Here is an 07 projection for OU

[BOOMERBRADLEY]

http://www.nationalchamps.net/2007/earlybird/teams/oklahoma.htm


OFFENSE: Paul Thompson-QB, Chris Messner-OT
DEFENSE: Larry Birdine-DE, C.J. Ah You-DE, Calvin Thibodeaux-DE, Zach Latimer-MLB, Rufus Alexander-WLB, Jason Carter-SS


Running Back/Secondary
Will he stay or will he go? Adrian Peterson that is. Likely the Heisman frontrunner if he chooses to remain in Norman. The secondary has too many stars to start mentioning them here.



Quarterback/Defensive Front
The Brett Romar saga in August left senior Paul Thompson at the helm. He departs, and the QB battle this spring will be the most interesting since Jason White left - between freshmen who have yet to take a college snap. BIG names depart from the strength of the 2006 team, the defensive front.



RB Adrian Peterson CB Reggie Smith



* DEPTH CHARTS were only designed as a simplistic gauge for listing players that departed and players that received the most playing experience (consistent starters). NationalChamps.net recognizes the importance of missing personnel data not listed such as redshirts, transfers, injuries, incoming recruits, back ups and alternates. Their coverage will begin with our full 2007 Preseason Preview due out this coming spring.

OKLAHOMA 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key Players
OFFENSE
QB Joey Halzle-Jr ..
RB Adrian Peterson-Sr Allen Patrick-Sr / Chris Brown-So
WR Malcolm Kelly-Jr ..
WR Manuel Johnson-Jr Fred Strong-Jr
WR Juaquin Iglesias-Jr ..
TE Joe Jon Finley-Sr Brody Eldridge-So / Jermaine Gresham-So
OT .. ..
OG George Robinson-Jr ..
C Jon Cooper-Jr ..
OG Brandon Walker-Jr ..
OT Trent Williams-So Brandon Braxton-Jr
K Garrett Hartley-Sr ..

DEFENSE
DE .. ..
DT Steven Coleman-Sr Carl Pendleton-Sr
DT Cory Bennett-Jr DeMarcus Granger-So
DE Alonzo Dotson-Sr ..
SLB Curtis Lofton-Jr Demarrio Pleasant-Sr
MLB .. ..
WLB Lewis Baker-Sr ..
CB Marcus Walker-Sr ..
CB Lendy Holmes-Jr D.J. Wolfe-Sr
SS Reggie Smith-Jr Keenan Clayton-So
FS Darien Williams-Sr Nic Harris-Jr
P Michael Cohen-Sr Mike Knall-Jr


QUICK ANALYSIS
So, will he stay or will he go? Surely, if Adrian Peterson surprises everyone (who originally felt - all the way back in 2004 – that the star freshman at the time would only be around for three seasons) and decides to return for his senior year, Oklahoma starts out as a top five team when kickoffs begin next fall. Even if he chooses to leave for the NFL, his injury at the midway point of 2006 gave Allen Patrick and Chris Brown significant playing time carrying the pigskin. Patrick looks to be a more than capable replacement, but he certainly won't garner the Heisman consideration Peterson would. Saying the QB situation is the key to the team’s prognosis would be an understatement. Who is driving this Cadillac? Sooner faithful seem to believe the job is between redshirt freshman Sam Bradford and incoming freshman Keith Nichol. Neither has seen a snap at the college level. Whoever it may be, the newbie will be truly blessed with a plethora of surrounding offensive talent, but conversely OU was103rd for turnovers lost. The receivers are all back and the only loss on the OL is All-Big 12 tackle Chris Messner. Most all of the returning starters are underclassmen to boot. Bob Stoops has built a solid foundation for the future. Defensively the breakdown is not quite as exuberant. Big, big names are moving on - C.J. Ah You, Larry Birdine, Calvin Thibodeaux, Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer were a big part of Oklahoma's defensive success. With recruiting being one of Stoops major assets, the drop off is not likely to be so detrimental. DTs Coleman, Bennett and Granger represent some of the best the Big 12 has to offer. The strength of this team is their secondary. Upwards of six different players are worthy of preseason All-Conference recognition. The Sooners tied for 11th in the country in passes intercepted. Players responsible for 12 of those 17 picks dot the current depth chart above. OU had a down year the past two seasons by Sooner standards, and one of those (2006) included a conference championship. So what's left? A national championship? Certainly this can possibly be attained with at least a decent QB.





