Over at Football Study Hall I broke down how Stoops’ chosen successor earned that opportunity with his brilliant offenses over the last few years. After a good deal of reflection I think I’m ready to say that 2016 was probably the best offense that Oklahoma ever put on the field, they just didn’t have the … [Read more…]
For as long as I’ve been a fan of college football, Bob Stoops has been the head coach at the University of Oklahoma. The numbers over the years, 18 total, are pretty staggering. He won 10 Big 12 championships and had nine home losses over that stretch. I’m not sure any number better encapsulates the … [Read more…]
Oklahoma State is a no brainer contender in the Big 12 in 2017, over at SB Nation I took a lot at some of the chips Gundy pushed in to make this the case. The more I think about it, the more I expect that they’ll probably play a lot of 20/11 personnel next season … [Read more…]
In this piece over at Inside Texas I was aiming to explain how Big 12 run games work on a foundational level and why Texas has sucked at defending them despite consistently boasting of having the biggest, most athletic LBs. Now, setting aside the issue of whether Texas’ LBs are actually the biggest and most … [Read more…]
BYU and LSU are facing off in Houston to open this upcoming season and I previewed their battle over at SB Nation. Both teams covet the ability to recruit Houston but both teams are looking for very different types of players. LSU has been pilfering some of the top DBs (and top players in general) out … [Read more…]
The Briles-era Bears were defined more by anything by Art Briles’ own, unique “Veer and Shoot offense.” There wasn’t another offense quite like it across college football and his disciples still have particular access to some of its secrets even as some of the tactics and style of it have proliferated across the country. I … [Read more…]
Over at Football Study Hall I wrote a column explaining the formula that Dana Holgorsen has been honing for making the West Virginia Mountaineers competitive in the Big 12. The big thing is this…with Will Grier and his arm strength executing their RPO game alongside this Wickline-taught OL and RB Justin Crawford, this might be … [Read more…]
I went on the “Traveler hates thursdays” podcast, a USC Trojan pod, to talk about Texas football, the upcoming rematch between the programs, and some other stuff. I made my “Athens v Sparta” metaphor while describing some of the difficulties that programs like Texas and USC have in fielding physical, tough-minded football teams. In hindsight … [Read more…]
I broke down the Texas OL for Inside Texas this week, focusing on their performance run blocking against the stiffer fronts of the Big 12 last season. Texas is returning OT Connor Williams, a likely first rounder in 2018, and also junior guards Patrick Vahe and Jake McMillon and sophomore center Zach Shackelford. They crushed … [Read more…]
One of the biggest shocks that has come from the new #RhuleofLaw in Waco has been the physical nature of Baylor Bear practices. This has been a major departure from the Art Briles regimen of extremely rep-heavy, up-tempo practices designed to get as many reps in as possible every day. Most teams find that these up-tempo, … [Read more…]