XingTheRubicon
7/23/2007, 06:33 PM
Notes from Big 12 Media Days
San Antonio - The hot sticky air fell like a fog on and around the River Walk Monday reminding us all that we won’t need those clever little heat packs in our pants for the BIG 12 Championship game this year.
San Antonio should also provide a more favorable venue for the South Division champ, be it Oklahoma or Texas, and that’s the worst news for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who find themselves in a media dogfight with Missouri for the North.
The reason for the Mizzou pick by some is that Cornhuskers have to play in Columbia, but it’s not exactly a spot they haven’t won in before. But we’re going with the Nibblets simply because they do not have to play Oklahoma while Mizzou does.
The big mark against Nebraska from where we sit is that up close you realize that Bill Callahan is a certified midget, standing 5’10” – at most, in what has to be some seriously ugly elevator coaching shoes. Other than that one weakness, the Huskers look to be the North foe in the Alamo Dome on December 1st at 7:00 PM.
First up on the dais was Oklahoma, led by Bob Stoops with Malcolm Kelly, Marcus Walker and Joe Jon Finley in toe.
For the most part, Stoops turned in his usual 'coach speak' performance, with a few tidbits -- and we’ll only print the mildly interesting questions and their responses here, as the rest of the responses are well known to Sooner fans.
The media seemed fixated on the NCAA: What impact etc, etc.
Stoops best response was: “Sure it impacted us, last year. We kicked two starters off the team – so you saw how it hurt us. But then we came back and won the Big 12 Championship, so yeah, it already impacted us -- but will it in the future? No.”
(Overall):“I think we’ll be a stronger team than the one we had last year. We’re more experienced and more settled in at key positions.”
(QB race): “No timetable, no leader. But who ever gets it will have to earn it. If you just give it to someone while everybody else on the team is sweating and getting a bloody nose, there’s not as much respect in the huddle for that guy.”
“We’ve told our QB’s, ‘you don’t have to be the guy that wins the game, we just don’t want you to be the guy that loses it’.”
Joey Halzle: “A young guy with the most experience in game day prep, although it’s not much.”
Sam Bradford: “Highly recruited, great athlete. Sams’ 6-5 and up to about 220 – 225 now. He’s had very limited experience -- but we like what we’ve seen.”
Nichol: “Came in early, it probably jumped him up a bit. We were a little concerned about his weight, but he’s done a nice job of building himself up quickly and now is around 205, standing 6-2 or so. So I don’t think that will hold him back now.”
“You know, the thing I like most is the fact that these three guys are working hard to make each other better. Yet they have remained friends and pal around together and that’s always good to see. You’ve got to have that kind of attitude in order to be successful, as there’s competition at every position each and every year. These guys have done a great job in leadership by showing that competition belongs on the field.”
(Loss of AD): “I expect that we’ll be as good or better. Not because of one guy -- but because of three. AD was special in that he could play the entire game, or the entire season, and he was always fresh and effective.
Those guys we have now-- Chris Brown, Allen Patrick, Demarco Murray; are all good, all different, and will bring something different to the game. DeMarco showed everyone what he can do this spring and he’s done a nice job of getting bigger and stronger as well, as he ‘s up to about 205 – 210 now.”
“But the biggest difference in these three from AD is that they don’t have the physical stamina to play 50 – 60 snaps a game. And with the rule changes this year we’ll easily be back to that number.”
“I would guess that each one will average about 25 snaps a game, over a 14 game schedule, depending on our offensive plan and the defenses we’re up against.”
“But I’ll be very surprised, and disappointed, if our running game isn’t better than last year.”
(Malcolm Kelly): “He’s certainly a big play guy, as good as any we’ve had here. Last year it was fairly obvious that we were limited in what we could do offensively and still, no one could stop him. He should get 1,000 yards fairly easily this year.”
(Defense): “I’m excited about the players we have returning. I think we could be better at linebacker, even with the loss of a couple of guys. Ryan Reynolds is back and he’s ahead of schedule on his progress, and he gives us a lot of confidence.”
“Our special teams are almost back 100% and that can make a huge difference in a game.”
“I’m not worried about our D-line at all. Alonzo Dotson and John Williams are seniors, both have shown a lot of ability, and our two new guys (Jeremy Beal and Auston English) are going to be special. We’ll need to avoid injury there, but that’s a great start.”
“We’ve got a lot of talent along the defensive line, we’re real young there, but I’ve seen enough that I’m not worried.”
“I think our secondary could be one of the best in the country, they need to focus, but we’re not far off there. Reggie Smith, Nic Harris, Marcus Walker, they’re tested, proven. Marcus lost his spot early last year but came back and won it again. He earned it back -- he’s a great athlete. And D.J. Wolfe really had a nice spring at safety.”
