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8/10/2006, 08:32 AM
Clayton accepts tough task
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
8/10/2006
http://www.tulsaworld.com/images/2006/060810_B1_Clayt2567_b1keenan10.jpg
Keenan Clayton
The 6-foot-2, 216-pound redshirt freshman is "a great hitter," OU head coach Bob Stoops says.
The Sooners turn to the redshirt freshman to start at strong safety position.
NORMAN -- Oklahoma freshman Keenan Clayton showed up for football camp last week, and allowed himself the biggest grin he'd worn all summer.
He had been named the Sooners' first-team strong safety.
A few days later, however, reality set in. The smile dissipated by the gravity of his mission.
"We've missed a real physical presence in the secondary since 2003," OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said.
Enter Clayton, a 6-2, 216-pounder whose job is to link the Sooners to their recent past, when Brandon Everage and Derrick Strait buzzed around knocking heads, ramming shoulders and cutting legs.
It seems it can be done.
"He's a great hitter," OU coach Bob Stoops said of Clayton, "in that mold of the good, strong hitters we've had at safety."
"He's explosive, with great range," Venables said. "He's one of the best (conditioning) testers of anybody on our defense. His strength, his running, his change of direction, his vertical (jump), it's off the charts."
But will it be done?
Four years ago, another physically gifted Sooner freshman tried picking up where Roy Williams
left off at strong safety. But the light never really came on for Eric Bassey, and he spent the last three years as a reserve.
"Sometimes young people that haven't been out there very much get overwhelmed from a mental standpoint," Venables said, "and they can have daily meltdowns."
Five practices in with Clayton?
"He's yet to have one," Venables reported. "It's obvious he must have been studying (over the summer) to get the mental part down because he's playing fast right now.
"It's tough, but he gets it."
Most of the time, anyway.
"Today I had a few busts," Clayton admitted after Sunday's practice. "Like, we ran a play in a (3-deep coverage) look and I didn't pick up a receiver coming across the middle. I knew I was supposed to be there, I just didn't recognize it fast enough.
"But it's coming to me. I'll get it."
Clayton has been making strides since reporting to OU as Rivals' No. 3-rated safety in high school. He redshirted -- "I wasn't learning fast enough, and personally, I wouldn't put anyone on the field that wasn't learning fast enough" -- and then pushed senior Jason Carter at strong safety last spring.
After his studious summer, and with OU's conditioning test confirming his physical prowess, Clayton made his latest move last week.
"I didn't come in expecting anything, so I wouldn't be all, 'Dang, I'm not running with the (starters),' " he said. "I decided no matter what group I'm with I was going to go as hard as I can.
"But yeah, I did have a big grin on my face."
The Sooners have been smiling, too.
"He's way ahead of the curve," Venables said of Clayton. "He's in great position."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guerin Emig 581-8355
[email protected]
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
8/10/2006
http://www.tulsaworld.com/images/2006/060810_B1_Clayt2567_b1keenan10.jpg
Keenan Clayton
The 6-foot-2, 216-pound redshirt freshman is "a great hitter," OU head coach Bob Stoops says.
The Sooners turn to the redshirt freshman to start at strong safety position.
NORMAN -- Oklahoma freshman Keenan Clayton showed up for football camp last week, and allowed himself the biggest grin he'd worn all summer.
He had been named the Sooners' first-team strong safety.
A few days later, however, reality set in. The smile dissipated by the gravity of his mission.
"We've missed a real physical presence in the secondary since 2003," OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said.
Enter Clayton, a 6-2, 216-pounder whose job is to link the Sooners to their recent past, when Brandon Everage and Derrick Strait buzzed around knocking heads, ramming shoulders and cutting legs.
It seems it can be done.
"He's a great hitter," OU coach Bob Stoops said of Clayton, "in that mold of the good, strong hitters we've had at safety."
"He's explosive, with great range," Venables said. "He's one of the best (conditioning) testers of anybody on our defense. His strength, his running, his change of direction, his vertical (jump), it's off the charts."
But will it be done?
Four years ago, another physically gifted Sooner freshman tried picking up where Roy Williams
left off at strong safety. But the light never really came on for Eric Bassey, and he spent the last three years as a reserve.
"Sometimes young people that haven't been out there very much get overwhelmed from a mental standpoint," Venables said, "and they can have daily meltdowns."
Five practices in with Clayton?
"He's yet to have one," Venables reported. "It's obvious he must have been studying (over the summer) to get the mental part down because he's playing fast right now.
"It's tough, but he gets it."
Most of the time, anyway.
"Today I had a few busts," Clayton admitted after Sunday's practice. "Like, we ran a play in a (3-deep coverage) look and I didn't pick up a receiver coming across the middle. I knew I was supposed to be there, I just didn't recognize it fast enough.
"But it's coming to me. I'll get it."
Clayton has been making strides since reporting to OU as Rivals' No. 3-rated safety in high school. He redshirted -- "I wasn't learning fast enough, and personally, I wouldn't put anyone on the field that wasn't learning fast enough" -- and then pushed senior Jason Carter at strong safety last spring.
After his studious summer, and with OU's conditioning test confirming his physical prowess, Clayton made his latest move last week.
"I didn't come in expecting anything, so I wouldn't be all, 'Dang, I'm not running with the (starters),' " he said. "I decided no matter what group I'm with I was going to go as hard as I can.
"But yeah, I did have a big grin on my face."
The Sooners have been smiling, too.
"He's way ahead of the curve," Venables said of Clayton. "He's in great position."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guerin Emig 581-8355
[email protected]