Jason Hannan to transfer

[noobalicious]

C Jason Hannan is going to be transferring. Saw this in Tulsa World, Oklahoman, and on a blog.

[NormanPride]

Yeah, he's had kidney problems I hear. So he's going to go somewhere closer to home. I don't blame the kid at all, health issues like that can be very draining. Good luck to Jason.

[soonerfan28]

Sorry to see Hannan go, but does this mean that Habern has won by default. If so then I hope he keeps working to get better even though he may have no competition at center.

[JLEW1818]

good question.

[soonerfan28]

I read that CSU transfer and Claremore graduate Brian Lepak is 2nd string.

[allentxsooner]

Maybe one of the true freshman can come in the summer and provide more depth, isnt that Lepak kid a walk-on?

[soonerfan28]

Maybe one of the true freshman can come in the summer and provide more depth, isnt that Lepak kid a walk-on?

Lepak is also a transfer from Colorado State who has good size. I don't know when he transferred and that will determine whether he could play this year or not.

[goingoneight]

Pardon me for not knowing, but isn't Stephen Good a center or did we move him to anchor outside because of his strength?

[MojoRisen]

Good is a guard - I don't think he ever played center. Sucks Hannah is leaving he could have rotated in at guard and center.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

T.Williams-Good-Habern-Simmons-J.Jones

The starting O-Line...

[NormanPride]

Actually, Jones is 2nd behind Brandon right now.

[starclassic tama]

the C position will probably cost us a national title this year

[Jello Biafra]

the C position will probably cost us a national title this year


riiight because the center is waay out on an island with little to no help.

[OU_Sooners75]

the C position will probably cost us a national title this year


Seriously....stop posting. I mean that in a kind and gentle way.

You have no clue as to what you are posting...and this post just validates it for all of us.

So please...just stop.

[soonerinkeywest]

wow, I met this Guys girlfriend in the Dallas airport when we were all heading to Miami..Sweet girl..anyways best of luck Jason!

[Widescreen]

the C position will probably cost us a national title this year

At least it won't be the left tackle this time. I like variety.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

Seriously....stop posting. I mean that in a kind and gentle way.

You have no clue as to what you are posting...and this post just validates it for all of us.

So please...just stop.

well, he does make a good point in a 'totally has nothing to do with my post' kind of way. center is one of those positions you never notice until you get some bad snaps or you face a really good DL.

if a center always requires help on a defensive tackle, it totally changes the spectrum of what you can do up the middle as well as off-tackle and in a lot of ways makes your blocking schemes much, much more predictable.

[TXBOOMER]

This really sucks. Hannan did a great job when he came in for Coop last year. I hope he gets healthy.

[starclassic tama]

Seriously....stop posting. I mean that in a kind and gentle way.

You have no clue as to what you are posting...and this post just validates it for all of us.

So please...just stop.

i apologize deeply. the center position is not important at all. not the most important on the offensive line. the center does not make a lot of the offensive line calls and make sure everyone has their assignment straight. anyone we have will step in and immediately be an all-american. we will win the BCS title game 80-0. jon cooper was not a valuable asset to the team and is easily replaceable by any walk-on. you are really smart.

[OU_Sooners75]

i apologize deeply. the center position is not important at all. not the most important on the offensive line. the center does not make a lot of the offensive line calls and make sure everyone has their assignment straight. anyone we have will step in and immediately be an all-american. we will win the BCS title game 80-0. jon cooper was not a valuable asset to the team and is easily replaceable by any walk-on. you are really smart.

Once again...it is obvious to me and everyone else you have no clue what you are talking about.


1. The most important linemen would be the blindside tackle. He is the one responsible to protecting the QBs blindside. In OU's case, it was Loadholt, next year, most likely Williams (left tackle).

2. We do plenty of shotgun to erase any trouble that we may have on QB/Center exchanges. Also, the Center and QB work together to perfect their exhanges more than any other tangent on the team!

3. In most schemes, the Center does call out the line audibles, but at the same time, you can have a guard or a tackle do the same damn thing. It is just easiest for the center to do it since, well, he is in the center of the line.

