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CSI: Championship scene investigation
BY THE LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR
Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 12:16:55 am CST
It doesn’t take much to make a Nebraska-Oklahoma football game a big deal, but Saturday’s showdown will be bigger than most.
One of the great rivalries in all of sports will take the national spotlight again when the Huskers and Sooners meet in the Big 12 Championship Game in Kansas City, Mo.
To get to the bottom of the big event, we’ve asked Journal Star writers Curt McKeever and Steven M. Sipple to investigate some of the key questions surrounding the matchup.
Which coach has done a better job this season?
SIPPLE: A no-brainer, right? Bob Stoops guided Oklahoma through a dizzying array of setbacks to the title game. He never once allowed his players to use anything as an excuse. That’s strong leadership, pure and simple.
Nevertheless, Bill Callahan’s performance at Nebraska shouldn’t be overlooked. Like the Sooners, the Huskers endured their share of injuries (Zackary Bowman, for instance) and distractions (Harrison Beck). And like Stoops, Callahan never once flinched or offered up excuses.
Callahan’s wisest move for this season actually may have occurred late last season during bowl preparation, when the Huskers began to strongly emphasize improvement in the running game. The steadfast approach has resulted in a jump from 107th nationally in rushing offense last season to No. 18 this year, and — more telling — an astronomical leap from 96th to ninth in total offense.
“We knew if we were going to get to the championship game, we’d have to be a lot more balanced,” Husker quarterback Zac Taylor said Monday.
McKEEVER: This is kind of like asking, “Which would you rather have with your ice cream? Cake or pie?” It’s impossible to make a bad choice.
Bill Callahan and Bob Stoops have their teams where they figured they’d be after handling sticky situations. Let’s forgo the obvious key injuries (and players who tried to take advantage of their celebrity). Football’s a violent sport, people get hurt (in one way or the other).
What’s been especially impressive with Callahan is how he’s been able to keep his stable of running backs — Brandon Jackson, Marlon Lucky, Cody Glenn and Kenny Wilson — reasonably happy and productive even though it’s become clear that Jackson is the “horse” on a unit that’s nearly doubled its rushing yardage from last year.
Stoops, a former defensive coordinator, has worked similar magic with the Sooners’ defense. Moving Reggie Smith back to strong safety after an early experiment at cornerback allowed Lendy Holmes, a wide receiver in 2005, to come into his own as a cornerback. After the “loss” at Oregon, OU ranked 97th in defense. It’s now 14th.
Of course, the most significant number to come out of the Oregon game was the Sooners’ 3-2 record, and that’s why I’ll take Stoops. In the face of that highway robbery, he got a preseason top-10 team (unlike Nebraska) to react like it still had a championship at stake.
Which quarterback has been more impressive?
SIPPLE: I’ll answer this way: Zac Taylor’s overall prowess represents Nebraska’s most significant advantage in this game.
Taylor reiterated Monday that he feels much more comfortable and confident running the offense this season than he did last season. With Taylor’s mastery of the playbook, plus marked improvement in the running game, the Huskers have become extremely versatile. They’ll need perhaps every bit of that versatility against the Sooners’ rugged defense.
Although Oklahoma ranks either first or second in the Big 12 in each of the four major defensive categories, Oklahoma State moved the chains throughout much of Saturday’s game, particularly through the air.
Paul Thompson has been a strong leader and manages the Sooner offense well, but there’s a reason he began the season as a wide receiver.
McKEEVER: With Zac Taylor being entrenched as the starter when fall camp began and Paul Thompson looking to contribute as a wide receiver, the fact we’re even broaching this subject says a lot about Thompson’s makeup. But there’ll be no point-counterpoint here — this one goes to Taylor, hands down.
For starters, the guy always shows up for interviews in a good mood. Seriously, if not for Taylor, the Huskers would be watching the Big 12 Championship Game instead of playing in it. He might hang onto the ball too long, which results in an occasional fumble, but rarely does Taylor make a bad decision (and that will be huge in Saturday’s game, because the Sooners are all about forcing mistakes).
Thompson fans could argue OU wouldn’t be in Kansas City without him, either. Until Rhett Bomar was kicked off the team in August, Thompson was going to end his OU career catching passes, not throwing them. His 61.5 completion percentage is beyond the call of duty (even if it’s largely a product of his coaches knowing what situations to keep him out of).
Taylor and Thompson helped their teams score on 23 of 24 red zone opportunities during Big 12 games. They had similar quarterback ratings, too (Taylor ranks No. 9 nationally at 159.2; Thompson is 23rd at 145.8). Bottom line for me is this: When a game’s on the line for the Huskers, they ask Taylor to go win it. With Oklahoma, Thompson doesn’t have to play the leading role.
Which team is hotter?
SIPPLE: Well, eighth-ranked Oklahoma is riding a seven-game winning streak during which it has prevailed by an average of 15 points. Dating to last season, the Sooners have won 16 of their last 19 games. Considering Pac-10 Conference officials admitted an outcome-changing error in OU’s September loss at Oregon, make that 17 of 19.
