gh55
4/9/2008, 05:54 AM
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?subjectID=231&articleID=20080409_2_B1_hSoph27460
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
4/9/2008
Sophomore quarterback says he's at OU for the long haul.
NORMAN -- Keith Nichol fans, take heart. Your man's not going anywhere.
"I'm not backing down," Nichol says.
Oklahoma is one college football program that doesn't appear to have an open quarterback competition. Sam Bradford began writing his chapter in the Sooner encyclopedia last season with a record-setting redshirt freshman campaign. That projects to three more years as OU's starting quarterback.
Nichol last season was a first-year freshman. That projects to three more years as Bradford's backup.
But those who expect Nichol to bail out, take his ball and go play somewhere else are getting ahead of themselves.
"I would never back down just because somebody had a good year," Nichol said. "A lot of stuff changes, especially in college football.
"Everything can change in a flash, and you can't be looking at it like, 'I'm not going to play my whole college career,' " he said. "You can't look at it like that. I could be going in first play, first game. You've just got to be ready for whatever happens."
Nichol is still growing as a quarterback, and after two scrimmages this spring, he still appears to be behind senior-to-be Joey Halzle. In OU's first two major scrimmages, Halzle was the second quarterback behind Bradford.
Halzle's numbers are markedly better this spring. Going into Saturday's Red / White Game, Halzle is 20-of-34 for 234 yards. He has zero touchdowns, but also hasn't been intercepted. Nichol is 7-of-24 for 113 yards with no TDs and three interceptions. He was disappointed with a 2-of-9, two-interception performance in the first scrimmage, so last week he went 5-of-15 with one pick.
"I wanted to come out from last weekend and just show everybody how much I've improved," Nichol said. "I made some bad plays, kind of threw myself off just by forcing stuff. I didn't play very good, so I just tried to bounce back and play like me, not play like anybody else. And I thought I did that."
Nichol came to OU from Lowell, Mich., after decommitting from Michigan State. The Sooners suddenly had an opening when Rhett Bomar was kicked off the team and Paul Thompson was finishing his senior season. Halzle, then a junior college transfer, and Bradford, then a redshirting rookie, were the only QBs on the roster.
Then came Bradford's 2007. A school record (and a national crown) for efficiency rating. A major college freshman record for touchdown passes (36). A Big 12 championship.
Nichol said the month between last summer's wide-open competition and the second week of the regular season, when Bradford threw five touchdowns against Miami, was a tough time.
"I had my disappointment. I'm not going to lie," Nichol said. "But the team did good. Sam played well. Overall, I was happy. From a selfish, personal standpoint, I was a little disappointed I wasn't playing."
Nichol is more comfortable, but he's not going to take Bradford's job simply by practicing well. For now, he's still got Halzle ahead of him. (Halzle got into nine games last season, Nichol played in three).
The reality is that if Bradford stays healthy and has playmakers around him, he'll be a four-year starter. With that, Nichol has some op tions. The '08 season is Halzle's last, so Nichol can keep competing as Bradford's backup and get playing time as it comes (like Nate Hybl and Jason White). Or he can redshirt a season and try to be the starter in 2011 (like Paul Thompson). Or he can look for greener pastures (like Tommy Grady, who said he immediately regretted leaving in 2005 for Utah).
Nichol says the latter is not an option.
"A lot of people ask that question, 'Why aren't you going somewhere?' I love OU," he said. "I love the people here. First and foremost, worst-case scenario, you get a free education. That's really not a bad deal. But I'm staying for a lot of reasons.
"I'm here to compete. I'm not going to back down. If I had to transfer, I would have to compete for a starting spot. I'm not going to sit here and just compete for a second, third or fourth. I'm here for the top."
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
4/9/2008
Sophomore quarterback says he's at OU for the long haul.
NORMAN -- Keith Nichol fans, take heart. Your man's not going anywhere.
"I'm not backing down," Nichol says.
Oklahoma is one college football program that doesn't appear to have an open quarterback competition. Sam Bradford began writing his chapter in the Sooner encyclopedia last season with a record-setting redshirt freshman campaign. That projects to three more years as OU's starting quarterback.
Nichol last season was a first-year freshman. That projects to three more years as Bradford's backup.
But those who expect Nichol to bail out, take his ball and go play somewhere else are getting ahead of themselves.
"I would never back down just because somebody had a good year," Nichol said. "A lot of stuff changes, especially in college football.
"Everything can change in a flash, and you can't be looking at it like, 'I'm not going to play my whole college career,' " he said. "You can't look at it like that. I could be going in first play, first game. You've just got to be ready for whatever happens."
Nichol is still growing as a quarterback, and after two scrimmages this spring, he still appears to be behind senior-to-be Joey Halzle. In OU's first two major scrimmages, Halzle was the second quarterback behind Bradford.
Halzle's numbers are markedly better this spring. Going into Saturday's Red / White Game, Halzle is 20-of-34 for 234 yards. He has zero touchdowns, but also hasn't been intercepted. Nichol is 7-of-24 for 113 yards with no TDs and three interceptions. He was disappointed with a 2-of-9, two-interception performance in the first scrimmage, so last week he went 5-of-15 with one pick.
"I wanted to come out from last weekend and just show everybody how much I've improved," Nichol said. "I made some bad plays, kind of threw myself off just by forcing stuff. I didn't play very good, so I just tried to bounce back and play like me, not play like anybody else. And I thought I did that."
Nichol came to OU from Lowell, Mich., after decommitting from Michigan State. The Sooners suddenly had an opening when Rhett Bomar was kicked off the team and Paul Thompson was finishing his senior season. Halzle, then a junior college transfer, and Bradford, then a redshirting rookie, were the only QBs on the roster.
Then came Bradford's 2007. A school record (and a national crown) for efficiency rating. A major college freshman record for touchdown passes (36). A Big 12 championship.
Nichol said the month between last summer's wide-open competition and the second week of the regular season, when Bradford threw five touchdowns against Miami, was a tough time.
"I had my disappointment. I'm not going to lie," Nichol said. "But the team did good. Sam played well. Overall, I was happy. From a selfish, personal standpoint, I was a little disappointed I wasn't playing."
Nichol is more comfortable, but he's not going to take Bradford's job simply by practicing well. For now, he's still got Halzle ahead of him. (Halzle got into nine games last season, Nichol played in three).
The reality is that if Bradford stays healthy and has playmakers around him, he'll be a four-year starter. With that, Nichol has some op tions. The '08 season is Halzle's last, so Nichol can keep competing as Bradford's backup and get playing time as it comes (like Nate Hybl and Jason White). Or he can redshirt a season and try to be the starter in 2011 (like Paul Thompson). Or he can look for greener pastures (like Tommy Grady, who said he immediately regretted leaving in 2005 for Utah).
Nichol says the latter is not an option.
"A lot of people ask that question, 'Why aren't you going somewhere?' I love OU," he said. "I love the people here. First and foremost, worst-case scenario, you get a free education. That's really not a bad deal. But I'm staying for a lot of reasons.
"I'm here to compete. I'm not going to back down. If I had to transfer, I would have to compete for a starting spot. I'm not going to sit here and just compete for a second, third or fourth. I'm here for the top."