Published: November 05, 2006 01:32 am            

Consistency the key

• OU’s defense had an answer for whatever the Aggies tried to do



COLLEGE STATION — The first question at Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops’ weekly media luncheon earlier in the week was about the defense. What’s the difference? Stoops informed the Sooners have played strong defense all along, just not all the time.

“It was playing good early in the year. We just weren’t as consistent,” he said. “A great example of that was Oregon.”

Part of that’s up for debate. Because how can a great example of good defense ever come in a game it allowed over 500 yards? But the Sooner coach couldn’t have been more right about the consistency factor. And Saturday night, especially after the half, the Sooners couldn’t have been more consistent. All OU did was stop Texas A&M over and over and over again.

In the end, it was the difference in the Sooners’ 17-16 victory.

“We certainly got down there and had an opportunity or two and their defense shut us down every time,” Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione said.

The Aggies actually had four chances. But he was right about the getting shut down part.

With 2:12 to play in the third quarter, Sooner running back Allen Patrick, who had another big day, fumbled and the Aggies took over at the OU 37.

First, Texas A&M tried to set wide receiver Pierre Brown up to throw the ball. OU sniffed out the trick play and Brown was sacked by Larry Birdine and Marcus Walker. Next, under pressure, A&M quarterback Stephen McGee grounded the football. Just like that, it was third-and-31. One incompletion later, the Aggies were punting.

Next, Sooner quarterback Paul Thompson fumbled 15 seconds into the fourth quarter to hand the ball back to the Aggies at the OU 49.

McGee ran for a yard, then lost a yard as A&M was flagged for holding, then was sacked by Steven Coleman, then completed a pass to Mike Goodson for 7 yards. Facing fourth-and-21, the Aggies punted again.

Neither time did the Sooner offense take advantage of the defense’s heroics. In fact, the defense had to make two more stops.

Taking over with 10:01 to play, A&M drove from its own 39 to the OU 7. Faced with first-and-goal, McGee threw incomplete, ran for 5 yards and threw incomplete. The Aggies kicked a field goal and climbed within 17-13.

After the Sooners went nowhere, the Aggies drove from their own 43 to the Sooner 22. Layne Neumann kicked another field goal, but that was it.

Texas A&M culled together 267 yards, but scored only one touchdown.

Every time the Aggies had a chance to win, they were stopped.

The Sooners trend of terrific defense, going all the way back to shutting out Middle Tennessee Sept. 23, continued.

        

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