GDC
12/31/2005, 09:18 AM
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OU Notebook: Wyatt leaving?
By JOHN E. HOOVER AND GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writers
12/31/2005
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It appears Oklahoma wide receivers coach / passing game coordinator Darrell Wyatt may soon be joining Chuck Long's staff at San Diego State as the Aztecs' offensive coordinator.
Just before Thursday night's Holiday Bowl, Long said he had "no interest" in taking assistants from OU's staff, but a source in San Diego said it could happen early next week.
Asked Friday morning if he planned to talk to Wyatt about coming aboard, Long simply said, "I can't talk about it right now."
Wyatt's departure would be a blow on two fronts. He has gotten proven results from his wideouts since joining Bob Stoops' staff in 2002 -- '05 OU graduates Mark Clayton, Mark Bradley and Brandon Jones are all contributing in the NFL -- and he is one of Stoops' most valuable recruiters.
Gutierrez gone: Running back Jacob Gutierrez left San Diego on crutches after tearing a ligament in his left knee covering a kickoff Thursday. He will have surgery to repair the injury.
Last Oct. 29, Gutierrez dislocated his elbow while covering a kickoff at Nebraska.
"I've been running with the football all my life," he said, "and it's kickoffs that are killing me."
Medical center: Freshman center Jon Cooper, who suffered
a dislocation and break of his right ankle at Texas Tech Nov. 19, may return in time for spring practice. At least in some capacity.
"We'll be smart in how much he'll do. That'll be one of those situations that depends on how he's feeling," Stoops said. "We know he's a good player. We're not going to take a chance on him getting hurt. But if he's ready to go, he'll go."
Stoops said sophomore cornerback Marcus Walker would have another offseason surgery to repair the shoulder Walker injured in preseason and tried to play through.
Maybe next year: There was a lot of preseason talk that the Sooners would involve running back Adrian Peterson in the passing game. Turns out that's all it was.
Peterson's 8-yard reception Thursday night marked his first catch since OU's second game of the year, against Tulsa Sept. 10. Peterson dropped what should have been a second catch midway through the second quarter, when Kevin Wilson called a blitz-beating delayed middle screen that could have gone for big yardage had Peterson held on.
Next year, with Runnels and Jones (who made a combined 30 receptions in '05) gone, Peterson may automatically become OU's most viable pass-catching option out of the backfield.
Many sad returns: In his final Sooner appearance, Jejuan Rankins returned four Oregon punts for 44 yards Thursday.
The contribution was nice, but the fact that it represented a season-high yardage total underscores the dropoff OU has suffered since losing Bradley, Clayton and Antonio Perkins.
Besides their punt return slump, the Sooners reached 100 yards on kickoff returns in just two games all season (an even 100 against Kansas State, and 126 on eight returns against Texas). OU's longest kickoff return was Reggie Smith's 43-yarder at UCLA Sept. 17.
OU Notebook: Wyatt leaving?
By JOHN E. HOOVER AND GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writers
12/31/2005
View in Print (PDF) Format
It appears Oklahoma wide receivers coach / passing game coordinator Darrell Wyatt may soon be joining Chuck Long's staff at San Diego State as the Aztecs' offensive coordinator.
Just before Thursday night's Holiday Bowl, Long said he had "no interest" in taking assistants from OU's staff, but a source in San Diego said it could happen early next week.
Asked Friday morning if he planned to talk to Wyatt about coming aboard, Long simply said, "I can't talk about it right now."
Wyatt's departure would be a blow on two fronts. He has gotten proven results from his wideouts since joining Bob Stoops' staff in 2002 -- '05 OU graduates Mark Clayton, Mark Bradley and Brandon Jones are all contributing in the NFL -- and he is one of Stoops' most valuable recruiters.
Gutierrez gone: Running back Jacob Gutierrez left San Diego on crutches after tearing a ligament in his left knee covering a kickoff Thursday. He will have surgery to repair the injury.
Last Oct. 29, Gutierrez dislocated his elbow while covering a kickoff at Nebraska.
"I've been running with the football all my life," he said, "and it's kickoffs that are killing me."
Medical center: Freshman center Jon Cooper, who suffered
a dislocation and break of his right ankle at Texas Tech Nov. 19, may return in time for spring practice. At least in some capacity.
"We'll be smart in how much he'll do. That'll be one of those situations that depends on how he's feeling," Stoops said. "We know he's a good player. We're not going to take a chance on him getting hurt. But if he's ready to go, he'll go."
Stoops said sophomore cornerback Marcus Walker would have another offseason surgery to repair the shoulder Walker injured in preseason and tried to play through.
Maybe next year: There was a lot of preseason talk that the Sooners would involve running back Adrian Peterson in the passing game. Turns out that's all it was.
Peterson's 8-yard reception Thursday night marked his first catch since OU's second game of the year, against Tulsa Sept. 10. Peterson dropped what should have been a second catch midway through the second quarter, when Kevin Wilson called a blitz-beating delayed middle screen that could have gone for big yardage had Peterson held on.
Next year, with Runnels and Jones (who made a combined 30 receptions in '05) gone, Peterson may automatically become OU's most viable pass-catching option out of the backfield.
Many sad returns: In his final Sooner appearance, Jejuan Rankins returned four Oregon punts for 44 yards Thursday.
The contribution was nice, but the fact that it represented a season-high yardage total underscores the dropoff OU has suffered since losing Bradley, Clayton and Antonio Perkins.
Besides their punt return slump, the Sooners reached 100 yards on kickoff returns in just two games all season (an even 100 against Kansas State, and 126 on eight returns against Texas). OU's longest kickoff return was Reggie Smith's 43-yarder at UCLA Sept. 17.