Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has no issue with the incomplete ruling on Lamont Robinson’s possible interception late in the third quarter in Saturday’s 45-35 loss to Texas Saturday.
Robinson appeared to catch the ball, but it popped loose when he hit the turf. Sooner fans went crazy when the replay was shown at the Cotton Bowl.
“You have to complete a catch. You have to land on the ground and come up with the football,” Stoops said. “The ground cannot cause a fumble, it can cause an incompletion. If you fall on the ground and the ball’s out, it’s an incompletion.”
The two late hit calls on linebacker Travis Lewis were up for debate, however. Twice he was flagged for hitting Texas quarterback Colt McCoy as he was heading out of bounds. It wasn’t like McCoy wasn’t a threat to keeping running along the sidelines. He had 14 carries Saturday.
“Those are judgment calls. And it isn’t like he was over there clobbering the guy. He’s playing hard and that happens,” Stoops said. “I can’t see anything there that’s flagrant. I’m not talking about officiating. What I’m saying is for me to correct my young guy, I don’t think he’s over there doing anything malicious. He’s trying to play.”
Kick coverage
OU appeared to have Texas on the ropes after taking a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter, but Jordan Shipley’s 96-yard kickoff return gave the Longhorns seven points and a much-needed momentum boost.
The Sooners’ problems covering kicks have been well chronicled. Shipley’s was the second kick return touchdown allowed this season.
“We had guys that are all in position to get their hand on him, but don’t close far enough and get their body on them,” Stoops said. “We just all kind of stand there and stick our hand out and he runs right through everyone.”
Just how bad are OU’s kick coverage problems? It currently ranks 109th in the country, meaning only 10 teams in the bowl subdivision are doing worse.
Granger getting back to form
Defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger made two tackles, including one for a loss, Saturday. It was his first action since suffering a foot injury against Washington.
OU needs him to get back into form as it enters the second half of the regular season. He played as part of a four-man rotation at the two tackle spots with Gerald McCoy, Adrian Taylor and Cory Bennett.
“We hope and expect that he continues to get better and get a steady number of more snaps every week,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “We’ll just see how that all works.”
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