OKLAHOMA
2007 SCHEDULE

9-1 North Texas
9-8 Miami FL
9-15 Utah State
9-22 @ Tulsa
9-29 @ Colorado
10-6 Texas @Dallas, TX
10-13 Missouri
10-20 @ Iowa State
10-27 Oklahoma State
11-3 Texas A&M
11-10 Baylor
11-17 @ Texas Tech

[The Maestro]

Wow...our schedule looks fairly simple next year. Road games at Colorado, Iowa State and Texas Tech don't look too tough. Oh, sorry about that. You, too, Tulsa.

Whaddya know? Prolly comes down to Texas.

[8timechamps]

I must be living under a rock, I didn't realize we had Miami next year. Maybe a little payback for the 80's.

[Stitch Face]

I really don't see how North Texas can be projected as a 9-1 team next year considering how they did in '06, or ATM going 11-3 for that matter despite beating Texas. And Miami 9-8? I guess that makes sense when you look at their record this season.

Texas easily could go 10-6, while 9-29 sounds about right for CU with the way they're playing. And 10-27 for OSU? Same old Aggie.



I do think the NCAA is adding too many games on to the season, though.

[dolemitesooner]

I really don't see how North Texas can be projected as a 9-1 team next year considering how they did in '06, or ATM going 11-3 for that matter despite beating Texas. And Miami 9-8? I guess that makes sense when you look at their record this season.

Texas easily could go 10-6, while 9-29 sounds about right for CU with the way they're playing. And 10-27 for OSU? Same old Aggie.



I do think the NCAA is adding too many games on to the season, though.
:D

[pb4ou]

I really don't see how North Texas can be projected as a 9-1 team next year considering how they did in '06, or ATM going 11-3 for that matter despite beating Texas. And Miami 9-8? I guess that makes sense when you look at their record this season.

Texas easily could go 10-6, while 9-29 sounds about right for CU with the way they're playing. And 10-27 for OSU? Same old Aggie.



I do think the NCAA is adding too many games on to the season, though.

Hey Genious, those are the dates. :rolleyes:

[Stitch Face]

Hey Genious, those are the dates. :rolleyes:

Oh. Oh! Oh.

Boy, is my face pinkish-purple!:O

Thanks!

[noose7699]

I really don't see how North Texas can be projected as a 9-1 team next year considering how they did in '06, or ATM going 11-3 for that matter despite beating Texas. And Miami 9-8? I guess that makes sense when you look at their record this season.

Texas easily could go 10-6, while 9-29 sounds about right for CU with the way they're playing. And 10-27 for OSU? Same old Aggie.



I do think the NCAA is adding too many games on to the season, though.

um..... Assume you are joking? :) Those are the dates of the games, not the records.... But it is fun to watch the (co)canes get kicked around a bit, specially in Norman. :D

[noose7699]

Ok, someone beat me to correcting you. :D. But it wouldn't surprise me if the pokes did go 10-27, however.. :) But I am sure they will be happy as long as one of the wins is against the Sooners. which it won't be. ;)

[soonerboomer93]

I must be living under a rock, I didn't realize we had Miami next year. Maybe a little payback for the 80's.

Home and home was announced in august.

We play @Miami in 2008

[The Consumate Showman]

These positions should be filled as follows:

OT...(Phil Loadholt: 6'9", 385...s c a r y...)

MLB...(Mike Reed: now a 5 star recruit and the #2 or #3 overall JUCO in the nation)
WLB...Lewis Baker[no] try Ryan Reynolds here.[pretty sure he plays this, right?help?]

[JohnnyMack]

If Loadholt can step in at LT our line will be fine.

I still don't think Halzle evar starts a game for OU.

[Harry Beanbag]

I would imagine Braxton will be the starting LT next year.

