The Oklahoma Drill

AZDuck

AZDuck

New Fish
Good article in ESPN, shockingly.

While playing in Arkansas, Switzer ran it from both sides -- as a center and a linebacker for the Razorbacks -- and he employed it generously in his 16-year coaching tenure in Norman, leading the Sooners to three more national titles. "The Oklahoma is one of the few Neanderthal drills that I still believe in," Switzer says. "You learn all you need to know about a player, and you learn it in a hurry."
http://espn.go.com/college-football...ll-just-rite-passage-everything-fear-football

 
One of the highlights of Hard Knocks with Cincinnati was when they ran Okie. Millionaires and undrafted rookies going at it all the same.
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Roy Williams (OU grad) was talking shit to the coaches for making them run Oklahoma drills in practice.
 
The concussion issue is an interesting conundrum. Doing these "archaic" drills build a tough football team. Tough football teams win. Having players who love and embrace hitting is crucial. It's a very important aspect of football. Guys like @collegdoog will say you can become a tough football team while limiting contact, but I don't agree. Maybe for a veteran in the NFL, but not 18-22 year olds.

The concussion issue is a very serious one. It's also overblown. Football is a violent game. You can destroy a number of body parts by playing the game. You can have no contact in practice, but get concussions in games. A lot of guys play pro football and come out fine. Guys in other sports get depressed and blow their money after their careers end. It isn't strictly a football problem.

Bo Jackson has a quote about 9 and 10 year olds doing hitting drills and getting concussions and that they won't know how to get home or remember their names. It's bullshit. Does anyone know somebody who played youth football that this happened to?
 
I work at a desk and if I had a gun today I'd blow my brains out. Might as well not even play the games
 
The concussion issue is an interesting conundrum. Doing these "archaic" drills build a tough football team. Tough football teams win. Having players who love and embrace hitting is crucial. It's a very important aspect of football. Guys like @collegdoog will say you can become a tough football team while limiting contact, but I don't agree. Maybe for a veteran in the NFL, but not 18-22 year olds.

The concussion issue is a very serious one. It's also overblown. Football is a violent game. You can destroy a number of body parts by playing the game. You can have no contact in practice, but get concussions in games. A lot of guys play pro football and come out fine. Guys in other sports get depressed and blow their money after their careers end. It isn't strictly a football problem.

Bo Jackson has a quote about 9 and 10 year olds doing hitting drills and getting concussions and that they won't know how to get home or remember their names. It's bullshit. Does anyone know somebody who played youth football that this happened to?
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I think Switzer's quote was right on the money. Yes, it's a "neanderthal" drill. But for a coach to learn which kids like to hit and get hit, it has immense value. Also, you can mitigate the safety and concussion issues. Line guys up closer together, etc.
 
Prepping punt/kickoff returns where the starters get a 30 yard sprint chasing after the scout team is far more dangerous (concussion wise) than a 3 yard collision contained in a tight window.

Sooner line-up was always a favorite part of practice.

@RD55 and kid conussions,

I remember walking and puking my bike home from 6th grade "Panther Football." No balance. Couldn't ride it back home. Headache lasted a week. Got earholed by an 8th grader and woke up with snot bubbles all over my face. It wasn't anything dirty, or the sooner drill. Definitely my first of several concussions during football. Not something you can plan for but scary in the concept of an 11 year old with a brain bruise when I look at my kids. Only other concussion I got outside of football was in baseball stealing third and a car accident. Catcher drilled me on the left side of my head with the throw and I was out cold, but safe at third. Baseball seams stayed on the side of my face/head for several days.
 
That's one of the worst I've heard of. I once saw a teammate take off his helmet while walking off the field and then blowing chunks everywhere before he could reach the sideline.

My sophomore year, I stupidly jogged up to a pile before the whistle blew on a kickoff....some guy came out of nowhere and fucking destroyed me at the last moment (IIRC, it was against Nathan Hale). I got up slowly, could barely balance, and somehow had an idea of where I was. I had no idea what was going on other than that I got my bell run severely. I then had to play OLB after the kickoff and all I can remember is praying that the play didn't come my way because nobody was home upstairs. Well it was an off-tackle run to my side but fortunately a DL tripped the guy up before he got to me.

2nd worst concussion I got was playing flag football in college.

Thankfully nothing close to your experience....I don't know if I'll let my son (if I don't end up shooting blanks) play football before 8th grade.

Prepping punt/kickoff returns where the starters get a 30 yard sprint chasing after the scout team is far more dangerous (concussion wise) than a 3 yard collision contained in a tight window.

Sooner line-up was always a favorite part of practice.

@RD55 and kid conussions,

I remember walking and puking my bike home from 6th grade "Panther Football." No balance. Couldn't ride it back home. Headache lasted a week. Got earholed by an 8th grader and woke up with snot bubbles all over my face. It wasn't anything dirty, or the sooner drill. Definitely my first of several concussions during football. Not something you can plan for but scary in the concept of an 11 year old with a brain bruise when I look at my kids. Only other concussion I got outside of football was in baseball stealing third and a car accident. Catcher drilled me on the left side of my head with the throw and I was out cold, but safe at third. Baseball seams stayed on the side of my face/head for several days.
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I like that all the talk about concussions is centered around football, when the most concussions in sports come from soccer (especially women's soccer), why isn't there any talk of getting rid of soccer in America?
 
I like that all the talk about concussions is centered around football, when the most concussions in sports come from soccer (especially women's soccer), why isn't there any talk of getting rid of soccer women's sports in America?
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Fixed that for you
 
I like that all the talk about concussions is centered around football, when the most concussions in sports come from soccer (especially women's soccer), why isn't there any talk of getting rid of soccer in America?
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Everyone likes to pick on football, because it is the most popular sport in America.
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Also because it scares effeminate men and overly anxious, prescription pill popping moms
 
If we're gonna bash effeminate men, that's fine. But if we're gonna bash prescription pill popping moms, then I am fucking OUT!
 
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