Oklahoma football: Save Samaje Perine from the hype machine
By Joe Buettner
I know what you’re thinking. We all do.
SAMAJE PERINE IS GOING TO WIN TWO HEISMAN’S IN THE SAME SEASON, RUN FOR 5,000 RUSHING YARDS, AND SINGLE-HANDEDLY LEAD OU TO A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Okay, maybe you’re not that excited about Samaje, but the motto for OU fans in 2015 should really be something along the lines of “let’s stay realistic.”
Trevor Knight had the game of his career against Alabama this past January, and while it was fun and we all bought the t-shirt, Knight’s performances created this huge monster of hype for the 2014 season.
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Four losses later and here we are wondering what went wrong.
Now you can blame the coaches. You can blame the players. But ultimately, deep down in your hearts, I think a lot of fans, including myself, overlooked a few problems with OU’s current squad.
Also, some may have overlooked how good TCU’s returning defense was, how dominant Baylor’s offense still is, and SNYDER IS NEVER ALLOWED IN NORMAN AGAIN.
OU fans, I get it. You all can see the love Samaje Perine is getting from postseason media awards. He’s definitely a lock for the 2015 Doak Walker Award watch list.
However, save Samaje Perine from the hype machine. I don’t it’s too hard with the state of OU football right now, but be realistic about next year.
OU is losing some great talent on its offensive line, including Daryl Williams, and that is sure to make life tougher on the offense. While OU has a lot of talent waiting in the wings, you just never know how some of these players are going to pan out.
Samaje Perine was one of those guys. Coaches talked him up over the summer, and while Joe Mixon and Keith Ford were tabbed to lead this OU rushing attack, Perine took advantage of his opportunity to get early playing time and became OU’s best back by season’s end.
While it’s exciting to have an FBS record-breaker, who’s not even 20 yet, let Samaje Perine be Samaje Perine.
He more than likely will have a bad game. He, also, might have to adjust to a new quarterback under center. And Sooner fans are really hoping Perine will have a new offensive coordinator to work with in 2015.
Now you might be thinking Perine and Knight are completely different. Knight had one huge game. Perine has been consistent all year. However, the fact remains, OU fans, including yours truly, have a problem with expecting too much from OU teams with issues that still have yet to be corrected over the years.
The main point, though: be excited about having a talent like Samaje Perine in the backfield, but don’t expect him to be the reincarnation of Jim Brown every single play or game.
The demeanor of OU fans certainly isn’t the brightest right now, but keep your chin up. OU has a chance to put up one more ‘W’ before a long period without college football.
2015 could be very fun, and Samaje Perine appears to be the only true guaranteed star returning to Owen Field at the moment, stay realistic. I know it’s hard for some of the fans like myself that expect a national title every, but let’s keep a level-head as OU tries to find itself again in what is sure to be an interesting off-season in Norman.