• Whoever gets the job, you have to think the unsaid predicament of the winner will be his being the Sooner starting quarterback “for now.”

• What are these fans watching?

The only thing out of the PA system was a message trumpeting a pep rally. It was raining most of the time. Even if you know everybody’s number, there were several duplicates out there. It was raining most of the time. Nobody can tackle the quarterbacks. Everybody knew the winner and loser before it began. The scoreboard informed nothing of value (who knew both sides of Sooners had three time outs left the whole time?). And it was raining most of the time.

Consider it the essence of the Sooner Nation.

They just want to be close to this program.

They don’t stream Lloyd Noble Center to watch basketball practice and they don’t sit on the Mitchell Park berm for intrasquads. OK, maybe five guys do.

But thousands come out in the rain for Sooner football.

• I’m not sure my 11-year-old daughter couldn’t have jumped high enough for the block, but Garrett Hartley’s foot need not be questioned. Firing from 57 and then 61 yards, Hartley sent two trajectory-challenged bullets right through the uprights, even in the rain, even with his plant foot planting on some spongy turf.

If the Sooners need a 65-yard field goal, and they can stand on the defensive line’s shoetops, they’re in business.

• Minimalist Owen Field, nothing but white stripes, goalposts and the outline of numerals, couldn’t be cooler.

Clay Horning

366-3526

cfhorning@normantranscript.com