Oklahoma- a comparison to in state talent and offenses
Oklahoma as a state similar to Michigan doesn't produce much in state talent compared to it's neighbor Texas. They have one single player from the state of Oklahoma for 2019.
However, Oklahoma has had much more success as a program than Texas since the 1970s starting with Barry Switzer. Michigan fans always blame the lack of in state talent for not being as good as OSU.
What has been Oklahoma's key? Offense. They ran the wishbone to perfection under Switzer, and won multiple national titles. Meanwhile we were losing Rose Bowls 13-12, lost the Sugar Bowl to Auburn 9-7. Even lost to Oklahoma 14-6 in the Orange Bowl.
They've played in a half dozen national title and playoff games since Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley have brought in their pass first wide open attack also. Meanwhile we were stumbling to 3 loss seasons every year under Lloyd after 1997...and still are.
They haven't out recruited us lately either, they're one spot ahead of us right now, but they're usually at about the 10-12 range, so you can't blame that.
Why have we as a program been so afraid of opening up our offense like them? We have one national title in 70 years, we just lost our 26th bowl game yesterday. Why do we for some reason think football has to be played a certain way, 3 losses per year be damned? Why do we not actually strive for really being the best?
December 30th, 2018 at 3:36 PM ^
The '75 OK team that won the NC by beating us in the Orange Bowl had 8 All-Americans, including Outland and Lombardi Award winner and DT Leroy Selmon. He was joined on the defensive line by fellow All-Americans Dewey Selmon (NG) and Jimbo Elrod (DE). There were also 2 All-Americans on the OL, plus All-American RB Joe Washington.
By contrast, the '75 Michigan team had 1 All-American in Don Dufek Jr. Our defense did a helluva job keeping them to just 14 points.
I think Clemson has three All-Americans on the DL this year.
December 30th, 2018 at 3:50 PM ^
Do you have to look this stuff up? Your knowledge of football is impressive.
December 30th, 2018 at 5:00 PM ^
Since I was a UM undergrad in '75 and still have vivid and unpleasant memories of watching that UM-OK game, I knew the general outlines of that Oklahoma team—especially the Selmon brothers. I did refer to wikipedia for full details though.
I would never claim that what happened 43 years ago directly affects specific plays on the field in individual games, but I do believe that there is such a thing as a general Michigan program mentality and character that has a long historical footprint extending to Harbaugh in 2018.
December 30th, 2018 at 5:49 PM ^
OU's Switzer teams were roided up like crazy.
Boz will be the first one to admit it.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:05 PM ^
Ahh, here we go again and again. One excuse, one whiny post at a time.
December 30th, 2018 at 3:22 PM ^
Okay now compare defenses
December 30th, 2018 at 3:37 PM ^
Our defensive just gave up 62 and 45 sooo
December 30th, 2018 at 3:26 PM ^
Everyone is talking about how shitty Oklahoma's defense is. Their shitty defense held Alabama to 45 points. Who here thinks Don Brown could hold Alabama to 45? I sure don't.
December 30th, 2018 at 3:35 PM ^
There is one key difference between Oklahoma's situation and UM's. Oklahoma does not have an OSU in their division blocking them from winning their conference. Oklahoma has Texas, and Texas was great in the 2000's, however Texas has been a 4-7 loss per year team for almost a decade now. If OSU fell off for a decade and UM could recruit really well in OH for that time it would help UM a lot.
December 30th, 2018 at 4:39 PM ^
uhhh Michigan did. It resulted in the RR years and freaked everybody the F out.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:54 PM ^
Oklahoma is a great comparison to UM. Little state talent in comparison to its rival in Texas. It’s why the first call Michigan should make if Harbaugh leaves is Bob Stoops.
December 30th, 2018 at 7:00 PM ^
We tried to open up the O and all the manball idiots revolted against Richrod and we will never go back.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:07 PM ^
We revolted because his offense put up a whopping 24 points in 3 years against OSU while giving up about 100. 0-6 against MSU and OSU will do that.
January 1st, 2019 at 4:30 AM ^
The problem wasn't opening up the offense. The problem was that RichRod's program gave crappy results.
January 1st, 2019 at 7:50 AM ^
Three words and three words only, pal: strength. of. schedule.
No doubt Oklahoma has some great teams, but they’ve been feasting on an AWFUL Big XII for a long time. Texas is just now finding its way out of the gutter, but your other opponents (K-State, Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State, ISU, WVU, and so on) are nowhere even close to being as daunting as having to play MSU, OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, Nebraska in a year or two under Frost, most of whom have either made the playoff or seriously challenged for it. The depth of quality coaches in the Big Ten is far greater than what’s in the Big XII.
Oklahoma just has to outscore teams to win in the Big XII, and since they have better talent than everyone there right now and have for years, there’s your answer. As well as the relative state of mediocrity in the Big XII. If Oklahoma played in the Big Ten, or especially the Big Ten East, they’d be nowhere close to as dominant here as there are in the Big XII.