Tag: Kyler Murray

Oklahoma Sooners to honor Bob Stoops Saturday night

Oklahoma Football set to honor Bob Stoops during Saturday’s home finale against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Oklahoma Sooners will be honoring one of the greatest coaches in program history on Saturday. [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag], the winningest coach in OU Football history, will be celebrated on Owen Field as Oklahoma hosts the Alabama Crimson Tide.

He’s the final coach to be honored during home games this season, as [autotag]Bud Wilkinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Barry Switzer[/autotag] were also celebrated earlier this year.

Stoops took the reins of the program at a tumultuous time in Norman. Following Switzer’s resignation a decade earlier, the Oklahoma football program experienced a decade of darkness, looking nothing like the Sooners of old. For ten years from 1989 to 1998, OU cycled through three head coaches and failed to get close to winning at the level that the program was accustomed to.

But that all changed when Stoops was hired. Beginning in 1999, he brought the program back to its former glory, going undefeated and winning the national championship in 2000 in just his second year on the job. For his 18-year career as OU’s head coach, the Sooners were typically in the title hunt, as Stoops coached in three more national title games.

Oklahoma won 10 Big 12 championships, dominating the conference with Stoops at the helm. He produced two Heisman Trophy winners ([autotag]Jason White[/autotag] and [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag]) and coached two more who won later in their careers ([autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag]).

From 1999 to 2016, Stoops amassed more wins than any other coach in the history of the program. His time in Norman was marked by a number of big wins and the rebirth of one of college football’s blue blood programs.

The legendary head coach decided to retire in the summer of 2017, passing the baton to [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag], his offensive coordinator for the previous two seasons. He would dabble in tequila sales, college football studio analysis and coaching in the XFL over the next few years.

But when Riley decided to head west for Southern California in 2021, athletic director [autotag]Joe Castiglione[/autotag], who had hired Stoops way back in the winter of 1998, turned to Stoops again as the Sooners suddenly needed an interim head coach for the 2021 Alamo Bowl.

In addition to taking over as the interim head coach and leading OU to a bowl game victory over Oregon, Stoops was a calming force at a time of great uncertainty. Riley’s move was a shot across the college football landscape and Stoops was once again a steadying force for Oklahoma.

He passed the torch to Oklahoma’s current coach, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], after the win over Oregon and has returned to coaching in the XFL and UFL over the past couple of seasons with the Arlington Renegades, winning a championship in 2023. He’s stayed very involved with OU over the years since he retired, and his son [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] enjoyed a long, productive career as a Sooner.

Now, Stoops will be honored for his accomplishments as Oklahoma’s winningest head coach.

It’s been a rocky season for the Sooners, and the best way to honor Coach Stoops would be with an upset win at home on Saturday. After all, he went 3-0 against the Tide, and would love to see OU earn bowl eligibility on national TV on the same night he’ll be celebrated on Owen Field.

How good was Tyrice Knight vs the 49ers? Brian Baldinger breaks down his play

How good was Tyrice Knight vs the 49ers? Brian Baldinger breaks down his play

The Seattle Seahawks underwent massive midseason overall at their linebacker position. They began the year with Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker starting. Now, neither men are still on the team. Replacing them are Ernest Jones IV, and rookie Tyrice Knight out of UTEP.

Jones and Knight have been a revelation, presenting clear upgrades. Against the 49ers, the two combined for 23 total tackles, which easily led the team. But we should look at Knight’s performance in particular, which is what film guru Brian Baldinger did in one of his beloved “Baldy’s Breakdowns.”

It would appear the Seahawks have found something special with their fourth round pick from last spring.

Knight had 10 of those 23 total tackles between him and Jones.

The Seahawks will have another critical test this weekend against Kyler Murray and the explosive Arizona Cardinals offense. Seattle’s defense seems to have turned a corner, but it is just two games. If they can find a way to slow down Arizona, this unit might just truly be on its way to being fixed.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Is the Vikings-Cardinals Week 13 matchup being flexed to Monday Night?

In Week 13, the team faces off against the emerging Arizona Cardinals in a game that has national attention but will not get the spotlight. 

The NFL is known to flex games in its schedule if the primetime games no longer fit the bill. This year, we have seen the Vikings get a flex into Sunday Night Football for their matchup against the Colts.