[TrophyCollector]

OT...(Phil Loadholt: 6'9", 385...s c a r y...)


WHOLLY F'ING RIB CRIB Showman, who is this dude? where'd he come from? That is one big load of mama's cornbread and sausage gravy comin at ya.

[JohnnyMack]

I would imagine Braxton will be the starting LT next year.

Either or.

[Harry Beanbag]

Did that article really say Brett Romar or did you change it? That's awesome. :)

[St. Louis Sooner]

No open dates next year ... I wonder if that'll actually help us? I also noticed that the osu game is not over Thanksgiving. I kinda liked us playing on that weekend, BUT it would be nice to have an open date before the B12 championship.

As for our players:

-- I pray none of our OL gets banged up and/or leaves before the season begins.

-- Does anyone here feel strange that we're losing most of our speed+power starters (i.e. - DE and LB)?

-- Here's to a healthy off-season after the Fiesta

[BOOMERBRADLEY]

Did that article really say Brett Romar or did you change it? That's awesome. :)

That's what it said, I caught it and was hoping someone would bring it up :D

[Salt City Sooner]

Home and home was announced in august.

We play @Miami in 2008
'09. We go to UDub in '08.

[soonerboomer93]

30/75% we go to Udub in '08

but thanks for for correct when we play @Miami

[Texas Golfer]

I, too, noticed that there weren't any open dates.

[douxpaysan]

Hey Genious, those are the dates. :rolleyes:
Did you just misspel gennious? Every hillbilly knows it has to n's, like nebraskyan.http://espn.starwave.com/media/ncf/2004/0419/photo/a_callahan_i.jpg

[SouthFortySooner]

"The Big Load" comes to us via LSU. Because of an academic breaddown.

[lexsooner]

Halzle at QB? I thought the word was he is not very good, and it will likely be Bradford or the Nichol recruit from Michigan taking over the starting job.

Also, doesn't DE John Williams have another year? Last season before he got hurt, he looked like a rising star. He should have been listed in the mix at DE. In fact, if he is coming back, he should be penciled in as a starter.

From position to position and depth wise, this looks like the most young talent Stoops has had in his tenure at OU. If we can get a qb who has poise and can execute without a lot of mistakes, we should be legit national title contenders in 2007 and 2008.

[mrowl]

No open dates next year ...

When the aggy bowl game moves to thanksgiving, that will give us an open date.

[stoopified]

Did that article really say Brett Romar or did you change it? That's awesome. :)Heh

[Stitch Face]

Now that I look at it again I'm pretty sure those are the projected records, not the dates.

We usually play OSU on thanksgiving weekend, and "10-27" isn't Thanksgiving. And there are no "open dates" or bye weeks or whatever you call them, so it's probably not our season schedule.

And the projected records look pretty accurate, other than the exceptions I mentioned.

I think this will work in our favor since OSU always gets up big time to play us. Since we play them last or second-to-last each year they should be pretty beat down after playing 30-some games when they get to us.

[mrowl]

Now that I look at it again I'm pretty sure those are the projected records, not the dates.

We usually play OSU on thanksgiving weekend, and "10-27" isn't Thanksgiving. And there are no "open dates" or bye weeks or whatever you call them, so it's probably not our season schedule.

And the projected records look pretty accurate, other than the exceptions I mentioned.

I think this will work in our favor since OSU always gets up big time to play us. Since we play them last or second-to-last each year they should be pretty beat down after playing 30-some games when they get to us.

now I know you are joking....

(psssst... every year our schedule says we play osu early, then it is moved by the big12 to thanksgiving)

[Stitch Face]

now I know you are joking....

(psssst... every year our schedule says we play osu early, then it is moved by the big12 to thanksgiving)

:confused:

I don't know what you mean.

There is no humor or sarcasm on the internet without smileys.

[sooneron]

Loadholt is a juco. They missed J Williams and Adron Tennell.

[birddog]

Did you just misspel gennious? Every hillbilly knows it has to n's, like nebraskyan.http://espn.starwave.com/media/ncf/2004/0419/photo/a_callahan_i.jpg

actually, he did misspell genius but it's all good. gennius, gennious all the same, i suppose.

