Which position is the biggest question mark for 2009?

[oupride]

Some say WR, Safety or O Line. I actually feel pretty good about the O Line. I sense the coaches must feel good about the WR position, since WR Darius Jones was being recruited to play defense. You could even say RB I guess, even tho the Sooners are stacked at that position. So for you, what position carries the biggest question mark that you are looking forward to see the answer in 2009?

[ouleaf]

Has to be the O-line. That is where a successful offense and a successful season begins.

[JLEW1818]

Offensive line without question.

[47straight]

Center.

[CrimsonJim]

Definitely the O-line. While I too think they will be very good in the end, I am concerned how long it will take them to gel as a unit. We have some stiff competition early in the year, so I hope it happens fast.

[TahoeSOONER]

Safety! No doubt, this defense could upgrade with speed in the secondary.

RB? Dear god, heal Demarco. Unleash Calhoun, depth is scary good at RB position.

With Eldridge, Gresh and Clapp the Oline will block just fine with assignments and you got to think middle will get practice agains't the best.

DL STACKED

Can WR C. Kennedy get on the field?

MLB? Box will be hard to keep off the field.

Defense has the potential to be better but experience at safety is the big ? for me.

BOOMER!

[soonerfan28]

47straight, I would have to agree with center. I think the exchange between QB and center is often overlooked especially when you have a guy who played the most part of 4 years graduate. I think it will end up being Habern but Hannan is pretty good himself.

[BoulderSooner79]

My only worry about the O-line is when they get good, not if. Can they be good enough by the UT game?

My biggest question mark is still at MLB. Major surgery for RR (again). Box only started 3-4 games and surgery as well. The coaches showed little confidence in Balogun and none in Crow. RR and Box will both miss spring ball. But the coaches have a lot of time to prepare and maybe we get a surprise from a true frosh (Wort or Lewis?).

[47straight]

47straight, I would have to agree with center. I think the exchange between QB and center is often overlooked especially when you have a guy who played the most part of 4 years graduate. I think it will end up being Habern but Hannan is pretty good himself.


And the center has to call out adjustments, etc.

Both of those guys are good, it's just a question of who will step up and do the job.

[BoomerJack]

We should also hope that a #2 QB develops in case something happens to Bradford ala 2007 vs. TTech. We could have a roster of All-Conf or All-Amer. at the other slots and still be screwed.

Saying that, I'm sure that a considerable amount of time and effort will be put into resolving this issue during spring drills, off season workouts and fall practice.

[oudivesherpa]

Back up positions. In the Texas game the backup MLB was not ready to play.
More time needs to be given to coaching the kids who don't get on the field very often. If your up by a half a hundred, let the backups in.

Seriously, this should be a major concern of every coach, if a first teamer goes down, how ready are the guys two and three deep on the depth chart?

Of course I may be bitter, the highest I ever got was third string, and I really looked forward to playing William and Mary, well at least Mary.

[8timechamps]

I am not as worried as some about the WR. I think having Greshem and Broyles will help ease the transition.

I am not as worried as some about the O-Line. Although we lost all but one starter, those lopsided games will pay dividends this coming season. There are some players that got a lot of PT last season.

I am not as worried as some about MLB or Safety. IN my opinion, we will have one of (if not) the best LB units in the country this coming season. As for safety, Quinton Carter will go a long way in suring up that area.

What worries the hell out of me is our kicking game. I hope something big changes before the fall rolls around.

[CincySooner]

I'll never be worried about LB again as long as Venables is there.

He's got a great track record of developing LBs into playmakers.
Think about all the players that we once thought were "irreplacable" during the Stoops era.

Rocky Calmus, Torrance Marshall, Teddy Lehman, Lance Mitchell, Pasha Jackson (yeah, I included him... he did his part), Rufus Alexander, Curtis Lofton, and the newest stars: Travis Lewis and Ryan Reynolds... this list will go on.

The one thing this defensive staff does really well is churn out great playmakers to fill holes at linebacker.

[TopDawg]

Don't we have to also replace our deep snapper and holder?

I see chaos ensuing on PATs and FGs.

[sooneron]

Who the **** would say RB? :confused:

Without a doubt in my mind, it's safeties. Poor safety play led to the two losses in 02. LB is a slight question mark.
Like 8X, I'm not as worried about the OL, they platooned a lot last year. We need another big possession receiver, it will be tough for Broyles to replicate what Manny and Juaquin did the last two years.

