Phil Steele has DeMarco @ 1st team AA RB

[Salt City Sooner]

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/22409/three-point-stance-a-coaching-army#comments


3. Phil Steele released his 2010 preseason All-American team Wednesday, and the most surprising member of the first team is Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray. Not because Murray lacks talent. He has been considered a can’t-miss prospect since he arrived in Norman from Las Vegas. But what Murray has missed is a lot of playing time because of injuries. Maybe he’s unlucky and this is his year. Or maybe he’s just injury-prone.

[ouleaf]

Murray has always had big shoes to fill being the next hyped RB after AD was the feature back at OU. I do worry that all the injuries and added weight/muscle have lost him a good amount of speed, but he still makes good cuts, is a pretty patient runner and is really good when catching the ball on swing and flat routes. Nobody is gonna be very effective back there if we don't get better blocking.

Would like to see us use him in I formation or Single Back formations if we are gonna run the ball. Don't think he has the acceleration to operate well out of shotgun formations. Hope that he is able to stay healthy this year and shows the NFL he can be a difference maker at the next level too.

[goingoneight]

In no way do I consider DeMarco overrated. In fact, I think he's been the most underrated player on our team in recent years.
That said, if I'm wanting just a smash-mouth runner, there's at least five guys I'd put ahead of him. DM gives you the added dimension, when healthy of shiftiness that compliments his power and speed, plus the guy can line up anywhere on the field. Ingram, Hunter and the like don't impress me in the passing game like DM does. Few do.

Again... health, opportunities... that's the difference between DM the Heisman candidate and DM the "we gotta get him the ball more" guy.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Look at the runningbacks he has listed...Couple of decent backs in there but its like a Mark Ingram and the other guys list

[stoops the eternal pimp]

and there really isnt any reason he can't be the 2nd or 3rd best college runningback...those 2-10 guys are all pretty similar as ability to be a college runningback...as far as NFL potential, I would have to move the list around

[NormanPride]

I think the kid from Pitt is the best RB out there right now.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Dion Lewis...Can carry the load...47 carries in one game...not big but compact...I like him better as an NFL back

[NormanPride]

Yeah, he's the reason I'm pumped about Roy Finch coming in. Same kind of guy.

[babyruth]

Numbers will drop for no other reason than he is going to split carries with numerous backs

[NormanPride]

He already shared with another back, though. If anything this year they should increase as he tries to prove to NFL types that he can be a feature back.

[RedstickSooner]

So, Phil Steele decided to base a pick on ability & play -- and ignore the fact that sometimes that player is hurt.

What a wildman this Steele is. Clearly, he, y'know, marches to the beat of a different drummer.

What a stupid knock people are trying to use against the pick. Anyone who has watched DM during his time in Norman knows full well he's an absolutely elite, top-echelon running back whose only glaring weaknesses are:

1) Somehow, strangely, in a full-contact sport in the most-contacted position, he's been hurt a few times.

2) He had the misfortune of following up Adrian Peterson, one of the all-time great backs at any level, and easily the best pure running back to come out of college in the past decade. I mean, unless you count fumbles. Which I choose not to. Call me a sunshine pumper if you must.

I've always been excited when DM is on the field, and I can't wait to watch him as our feature back this year. Obviously, you worry about injuries: But I worry about injuries for *every* player. I mean, we lost one of our all-time great tight ends before the season even started because his knee decided to spontaneously unravel. How unfair is that?