[OK2LA]

um..... Assume you are joking?


You assume he was joking?

Really?

What was your first clue? Stitch thinking okie state was playing 37 games?

Both of you guys need to turn up your sarcasm alerts - One Saturday w/out football, and you guys are falling on your faces . . . stitchfaces. :D

[Stitch Face]

Guys, let's all quit beating around the bush and say what we're really thinking here:


OK2LA, show us the full pic of your avvy.

[josh09]

Wow...our schedule looks fairly simple next year. Road games at Colorado, Iowa State and Texas Tech don't look too tough. Oh, sorry about that. You, too, Tulsa.

Whaddya know? Prolly comes down to Texas.


Agreed. The hardest games seem to be tejas and tech. If we get by those 2, and Halzle is at least an average quarterback, we should be VERY good.

[Stitch Face]

Agreed. The hardest games seem to be tejas and tech. If we get by those 2, and Halzle is at least an average quarterback, we should be VERY good.

I bet Nichol starts.

[OK2LA]

Guys, let's all quit beating around the bush and say what we're really thinking here:


OK2LA, show us the full pic of your avvy.

That's all she sent me. I could describe it to ya, but I'm no Ansel Adams with the keyboard. :D

[JohnnyMack]

now I know you are joking....

(psssst... every year our schedule says we play osu early, then it is moved by the big12 to thanksgiving)

They don't get to move it every year. I think it's 2 out of every 4 years that it has to be played on that date. Or something like that.

[boomrsoonr]

How come OSU isn't the last game of the season?

[The Consumate Showman]

WHOLLY F'ING RIB CRIB Showman, who is this dude? where'd he come from? That is one big load of mama's cornbread and sausage gravy comin at ya.


Not from LSU. Yes, a JUCO. From Garden City Community College in Kansas. Was the runner-up "Mr. Basketball" in the state of Colorado his senior year. Here goes on his recruitment...btw, this is a "basic-bare-bones" rundown and there are some holes here, but you get the jest of him over this:

Was recruited to go to...can't pull it off the top of my head right now...maybe Georgia...didn't qualify, went to GCCC, was recruited again, this time by LSU...couldn't qualify because of their credit requirements, was going back to GCCC and talked to one of his old friends from high school, DJ Wolfe, and decided to commit to OU. Think there was a year that he didn't get recruited by anyone between his true frosh year and original school and the year he was recruited by LSU.

Anyway, he is a monster and looks to be pretty darn athletic, too. Maybe he gets the nod for Messner's spot, maybe not...Either way, he will be interesting to have on campus and on the team. Those cooks better start preparing some big menus for this boy!

[OUmillenium]

WHOLLY F'ING RIB CRIB Showman, who is this dude? where'd he come from? That is one big load of mama's cornbread and sausage gravy comin at ya.


Check the Daily OK today. They have a sentence or 2 on each of OU's verbal commits. DOK also expects him to step in for Messner.

[goingoneight]

No offense or anything, but why does everyone analyzing OU in 2006 think we should automatically discard Joey Halzle and Sam Bradford? Joey is a good pocket passer and Sam Bradford was a highly-touted recruit from the 2006 class according to several recruiting services. The fact he was even recognized should say something... and to say that Nichol is the guy right now is just as crazy as predicting wins and losses. Wanna see what a true-freshmen quarterback does in a pro-style college offense, look at Mitch Mustain. Not at all the passing threat we need losing AD for next season.

It seems you should go with your experienced guys in a two-way battle. Unless someone really steps up and performs like a super-QB, ala Jason White after his second knee surgery against PT and Rawls, it seems Halzle and Bradford will enter the North Tejas game like Rhomar and PT did in 2005 against TCU. The difference of course being that we didn't lose a Heisman winner and 16 seniors to graduation or NFL.

I'm really hoping Joey or Sam gets in there and takes off right away like N8 did in 2001 and like Colt McCoy did for Tejas. We have the OL, and definitely have the receivers to make that happen. We also have a super-deep stable of backs to keep the pressure off OUr incoming triggerman.