(O-Line): “We told you guys last year that we thin there, but that we weren’t worried about it, from a talent standpoint. Those guys started out much maligned, but by the end of the year you guys we agreeing with what we told you before the season started. Now people are saying they could be the best offensive line in the country, and I would say that they are not yet, but if they keep working, and avoid the ‘big head’ they could be.”
(Loadholt set at LT?): No, that’s not set. He’ll play, he may start, but we’re going to work on as few different combinations in two a days. What we’re trying to do is develop depth and versatility. But I will say that he’s the biggest human I’ve ever been around. I’m glad he’s on our side.”
************************************************** ************************************************** ****************
(Loss of two in a row to Texas): “No, it makes no difference year to year. It’s not like you win it one year and that gives you an edge the next. Heck, if that were so, after five in a row, we’d still be winning.”
(Winner of that game get a recruiting advantage, or bragging rights?): “Not as much as you might think. It’s what you do after that game that counts. Win that one game and start to stink it up and how you going to brag about that?”
************************************************** ************************************************** ****************
“Win the Big 12, that’s what we all want. That’ll be on every blackboard in the conference as a ‘team goal’ next week. Eleven schools will talk about it, only one will do it. I want that one to be us.”
When asked for the 15th time “who he wanted to win the QB job?” Malcolm Kelly finally quit saying ‘doesn’t matter,’ and said: “I want the best guy to win it – whoever is best equipped to lead us to the championship, that’s the guy I want.”
And for those of you following the story of embatled OSU linebacker Chris Collins, (Oklahoman, NY Times); yes, we did check on it. You can bet that some critical information was withheld from the printed stories.
Bottom line: Put him in a toaster, he’s done.
Seems that Mike Gundy didn’t call around and thoroughly check on the situation as he said he did last year. The folks at the DA’s office in Texarkana say they don’t know who Mike Gundy is, (“Never heard of him"). A phone call or two to some other people in town might have uncovered a little more than ‘a mistake at a party.’
Whatever the evidence is, it was shown to Mack Brown and he ran like the 10 o’clock southbound fright train. The same evidence would have been available to Gundy, if he’d of investigated as thoroughly as Les Miles did Prentiss Elliott.
There’s a new prosecutor on the case and he wants to get this deal done, and soon. There’s little chance for anything but bad news here.
San Antonio - The hot sticky air fell like a fog on and around the River Walk Monday reminding us all that we won’t need those clever little heat packs in our pants for the BIG 12 Championship game this year.
San Antonio should also provide a more favorable venue for the South Division champ, be it Oklahoma or Texas, and that’s the worst news for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who find themselves in a media dogfight with Missouri for the North.
The reason for the Mizzou pick by some is that Cornhuskers have to play in Columbia, but it’s not exactly a spot they haven’t won in before. But we’re going with the Nibblets simply because they do not have to play Oklahoma while Mizzou does.
The big mark against Nebraska from where we sit is that up close you realize that Bill Callahan is a certified midget, standing 5’10” – at most, in what has to be some seriously ugly elevator coaching shoes. Other than that one weakness, the Huskers look to be the North foe in the Alamo Dome on December 1st at 7:00 PM.
First up on the dais was Oklahoma, led by Bob Stoops with Malcolm Kelly, Marcus Walker and Joe Jon Finley in toe.
For the most part, Stoops turned in his usual 'coach speak' performance, with a few tidbits -- and we’ll only print the mildly interesting questions and their responses here, as the rest of the responses are well known to Sooner fans.
The media seemed fixated on the NCAA: What impact etc, etc.
Stoops best response was: “Sure it impacted us, last year. We kicked two starters off the team – so you saw how it hurt us. But then we came back and won the Big 12 Championship, so yeah, it already impacted us -- but will it in the future? No.”
(Overall):“I think we’ll be a stronger team than the one we had last year. We’re more experienced and more settled in at key positions.”
(QB race): “No timetable, no leader. But who ever gets it will have to earn it. If you just give it to someone while everybody else on the team is sweating and getting a bloody nose, there’s not as much respect in the huddle for that guy.”
“We’ve told our QB’s, ‘you don’t have to be the guy that wins the game, we just don’t want you to be the guy that loses it’.”
Joey Halzle: “A young guy with the most experience in game day prep, although it’s not much.”
Sam Bradford: “Highly recruited, great athlete. Sams’ 6-5 and up to about 220 – 225 now. He’s had very limited experience -- but we like what we’ve seen.”
Nichol: “Came in early, it probably jumped him up a bit. We were a little concerned about his weight, but he’s done a nice job of building himself up quickly and now is around 205, standing 6-2 or so. So I don’t think that will hold him back now.”