I have every confidence in DM, and fully believe he is 100% deserving of all-American status. Declaring the best players should be based on how they play, not whether injuries have barred them from playing.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

sunshine pumper

based on pure ability and talent alone, he is the mix with about 7 or 8 other guys...as a good college rb

as far as weaknesses go

He runs too upright at times, which opens him up for injuries

His field vision isn't quite on par with the elite backs

[Salt City Sooner]

Here's Steele's All Conference & All American teams. OU guys listed:

1st team All B12

RB- Murray
WR- Broyles
OG- Good
PR- Broyles
DE- Beal
DT- Taylor
LB- Lewis
S- Carter

2nd team All B12

OT- Brandon
P- Way

3rd team B12

QB- Jones
C- Habern
DT- McFarland

4th Team B12

OT- J. Jones
LB- R. Lewis


All Americans:

1st team- RB-DeMarco Murray & WR-R. Broyles
2nd team- LB- Travis Lewis
3rd team- DE- Jeremy Beal
4th team- PR- Ryan Broyles



http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/kan/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/steelepreseason.pdf

[Curly Bill]

Here's Steele's All Conference & All American teams. OU guys listed:

All Americans:

1st team- RB-DeMarco Murray & WR-R. Broyles
2nd team- LB- Travis Lewis
3rd team- DE- Jeremy Beal
4th team- PR- Ryan Broyles

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/kan/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/steelepreseason.pdf

I can buy the AA list except for Murray. Sorry, I just don't see it.

[AlbqSooner]

I can buy the AA list except for Murray. Sorry, I just don't see it.

Hopefully you will soon.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I can buy the AA list except for Murray. Sorry, I just don't see it.

Probably some more guys more deserving but oh well.. Good for dm

I forgot to mention in his weaknesses he needs to get in good enough shape he doesn't have to check himself out of the game so much

he is a patient runner, good receiver, slippery.. Good back

[JLEW1818]

i just think he looks slower every season... just me

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Me too but I hope he steps up this year.. I hope bets in good enough shape to not be tapping his helmet so much..

I think the potential still there

[Curly Bill]

i just think he looks slower every season... just me

I agree. I don't know if it's just the injuries, if it's Schmitty, or my actual guess is it's a combination of both.

[Collier11]

Doesnt matter, preaseason blah blah blah. Its all good for name recognition but all that matters is at the end of the year. If Murray has 1300 yds rushing, 500 receiving, and 15 TDs he will likely be an AA. If he has 800 yds rushing and 300 receiving he wont be.

I hope that he stays healthy, he has been one of my favs under Stoops when he has played

[Curly Bill]

In a sense we should just be happy that Sooners are mentioned for stuff like this -- even if some of us ourselves question the validity of it.

[Collier11]

Free publicity brother, I dont always believe some of what is written but it is still nice to hear. Also, if you dont think those that vote dont look at these type mags you are wrong, so if some writer happens to see his name in the mag and follow him a little more which leads to getting his vote, im all for it :D

[Collier11]

And ill tell ya, if anyone on this team should be getting pub it should be Landry Jones. Think about it, he had zero offensive line, from game to game we didnt know if our WRs could catch the ball, he had no running game for most of the year, and with all of this he had the best season of most any freshman QB in the country.

If we are a little better all the way around, Landry could have a huge year. I even heard them talking about him and the Heisman on ESPN, cereally

[gaylordfan1]

A consistant line is all I want. Doesn't have to be great, just the same group of guys out there every game that has solid fundamentals. Then all this pub will be earned.

[diegosooner]

I hope. That means the offensive line is decent.

[gaylordfan1]

Murray is a vetaren RB. I'm sure he went into last year focused to do his best but with intentions to leave if the deal was right. Now, with this being his last year, I would think the kid will be on a mission to showcase his name in a meaningful way... more than the years before. I think he feels he has something to prove to all the higher ups by not being in the talk to be taken in the draft (or not at a level worth going for). He will do what it takes to help his team win... and at the end of the day, thats all I want from our RB.

[Collier11]

Our Oline is the key, we couldnt push around Idaho st last year, that was embarrassing. We have got to be better, if not, the Oline coach has to go

[gaylordfan1]

Is the offensive line coach in charge of recruiting or just partially in charge? because I think recruiting is the problem. I know we go after what we need, but it seems we can't keep them here if we do get them. Maybe there are too many factors on this for us to go into, but maybe something needs polishing. A program like us SHOULD have a solid line EVERY year, not every 2-3 years. A good line EVERY year is better than a great line one year and a below avg line the other. I know we have a history of having good to great lines, but we also have a history of losing big prospects due to attrition.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I think the kid from Pitt is the best RB out there right now.he's a special runner, for sure.

