Cornerback practicing at receiver, too
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
8/19/2006
Sooner coaches look to get '15-20 plays a game' from Reggie Smith.
NORMAN -- Forgive Reggie Smith for running a little wild at Oklahoma football practice last week.
"He came back and gave (safety) Keenan Clayton a crackback block," OU wide receivers coach Kevin Sumlin said. "He ran back to the huddle with Keenan yelling at him. About 10 minutes later, he was over on defense hitting our (receivers). He was having a good time."
His wish had come true. Smith, the Sooners' starting cornerback, was approached by coaches last Monday about doubling at receiver.
"They had mentioned it before," Smith said, "but I never thought it would actually happen."
It's happening.
"We're experimenting a little bit to see if he can handle it," Sumlin said. "If he can, we can get 15-20 plays a game out of him.
"It's not an every-down deal. But he is a guy that could be a third-down receiver for us."
Smith has played this dual role before. He caught 47 passes for 607 yards and eight touchdowns as an Edmond Santa Fe senior in 2004. He scored 37 times as a running back/wideout his junior and senior years combined.
Of course, Smith was also ESPN.com's No. 4-rated prep cornerback in
the nation. And when OU signed him, it was to patrol the secondary.
The Sooners plugged Smith in at safety last season, then moved him to cornerback and made him their kick returner last spring. They were tapping into his talent reserve a little at a time.
The move to receiver is just the next step in that process.
"People want to compare it to Andre Woolfolk," Stoops said of OU's receiver-turned-cornerback from 1999-02. "To me, (Smith) is much more natural at it than Andre was. He's a legitimate receiver, the way he runs and catches and what he can do with (the ball) after he has it."
"He's got great speed. He hasn't dropped a ball yet. He's a great competitor," quarterback Paul Thompson said. Make no mistake, Smith's primary focus remains defense. But with backup corners Lendy Holmes and Marcus Walker enjoying productive camps, the Sooners feel secure turning Smith over to the offense. For cameos at least.
"We just have to find the right balance for him," Stoops said.
Sumlin's 15-20 plays suits Smith fine for now. It beats the zero he was in on before last week.
"I'm going to make the best of it," Smith said.
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Guerin Emig 581-8355
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