After another big game disappointment it seems as if the Sooners have come to a crossroad in whether they are National Championship contending program any longer. With the exception of the Red River Rilvary the Sooners have historically struggled in BCS games that mattered. In his 14 years at Oklahoma, Stoops has dominated the Big 12 winning seven league titles and one National Championship in four National Title Game appearances. He also has got the best of Texas going 9-5 against their border rivals. During his tenure Oklahoma has been held in high regard by the pollsters by giving the Sooners National Championship consideration year in and out...and the BCS system has certainly been VERY favorable to the Sooners. So what is the problem??
I find myself comparing Oklahoma to Georgia lately..but that isn't really fair to Stoops because he's won more consistently at a higher level . But lately both Richt and Stoops seem to have similar struggles with their program, whether inexplicably losing games they are heavily favored in, losing big games, or dealing with player discipline issues. Both Georgia and Oklahoma seem to lack a certain toughness that ultimately effects their ability to compete in tough close games. Another factor is Stoops' fast start at Oklahoma where he won the National Title in his second year and Oklahoma really dominated the national scene for the first five to seven years of his run at Oklahoma. His only fault was losing three National Championship games to LSU (03'), USC (04'), and Florida (08'). I believe this adds to an already anxious fan base that has been thirsting for a National Crown since the Orange Bowl victory over Florida State in 2000. Has the pressure finally got the best of Stoops or is this just a bump in the road? Is the Oklahoma fan base spoiled?? Should they be happy with dominating the Big 12...or has those days seen their end too?? Bob Stoops used to be known as "Big Game Bob" for a reason, now it seems to be a national punchline!
By Archie Williams - Oklahoma Fan
ReplyDeleteTHE ART OF DISCIPLINE
Don’t kid yourself folks; discipline plays a phenomenal role in sports, especially in football. For several years now I have argued that discipline can be and should be coached and it SHOULD be one of the top priorities of ALL coaches at ALL levels.
There are times when individuals display their own personal disciplinary problems but there are other times they display the discipline issues instilled within the team and/or organization.
Example: If a player gets “mad” and pushes or shoves opponents out of frustration, whether it draws a flag or not, is a self-serving discipline problem. When things get “chippie” on the field and both sides have melee after melee then that of course is a team disciplinary problem.
But what about those issues that are NOT so obvious? How about penalties? In my opinion, there are disciplinary problems within teams/organizations that constantly lead to their failure of reaching those championship goals.
Let’s take a closer look at the stats and the issue.
Which teams in all of college sports would you think are the most discipline? Are those same teams the least penalized? This year is a prime example of the point I am getting to.
Currently Air Force, Navy, and Army are the LEAST penalized teams in all of college football. Does this make sense to you? Is it coincidence that the Military Academies are the least penalized when it is so obvious they are Taught discipline to the Nth degree? I don’t think so. And this trend is not just this year. While those three schools might not always be the least penalized you NEVER see them in the top 50.
Okay, look at the next two least penalized teams. Alabama and Kansas State; what are their current rankings? Dang, look at that; the top two in the Nation are the next two least penalized teams. Trust me; it is no coincidence that these two teams play at such a high level. It’s not luck. It’s not favoritism. It’s simply, discipline.
In 2009 Oklahoma University led the Nation with 1044 yards of penalties. This was the same team that played for the National Championship the year before. However, they finished their 2009 campaign with 5 losses. And, penalties were key factors in several of those losses, especially holding on the offense.
I have had many people debate this issue with me over and over and there are many that do not agree with me on this subject; but it is my honest opinion that the lack of discipline ruins teams. And I also contend that just like the military it is the Commander/Coach that has the number one priority of instilling discipline within the ranks.