A. Haywood...

[gaylordfan1]

http:///newsok.com/austin-haywood-could-work-way-into-sooners-tight-end-competition/article/3477460?custom_click=lead_story_title

Thought this was interesting... I think he will be a good player for us. I just don't know if he can come in as a fresh without going through spring workouts. Anyways, what do you guys think?

[goingoneight]

We'll just have to see what brand of 6'4, 250 he is. If it's a solid 250, we might see a bit of him worked into the lineup until he catches on like we did with Gresham. Seeing two walkons at TE tells me he's got a chance. Ratterree's game against Stanford goes right up there with Ryan Broyles scoring three TDs on them... it shouldn't shock anybody. In fact, given Stanford's weakness defensively was against the pass a year ago, the gameplan should have been obvious to just keep LJ upright, which we did.
I'm thinking we make another Brody out of Mensik and/or Ratterree and one of the true freshmen will be brought along with Hanna as the receiving TE.

[Mad Dog Madsen]

Link doesn't work for me...

[ratherthanlater]

Link doesn't work for me...

Last summer Austin Haywood didn't have any Division I scholarship offers. A year later, he might play a key role with the Sooners as a true freshman.

Austin Haywood smiles as he adjusts his OU hat after he signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Oklahoma Sooners. About a dozen Southmoore High School athletes signed letters of intent with colleges in and out of Oklahoma during a ceremony in the school's gymnasium Wednesday morning, Feb, 3, 2010. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

Austin Haywood could work way into Sooners' tight end competition
More Info
Austin Haywood

School: Southmoore

Position: Tight end

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 250 pounds

Senior stats

34 receptions, 578 yards, 12 TDs

33 carries, 134 yards, 8 TDs

73 tackles, 9 sacks, 2 Int.

When players report early next month one of the intriguing story lines: How quickly can Haywood work his way into the tight end competition?

"He has tremendous ability," said Southmoore coach Chris Jensen. "He's a very tenacious blocker and has great hands. If he buys in to what Schmitty (OU strength coach Jerry Schmidt) preaches he could play right away. And I think he will. He practices hard."

In modern day recruiting, Haywood is a rare exception, a potential All-Big 12 player that that didn't garner much interest until his senior season of high school.

Academics were an issue. But the primary reason Haywood flew under the radar is he never showcased his football skills until after he moved from Anadarko to Southmoore in his junior year.

Haywood, 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, arrived too late to play football as a junior but began drawing interest from D-I coaches before playing a down for the SaberCats. Opting to not play baseball for the first time, Haywood dedicated himself to Southmoore's spring football program.

"A lot of Division I coaches came through and noticed his size and stature," Jensen said. "You can tell a lot by watching a kid in practice, how he approaches the game during the drudgery of practice. Austin shows up. He goes hard all the time."

Despite being one of the stars at the Edmond Shootout, a 7-on-7 competition held in July, Haywood still had no D-I offers when the 2009 season started. It wasn't until October, late in the season, that offers flooded in.

"That's the thing about recruiting," Jensen said. "If a kid doesn't have offers as a junior they want to see him on film. I'm not knocking Anadarko, but 6A is a different level competition, gives (college) coaches a better idea what a player might do at the next level."

Haywood dominated on both sides of the ball. He recorded 34 catches for 578 yards and 20 touchdowns, including eight rushing touchdowns. He also compiled 73 tackles and nine sacks at defensive end.

When Haywood also showed improvement in the classroom, Baylor was the first to extend an offer. Other schools, including Arizona, quickly followed.

OU offered Haywood and Southmoore teammate Kendal Thompson following an Oct. 30 game against Moore in Week 9, a game OU coach Bob Stoops and assistants Kevin Wilson, Josh Heupel and Bobby Jack Wright attended.

Haywood scored four touchdowns. Thompson threw for four touchdowns.

"They both had outstanding games," Jensen said. "If you were going to show nerves it would be with the OU head coach standing there watching. But they didn't. They put on a show."

Haywood's goal is to play as a true freshman. But his primary focus this summer has been getting stronger and getting acclimated to the program.

"I played football my whole life but I just concentrated more on basketball," Haywood said. "I really didn't do many football drills growing up. After getting to Southmoore I realized I had a better chance to go Division I in football.

"I'm a little nervous. It's all new, a big campus, a big-time football program. But I feel I'm a playmaker who can make plays. I'm just going to work hard every day and see what happens."

Jensen coached four Division I tight ends during his years at Moore, including three who played at OU — Josh Tucker, Matt Anderson and Frank Romero.

"I thought a lot of all those kids, but Austin is 10 times the athlete any of those guys were," Jensen said. "He has so much upside. We still don't know what Austin can fully do. I really think he has a chance to win national awards just like (Jermaine) Gresham."

Quite an endorsement for a player who didn't have a Division I offer at this time last season.

Read more: http://newsok.com/austin-haywood-could-work-way-into-sooners-tight-end-competition/article/3477460?custom_click=lead_story_title#ixzz0u9RXg75 R

[oudavid1]

until after he moved from Anadarko to Southmoore in his junior year.

Southmoore dosnt recruit, noooooope, not at all! ;)

[Eielson]

We'll just have to see what brand of 6'4, 250 he is. If it's a solid 250, we might see a bit of him worked into the lineup until he catches on like we did with Gresham.

He's a solid 250. He's not as athletic as Gresham, but he still moves pretty well for his size, and he was nearly untackleable when I watched him in one of his playoff games. Assuming no character/grade issues, he'll be our starter, it's just a matter of when. If I can find the video, I'll post it later, but there was a play where he broke 5 or 6 tackles, and the defense looked absolutely terrified to get near him.

[AlbqSooner]

A father of one of his teammates at Southmoore commented that Haywood reminded him of Keith Jackson. Before anyone goes apoplectic, the teammate's father played sparingly at OU while Jackson was here.

Hopefully the kid can keep his academics in proper perspective AND realize his full potential as a Sooner TE.

[oudavid1]

i wish i could have seen KJ play, i wasnt really conceived yet, but Jermain Gresham was my KJ

[gaylordfan1]

So, Rat is the starter. Hanna is the backup. Mensik has made his way to the OL. Is it Lane Johnson that is the freakishly tall TE transfer that was a QB at a Juco? I really haven't heard anything about him. So, there is a good chance that Haywood may see the field this year, esp if he has a good fall.

[Widescreen]

So many people were talking up Hanna last year - he was supposed to be some kind of freak athlete. He didn't do much.

[oudavid1]

So many people were talking up Hanna last year - he was supposed to be some kind of freak athlete. He didn't do much.

Heard that!


But Lane is the same height as Jermain was so hopefully he gets the speed and hands part down too. Also heard of him (Lane) as a FB as well

[goingoneight]

I think Crow and Musil are your fullbacks for this year. TE is a mystery. I want to believe Ratterree is going to end up being a Mark Bradley-kinda story, but his best moment as a Sooner was not exactly what I would call standard procedure for a TE. They don't spend two-a-days telling you how to chase down a recovered fumble and strip the opponent. That was just a great job by an unheard of hero. Like Gutierrez running all over Baylor when AD and AP went down in 2005. The people who bitched about Jermaine Gresham's hands are gonna be eating crow this fall when he's a starter in the NFL... and need look no further than the truckloads of dropped passes OUr TEs had thrown their way last year.