The Norman Transcript

OU Sports

September 28, 2005

Horning: The time to get how much better?

Commentary

Today’s question concerning Oklahoma football is pretty simple. Basically, how much difference can two weeks make? Maybe it’s a question that begs another question, like how much does it need to make?

Here’s one side:

Not much, the Sooners are close.

Maybe, but let’s face it. Through three games, they’ve looked a million miles away.

Are the seven fumbles (the official stats counted six, yet were wrong) and three turnovers in Pasadena just a small adjustment waiting to be made? So many of them have come from the same source, fixing the problem might be a snap.

Perhaps, but there’s more.

There’s the penalties, which have come at the most inopportune times.

There’s line play, which may have afforded Rhett Bomar the chance to start justifying some of the hype, yet still hasn’t sprung Adrian Peterson but for a half. That and co-offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson isn’t still tinkering with his combinations because it’s fun.

There’s defense, which had really been pretty good until UCLA went up and down the field in the fourth quarter. But good or not, Bobby Jack Wright’s still messing with his cornerbacks, defensive end won’t be a picnic for a very long time and Dusty Dvoracek’s just one guy.

And yet …

“If you’re playing smarter, if you take care of the ball,” Sooner coach Bob Stoops said, “ if you’re not having mental errors and you’re performing better …”

Maybe it can all happen so fast.

Eliminate turnovers. Eliminate penalties. Eliminate mental busts.

Nothing’s incorrectable. It’s the same stuff coaches have been harping on for generations. Maybe everything can change just like that.

“I feel like we can turn the switch on now,” freshman receiver Juaquin Iglesias said Tuesday, “because it’s just the little things that we haven’t done. If we correct those, then that switch can be turned on at any moment.”

But here’s the other side:

The little things add up. They’re not close at all.

Want a third side?

It doesn’t matter. Close or not, everything will be explained Saturday.

Given more than a week to prepare, Bob Stoops has worked wonders in the past. Not every time, maybe not so much lately, but sometimes. And everybody seems to think something more than a simple week of practice took place last week.

“I’ve said before that there’s a certain way to play,” Stoops said. “And it’s one thing to play hard and it’s another thing to truly, truly compete in a frenzy and in a great way. We’re doing our best to teach it and I think our players are doing their best to understand it.”

By one count, at least behind closed doors, this team has looked something like everybody thought it might look.

“We don’t feel we’re that far off,” Wilson said. “Will we just click and be worldbeaters and just be the most wide open, fantastic offense of all time Saturday? I don’t know about that.

“But I think we’re moving in a fast way and in a good fashion. It would be nice to take that from the (practice) field over there to (Owen) field over there. It would be nice to get it to transfer in a game situation.”

That’s about all that matters.

Kansas State has appeared imminently average for two weeks. Then, after a week off, the Wildcats popped North Texas 54-7. That is, they got well. They finally played the game OU’s been trying to play.

Now it’s the Sooners’ turn to get well. If they don’t, where do they go from 1-3?

Close? Not close? Who cares.

How much difference does two weeks make? As long as it’s enough to win Saturday.

Clay Horning366-3526cfhorning@normantranscript.com

Text Only
OU Sports
  • It’s a recipe for success

    Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso was answering questions Saturday after her Sooners clinched another return to the Women’s College World Series when, without really meaning to, she began to make it clear her job has, sort of, become ...

    May 28, 2012

  • BIG 12 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Tigers deny Sooners’ Big 12 title hopes

    OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma wanted to win its first Big 12 tournament in 16 years on Sunday. Missouri needed to win it to get in the NCAA Tournament. Need topped desire at Bricktown Ballpark....

    May 28, 2012 1 Photo

  • Sooners make winning look easy

    As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....

    May 27, 2012

  • NCAA SUPER REGIONAL There are no easy outs in the lineup

    Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • BIG 12 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Sooners will play for Big 12 championship

    OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • Sooners send five more to nationals

    AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....

    May 27, 2012

  • OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title

    FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....

    May 26, 2012

  • Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be

    When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...

    May 26, 2012

  • NCAA SUPER REGIONAL Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry

    Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs

    AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...

    May 26, 2012

The Business Marquee
Facebook