For close to eight months, Oklahoma’s had a bitter feeling. It’s gone through spring practice and fought through the heat and rain of the preseason with it there.
But the Sooners agree the only way to put the disappointment of last season’s Fiesta Bowl loss behind them is start another season.
“Our last game wasn’t our best and that has motivated us to have a great summer and training camp,” offensive tackle Trent Williams said. “I think this year we are going to come out and try to maximize our talent and take advantage of everybody playing better as a unit. We are really looking forward to the season getting started.”
The fourth-ranked Sooners open the season at 6 Saturday night against Tennessee-Chattanooga at Owen Field. On paper, it’s a major mismatch.
OU has its typical Big 12 championship and national title aspirations. The Mocs, a non bowl-subdivision team coming off a 2-9 season, look to be little more than a sacrificial lamb.
But just lining up a team wearing something other than crimson or white jerseys and crimson helmets provides an unmatched therapy.
“The way last season ended, the way the last two seasons ended really, leaves a bad taste in your mouth,” defensive tackle Cory Bennett said. “We all want to finish strong. For guys like me, it’s our senior year and you to leave with a feeling of satisfaction. That feeling we’ve had for the last couple months isn’t good.”
It will be the driving force behind the Sooners this season. Players have talked freely about the importance of the entire season in ways that have been rare at OU.
For years, the mantra has been to win the Big 12 championship and go from there. Over the last month talk as extended to the whole season and how each game fits.
When offseason workouts lagged, when practice was a struggle and when a film session wasn’t attentive, last season was brought up.
“It’s something that burns inside of you,” Bennett said. “You want to go out there and prove everybody wrong. We’ve been labeled as people that can’t finish and that’s what we say about ourselves. We’re ready to go out and prove that’s not the case.”
Can’t be done in just one game. Coaches know it. Players know it. Even fans and media understand one game doesn’t necessarily change things.
It’s part of a process, though.
OU coach Bob Stoops likes to say every team has its own character and identity.
“As much as anything, you don’t have any answers until they get out there and play,” he said. “I know I say it a lot, but from one year to the next teams are different. So, you just want to see what kind of makeup they have when they get out there and play.”
When OU last took the field, it didn’t portray the characteristic it wanted to display.
If you want to look for the Sooners’ motivation going into a game against a non-bowl subdivision team, look to last season.
“There should be absolutely no problems for us getting motivated to go out there and play on Saturday,” quarterback Sam Bradford said.
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Loss fuels Sooners
- 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 ...
-
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....
-
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....
-
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....
-
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 ...
-
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....
-
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....
-
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 ...
-
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....
-
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 ...
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
It’s a recipe for success