In Week 13, the team faces off against the emerging Arizona Cardinals in a game that has national attention but will not get the spotlight.

According to Zack Kelberman of Mile High Huddle, keeping the national spotlight of Sunday Night Football will be a matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, which makes sense. The matchup that many expected to be flipped was Monday Night Football, in which the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos will face off.

The Browns have just two wins this season but have a star player in Myles Garrett and the Broncos have breakout rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Evidently, that takes president over an 8-2 Vikings team going against a high-powered Cardinals offense with a chip on their shoulders.

NFC West predictions for the rest of the season; Kyler Murray MVP talk

A look at Kyler Murray’s MVP chances, Kelvin Beachum’s play and predictions for the rest of the season in the NFC West.

The Arizona Cardinals are coming off their bye week, so in the newest edition of the podcast, cohost Seth Cox and I didn’t have a game to review.

So we discussed quarterback Kyler Murray and his shrinking MVP odds, discussing whether he has a legitimate chance to win it, and what would need to happen for him to get it.

We talk about the play of tackle Kelvin Beachum and whether the Cardinals should replace him when Jonah Williams comes back from injured reserve this week.

Finally, we look at the remaining schedule for the entire NFC West and predict how many wins we think each team will end up having, and whether we think the Cardinals will ultimately win the division.

Enjoy the show!

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

Times and topics:

(1:00) Kyler Murray’s MVP chances

(24:53) Kelvin Beachum’s play

(35:02) NFC West predictions for rest of schedule

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=663413582]

Oklahoma Sooners announce date for 2025 Spring Game

The Oklahoma Football program announced the date for the 2025 spring game.

The 2024 season hasn’t gone as anyone would have hoped in the Oklahoma Sooners debut season in the SEC. There have been changes at quarterback and offensive coordinator throughout the year and a number of injuries on the offensive side of the ball have stunted its development. With all of the issues on offense, there will more than likely be a new offensive coordinator at the helm this spring.

This offseason is a pivotal one for the Sooners, who have had their struggles in 2024. But each offseason provides hope for what could be. On Tuesday, the University of Oklahoma announced the date for the 2025 spring game.

Oklahoma will play its annual spring game on April 12, 2025.

The Sooners have had some big events over the last few years at their spring game.

There was the first look at Brent Venables as the Sooners head coach. The unveiling of statues honoring Heisman winners [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag].

This past spring gave us our first look at [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] as the Oklahoma Sooners starting quarterback.

In 2025, we’ll likely get our first glimpse at what the Sooners offense will look like under the direction of their fourth offensive coordinator in three years. It will also be the first spring game under Venables without Danny Stutsman leading the defense on the field.

Regardless of how 2024 has gone, 2025 provides a fresh opportunity to get back on track. And the 2025 spring game will give us our first glimpse of what next year’s team looks like.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Cardinals TE Trey McBride’s size makes him tough to cover

McBride is No. 4 in receptions by tight ends in the NFL as the Cardinals get ready to face the Seahawks.

Arizona Cardinals playmaker Trey McBride ranks No. 4 in receptions among NFL tight ends. It is McBride’s 6-foot-4 and 246-pound frame that makes him very difficult for nickel defenders to guard him in one one-on-one in man coverage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_jGjiiyvjt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

McBride is averaging a whopping 11.3 yards per catch and should be credited for quarterback Kyler Murray’s suburb pass completion percentage this season. McBride’s 65 targets are the most on the Cardinals and his sure hands have been a security blanket when his number has been called.

McBride still hasn’t recorded a receiving touchdown this season (he has a rushing touchdown and recovered a fumble for a touchdown), but it’s only a matter of time before he reaches the end zone. With running back James Conner and Murray working exceptionally in the RPO game, the Cardinals have been able to score on the ground so effectively that McBride hasn’t received many red zone targets. However, as opponents increase intel on the Cardinals’ ground attack, head coach Jonathan Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing will be able to scheme more heavily for McBride down in the red zone.

Stopping McBride will certainly be an area of focus for Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald in Week 12. Time will tell how the Seahawks plan to defend McBride when play-action scenarios arise.

What happened the last time Oklahoma Sooners played the Alabama Crimson Tide?

