Uh Oh, OU!

An hour after OU defeated Utah State 31-24, the red light on my phone illuminated a text message that read, "It's going to be a long season."  Not the sort of post game celebration even the most pessimistic Sooners fan would have expected, yet it summed up my feelings exactly.  Do you remember all those question marks OU had entering this season?  They're still there, and you can add a few more for next week.

To summarize the performance, even the positives were negatives.  Only a few players can walk away from Saturday's game against the Utah State Aggies feeling good.  Of those that can hold their head high are safety Quentin Carter, WR Ryan Broyles, and RB Demarco Murray.

The negatives to those positives are as follows:

Even with Quentin Carter having a terrific game, the secondary still was the biggest weakness of the team.

Ryan Broyles was once again the only receiving threat OU had to offer causing the Sooners to force the ball his way.

Demarco Murray was the only RB to carry the ball more than one time, totaling 35 carries.

Before the opening kickoff Saturday, OU's question marks were addressed, and believed to be strengths.

We heard all about Landry Jones' great off season.   The experience he received last year was going to pay dividends.  He had become a vocal leader and vastly matured while gaining a better understanding of the offense.

The untested secondary was athletic and capable of making plays.

The offensive line was healthy and deep with an exciting mix of talent and athleticism.

The wide receiver depth could be the best in the country. 

Sooner optimism ran high among fans and media.  Saturday was one of the more anticipated opening week's under Bob Stoops.  Sooners fans had renewed expectations after injuries made last year one long learning experience.  OU fans were ready for a blowout before the real season started against Florida State.

Things didn't go exactly as planned.

Where do we start with this one?

Let's start at quarterback where Landry Jones erased nearly all optimism about his ability to lead the Sooners to national championship this season.  His play was reminiscent of his inconsistent play on the road last year.  Jones played terrible in Norman against the weakest opponent OU has on the schedule.

Jones never got comfortable and struggled with accuracy the entire game.  He completed less than 50 percent of his passes, going 17-36.  He was uncomfortable throwing to anyone other than Broyles, and was intercepted throwing a screen pass into triple coverage in the red zone. 

OU's pass protection was decent against an undersized Utah State defense which makes his struggles harder to understand.  He looked like he still did not have a clear understanding of the offense, and seemed to find himself in third down situations all night.  He was nervous in the pocket and took three sacks from holding the ball too long.

The Sooners started Broyles, true freshman Kenny Stills, and Cameron Kenney at receiver.  Jones never got in sync with Stills or Kenney.  Kenney must have impressed the coaches to give him the start over Dejuan Miller who sparked a struggling receiving corps last year.  Miller was in for two plays and caught two passes before being taken out after a helmet to helmet collision left him woozy.  Kenney did catch a TD pass that was called back for an illegal shift.

It's hard to believe the USU defense kept the Sooners receivers in check, but that's how it appeared.  Broyles played great as expected, but had to make some incredible individual plays to get his numbers. Whether it was the other receivers not getting open or Jones having poor field vision, someone other than Broyles has to emerge for the passing game to be successful.

I realize I am not at practice, and I don't like to make a habit of second guessing the decisions of the coaching staff, but why isn't Miller starting?  The coaches have a habit of saying players that perform in games will get more playing time.  If that's the case Miller should be a lock to start over Kenney.  Kenney was a part of the problem last year and Miller was the solution.  In two plays, Miller's pass catching totals equaled Kenney's entire game production.  For whatever reason it appears Jones is more comfortable throwing to Miller than his other receivers.

The offensive line struggled to run block last year.  Many were excited to see the retooled line to abuse the weak Utah State defensive line.  I imagined a myriad of running backs gashing chunks of yardage play after play.  Instead, the run game was boom or bust.

With the exception of two long runs by Murray, the offensive line was unable to open many holes. The Sooners averaged 1.2 yards per carry aside from the two long ones.  Not encouraging when you consider the Sooners won't face a weaker defense all season.  Fullback Trey Millard played well and OU had more success running when he was in the game.

Despite the line struggles, Murray played a fantastic game amassing career highs in rushing attempts and yards.  He made the biggest play of the game when he converted a fourth down try on the Sooners side of the field.   You know things aren't right in Norman when the Sooners are forced to convert a fourth down on their side of the field, and it takes an unbelievable individual effort by their best offensive player to make it.

Despite Murray's fantastic game, I wanted to see backups Jermie Calhoun and Jonathan Miller get a few carries.  OU successfully ran three and four backs a game last year, but only found time to give Calhoun one carry, freshman Brennan Clay one carry, and Millard three carries.  Getting Murray 35 carries against such a weak opponent is not a good sign.  Miller and Calhoun could become stale and frustrated if they're not given a chance to contribute.

Did anyone spot a tight end?  I didn't.  That's about all that needs to be said on that subject.

For all the woes on offense, the more serious issue was the defense, specifically the secondary.  I never thought I would live to see a team like Utah State picking on an OU defensive back, but that's exactly what they did with Jamell Fleming.  He was on the wrong side of the ball all night.  Even when he was in position, he rarely looked up to make a play.

Senior safety Jonathan Nelson also struggled in coverage.  On two separate occasions he wound up on his back while his man made a big play.  Nelson's struggles were bad enough that Bob Stoops sat him out for a few plays.

Demontre Hurst, the other starting corner, had a nice interception early in the game but also did not perform to expectation.  A blown coverage in third quarter led to a USU touchdown that cut OU's lead to seven.

Quentin Carter played a nice game and had an interception at safety, but couldn't make up for the poor play of his counterparts.  The Sooners gave up big plays all day, and rarely forced a three and out.

The rest of the defense wasn't at full strength and played like it.  The Sooners were forced into nickel coverage most of the night which kept linebacker Ronnell Lewis off the field more than the coaches wanted.  The defensive line looked concerned to keep USU QB Diondre Borel from scrambling and did not apply much pressure.  At times the shorthanded line looked lethargic, content on staying in their lanes.

The overall level of enthusiasm was really lacking for the Sooners defensively.  The team played like they were concerned about their assignments rather than playing aggressively.  The Sooners were on their heels most of the game, reacting more than acting.

Despite being perfect on paper, the kicking game is still a concern for the Sooners.  Patrick O'hara hit a low knuckle ball that miraculously split the uprights in his only field goal attempt.  Sooners fans will be holding their breath for many kicks to come. 

The first game of the year is generally sloppy for the Sooners dating back to the Barry Switzer era.  Penalties, missed assignments, and timing are all issues to expect and address in week one.   The silver lining from Saturday should be the sense of urgency the Sooners feel entering this week's game against Florida State.  OU has looked unbeatable in Norman for 31 games, but if last week was any indication of the future, the Sooners streak is in jeopardy.

FSU brings in a terrific quarterback and a defense led by Bob Stoops brother, Mark.  The game will undoubtedly be competitive. Hopefully OU can answer some of the lingering questions left from the opener.