Freshmen talk...

[gaylordfan1]

Is it me or are we hearing a lot more about our freshmen this year being contributors early?

http://www.newsok.com/article/3483489

http://newsok.com/ou-insider-freshmen-who-could-make-an-impact/article/3483598?custom_click=lead_story_title

I like to hear this about Jefferson, sounds impressive.

[goingoneight]

People are skeptical about our team overall; so they're taking what Stoops said and they're running with it. I don't doubt Stoops is impressed, but I do doubt Stills as the #2 guy, Finch taking the #2 RB spot and Blake Bell doing anything but redshirting til I see it happen. There's only so much a freshman can get in two-a-days that they'll have to be a stud on an AD/Tommie Harris level to unseat the guys who either are next in line and/or actually played last year.
I think it's great when we have guys immediately ready, but remember that is is still a rare thing.

[BoulderSooner79]

I'd love to see lots of these FR get experience this season. Probably not much PT, but in practice, ST and mop-up. I see this as a tweener year, building up to potential title runs in '11 and '12. Some guys in this class are going to be key to that and the really good ones won't be here 5 years, so a redshirt will not buy anything.

[sooner59]

Judging from the guys we have right now and the way we are recruiting lately, I would say we will be title contenders for the next 4 years or so. Its up to the players to live up the the hype and their potential. Barring injury of course. (knock on wood)

[BoulderSooner79]

I don't really see us as (national) title contender this season, but it wouldn't pisz me off.

[SoonerSoph]

Watch Finch's film and you'll see why he impresses.

And for some magical reason, all of these freshmen seem to be EXTREMELY hard workers and are more physically mature than previous classes.

Stoops has said on multiple occasions that he thinks this is the best class he's brought in.

[delhalew]

It seems every few years we see ONE freshman ready to hit the field. I don't recall ever hearing about several in one year...add Wort who was expected to contribute last year and it really is incredible.

[goingoneight]

Stoops has said on one occasion that he thinks this is one of the best class he's brought in.

FIFY. :)

Keep in mind that the 2006 class had a few guys by the names of McCoy, Gresham, Bradford, Franks, Murray, Brown, and I believe TW.

The 99 class was ready to rock and roll early, too.

I like that Finch is wearing #22. :D

[NormanPride]

I think Stoops and his staff have changed their philosophy on starting youngsters. It looks a lot like they're throwing the kids out there to see what works.

I've heard lots of good things about Bell, but he's a couple years away hopefully. I'd hate to have him start even next year...

[adoniijahsooner]

Here is another freshman that Stoops is waxing eloquent about....Trey Millard.


“He’s unheralded with this recruiting class because the position isn’t a guy who gets the headlines,” Stoops said. “But he’s probably one of the best athletes we got in this freshman class, his ability to run, his size and strength. He catches the ball great, really fluid.

“Trey is going to be a really good player for us. He does all of it well. You know we love those kind of guys. He’s as good as any we’ve had there coming in (to the program). Hopefully he continues to progress.”

The list goes on and on....Last year Stoops mentioned Hurst in camp, and Hurst was as advertised...I trust stoops when he says that this class is phenomenal, and there are 29 of them.

[gaylordfan1]

I like that Finch is wearing #22. :D

I wonder if that was done on purpose or if it just happened that way. Clay got #21, his HS #. I believe Finches was #24, which is taken by Miller.

[adoniijahsooner]

Finch and Clay both wore number 24 in high school. Speaking of Finch, he became another nail for the "Hammer"!!


"Ronnell Lewis, 'The Hammer' as usual, hit little Roy Finch. I felt for him," OU running back Jonathan Miller said of a recent practice scene. "Ronnell is every bit of a man."

He's a 240-pound human torpedo. Finch is a 180-pound freshman who has been with the Sooners for five practices.

" 'The Hammer' came in in true effect. But (Finch) got back up," running backs coach Cale Gundy said proudly. "Roy said, 'It was 'The Hammer.' It wasn't 'The Sledgehammer.' I said, 'That's good. I like that.' "

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20100810_92_B1_CUTLIN134001

[Soonermagik]

Let's face the facts, Stoops was mad about what happened last season. I'm willing to bet he promised himself that more freshmen would play in case of injuries from now on.

This way, if Jones goes down he will put Bell in. I think Bell is going in when OU starts hammering teams. He wants to do the same thing with young running backs, DB's, LB's etc. More of these guys will play special teams and go in during blowouts. Stoops learned his lesson from last year.

[BoulderSooner79]

I swear Ronnell is channeling the 1974 version of Rod Shoate. We've had many good LBs at OU over the years, but I haven't seen that same explosion as Shoate had until now. So many big hits are from guys that launch themselves or have the ball carrier in an unusually vulnerable situation. These hits are not repeatable. Rod hit that way as just a natural part of making a routine tackle while he was in total control. I've only seen snippets from R. Lewis, but he seems to have that same gift.