4. Jon Cooper was the leader of a very good OL. He is perhaps one of the best centers we have ever had here at OU. However, just because we are replacing the center does not mean we will lose another NC game or whatever.

5. We are replacing 4 OLinemen. That is going to be the biggest challenge early in the season. As a former OLinemen myself, I can tell you from experience, it will take a game or two for the Oline to gel and perform at their best.

FYI...Habern was a more sought after center than Jon Cooper was. :eek: So I think we will be in great shape there....But with Hannan transferring, we will need to find a reliable backup!

[soonerfan28]

We've had some great centers here at OU (Cooper, Vince Carter, Bubba Burcham), and I think that tradition will continue. Habern is clearly the #1 center and I think that was obvious before Hannan decided to transfer. He is one of the strongest players on the team and even though he is green now he'll be able to get through the first couple of games on talent alone. By the time we get to games 3 and 4 I think people will start seeing this unit as one of the strong points for OU next season. They just need time to gel.

[47straight]

I'm really glad that Lepak is going to get a shot at playing time. He's a lifetime sooner fan and got screwed over by Roark accepting and then quitting. If not for that punk, Lepak would have been here the whole time on scholarship.

[Jello Biafra]

Once again...it is obvious to me and everyone else you have no clue what you are talking about.


1. The most important linemen would be the blindside tackle. He is the one responsible to protecting the QBs blindside. In OU's case, it was Loadholt, next year, most likely Williams (left tackle).

2. We do plenty of shotgun to erase any trouble that we may have on QB/Center exchanges. Also, the Center and QB work together to perfect their exhanges more than any other tangent on the team!

3. In most schemes, the Center does call out the line audibles, but at the same time, you can have a guard or a tackle do the same damn thing. It is just easiest for the center to do it since, well, he is in the center of the line.

4. Jon Cooper was the leader of a very good OL. He is perhaps one of the best centers we have ever had here at OU. However, just because we are replacing the center does not mean we will lose another NC game or whatever.

5. We are replacing 4 OLinemen. That is going to be the biggest challenge early in the season. As a former OLinemen myself, I can tell you from experience, it will take a game or two for the Oline to gel and perform at their best.

FYI...Habern was a more sought after center than Jon Cooper was. :eek: So I think we will be in great shape there....But with Hannan transferring, we will need to find a reliable backup!



\just to add to this for the non EX lineman out there. more times than not, in a standard 4-3 scheme (which most college defenses use) the center goes uncovered (meaning, not having a man head up on him) and will have to help a guard not have a guard help him. his usual assignment would be to go out and ttack a linebacker on a run play or help the hole assignment.

its seal blocking that is going to make or break the line not one particular position (with the exception of the blindside of the qb IE non throwing hand) pass blocking is typically easier because your first step is usually back and getting yourself in a position to keep the dlineman out of the backfeild .

get your butt to the hole and drive. simple as that. any questions starclassic zima?

if they have the basics down, all it will take is desire and effort.

[Jello Biafra]

now that i have lifted and settled a lil bit, i can concentrate.

the point to all of this is nothing but game experience will get these guys the time we need to make them gel. the center if the least of our worries. YOU starclassic, could go out and play center if you had the size and knowledge of the position. in the grand scheme of things, its the least of your worries. you need to know two things as a first year center. snap count, your blocking assignment, and exchange. ok three things. as 75, mentioned, there are no two positions on the team that work together more extensively than center and qb. I'd bet cashish they have already had 1 thousand or more exchanges just this spring. with my oldest son's team, i had the center and qb snap the ball 100 times a practice and had a parent count them. if habern has spent a bunch of time on the line, he has the snap down. its just getting a rythem with the qb.

i seriously think we will be cutting back on the blocking schemes we have been running for the last 2 or 3 years. back to basics and we'll be ok.

[starclassic tama]

i remember the center position was pretty important in the '05 orange bowl. vince carter got abused and A.D. had nowhere to go. not the only reason we lost the game, but that's where it started. the center is the least of our worries? we don't have a single center on our roster that has a single game snap under his belt. you people can pump sunshine like no other. we have a few tackles and guards that have played significantly.