[MiccoMacey]

If we are a little better all the way around, Landry could have a huge year. I even heard them talking about him and the Heisman on ESPN, cereally

Landry's going to have to improve his accuracy before I start throwing out his name like that. He was off target a whole bunch last year.

[rawlingsHOH]

Numbers will drop for no other reason than he is going to split carries with numerous backs

Why would they drop? He's done that his entire career.

[rawlingsHOH]

I agree. I don't know if it's just the injuries, if it's Schmitty, or my actual guess is it's a combination of both.
So does he get the credit for turning Mark Clayton from 4.6 to 4.4 and from Trent Williams from 5.0 to 4.7 too?

[NormanPride]

Landry's going to have to improve his accuracy before I start throwing out his name like that. He was off target a whole bunch last year.

You would too if your three step drop included a juke.

[MiccoMacey]

You would too if your three step drop included a juke.

My three step includes a tasty beverage, some fries, and a BBQ cheeseburger.

[NormanPride]

And I'm sure your accuracy is not in question. :D

[goingoneight]

Landry's going to have to improve his accuracy before I start throwing out his name like that. He was off target a whole bunch last year.

Sam was, too as a freshman. Difference was in the cast surrounding him. MK, for all the negativity thrown at him by Sooner fans who wanted him to stay... pwns Adron Tennell and BC. Sorry, it's just true.

How many times did we see the following:

2007: Sam overshoots WR slightly, MK lays out and hauls it in.

2009: Perfectly-thrown pass bobbled, deflected up for grabs and/or just dropped?

I honestly think if LJ works on the same things Sam did in between his first and second year (footwork), LJ could be as good as Jason White was. LJ's surrounding cast has to step it up as much as anything we "need" in 2010.

[Curly Bill]

So does he get the credit for turning Mark Clayton from 4.6 to 4.4 and from Trent Williams from 5.0 to 4.7 too?

Sure, sounds fair to me.

[Collier11]

Landry's going to have to improve his accuracy before I start throwing out his name like that. He was off target a whole bunch last year.

Landry completed 58% of his passes, id say its a safe bet that there were atleast 40 drops last year, that number is actually probably too low?

So lets say 40, if you add those in he woulda been a 67% passer. IF you just add in 20 and say that some drops are expected, well thats still a 63% passer as a Fresh with no Oline and no running game for much of the season

[stoops the eternal pimp]

in the offense they run at oklahoma, the qb's should have a percentage in the low to mid 60's...

but accuracy is more than completions and incompletions..its putting the receiver in a position to catch and be able to run with it...even with time and no pressure, he often threw it were the player couldnt catch it in stride..

that being said, he was a freshman for crying out loud...He's following up the best quarterback in college football...I've been harsh on him at times, but I think this year by the 4th or 5th game , it will be fare game to say certain parts of his game hasnt developed like it should..

the part of his game that I would like to see him get better at is getting rid of the ball at the right time..too many passes were INT'd or off target because he held the ball too long

[Collier11]

the part of his game that I would like to see him get better at is getting rid of the ball at the right time..too many passes were INT'd or off target because he held the ball too long

Better Oline play cures alot of this ^

[stoops the eternal pimp]

a little bit yes...but Im talking about designed rollout plays were the receiver is rolling with him and the db/lb is able to close on the receiver by the time he decides to release the ball...

[Collier11]

with 85 points scored Demarco will become the all time total points scored leader in OU history

He needs 15 Tds to become OUs all time total TD leader

He would need 1647 yards to become OUs all time leading rusher

Those are attainable, not easy but possible

[RedstickSooner]

To those of you who were saying DM just seems to have gotten slower each season, I sort of agree with you. However, it isn't so much that he runs slower to me, as that he runs like someone who has been hurt and doesn't fully trust his body. Like, he doesn't run with that reckless abandon you've got to have to be truly fast. He runs like a guy who doesn't want to get hurt again.

