NORMAN, Okla. - If something's wrong, and certainly there are a few things, Oklahoma has two weeks to fix it.
Anyone think that's enough time?
Sometimes teams get burned for looking ahead. In OU's case, they sure need to, because from what we've seen by looking back, the Sooners are the nation's No. 5 ranked team in name only, not because they've earned it.
Forget about the result of Saturday's 69-13 walk-through against Florida A&M. Instead, focus on the fact the next game OU plays is against Kansas State on Sept. 22.
A chance to prove the Sooners are better than what they've shown? Maybe, but two weeks from now, the K-State game could result in a case of exposure.
What does all this mean?
"We're seeing a different caliber of team," Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said of the Wildcats. "They are a top 10-15 team and we haven't been tested like we will be. They are going to beat a lot of people."
Well, the Wildcats sure looked the part Saturday when they ran over Miami, 52-13, and yes, the Sooners are 2-0, flashing brilliance in the form of receiver Kenny Stills (16 catches in two games), and a sizzling home debut from Damien Williams, who was so good Saturday, it was easy to overlook some legitimate issues.
OU was in a one-possession game deep into the second half a week ago before beating UTEP. The Sooners didn't need that long to bury Florida A&M, but they played with all the intensity of a Threes's Company re-run for most of the first half.
That means OU needs to reverse what has been a trend best described as sluggish. And they have two weeks to do it.
"They give you a lot to work on," coach Bob Stoops said. "I'm glad we have a couple weeks to work on it."
Maybe the work needs to start by looking at themselves. We may never know if starting running back Dominique Whaley is completely recovered (although Stoops says he is) from the broken ankle that caused him to miss the second half of last season. We do know Whaley hasn't been the same. He's fumbled twice in two games, the second coming in the second quarter Saturday, which essentially allowed Williams to assume the starting job. Whaley came out of the game after that second-quarter fumble and didn't return until late in the third quarter. He finished with 63 yards rushing on 10 carries and also scored a touchdown.
By that time, Williams was resting. Williams had 156 yards rushing and four touchdowns, including an 89-yard score. All that was good enough to set the school record for most yards in an Owen Field debut. Seemingly, questions at running back heading into the year, highlighted by why Roy Finch isn't playing real minutes (Stoops won't say) to why Whaley is fumbling (no one can say), have been answered from Williams, but Stoops says he's sticking with Whaley.
"We're excited about Dom," Bob Stoops said. "He's not going anywhere with us. He's going to remain in there." Stoops went on to say "It was exciting to see (Williams) play the way he is. He looked great out there."
Maybe something changes in the next two weeks.
Saturday against Florida A&M should have been a game where the Sooners played four quarterbacks. Instead, Landry Jones was still working halfway through the third quarter with the Sooners up 49-10. And for some reason, coaches didn't like something about the offensive line. They remained in the game into the fourth quarter with OU up 56-13.
Saturday was also supposed to be where the Sooners distanced themselves from their performance a week ago when they struggled against UTEP. Instead, when the game still mattered, Jones who threw an interception and nearly threw another. He finished 19-of-28 passing with an interception and two touchdowns.
"There is a lot of detail that we talked about in Week 1 that I am not happy about with the progress we made into Week 2," offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. "There are a lot of things out there we need to clean up to be as efficient as we are capable of."
The Oklahoma defense, with the help of a trio of missed field goals, was good for a shutout last week at UTEP. It was burned for a 75-yard touchdown pass against the Rattlers in Norman. Star corner Demontre Hurst was to blame, but it came after starting safety Tony Jefferson had to come out of the game with an ankle sprain. In Jefferson's place was walk-on Jesse Paulson. Bob Stoops said Jefferson's injury "wasn't significant" and if the game was tighter, Jefferson could have come back in.
More questions? Well, the OU defensive line, already thin after injuries and departures, featured three freshmen Saturday against FAMU. Gotta wonder if that is going to hold up when Kansas State and its run-only mentality comes to Norman.
"It's nothing that's impossible," said defensive end R.J. Washington. "It's not a matter of playing better, it's being where you're supposed to be. The little things more than anything else."
Playing K-State is a big thing.
"They present a lot of problems," Mike Stoops said. "We have a lot to study on ourselves."
