Crimson Kid
8/5/2007, 08:01 PM
Didn't see it posted, so i thought all would like to view it.
They have us at #7
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/11093/oklahoma-2007-preview
Oklahoma 2007 Preview
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Athlon Sports
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Bob Stoops sounds as confident as ever, pointing out the overflow of returning talent on this, his ninth, Oklahoma squad. The Sooners return 16 starters who took the field for their Big 12 title game win over Nebraska. Among them: four across the offensive line, every receiver and running back Allen Patrick, who subbed so superbly when Adrian Peterson was missing with a broken collarbone. Beyond them, young playmakers are pushing for playing time in as competitive an atmosphere as Norman has seen since the Barry Switzer days. On defense, seven starters are back.
Indeed, the Sooners are built to win. And win big. And win now. Except at quarterback. Thank you, Rhett Bomar.
This time, there’s no veteran to ride to the rescue, as Paul Thompson did when Bomar was dismissed from the team last August for violating NCAA rules. The Sooners must count on a kid. Or maybe even a former junior college transfer recruited solely to be Bomar’s backup.
And still, Stoops is counting on the same factor — surrounding talent — that aided Thompson and kept pressure off the quarterback spot and on enemy defenses.
“That will be the case even more so,” Stoops says. “We’ll be much more experienced — line, backs, tight ends, receivers — around that position. No matter who it will be, there’s enough pieces that our future will be OK.”
Quarterbacks
So who will it be under center? The competition carries into fall, with none of the three distinguishing himself as a deserving starter so far. Joey Halzle, a junior, played a handful of snaps as Thompson’s backup, good for all of two attempted passes. Redshirt freshman Sam Bradford, strong-armed and more accurate, seemed to push past Halzle in the spring, although coaches refused to commit to as much as a pecking order. They may be waiting for touted recruit Keith Nichol, a true freshman who enrolled in January and went through spring, to keep developing and work his way into the picture. Whoever gets the nod will be asked more not to lose games than win them.
Running Backs
Peterson ran off early to the NFL, and yet, the Sooners appear even more loaded at running back. Patrick ran for 761 yards, produced four 100-yard games and showed star potential after stepping in when injury sidelined Peterson for seven games. He’s more than capable, if he can hold off hungry youngsters DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown. Maybe the best combination of speed and power, Patrick has been careless with the ball at times. Still, he wants to be Option A. “I’ve got the most experience out of all of them,” Patrick says. “I’ve got the most carries.” Murray, a redshirt freshman, was the star of spring, rushing for 327 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries (11.3 yards per carry). He’s fast and elusive and a natural receiver. OU coaches want to get Murray the ball in open spaces and may play him in the slot. Brown, a sophomore, isn’t flashy — he just seems to churn out positive yards with every carry. Another redshirt freshman, Mossis Madu, was slowed by an ankle sprain in the spring yet offers speed and the ability to fill the slot, like Murray. “We’re gonna need all four of them,” Stoops says. “And we’ll play a bunch of them and keep them fresh.”
Receivers
One major comfort for whoever wins the quarterback job: wide receiver Malcolm Kelly catches almost anything thrown within reach — and some beyond. With 95 receptions, Kelly is off to the best two-year start by a receiver in school history. Kelly was named second-team All-Big 12 as a sophomore last fall and should be an All-America candidate this season. He missed spring workouts following minor knee surgery but should be full speed for two-a-days. The Sooners return two more regulars in juniors Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson, yet both will have to fight to keep their jobs. Inconsistency has plagued both in the past, and sophomores Adron Tennell and Brandon Caleb are big and physical wideouts making a case for playing time. At tight end, Joe Jon Finley, Brody Eldridge and Jermaine Gresham all started at times last season. Finley is a dependable senior, while Eldridge is a devastating blocker. Gresham, however, is the downfield threat as a receiver. And he could be on the verge of a breakout.
2007 Schedule
S. 1 North Texas W
S. 8 Miami W
S. 15 Utah State
W
S. 21 at Tulsa
W
S. 29 at Colorado
W
O. 6 #Texas
*
O. 13
Missouri
W
O. 20
at Iowa State
W
O. 27
Oklahoma State
W
N. 3
Texas A&M
W
N. 10
Baylor
W
N. 17
at Texas Tech
W
#Dallas, TX
Games in bold represent swing games. W or L indicates a projected win or loss.
Offensive Linemen
Billed as a question mark entering last season, OU’s offensive line is now among the nation’s best. That’s a reputation earned by paving the way for 100-yard games by three different backs and regularly keeping Thompson upright and out of danger. George “Duke” Robinson may be the best of the bunch as a power-blocking force at left guard. But there’s not a weak link among a crew that features five players who started at least seven games. Guard Brandon Walker and center Jon Cooper combined for 27 starts. The Sooners added a top junior college prospect in massive Phil Loadholt, who may be the biggest lineman ever recruited to the school at 6'8", 360 pounds. There’s heavy competition throughout the two-deep. And only one senior in the group. “I don’t think anybody would argue with the quality of players we have there,” Stoops says.
