Jay C. Upchurch
4/12/2008, 04:44 PM
NORMAN -- On a day when the scoring system gave the defense nine points for a touchdown, the Oklahoma defense took full advantage during the team’s annual Red/White Spring Game Saturday at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
A crowd of 23,306 looked on as three OU defenders intercepted passes and returned them for touchdowns. In the end, the team comprised of the first team offense and second team defense won 69-40 under a scoring system that awarded points for a myriad of accomplishments ranging from long plays to forced punts.
Cornerback Dominque Franks started the scoring on the first series when he picked off a Sam Bradford pass and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown. Franks intercepted three passes on the day for 91 yards.
The other interceptions for touchdowns, which also took place in the first quarter, came from cornerback Jonathan Nelson on an 81-yard return and defensive end Frank Alexander with a 31-yarder.
“I was really pleased with the play of our secondary,” Stoops said. “I was probably more pleased with that than anything else.
“The offense is incredibly disadvantaged in these situations by the way we practice. We go against them in pass skel and in scrimmages so the defense anticipates them pretty well. I felt good about the offense. There were a lot fewer penalties today and no fumbles. I know we had the interceptions, but a lot of that goes back to what I said about the offense being disadvantaged.”
The offense got its first touchdown with 1:04 remaining in the first period when Sam Bradford hit Jermaine Gresham on a 51-yard strike. The play was actually called by Shae Farmer, an OU fan, who won the right to call plays during an online auction on SoonerSports.com. Farmer later called a reverse to Juaquin Iglesias that went for 27 yards.
“I knew (Gresham) was probably my best chance to get a touchdown,” Farmer said. “I was going to go for something.”
The offense added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. One came on a drive directed by quarterback Keith Nichol that culminated with an 8-yard pass to fullback Matt Clapp. That drive covered 60 yards and lasted 12 plays.
True freshman QB Landry Jones later threw a 5-yard touchdown to Rashad Hutchins.
Bradford completed 12-of-25 passes on the afternoon for 191 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Running back Mossis Madu topped the pass catchers with six receptions for 74 yards. The leading rusher was true freshman Justin Johnson with 20 attempts for 44 yards.
Safety Lendy Holmes was the top tackler in the scrimmage with 10, while defensive end Jeremy Beal led in tackles for loss with two. Brian Jackson and Sam Proctor were both credited with two passes broken up.
The Sooners will conclude spring practices next week with a workout on Tuesday.
OU SID Report
A crowd of 23,306 looked on as three OU defenders intercepted passes and returned them for touchdowns. In the end, the team comprised of the first team offense and second team defense won 69-40 under a scoring system that awarded points for a myriad of accomplishments ranging from long plays to forced punts.
Cornerback Dominque Franks started the scoring on the first series when he picked off a Sam Bradford pass and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown. Franks intercepted three passes on the day for 91 yards.
The other interceptions for touchdowns, which also took place in the first quarter, came from cornerback Jonathan Nelson on an 81-yard return and defensive end Frank Alexander with a 31-yarder.
“I was really pleased with the play of our secondary,” Stoops said. “I was probably more pleased with that than anything else.
“The offense is incredibly disadvantaged in these situations by the way we practice. We go against them in pass skel and in scrimmages so the defense anticipates them pretty well. I felt good about the offense. There were a lot fewer penalties today and no fumbles. I know we had the interceptions, but a lot of that goes back to what I said about the offense being disadvantaged.”
The offense got its first touchdown with 1:04 remaining in the first period when Sam Bradford hit Jermaine Gresham on a 51-yard strike. The play was actually called by Shae Farmer, an OU fan, who won the right to call plays during an online auction on SoonerSports.com. Farmer later called a reverse to Juaquin Iglesias that went for 27 yards.
“I knew (Gresham) was probably my best chance to get a touchdown,” Farmer said. “I was going to go for something.”
The offense added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. One came on a drive directed by quarterback Keith Nichol that culminated with an 8-yard pass to fullback Matt Clapp. That drive covered 60 yards and lasted 12 plays.
True freshman QB Landry Jones later threw a 5-yard touchdown to Rashad Hutchins.
Bradford completed 12-of-25 passes on the afternoon for 191 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Running back Mossis Madu topped the pass catchers with six receptions for 74 yards. The leading rusher was true freshman Justin Johnson with 20 attempts for 44 yards.
Safety Lendy Holmes was the top tackler in the scrimmage with 10, while defensive end Jeremy Beal led in tackles for loss with two. Brian Jackson and Sam Proctor were both credited with two passes broken up.
The Sooners will conclude spring practices next week with a workout on Tuesday.
OU SID Report