[SoonersBIG7]

Who is the center going to be? interior line would be my biggest concern. I hear Good and Jones are beasts

[soonerfan28]

Who is the center going to be? interior line would be my biggest concern. I hear Good and Jones are beasts

Either Ben Habern or Jason Hannan. I say Habern.

[UberSooner]

Its all about MLB. Our D got blistered last year when RR went down and got better only when AB got some experience. This D requires alot from that position both on run support and over the middle passes. The guy has to be athletic and smart at reading the offense. I agree with the poster on Balogun. Its either RR or AB as first team guy and we won't know till the season gets here because both miss the spring. Second worry is left side O tackle.

[SoonersBIG7]

Well I heard Jarvis Jones could of possibly started over Loadholt if eligable, because he was really performing well in practice. All 3 MLB healthy I don't find it as much of a worry.

[soonerfan28]

I still thik Balogun will be the guy in the middle. I'm not trying to hate on Reynold or Box, but Reynolds has had 3 scopes done in 3 years and he is not going be the same. I know that he came back last year and was great for us, but I just don't see it. With Box I think he is injury prone and will have to prove that he can stay healthy. The only problem with Balogun was that he was out of position many time last year, but that is easily correctible with more experience.

[TahoeSOONER]

[QUOTE=sooneron;2583508]Who the **** would say RB? :confused:

Brown will be the horse but the question is how do you work Murray, Madu and Calhoun in, good problem to have.

How well does Demarco heal and what role is the young back going to earn?

[Sooner13]

With our lack of depth at WR, I've heard the coaches want to get Madu more time in the slot. I think, depending on the health of Murray, you will see a lot of Brown with Calhoun mixing in, especially early in the season. It took Murray several games to get it going last year and I expect the same for the upcoming season.

[badger]

Ok, I am officially most concerned with the o-line. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20090303_92_0_NORMAN191796)

If Stoops says they're a weak link, they are. I hope this is him trying to light a fire under them, much like he tried with our home crowd before Tech last year (and it worked).

[oupride]

He mentioned "attitude" a couple of times. Any idea why?

[UberSooner]

I get the feeling that Stoops is taking his cue from Schmidt on the O-line situation. Schmidy has a track record of being tough on the lineman, hell he's run several off, so I imagine alot of Stoops comments are meant to stress the import of off season work outs. However, since I'm pulling all that out may ash, I could be completely wrong. If I am, then I'm changing my answer to O-line.

[badger]

He mentioned "attitude" a couple of times. Any idea why?

Yes, yes I do :)

[stoops the eternal pimp]

He mentioned Stephen Good and Ben Habern has having great winter workouts, so that kinda narrows it down to who he is trying to light a fire under

[SoonersBIG7]

What about Justin Johnson at RB?

[picasso]

Bag inspectors - gate 12
We're losing a lot of talented, look-the-other-way, security folks...I hope we can fill the holes

confiscated my old crow!

[Sooner13]

What about Justin Johnson at RB?

I don't see Johnson getting any time at RB. It seems it would make more sense for him to redshirt. Of course, I think it would've made more sense to redshirt him last year also so who knows.

[soonerfan28]

I have a feeling that we won't know what our o-line is going to look like until August and I think they'll try to work Madu into the slot because they already know what he can do in the backfield. Stoop's also spoke very highly of the WR's so the need for Madu in the slot may not be as great as people originally thought.

[pweitkem]

Gotta be quarterback. Can't we find one that can throw 55 TDs?

[soonerfan28]

What about JJ @ safety? If he doesn't prove something in his second spring on campus then he'll be so far down the depth chart that we should see how he works at safety. Like Wolfe did a few years ago.

[Desert Sapper]

O-Line is the only real concern this year. And its a big huge glaring one.

[Dan Thompson]

The center, deep snapper, and landry Jones, just in case, besides who is going to come in a game after San has 7 TDs?

[Little Al]

Center/Deep Snaps

[BoulderSooner79]

I still say MLB, but the article on RR on the soonerspectator.com website makes me feel a lot better. It claims Reynolds will be cleared for all activities in May and he sure plans to be on the field opening day.

[Chiliman]

O-line no doubt. A lot of talent but it will take time to gell as a unit.

MLB should be fine. If Box is healthy, he should be in the middle. He knows the defense as well as RR and is considerably faster than RR or MB.