Quote Originally Posted by viverlibre View Post
I don't know if any stats are available, but I'd wager the talent gap between OU and it's main competitors was much less than the gap between us and LSU, Bama, UGA, etc. Additionally I wager top defenses currently in the SEC are light years ahead of what OU faced in those days. It's about adding one more option that the D has to be concerned with. Everything changes and adapts, look at Heupel, he has a mobile QB. In short, everything works until is doesn't.
Yeah, to me it seems that Leach is still playing like it's 1999. With all his coaching tree (Kingsbury) and his old QBs (Heupel as you point out) fully evolved.

OU in the late 90's was recruiting good players, they had no talent gap with the best teams in the nation in 1999. Just mis-allocated players. They were extremely better than most teams in their conference.

Also, yes. The defenses of the SEC are and were far better. Big 12 football was transitioning to flag football tacking at this time.