Oklahoma built a well-deserved reputation for making big defensive plays in big games. They were the ones that made highlight reels and remain etched in fans memories.
But through five games, the big plays have been almost non-existent for the 23rd-ranked Sooners.
Last Saturday’s 28-10 loss to Texas was a perfect example. OU only allowed 232 yards, but couldn’t close the deal. There’s no doubt five offensive turnovers had plenty to do with the outcome, but there was something missing.
“It’s hard to put your finger on it in, that we’re doing a lot of things that we’ve done here traditionally for eight years, and we haven’t been able to come up with that big play whether it be a deflection for an interception, a sack that rips the ball out,” OU coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday.
When OU won four out of five Big 12 South titles from 2000-2004, those plays came in bunches. Sacks always seemed to come at critical times and when someone had the chance to intercept a pass, he did.
But through five games, that hasn’t been the case.
Defensive ends C.J. Ah You and Calvin Thibodeaux have zero sacks. They combined for 17 last season.
Larry Birdine, whose return from a biceps injury was expected to give the Sooners one of the best pass rushes in college football, has one sack.
OU has intercepted four passes. Safety Nic Harris has all but one.
Stoops isn’t calling his players out for their failure to make those game-changing plays. He finds it hard to fault a group that just held one of the best teams in college football to less than 300 yards.
“It’s hard to rip them when they did do a lot of really good things,” he said. “But we do want and expect big plays. We always want turnovers, and push for them, and we’re going to keep doing that.”
But it’s also something players know without being told.
“We set the bar high here,” linebacker Rufus Alexander said. “We expect a lot from ourselves and we expect to go out there and make great plays.”
Alexander leads the team in tackles with 41, but all but one of his tackles for losses came against Middle Tennessee. Against Texas, he only had four tackles and none were behind the line of scrimmage.
Birdine was very critical of his play through the first five games.
“At this time, I figured I’d be amongst the leaders in sacks and tackles at my position,” he said. “So far through the year, I’ve just been average. I’ve just been a regular player.”
There’s no doubt the Sooners (3-2, 0-1 Big 12) are feeling the heat. They’re not happy heading into Saturday’s game against Iowa State (3-2, 0-2) in search of their first conference win.
Perhaps that will changes in the second half of the season. Big plays aren’t something that are drawn up in the game plan. It’s a matter of pouncing on opportunities when they arise.
Seven games remain. Perhaps that bodes well for the second-half of the season. Stoops doesn’t believe anything has changed in the program’s makeup to prevent the big plays from coming.
“You practice, you do the things we’ve done for a long time,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of big plays here, so we’re practicing the ways we always have. We believe in them and I believe as we go we’ll get them.”
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Related Photos
Discussion
What happened to the big plays?
Sooners know they've fallen short
- OU Sports
-
-
Sooners did not show up to play
Texas had something to play for. So there’s that. If the Longhorns are to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, this was just the kind of game they absolutely had to win....
-
With W.V. set free by Big East, Big 12 schedule’s out and it’s backloaded for Sooners
With West Virginia finally receiving its release from the Big East Conference on Tuesday, the Big 12 Conference was finally able to release its conference football schedule for the 2012 season....
-
Red River rut
The rut Oklahoma has been trying to escape for the last two weeks continued to grow deeper with a 69-58 loss to Texas Tuesday night at Lloyd Noble Center....
-
OU gearing up for Texas’ Brown
If Oklahoma guard Steven Pledger had his way, tonight’s meeting with Texas will come down to two players: himself and Longhorn guard J’Covan Brown....
-
Sooners will have a dramatically new look up and down the order, on the mound
The clubhouse at L. Dale Mitchell Park hasn’t changed over the last year. Just about everything else has since the 2011 baseball season ended. The locker stalls have 20 new nameplates. The coaches’ locker room has two new ones as well. ...
-
Despite hard fight, UConn wins big
By its own standards, the Connecticut team that took the floor Monday night at Lloyd Noble Center was not in the same class as its previous incarnations. But a down year for the seven-time national champions is still better than just ...
-
Believe it or not, OU women are progressing
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma appeared plenty willing to embarrass Oklahoma for a third time in seven games....
-
OU reeling from stunning loss to Texas Tech
As Oklahoma’s players headed toward the exit at United Spirit Arena on Saturday night, most had dazed looks on their faces. The 65-47 loss to Texas Tech was something they didn’t see coming....
-
Husky challenge
No time might seem like a good time to face Connecticut. The Huskies are always terrific and this season will enter Lloyd Noble Center likely ranked No. 2 following Notre Dame’s Sunday loss to West Virginia....
-
Sooners put finishing touches on perfect opener
Oklahoma capped off a perfect opening weekend of softball on Sunday with an 11-1 victory over Kent State. The Sooners were led by another strong outing from pitcher Keilani Rickets and an offensive explosion by Allee Allen....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners did not show up to play