Oklahoma Sooners welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide to Norman for just the second time in the history of the two illustrious programs.

There isn’t a much better helmet matchup in college football than the Oklahoma Sooners and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Two of the top five programs in the history of college football are now in the same conference, and they’ll meet for just the seventh time ever on Saturday.

Two teams used to winning, and winning a lot are on opposite trajectories right now. OU started 4-1, but they are now just 5-5 with two games left. Bama lost to Vanderbilt and Tennessee on the road earlier this season, but they’ve righted the ship with some key wins over the last few weeks against Missouri and LSU.

The all-time series between the two teams sits at 3-2-1 in favor of the Sooners. They first met in the Orange Bowl at the conclusion of the 1962 season. Alabama shut out Oklahoma that day, en route to a 17-0 victory. At the end of the 1970 season, they faced off in the Bluebonnet Bowl, with the game ending in a 24-24 tie.

There have been three matchups in the 21st century, beginning with a home game for the Sooners in 2002. Oklahoma won 37-27, highlighted by a couple of remarkable runs by Renaldo Works and a fumble return for a touchdown to seal the deal by Eric Bassey.

The next year, the teams met in Tuscaloosa, with OU winning, this time by a score of 20-13. Of course, the 2003 Sooners would end up in the BCS National Championship Game that year.

Eventual Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] (who was lost to a season-ending injury in the previous year’s game) hit Brandon Jones for a 47-yard touchdown in the third quarter on the game’s most series of plays. That throw immediately followed a gutsy successful fake punt call by Bob Stoops deep in his own territory.

But perhaps the matchup Sooner fans remember the most fondly happened in the Sugar Bowl after the 2013 season. The two-time defending national champion Crimson Tide were heavy favorites that night in New Orleans, but Oklahoma pulled off a huge 45-31 upset win.

Quarterback [autotag]Trevor Knight[/autotag] had the finest game of his career, throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the vaunted Tide defense. OU’s defense harassed Bama QB A.J. McCarron all night, with Eric Striker and Geneo Grissom teaming up for a scoop and score touchdown to end a potential game-tying drive. It was one of the best wins of the late-Stoops era in Norman, as the Sooners took down the No. 3 team in the country on a truly magical and unforgettable night.

However, Alabama currently has bragging rights in this series, as the two programs met in the 2018 [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] Orange Bowl semifinal six years ago. Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] and runner-up Tua Tagovailoa were primed for an offensive shootout in Miami, as Lincoln Riley and Nick Saban met for the first time.

Unfortunately for Oklahoma, this game was essentially over thirteen and a half minutes in, as Alabama rolled to a 21-0 lead, stifling Murray in the process. It was 28-0 Bama before the Sooners finally scored in the second quarter, and the Crimson Tide kept OU at arms length for the rest of the night. Alabama won 45-34, showing off a complete, star-studded team.

Murray and the Oklahoma offense got the Sooners as close as 11 points on multiple occasions, but OU didn’t have a good enough defense to handle Tagovailoa and an excellent Tide offense. Riley was outcoached by Saban, who knew that Oklahoma couldn’t stop his team.

It wasn’t Murray’s finest hour in his final collegiate game before being selected No. 1 overall in the next April’s NFL Draft. Riley would coach the Sooners for three more seasons before bolting to USC. Tagovailoa, Saban and the Crimson Tide were defeated by Clemson in the national championship game, as [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ defense put on a clinic against one of the best offenses in college football.

As the Sooners and the Crimson Tide prepare to meet again, Oklahoma is looking to get their fourth win in the series and improve to 4-1 this century. A performance like Knight’s at the quarterback position, coupled with a vintage 2018 Clemson performance from Alley and the defense would go a long way towards getting Oklahoma to bowl eligibility.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

This key stat stands out in Kyler Murray’s success with 1st-place Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray has elitism that is represented by one key 2024 NFL passing statistic.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has undoubtedly had his career edified by head coach Jonathan Gannon this NFL season. Murray’s elitism is represented by one key statistic keeping the offense on schedule.

Murray ranks No. 6 among NFL quarterbacks with a completion percentage of 69.2%. For perspective, sitting ahead of Murray at No. 5 in this category is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. That is great company.

