow.

Redemption for Brian Kelly–wins defining game, Redemption for Everett Golson–came of age and led his team to victory, Redemption for OG Mike Golic who played his best game and sprung the opening for Cierre Wood’s 62 yd TD run.

This was a beatdown of a very good Oklahoma team by both Notre Dames OL and DL. Oklahoma defense played the run and we still ran over and over again. Riddick’s 15 yard run for final TD sealed the game as the entire OL collapsed the Oklahoma defense.

Oklahoma QB Landry Jones threw 51 times-379 yds. 0 touchdowns. Oklahoma high powered rushing game held to under 50 yards.

Notre Dame rushed for 215 yards and Golson passed for 13-25 177 yds including a beautiful 50 yard pass completion to freshman Chris Brown.

This game brought back memories of the old ND teams that went anywhere and physically beat down the opponent–talk about wake up the echoes. This Oklahoma team was physically battered and exhausted by game’s end.

Manti Te’o is the best college player period. 12 tackles, thumping hits, a pick and a body slam sack of Landry Jones. He is the most dominant player in college football and is what the original Heisman Trophy was all about–football, academics, integrity and class of the individual. Manti is the most influential player on any college team–he is a game changer. He should win the Heisman going away.

Great victory and now 8–0, now let’s run the table.

Other news–Charlie Weis Kansas team just missed knocking off Texas and Arizona beat the thugs from USC. Top it off #3 Florida lost.

Great Saturday !!!!!!

When looking at these 2 teams a couple of things standout. Of course, for Notre Dame it’s Everett Golson. Will he finally grow up and play to his potential or will he come apart at the seams which he has done in all the games he’s been pulled.

Kelly has been babying this kid like I’ve never seen. I don’t expect a finished product but c’mon soph QB’s all over are lighting it up. Is Golson just Denard Robinson without the speed? Michigan coaches have been driven crazy by Denard and will be more than happy to see him go. So that said, it’s difficult to predict what ND offensive team will show up this Saturday led by Golson.

The second thing about this game that stands out is the fact that Oklahoma hasn’t really played anyone this year except Kansas State and certainly not any team that has the front seven of Notre Dame nor an OL that the Irish have.

I think the big 12 is a joke and while everyone has been pounding the Big 10 for being out of step, almost all the Big 10 teams have very good OL’s and DL’s. So I see a big advantage for the Irish–but,but, but Golson could lose it all by himself.

What I expect Oklahoma to do is simple–pass all day and if QB Landry Jones has the time it’s all over. I would blitz this kid crazy and if ND can get to him early and often they can blow out Oklahoma.

The big big deal here is for the ND defense to do this early for 3 passes coming on first 3 plays. Notre Dame will not win this game playing catch up. I think game can be won despite the QB play.

Now the 6’6” goon they bring in inside the ten–just break this kid in half and watch out for the fake run and short pass.

We need production from all the RB’s and why the hell can’t they throw a short pass to Davonte Neal???

If the ND OL and DL play lights out Notre Dame will win this game. Just remember Oklahoma is not USC– not anywhere near– Even though I think Arizona beats USC this weekend.

To get their team revved up for this game Oklahoma brought in that great steroid jacked, laughable student athlete Brian Bosworth for inspiration. Yes the great Boz who shrunk before your very eyes when drug deprived — didn’t last long in the NFL at all.

So let’s see if Brian Kelly is up to bringing an offensive game plan that he hasn’t done all year–this is a big game for Kelly and his staff to prove their big time and not just Div. 11 ND will survive regardless but coaches won’t.

Anyhow I’m not really that impressed that Oklahoma has played anyone.

Notre Dame 27 Oklahoma 17

Ok, so let’s see what the Sooners have been doing this year–ranked # 8 with a 5-1 record:

UTEP W 24 – 7
Fla. A & M? W 69 – 13
Kansas State L 24-19
Texas Tech W 41 – 20
Texas 63 – 21
Kansas W 52 – 7

So they start out and tune up against what I would consider high school teams and then lose to Kansas State by 5 points. KSU is currently rated the # 3 team in the polls. Then the Sooners catch fire and steamroller the next 3 teams, one of which is Texas 63-21. That’s a game I don’t get, Texas constantly in the top 5 in recruiting–even without a coach this should not happen.

What ever happened to Mack Brown? or was he just riding the talent of his assistants? Anyhow the money here is Brown gone end of the season.

Kansas State? Bill Snyder must be closing in on 80 and they had to bring him out of retirement to start winning again. Note to Charlie Weis–do whatever Snyder is doing, the primary word here is– whatever.

Oklahoma has a very good QB in Landry Jones who just isn’t very good when pressured. Leave him alone and he will pass you crazy–oh he can run a little bit too. I would say their running game is fair–but it’s thru the air that makes Oklahoma dangerous. Inside the 10 yd. line they bring in # 2 QB Blake Bell all 6’6″ 254 lbs. of him to go all Tebow on you.

This may seem odd but I would have my LB’s go chest to chest tackling on him. A guy that tall can’t run low–hit him high and wrap and bend him backwards–for primer on this see previous Butkus post. OK solved that.

Notre Dame can win this game if they just stop all the stupidity Note to Troy Niklas–the object is to goad the other guy to hit you and draw the flag, not the way you’re doing it. Get the plays in, go on the count, don’t fumble and don’t throw picks–solved that.

Everett Golson has to just play all out like he did in HS–too many marbles rolling around in his head but for Christ sake PROTECT THE BALL.

Davonte Neal–why is he playing? If you have no intention of returning punts just let Goodman do it. Why not try a short pass to him in space? Or maybe end around. Wasting a lot of talent and a year of eligibility AND should I mention speed.

That’s it for today.

Hopefully history will repeat itself once again when ND visits Norman Okla. to take on the Sooners. If there is anywhere in the country more savagely anti Notre Dame I don’t know where it is. Even before the classic 1957 game the Sooner nation hated ND and not just for football.

Oklahoma football was just about a religion in that State as was the predominant Protestant religion. In this day and age, not politically correct, but I’ll say it anyhow–this area of the country was rabidly anti Catholic and the fans let the ND players know it–often. Anyhow times change, maybe, thank God.

The 1957 Oklahoma team was undefeated in 47 games and ND came to Norman as 3 touch down underdogs but ND brought with them their All American QB Bob Williams as well as All American fullback Nick Pietrosante and future All Pro DB Dick Lynch (New York Giants). Oklahoma had All American players all over the place along with the legendary coach Bud Wilkinson.

Check out the youtube video of this classic game. Note the classic ND leather helmets–can’t see in black and white but it was light tan with dark brown cross front to back and side to side. This helmet was the most known helmet in the country at the time and every Catholic school kid wanted one for Christmas.

This was a time when all the ND games were re-run on Sunday TV across the nation–no one else had this deal–see where some of the hate is coming from yet today.

When you look at this film watch how ND QB handles the ball–a lot of hiding pitching etc. The old jump pass was in vogue in those days–long before Tebow. In those days players went both ways and ND was always a very physical team and usually just beat up opposing teams. Leahy gone by this game, Brennan coaching, but the psyche was still Leahy’s–we refuse to lose to anybody.

Williams place in Notre Dame lore is a mystery–he is never mentioned among the greats but he was simply a terrific player, All American QB and a magician with the ball and as good a clutch QB that ND ever had—still a mystery to me to this day.

Anyhow, watch the video and go back in time–under dog in a very hostile place and shoving all that hostility right in Sooner Nation’s face.