OUInsider - Owen Field

Thanks for the interesting stats.

Did any defense in the Big12 rank well nationally over the same period? What defense in any passing conference did well? I'm asking sincerely because I had no idea we'd slipped so far in the rankings.

Where can I find the overall rankings of all the teams from year to year? It would also be nice to know Texas Tech's "defense against" rankings over the past decade. They've beat us about half the time over that period as far as I can recall. Who did best against them?

I wouldnt have traded brent for mike. Losing Brent was a bigger loss than mike is a gain. Brent has been the best recruiter, and hardest working coach Bob has had. Just my opinion.

I just googled NCAA football defensive rankings and it took me to an NCAA site. For a comparison though in total defense over the same time period I'll use Texas. 2011 #14, 2010 #6, 2009 #3, 2008 #51, 2007 #52. So we only finished higher than Texas once in that time period and that should not be acceptable at OU!

If your okay with being average than yes his analysis is spot on. Texas in the last three years has been way better in the same category and they play the same teams we do and they've had to play us as well so they've actually faced more high profile offenses over the last two years than we have considering there offenses have been terrible the last two years. However they still have ranked in the top 20 both years. So yes if you two wanna hold onto that line of thinking and are okay we being average then so be it cause that kind of thinking doesn't bring home number 8!

And Texas has played a far weaker non conference schedule over the same time.

What about stats against common opponents?

First of all I like Brent Venables as a linebacker coach as well as anybody, good recruiter, extremely well liked and he worked his rear off during his 12 yr. history at OU. However look at the one glaring lack of accomplishment during that 12 years, OU played for 4 NC during that span and went 1 & 3, Mike and Brent shared the I win, as the DC Brent was 0-3, and I'm not saying he's responsible for the losses, but it was during his coaching stint. Chances are he won't ever have that opportunity again regardless of wherever he's at. My point is how in the world could you ever see Brent as the head coach at OU?

Just a few thoughts........First, Texas plays a weak non-conference schedule...no comparison to OU's.

To say OU's defense has been average or not ranked high enough is ok if that is your opinion, but for me, I think the facts have be put into context to be fair to Brent Venables.

Who has played a tougher schedule than OU when it comes to playing high powered offenses every year? I would like to know what team that would be if there is one. Here are some facts to consider about OU the last 4 years. What teams outside the Big 12 play powerhouse offensive teams with the amount of great QBs, like the Big 12 has had in the last 4 years?

NCAA CATEGORY 2011 2010 2009 2008

Top 20 Total Offense, on OU Schedule 4/13 3/14 4/13 6/14
Top 20 Passing , on OU schedule 4/10 4/10 6/14 6/14

The stats didn't come out as typed. The stats don't line up with the years but the first stat goes with 2011, etc., the next with 2010, etc., etc...

I can see why someone can look up defensive stats and have a negative opinion at first glance, however, i think this table gives some context for the defenses of OU since BV was in charge. Name me a DC, especially of the top 4 names that are being thrown around, or any name in college football, that "clearly, without question" would have done better. Is there some DC that would have CLEARLY done better, or are they all arguable when we look at the teams and offenses OU has been playing?

Look at the best defensive team in the country for the last 4 years whoever that is. How would they have done against OU's conference and non-conference schedule against high-powered offenses in the last 4 years? I doubt much better, if at all. Nobody plays the passing teams we play. How would Alabama's defensive stats look after playing OU, OSU, Baylor, T Tech and T-AM this year? All tough offenses for anyone to handle. Would Alabama's def. ranking and stats stats be worse? No doubt to me... Better than OU when comparing the theoretical playing of the same teams/offenses? Maybe, but how much better when playing our competition week-in and week-out, if at all? It is subjective, but I am trying to make the point that OU was facing tougher teams than most.

I think BV did a great job against teams in an OU conference and non-conference schedule whose offenses rate as tough as any other team in the country has faced year-in and year-out.

People may have grounds to say things could have been better defensively, but when comparing apples to apples, if the best DC in the country were here for the last 4 years, could the same thing be said? Would that person have done better than BV with the offenses we faced?

For me, I would take BV back in a heartbeat. I hope we do better, but I have my doubts...time will tell.