All teams must get through a season handling injuries. It can sap the strength of any depth chart over a long season. Both OU and OSU have had a share of injuries..The Pokes have had to go the last 7 games without its best runner Kendall Hunter. The pass catching took a hit with the suspension of Dez Bryant. OU has had to make it without the Heisman Trophy winner of a year ago in Sam Bradford, but what could have been the most devastating was the season-ender to Tight End Jermaine Gresham.
The Sooners have had depth at QB. The emergence of Landry Jones proves that. There was, however, no depth to compensate for the loss of Grehsam. He was a play-maker. To win the National Championship, to win a Big 12 Championship, you need a playmaker. OU has not had such a player all year.
The Sooners were hoping to win games with its defense, but at times that too has been suspect, in particular in the late going when a stop was needed. And its tough to come up with a defensive playmaker. Sure, Gerald McCoy fits the bill to a certain degree, but only he can do so much, considering the position he plays, defensive tackle. This weeks opponent, Nebraska also has a disruptive tackle in Ndamukong Suh. They are great players both, and will be NFL 1st round draft choices, but they can't carry, catch or throw the football.
Would the Sooners be National Championship contenders with a healthy Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham? The guess here is OU would have beaten BYU and Miami, but not Texas. Still, Oklahoma would be battling for a BCS Bowl. In fact, a loss to Texas a year ago was enough to overcome and play Florida for the title. We will never know about the BCS or the title, but injuries are indeed a part of the game, and in he world of college football, where every game means so much without a playoff, the team that can stay healthy has the best chance.