However, Nebraska also enters with plenty of positive energy, having won three straight games after a bad loss Oct. 28 at Oklahoma State. Dating to last season, the Huskers have won 12 of 15.
Bottom line is, neither team backed into this thing. Both programs are surging and burgeoning with confidence, having conquered various forms of adversity. However, neither team has been dominant in building their strong records. Overall, OU is slightly hotter, for what it’s worth.
McKEEVER: For this answer, look beyond the teams’ respective winning streaks.
Four of Oklahoma’s last five games were on the road, and three were against bowl-eligible clubs (Missouri, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State). Nebraska should find the latter of those victories especially impressive.
It shouldn’t matter that OU has won 15 straight regular-season games against Big 12 North Division opponents, but that can’t hurt the Sooners’ mind-set, either. Nebraska’s win at Texas A&M might mean just as much to the Huskers, as it was their first under Callahan against a South Division team other than Baylor. Then again, NU should have learned a lot about its capability during its bad-break loss to Texas. After the hiccup at Oklahoma State, the Huskers have looked unnerving.
But if they beat Oklahoma, they should have a different sense of accomplishment. You want hot? In a must-win situation against their arch-rival last Saturday, the Sooners played turnover-free football for the first time in six games.
What’s the week’s best storyline?
SIPPLE: I like the evolving “Is-Nebraska-in-a-resurgence?” angle, because of the twists and turns.
The 19th-ranked Huskers have done well this season to reach this point. For the second straight season, NU has played well in November, a telling sign. But let’s face it, most fans and pundits expected them to play for the Big 12 crown, though few expected NU to wear the crown.
To really make a splash this season, Nebraska probably needs a triumph Saturday night, and you can count on a dogfight at Arrowhead.
“We had hoped to be in this position earlier (in my tenure),” said Callahan, noting that winning the North Division has been the goal since his arrival in January of 2004. “I just think we were a little bit more prepared to reach that goal entering the season. I feel we’re a more complete team than we’ve been. ... We’re really excited to be in this position.”
McKEEVER: The hype machines will be humming over how it’s taken these Big Eight rivals 11 years to finally meet for a Big 12 championship, and how Stoops is a candidate for national coach of the year.
I’m going to go with Callahan having gotten Nebraska one step closer to national respectability, with the opportunity to take a giant leap by steering the Huskers past an established power and into a BCS bowl game. If he achieves that, perhaps he’ll look again to the pastures of the NFL? OK, just kidding. Besides, I hear he’s got a pretty nice spread in Lincoln.
CSI: Championship scene investigation
BY THE LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR
Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 12:16:55 am CST
It doesn’t take much to make a Nebraska-Oklahoma football game a big deal, but Saturday’s showdown will be bigger than most.
One of the great rivalries in all of sports will take the national spotlight again when the Huskers and Sooners meet in the Big 12 Championship Game in Kansas City, Mo.
To get to the bottom of the big event, we’ve asked Journal Star writers Curt McKeever and Steven M. Sipple to investigate some of the key questions surrounding the matchup.
Which coach has done a better job this season?
SIPPLE: A no-brainer, right? Bob Stoops guided Oklahoma through a dizzying array of setbacks to the title game. He never once allowed his players to use anything as an excuse. That’s strong leadership, pure and simple.
Nevertheless, Bill Callahan’s performance at Nebraska shouldn’t be overlooked. Like the Sooners, the Huskers endured their share of injuries (Zackary Bowman, for instance) and distractions (Harrison Beck). And like Stoops, Callahan never once flinched or offered up excuses.
Callahan’s wisest move for this season actually may have occurred late last season during bowl preparation, when the Huskers began to strongly emphasize improvement in the running game. The steadfast approach has resulted in a jump from 107th nationally in rushing offense last season to No. 18 this year, and — more telling — an astronomical leap from 96th to ninth in total offense.
“We knew if we were going to get to the championship game, we’d have to be a lot more balanced,” Husker quarterback Zac Taylor said Monday.
McKEEVER: This is kind of like asking, “Which would you rather have with your ice cream? Cake or pie?” It’s impossible to make a bad choice.
Bill Callahan and Bob Stoops have their teams where they figured they’d be after handling sticky situations. Let’s forgo the obvious key injuries (and players who tried to take advantage of their celebrity). Football’s a violent sport, people get hurt (in one way or the other).
What’s been especially impressive with Callahan is how he’s been able to keep his stable of running backs — Brandon Jackson, Marlon Lucky, Cody Glenn and Kenny Wilson — reasonably happy and productive even though it’s become clear that Jackson is the “horse” on a unit that’s nearly doubled its rushing yardage from last year.
Stoops, a former defensive coordinator, has worked similar magic with the Sooners’ defense. Moving Reggie Smith back to strong safety after an early experiment at cornerback allowed Lendy Holmes, a wide receiver in 2005, to come into his own as a cornerback. After the “loss” at Oregon, OU ranked 97th in defense. It’s now 14th.
