NORMAN, Okla., Sporting Alert – Bob Stoops blamed himself for the poor showing from his Oklahoma team, following the loss to Ohio State on Saturday.
The Sooners were the pundits’ pick to win the battle with the Buckeyes, but failed to take care of business at home and fell to a 45-24 defeat.
After the game, Stoops was heavily criticized and he admits that no one was good enough, adding that he takes responsibility for his team’s feeble display.
The Big 12 powerhouses were suffering their second defeat of the season, after going down 33-23 defeat to Houston in Week 1, and Stoops agrees that they have a lot of work to do.
“Our football team — I take responsibility — was not near good enough in a big game,” Stoops said.
“We just need to play better in a lot of areas, and that’s what I take responsibility for.”
Besides the difference on the scoreboard, Oklahoma, which fell 11 spots to No. 25 is the latest AP Top 25 Rankings, committed costly turnovers, while its defense spent a large position of the game on the field.
But there were other things that were needed to be addressed.
“I felt we got really beat in all phases of the game,” Stoops said. “Turnovers, a big issue tonight. We had three interceptions.
“Defensively, we can’t defend even in zone coverage when we’re looking at a deep pass right to us, can’t make the play on the ball. Again, that’s my fault, and us as coaches.
“All of us together weren’t near good enough, and we’ve got a lot of work to do if we’re going to have any chance to win the Big 12. We’ll keep a positive attitude.
“We’ll keep working to improve and do our best to have a better showing in a couple weeks.”
Starting quarterback Baker Mayfield went 17 of 32 for 226 yards with two touchdowns, but he also threw two interceptions in the defeat.
“It wasn’t near good enough,” Stoops said of Mayfield’s performance.
He added: “He had his moments, he had some nice plays, but overall, the three interceptions and a few of the third and fourth downs that we might have had a chance at something, we didn’t execute very well there either, and those are like turnovers. Not near good enough.”
Mayfield, just like he did after the defeat to Houston in Week 1, was again hard on himself after this weekend’s display.
“Personally, I haven’t played well this season,” he revealed. “I felt that game goes to show that I haven’t been the player that I was.
“I have been trying to work on it and have been trying to get better and better but it just goes to show that in big games like that I haven’t played well.”
The redshirt junior finished with a 23.4 QBR, and he had no time for the soft words from Stoops.
“I let this team down,” he said. “Coach Stoops can beat around the bush, but I let this team down with my performance.
“I need to lead better, I have to keep people positive and I have to take responsibility for that loss. It’s all on me at this point.
“We haven’t played a Big 12 game yet and I’m going to work harder than anyone in this program. I’m going to work harder than anyone Coach Stoops has ever seen.
He continued: “We’re going to win a Big 12 title and that’s just my mindset. We got our asses kicked. They came in and they played well.
“They had a great game plan and JT Barrett played well. They capitalized on my mistakes and our turnovers. They played better than us.”
