As is the case most years, Oklahoma has the talent on paper to win (or, at the very least, compete for) another Big 12 title. But, as you very well know, football is played on a field and not at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
But former Sooners coach Barry Switzer disagrees, especially when it comes to the talent along OU’s defensive front.
“They just don’t have the talent,” Switzer told the Tulsa World. “We’re not as good as we have been. We don’t have the Tommie Harrises or Gerald McCoys squatting down there in the middle [of the defensive line].”
In a 24-19 loss to Kansas State -- Stoops’ second home loss in the past five games -- the Wildcats ran for 213 yards led by running back John Hubert and quarterback Collin Klein.
“Sometimes you don’t want the experienced players coming back every year,” Switzer continued. “I experienced that, too. Everybody’s, ‘Well, we got our whole team coming back.’ Well, I’m not too damn sure I’d not rather have some damn sophomores. I’d rather have Lee Roy and Dewey and Lucious (Selmon) as sophomores than a bunch of five-year seniors.
“I’d rather have Tommie Harris as a freshman than a bunch of fifth-year seniors that are average.”
There’s no denying the Sooners lost plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, and with an 85-scholarship cap, talent is more spread out among teams than it’s ever been. But I also have a minor hunch that three OU turnovers -- one of which directly resulted in a touchdown on the play -- to Kansas State’s zero might have had something to do with last Saturday’s upset as well.