Defensive Linemen
The top three ends must be replaced, creating concern as to who’s left to rush the passer. Alonzo Dotson and John Williams have had their moments, but both have had issues in the past that prevented them from playing a major role. It’s mandatory that both remain healthy and productive, with limited experience and depth beyond them. The tackles should be improved, with starters Cory Bennett and Steven Coleman back and young stars developing in DeMarcus Granger, Gerald McCoy and Adrian Taylor. Position coach Jackie Shipp usually gets the most out of his crew. And with Granger, McCoy and Taylor, he has an athletic and powerful trio to work with.
Linebackers
The Sooners exited spring unsettled at linebacker, mostly due to an injury to Ryan Reynolds. It was the second straight spring in which Reynolds tore knee ligaments, clouding plans, although this injury is not thought to be as serious as the one that kept him out all of 2006. As the projected leader of the unit, Reynolds’ swift and strong return could be critical. There was already rebuilding taking place, with leading tacklers Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer moving on. Junior college transfer Mike Reed, a mid-term enrollee, is a rugged tackler, but the transition to Division I-A has seen him get lost at times. Curtis Lofton is capable of playing any of the three positions. “You don’t know who you can trust right now,” says defensive coordinator Brent Venables. “I’ve known for the last three years I could trust Rufus.”
Defensive Backs
Look here for the strength of the defense. Reggie Smith, moving back to corner from strong safety, is an All-America candidate who should thrive in the role he likes best. Playing corner also allows him to be more of a playmaker. Free safety Nic Harris is the leading returning tackler. Coaches like to walk him up close to the line in their nickel scheme, allowing him to attack the quarterback or just make plays in space. After two injury-plagued seasons, cornerback Marcus Walker reminded all of the promise that prompted a pull of his redshirt as a true freshman in 2004. Strong safety looms as a position of concern. Coaches have tried several players at the spot yet haven’t settled on any. Former cornerback D.J. Wolfe, who played well after a late spring switch, is next in line. Darien Williams, returning from knee surgery, offers help at either safety slot.
Specialists
Garrett Hartley was one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award after hitting 19-of-20 field goal attempts a year ago. He’s a threat from long range, as well as reliable for putting the ball deep on kickoffs. The Sooners have two quality punters in Michael Cohen and Mike Knall and employ them both, with Knall excelling on pooch punts. Smith is dangerous returning punts and kickoffs.
They have us at #7
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/11093/oklahoma-2007-preview
Oklahoma 2007 Preview
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Athlon Sports
Adjust font size
Bob Stoops sounds as confident as ever, pointing out the overflow of returning talent on this, his ninth, Oklahoma squad. The Sooners return 16 starters who took the field for their Big 12 title game win over Nebraska. Among them: four across the offensive line, every receiver and running back Allen Patrick, who subbed so superbly when Adrian Peterson was missing with a broken collarbone. Beyond them, young playmakers are pushing for playing time in as competitive an atmosphere as Norman has seen since the Barry Switzer days. On defense, seven starters are back.
Indeed, the Sooners are built to win. And win big. And win now. Except at quarterback. Thank you, Rhett Bomar.
This time, there’s no veteran to ride to the rescue, as Paul Thompson did when Bomar was dismissed from the team last August for violating NCAA rules. The Sooners must count on a kid. Or maybe even a former junior college transfer recruited solely to be Bomar’s backup.
And still, Stoops is counting on the same factor — surrounding talent — that aided Thompson and kept pressure off the quarterback spot and on enemy defenses.
“That will be the case even more so,” Stoops says. “We’ll be much more experienced — line, backs, tight ends, receivers — around that position. No matter who it will be, there’s enough pieces that our future will be OK.”
Quarterbacks
So who will it be under center? The competition carries into fall, with none of the three distinguishing himself as a deserving starter so far. Joey Halzle, a junior, played a handful of snaps as Thompson’s backup, good for all of two attempted passes. Redshirt freshman Sam Bradford, strong-armed and more accurate, seemed to push past Halzle in the spring, although coaches refused to commit to as much as a pecking order. They may be waiting for touted recruit Keith Nichol, a true freshman who enrolled in January and went through spring, to keep developing and work his way into the picture. Whoever gets the nod will be asked more not to lose games than win them.
Running Backs
Peterson ran off early to the NFL, and yet, the Sooners appear even more loaded at running back. Patrick ran for 761 yards, produced four 100-yard games and showed star potential after stepping in when injury sidelined Peterson for seven games. He’s more than capable, if he can hold off hungry youngsters DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown. Maybe the best combination of speed and power, Patrick has been careless with the ball at times. Still, he wants to be Option A. “I’ve got the most experience out of all of them,” Patrick says. “I’ve got the most carries.” Murray, a redshirt freshman, was the star of spring, rushing for 327 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries (11.3 yards per carry). He’s fast and elusive and a natural receiver. OU coaches want to get Murray the ball in open spaces and may play him in the slot. Brown, a sophomore, isn’t flashy — he just seems to churn out positive yards with every carry. Another redshirt freshman, Mossis Madu, was slowed by an ankle sprain in the spring yet offers speed and the ability to fill the slot, like Murray. “We’re gonna need all four of them,” Stoops says. “And we’ll play a bunch of them and keep them fresh.”