[Jello Biafra]

i remember the center position was pretty important in the '05 orange bowl. vince carter got abused and A.D. had nowhere to go. not the only reason we lost the game, but that's where it started. the center is the least of our worries? we don't have a single center on our roster that has a single game snap under his belt. you people can pump sunshine like no other. we have a few tackles and guards that have played significantly.

you DO realize that olineman have to read play books just like all the skill positions right? the more complex the play the greater the payoff...

keep it simple and gently push them into action, we'll be fine.
if i can recall correctly, maybe it was a different game, usc was essentially using a 5-2 sending a linebacker nearly every single play...it wasn't the lack of blocking it was the fact that a linebacker was coming nearly every single play. if you guess wrong with the blitz, you get smoked. if you guess right, you will shut down a running game and make the offense one dimensional. guess what, we were predictable and we got beat down. a little poll for you, which side of the line did peterson run to most?

[starclassic tama]

peterson off left tackle and HE'S GONE

[Jello Biafra]

peterson off left tackle and HE'S GONE


so with that in mind, (i also remember that being the bread and butter) if we run that play better than 60% of our runs to petereson wouldn't you as a defensive coordinator, tasked with stopping peterson, send one of the linebackers? to that side? very rarely did i see peterson breaking bad to the right side and very rarely did we see him closer than 8 yards off the line of scrimmage. if peterson can see the hole that far back, why can't the linebacker? i mean, the linebacker is on scholarship too right?

[starclassic tama]

i didn't say that was the only reason we lost. but USC's DT's had a field day with vince carter. in fact i even remember a video of USC's d-line coach telling their tackles if they got blocked one on one by carter they went straight to the bench. i'm just saying the C is a lot more important than everyone in this thread is acting like it is.

[Jello Biafra]

i didn't say that was the only reason we lost. but USC's DT's had a field day with vince carter. in fact i even remember a video of USC's d-line coach telling their tackles if they got blocked one on one by carter they went straight to the bench. i'm just saying the C is a lot more important than everyone in this thread is acting like it is.


the point of the fact is, in the first 4 games this season, he will be getting help. very few centers CAN actually handle a dt one on one. think back to tommie harris. when you match a good dlineman against a good center, the dt will usually win. because all they have to do is stand their ground. they dont HAVE to put the center on his back all you have to do is clog the three holes zero through 2... you do that, you win. the reason harris was so good was he could line up in the 1 hole and still beat the olineman to the 2 hole on the snap by going through the lineman not around him.

i don't know how to explain it to you further. really, i don't.

[starclassic tama]

thank you for imparting your godly wisdom upon my inferior being

[Jello Biafra]

thank you for imparting your godly wisdom upon my inferior being

ok then. anything else i cant' change your mind about, let me know you'd like me to waste 4 hours of my life that ill never see again. you're right, we suck at oline right now, our center will never be as good as cooper. in fact, we'll be lucky to get 50 yards rushing a game.

welcome to ignore.

[starclassic tama]

i don't think the o-line will suck. trent williams and stephen good have a chance to be stars in my opinion. brian simmons has played well. it's just the center and other tackle position that are primary concerns.

[Boomer Mooner]

So, we're doomed then?

[soonerfan28]

I know its the off season so we have nothing better to do but our o-line will be fine. If people remember correctly our entire offense had to learn the no huddle last year and we were pretty decent doing that. It takes time for a o-line to gel and get comfortable w/the guy next to him. I have confindence in the fact that we have fielded some pretty good o-lines in the Bob Stoops era and that trend will continue.

[OU_Sooners75]

i remember the center position was pretty important in the '05 orange bowl. vince carter got abused and A.D. had nowhere to go. not the only reason we lost the game, but that's where it started. the center is the least of our worries? we don't have a single center on our roster that has a single game snap under his belt. you people can pump sunshine like no other. we have a few tackles and guards that have played significantly.

So we have ZERO CENTERS with game time experience?

WOW...thanks for showing us even more of your knowledge (or lack thereof) when it comes this team!

Habern in 2008 played in 3 games as a back up center to Jon Cooper before an ankle injury earned him a medical redshirt for last season! But do not take my word for it...

http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/habern_ben00.html

If I am not mistaken, Brian Lepak got some crucial playing time at Colorado State a couple of season's ago. Soonersports.com does not show it though, so I may be mistaken.