But that's a mental thing, so I'm always optimistic it'll go away.

[Collier11]

I think that is def it ^ He still tests well in the speed tests

[gaylordfan1]

^, I can see that... at times. I also think he puts his body on the line to make plays. A perfect example is when he is contained at the goal line and has no problem leaping over the pile into the endzone. That doesn't seem to scare him one bit. He always lands so awkwardly. Maybe he just makes it look harder than it actually is. He also isn't scared to put his helmet down and take the defenders off.

[Collier11]

he learned from the best!!!

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

To those of you who were saying DM just seems to have gotten slower each season, I sort of agree with you. However, it isn't so much that he runs slower to me, as that he runs like someone who has been hurt and doesn't fully trust his body. Like, he doesn't run with that reckless abandon you've got to have to be truly fast. He runs like a guy who doesn't want to get hurt again.

But that's a mental thing, so I'm always optimistic it'll go away.Agreed. He's thinking career possibilities, and that's understandable.

[goingoneight]

I know he's not a 4.4 guy anymore. He's gained weight. Muscle weight, but nevertheless, if you pack on any kind of weight and you're not allowed to work your lower body into your workout regimine like he's been the last two off-seasons on crutches, it slows you down. Period. Fact: he still makes plays no one else on the team does. He's still one of the most exciting playmakers of the Stoops era... and that's REALLY saying something.

[Collier11]

With a whole offseason to get reconditioned, I think he can get some of that speed back. High 4.4s and low to mid 4.5s is still really fast

[goingoneight]

It's hard to be that fast at 215, though. That's why those guys who do it in the NFL are considered such "freaks." I think he was only like 185/190ish when he took off for 65 against Texas. Two surgeries and 25-30 added pounds can slow you down. But again, he is young and has a full off-season to try and iron out the wrinkles finally.

[Collier11]

Lots of people are 4.4-4.5 and weigh more than that, agree about the surgeries though

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

It's hard to be that fast at 215, though. That's why those guys who do it in the NFL are considered such "freaks." I think he was only like 185/190ish when he took off for 65 against Texas. Two surgeries and 25-30 added pounds can slow you down. But again, he is young and has a full off-season to try and iron out the wrinkles finally.I was seeing Heisman after that run. The whole cows team looked as in slo-mo!

[rawlingsHOH]

To those of you who were saying DM just seems to have gotten slower each season, I sort of agree with you. However, it isn't so much that he runs slower to me, as that he runs like someone who has been hurt and doesn't fully trust his body. Like, he doesn't run with that reckless abandon you've got to have to be truly fast. He runs like a guy who doesn't want to get hurt again.

But that's a mental thing, so I'm always optimistic it'll go away.

It seemed to me Demarco was going out of his way looking for big collisions. Peterson style. He was much more physical last year than the prior 2 years.

[gaylordfan1]

^ I totally agree.

[MojoRisen]

Who has some highlight reels of Demarco so we can remember how awesome he is! 08 towards the middle and end of the season, he was unstoppable in the open field.

[Collier11]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zIVl4CaSEo

[Collier11]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCMP3ZDoRYo&feature=related

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zIVl4CaSEo2007. DeMarco was in the same league with AD and Marcus Dupree.

[Curly Bill]

2007. DeMarco was in the same league with AD and Marcus Dupree.

Oh, I don't know about that.

[rawlingsHOH]

2007. DeMarco was in the same league with AD and Marcus Dupree.

Maybe the breakaway threat, but nowhere near as physical. That's what makes those other two once-in-a-generation type players.

[Collier11]

Dont forget, one of these days ESPN will be showing the 30 for 30 about Dupree, I cant wait to see that

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Me neither

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Maybe the breakaway threat, but nowhere near as physical. That's what makes those other two once-in-a-generation type players.Yes, maybe the best breakaway threat, up there with Greg Pruitt.