Receivers
One major comfort for whoever wins the quarterback job: wide receiver Malcolm Kelly catches almost anything thrown within reach — and some beyond. With 95 receptions, Kelly is off to the best two-year start by a receiver in school history. Kelly was named second-team All-Big 12 as a sophomore last fall and should be an All-America candidate this season. He missed spring workouts following minor knee surgery but should be full speed for two-a-days. The Sooners return two more regulars in juniors Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson, yet both will have to fight to keep their jobs. Inconsistency has plagued both in the past, and sophomores Adron Tennell and Brandon Caleb are big and physical wideouts making a case for playing time. At tight end, Joe Jon Finley, Brody Eldridge and Jermaine Gresham all started at times last season. Finley is a dependable senior, while Eldridge is a devastating blocker. Gresham, however, is the downfield threat as a receiver. And he could be on the verge of a breakout.
2007 Schedule
S. 1 North Texas W
S. 8 Miami W
S. 15 Utah State
W
S. 21 at Tulsa
W
S. 29 at Colorado
W
O. 6 #Texas
*
O. 13
Missouri
W
O. 20
at Iowa State
W
O. 27
Oklahoma State
W
N. 3
Texas A&M
W
N. 10
Baylor
W
N. 17
at Texas Tech
W
#Dallas, TX
Games in bold represent swing games. W or L indicates a projected win or loss.
Offensive Linemen
Billed as a question mark entering last season, OU’s offensive line is now among the nation’s best. That’s a reputation earned by paving the way for 100-yard games by three different backs and regularly keeping Thompson upright and out of danger. George “Duke” Robinson may be the best of the bunch as a power-blocking force at left guard. But there’s not a weak link among a crew that features five players who started at least seven games. Guard Brandon Walker and center Jon Cooper combined for 27 starts. The Sooners added a top junior college prospect in massive Phil Loadholt, who may be the biggest lineman ever recruited to the school at 6'8", 360 pounds. There’s heavy competition throughout the two-deep. And only one senior in the group. “I don’t think anybody would argue with the quality of players we have there,” Stoops says.
Defensive Linemen
The top three ends must be replaced, creating concern as to who’s left to rush the passer. Alonzo Dotson and John Williams have had their moments, but both have had issues in the past that prevented them from playing a major role. It’s mandatory that both remain healthy and productive, with limited experience and depth beyond them. The tackles should be improved, with starters Cory Bennett and Steven Coleman back and young stars developing in DeMarcus Granger, Gerald McCoy and Adrian Taylor. Position coach Jackie Shipp usually gets the most out of his crew. And with Granger, McCoy and Taylor, he has an athletic and powerful trio to work with.
Linebackers
The Sooners exited spring unsettled at linebacker, mostly due to an injury to Ryan Reynolds. It was the second straight spring in which Reynolds tore knee ligaments, clouding plans, although this injury is not thought to be as serious as the one that kept him out all of 2006. As the projected leader of the unit, Reynolds’ swift and strong return could be critical. There was already rebuilding taking place, with leading tacklers Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer moving on. Junior college transfer Mike Reed, a mid-term enrollee, is a rugged tackler, but the transition to Division I-A has seen him get lost at times. Curtis Lofton is capable of playing any of the three positions. “You don’t know who you can trust right now,” says defensive coordinator Brent Venables. “I’ve known for the last three years I could trust Rufus.”
Defensive Backs
Look here for the strength of the defense. Reggie Smith, moving back to corner from strong safety, is an All-America candidate who should thrive in the role he likes best. Playing corner also allows him to be more of a playmaker. Free safety Nic Harris is the leading returning tackler. Coaches like to walk him up close to the line in their nickel scheme, allowing him to attack the quarterback or just make plays in space. After two injury-plagued seasons, cornerback Marcus Walker reminded all of the promise that prompted a pull of his redshirt as a true freshman in 2004. Strong safety looms as a position of concern. Coaches have tried several players at the spot yet haven’t settled on any. Former cornerback D.J. Wolfe, who played well after a late spring switch, is next in line. Darien Williams, returning from knee surgery, offers help at either safety slot.
Specialists
Garrett Hartley was one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award after hitting 19-of-20 field goal attempts a year ago. He’s a threat from long range, as well as reliable for putting the ball deep on kickoffs. The Sooners have two quality punters in Michael Cohen and Mike Knall and employ them both, with Knall excelling on pooch punts. Smith is dangerous returning punts and kickoffs.