“You know, the thing I like most is the fact that these three guys are working hard to make each other better. Yet they have remained friends and pal around together and that’s always good to see. You’ve got to have that kind of attitude in order to be successful, as there’s competition at every position each and every year. These guys have done a great job in leadership by showing that competition belongs on the field.”
(Loss of AD): “I expect that we’ll be as good or better. Not because of one guy -- but because of three. AD was special in that he could play the entire game, or the entire season, and he was always fresh and effective.
Those guys we have now-- Chris Brown, Allen Patrick, Demarco Murray; are all good, all different, and will bring something different to the game. DeMarco showed everyone what he can do this spring and he’s done a nice job of getting bigger and stronger as well, as he ‘s up to about 205 – 210 now.”
“But the biggest difference in these three from AD is that they don’t have the physical stamina to play 50 – 60 snaps a game. And with the rule changes this year we’ll easily be back to that number.”
“I would guess that each one will average about 25 snaps a game, over a 14 game schedule, depending on our offensive plan and the defenses we’re up against.”
“But I’ll be very surprised, and disappointed, if our running game isn’t better than last year.”
(Malcolm Kelly): “He’s certainly a big play guy, as good as any we’ve had here. Last year it was fairly obvious that we were limited in what we could do offensively and still, no one could stop him. He should get 1,000 yards fairly easily this year.”
(Defense): “I’m excited about the players we have returning. I think we could be better at linebacker, even with the loss of a couple of guys. Ryan Reynolds is back and he’s ahead of schedule on his progress, and he gives us a lot of confidence.”
“Our special teams are almost back 100% and that can make a huge difference in a game.”
“I’m not worried about our D-line at all. Alonzo Dotson and John Williams are seniors, both have shown a lot of ability, and our two new guys (Jeremy Beal and Auston English) are going to be special. We’ll need to avoid injury there, but that’s a great start.”
“We’ve got a lot of talent along the defensive line, we’re real young there, but I’ve seen enough that I’m not worried.”
“I think our secondary could be one of the best in the country, they need to focus, but we’re not far off there. Reggie Smith, Nic Harris, Marcus Walker, they’re tested, proven. Marcus lost his spot early last year but came back and won it again. He earned it back -- he’s a great athlete. And D.J. Wolfe really had a nice spring at safety.”
(O-Line): “We told you guys last year that we thin there, but that we weren’t worried about it, from a talent standpoint. Those guys started out much maligned, but by the end of the year you guys we agreeing with what we told you before the season started. Now people are saying they could be the best offensive line in the country, and I would say that they are not yet, but if they keep working, and avoid the ‘big head’ they could be.”
(Loadholt set at LT?): No, that’s not set. He’ll play, he may start, but we’re going to work on as few different combinations in two a days. What we’re trying to do is develop depth and versatility. But I will say that he’s the biggest human I’ve ever been around. I’m glad he’s on our side.”
************************************************** ************************************************** ****************
(Loss of two in a row to Texas): “No, it makes no difference year to year. It’s not like you win it one year and that gives you an edge the next. Heck, if that were so, after five in a row, we’d still be winning.”
(Winner of that game get a recruiting advantage, or bragging rights?): “Not as much as you might think. It’s what you do after that game that counts. Win that one game and start to stink it up and how you going to brag about that?”
************************************************** ************************************************** ****************
“Win the Big 12, that’s what we all want. That’ll be on every blackboard in the conference as a ‘team goal’ next week. Eleven schools will talk about it, only one will do it. I want that one to be us.”
When asked for the 15th time “who he wanted to win the QB job?” Malcolm Kelly finally quit saying ‘doesn’t matter,’ and said: “I want the best guy to win it – whoever is best equipped to lead us to the championship, that’s the guy I want.”
And for those of you following the story of embatled OSU linebacker Chris Collins, (Oklahoman, NY Times); yes, we did check on it. You can bet that some critical information was withheld from the printed stories.
Bottom line: Put him in a toaster, he’s done.
Seems that Mike Gundy didn’t call around and thoroughly check on the situation as he said he did last year. The folks at the DA’s office in Texarkana say they don’t know who Mike Gundy is, (“Never heard of him"). A phone call or two to some other people in town might have uncovered a little more than ‘a mistake at a party.’
Whatever the evidence is, it was shown to Mack Brown and he ran like the 10 o’clock southbound fright train. The same evidence would have been available to Gundy, if he’d of investigated as thoroughly as Les Miles did Prentiss Elliott.
There’s a new prosecutor on the case and he wants to get this deal done, and soon. There’s little chance for anything but bad news here.