[starclassic tama]

so i have no knowledge of this team because i wasn't aware that a backup center stepped in to snap the ball to take a knee in 3 games. makes A LOT of sense. it's a little concerning how emotional some of you get over what i post, might want to have a mental health professional check that out. for the record i got hannon and habern confused, habern was the army all-american coming out of high school so hopefully he ends up being a really good player and isn't a liability early on.

[MojoRisen]

So Habern and Good can both Bench around 500 Pounds- We should be fine

What is the scoop on the 350 Pound Juco Transfer- He said he was recruited to start at tackle. We will see but I think our 2 deep will be pretty strong...

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

Once again...it is obvious to me and everyone else you have no clue what you are talking about.


1. The most important linemen would be the blindside tackle. He is the one responsible to protecting the QBs blindside. In OU's case, it was Loadholt, next year, most likely Williams (left tackle).


in the pros, yes. in college, it depends on your passing game. short game? meh. medium to long passes? yes.

the pros average around 65 plays - 30ish passes, 35ish runs

OU averages 85ish plays very rarely throwing over 30 times. this puts more emphasis on run blocking positions than pass blocking positions.



2. We do plenty of shotgun to erase any trouble that we may have on QB/Center exchanges. Also, the Center and QB work together to perfect their exhanges more than any other tangent on the team!

well, if this is the case, there shouldn't EVER be problems with any team on QB/Center exchanges. there should ever be dribbles or overthrows back to the shotgun.



3. In most schemes, the Center does call out the line audibles, but at the same time, you can have a guard or a tackle do the same damn thing. It is just easiest for the center to do it since, well, he is in the center of the line.

i agree, this is overrated. especially since the calls are coming in from the sideline



4. Jon Cooper was the leader of a very good OL. He is perhaps one of the best centers we have ever had here at OU. However, just because we are replacing the center does not mean we will lose another NC game or whatever.

as i said, you can't paint with a broadbrush Ws or Ls. the problem is that with a weak blocking center (example, vince carter), your run game production can come to a standstill (examples vs USC, UNT). the ability to block a DL 1 on 1 frees up blockers into the secondary. when you have to help with more than a chip you push down the probability of a play being successful as well as the expected yardage. this may sound like geek speak, but its what that big card the offensive coordinator carries around is all about - they have plays on 1st and 10 that they are expecting X yards out of to keep them on schedule.



5. We are replacing 4 OLinemen. That is going to be the biggest challenge early in the season. As a former OLinemen myself, I can tell you from experience, it will take a game or two for the Oline to gel and perform at their best.

well, even with experienced guys it has taken us longer than that to gel.

there is one caveat that i'd like to make about these 4 new OL. none of us knows how good they are going to be. this new center very well could be better than cooper, there is absolutely nothing at this point to go on. the point of this post was that a good blocking center is incredibly important for you to sustain consistent offensive output because it allows you to put more "hats on hats" at the point of the attack. as you well know, we are already outnumbered 11 on 9 with murray and 11 on 10 with brown. having to double team pushes us down one more man at the point of attack.


FYI...Habern was a more sought after center than Jon Cooper was. :eek: So I think we will be in great shape there....But with Hannan transferring, we will need to find a reliable backup!

and ataleo ford was infinitely more sought after than mark clayton. and rocky bright was more coveted than rocky calmus. what is your point?

[starclassic tama]

jkm takin' kids to school

[jdsooner]

He is leaving because he was not going to be a starter.


Jason Hannan, considered the top center prospect in the country coming out of high school in 2007, will leave Oklahoma and transfer to another school.

Hannan, out of Waxahachie, Texas, was recruited to be the heir to four-year starter Jon Cooper at center.

But this spring, Hannan fell behind redshirt freshman Ben Habern on the depth chart and was working with the second team at both guard and center.

Out of high school, Hannan was recruited heavily by Houston, which could be a choice of transfer. The Cougars are coached by former Sooner assistant Kevin Sumlin.

Colorado State transfer walk-on Brian Lepak is now backing up Habern at center.