Murray has just 2,058 total yards passing through Week 10, so it is clear that Gannon isn’t expecting Murray to be a high-volume guy. Instead, Gannon has used Murray’s rhythmic play style to an advantage, sequencing in QB running plays and RPO to give Murray easy reads in the pass game.

At State Farm Stadium this past Sunday, Murray ignited a 17-0 Cardinals’ scoring run when he threw a precision touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. in the second quarter.

Ultimately, as long as Gannon continues to establish the running game, he can bait defenses into playing man coverage where opponents will be susceptible to both the athleticism of the Cardinals skills players, and impeccable throwing accuracy of Murray.

 

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals have a new franchise leader in player of the week honors

Murray won his sixth career player of the week honors for his play on Sunday against the Jets.

After throwing one touchdown pass and rushing for two others in a 31-6 win over the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

With five previous player of the week honors (one in 2021, three in 2020 and one in 2019), this is his sixth, giving him the most in franchise history. Kurt Warner, Chandler Jones and Patrick Peterson each had five.

He completed 22-of-24 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown. He rushed for 31 yards and two touchdowns.

He became the first player in NFL history to, in the same game, completed at least 85% of his passes, pass for at least 250 yards and rush for two touchdowns.

He completed his final 17 passes, setting a franchise record for consecutive completed passes, a streak he will carry over into his next game after the bye.

Cardinals players have been getting recognized. Punter Blake Gillikin was the conference special teams player of the week and kicker Chad Ryland was the special teams player of the month for the NFC in October.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

James Conner’s butt cheek costs Kyler Murray a touchdown pass

Murray’s passer rating was 126.7 against the Jets. It would have been even higher had Conner’s touchdown reception not been overturned on review.

It didn’t take long for the Arizona Cardinals to get out to a 7-0 lead in Sunday’s 31-6 victory over the New York Jets, but it took two plays longer than quarterback Kyler Murray hoped.

On second-and-3 from the Jets 45-yard line, Murray connected with running back James Conner on a short pass to the left and Conner raced down the sideline and was ruled to have scored.

However, after a replay review, it was determined that Conner was down a half-yard short of the goal line, and two plays later Conner ran it in for a 1-yard touchdown.

The laughs came when the on-field official announced that Conner’s butt cheek hit the ground with the ball just short of the goal line.

Murray laughed when the butt-cheek comment was relayed to him, and then said, “Selfishly, I wanted him to reach for that one, but it’s all good.”

As it was, Murray completed 22-of-24 passes for 266 yards in the game and had an official passer rating of 126.7. He also ended the game with a club-record 17 consecutive completions in the game.

Had Conner scored on the pass play, Murray’s passer rating would have been 140.6.

But there’s more, according to BAPR (Balzer Adjusted Passer Rating), the rating should be higher because Murray’s 91.7 completion percentage in the game was higher than the 77.5 percent allowed in the system that was implemented 51 years ago.

Adjusting for the higher completion percentage, the rating would be 138.8 with one touchdown pass and 152.4 with two.

Of course, whatever the rating is has no bearing on how good Murray and the offense were against the Jets. The Cardinals had 406 yards on 57 plays (7.1 average), 28 first downs and converted 5-of-7 third-down opportunities. All 31 points were scored from the red zone.

In their four-game winning streak, the Cardinals have reached the red zone 13 times and scored nine touchdowns and four field goals. That’s 75 of a possible 91 points.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon said, “I’m sure you saw his stat line. I think the quarterback was the best player on the planet today.”

Asked how Murray is playing at such a high level, Gannon said, “I think he’s doing what he’s coached to do, and he’s got guys around him making a lot of plays. I know that. Which it’s good to see, so he doesn’t have to do it all. When he has the ball in his hands, as a defensive guy, anytime he gets a snap you’re hanging onto your you-know-what. I thought he was lights out today.”

Other milestones for Murray

With three touchdowns Sunday (two rushing, one passing), Murray now has 30 career rushing touchdowns TDs and became the fifth quarterback ever with at least 30 rushing scores in his first six seasons, joining Josh Allen (53), Jalen Hurts (51 in first four seasons), Cam Newton (48) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Otto Graham (33).

Murray is the fourth quarterback in NFL history to record at least three rushing touchdowns in each of his first six seasons, joining Allen, Graham and Cam Newton.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.