Of course, the most significant number to come out of the Oregon game was the Sooners’ 3-2 record, and that’s why I’ll take Stoops. In the face of that highway robbery, he got a preseason top-10 team (unlike Nebraska) to react like it still had a championship at stake.
Which quarterback has been more impressive?
SIPPLE: I’ll answer this way: Zac Taylor’s overall prowess represents Nebraska’s most significant advantage in this game.
Taylor reiterated Monday that he feels much more comfortable and confident running the offense this season than he did last season. With Taylor’s mastery of the playbook, plus marked improvement in the running game, the Huskers have become extremely versatile. They’ll need perhaps every bit of that versatility against the Sooners’ rugged defense.
Although Oklahoma ranks either first or second in the Big 12 in each of the four major defensive categories, Oklahoma State moved the chains throughout much of Saturday’s game, particularly through the air.
Paul Thompson has been a strong leader and manages the Sooner offense well, but there’s a reason he began the season as a wide receiver.
McKEEVER: With Zac Taylor being entrenched as the starter when fall camp began and Paul Thompson looking to contribute as a wide receiver, the fact we’re even broaching this subject says a lot about Thompson’s makeup. But there’ll be no point-counterpoint here — this one goes to Taylor, hands down.
For starters, the guy always shows up for interviews in a good mood. Seriously, if not for Taylor, the Huskers would be watching the Big 12 Championship Game instead of playing in it. He might hang onto the ball too long, which results in an occasional fumble, but rarely does Taylor make a bad decision (and that will be huge in Saturday’s game, because the Sooners are all about forcing mistakes).
Thompson fans could argue OU wouldn’t be in Kansas City without him, either. Until Rhett Bomar was kicked off the team in August, Thompson was going to end his OU career catching passes, not throwing them. His 61.5 completion percentage is beyond the call of duty (even if it’s largely a product of his coaches knowing what situations to keep him out of).
Taylor and Thompson helped their teams score on 23 of 24 red zone opportunities during Big 12 games. They had similar quarterback ratings, too (Taylor ranks No. 9 nationally at 159.2; Thompson is 23rd at 145.8). Bottom line for me is this: When a game’s on the line for the Huskers, they ask Taylor to go win it. With Oklahoma, Thompson doesn’t have to play the leading role.
Which team is hotter?
SIPPLE: Well, eighth-ranked Oklahoma is riding a seven-game winning streak during which it has prevailed by an average of 15 points. Dating to last season, the Sooners have won 16 of their last 19 games. Considering Pac-10 Conference officials admitted an outcome-changing error in OU’s September loss at Oregon, make that 17 of 19.
However, Nebraska also enters with plenty of positive energy, having won three straight games after a bad loss Oct. 28 at Oklahoma State. Dating to last season, the Huskers have won 12 of 15.
Bottom line is, neither team backed into this thing. Both programs are surging and burgeoning with confidence, having conquered various forms of adversity. However, neither team has been dominant in building their strong records. Overall, OU is slightly hotter, for what it’s worth.
McKEEVER: For this answer, look beyond the teams’ respective winning streaks.
Four of Oklahoma’s last five games were on the road, and three were against bowl-eligible clubs (Missouri, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State). Nebraska should find the latter of those victories especially impressive.
It shouldn’t matter that OU has won 15 straight regular-season games against Big 12 North Division opponents, but that can’t hurt the Sooners’ mind-set, either. Nebraska’s win at Texas A&M might mean just as much to the Huskers, as it was their first under Callahan against a South Division team other than Baylor. Then again, NU should have learned a lot about its capability during its bad-break loss to Texas. After the hiccup at Oklahoma State, the Huskers have looked unnerving.
But if they beat Oklahoma, they should have a different sense of accomplishment. You want hot? In a must-win situation against their arch-rival last Saturday, the Sooners played turnover-free football for the first time in six games.
What’s the week’s best storyline?
SIPPLE: I like the evolving “Is-Nebraska-in-a-resurgence?” angle, because of the twists and turns.
The 19th-ranked Huskers have done well this season to reach this point. For the second straight season, NU has played well in November, a telling sign. But let’s face it, most fans and pundits expected them to play for the Big 12 crown, though few expected NU to wear the crown.
To really make a splash this season, Nebraska probably needs a triumph Saturday night, and you can count on a dogfight at Arrowhead.
“We had hoped to be in this position earlier (in my tenure),” said Callahan, noting that winning the North Division has been the goal since his arrival in January of 2004. “I just think we were a little bit more prepared to reach that goal entering the season. I feel we’re a more complete team than we’ve been. ... We’re really excited to be in this position.”
McKEEVER: The hype machines will be humming over how it’s taken these Big Eight rivals 11 years to finally meet for a Big 12 championship, and how Stoops is a candidate for national coach of the year.
I’m going to go with Callahan having gotten Nebraska one step closer to national respectability, with the opportunity to take a giant leap by steering the Huskers past an established power and into a BCS bowl game. If he achieves that, perhaps he’ll look again to the pastures of the NFL? OK, just kidding. Besides, I hear he’s got a pretty nice spread in Lincoln.
