Ryan Reynolds...

[OUster]

anyone know anything as to if he is back at full speed, or not?

[setem]

I have seen him on the website working out in the videos they post. I think he is good to go!

Williams should be back in a week!

[sooner n houston]

Sat August 4, 2007


Sooners counting on Reynolds

By Scott Wright
Staff Writer
NORMAN — Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables views linebacker Ryan Reynolds as a warm, fluffy security blanket.

But Venables feels far more comfortable with his linebackers when Reynolds is on the field — and that hasn't happened much lately.

The sophomore from Las Vegas missed all of last season with a torn ACL in his left knee, then went down with an LCL injury in his right knee last spring. He was out another four months with that injury.

Reynolds was cleared for full contact in time for the Sooners' first practice Thursday.

"Ryan gives us a lot of security at that position,” Venables said. "He's displayed the most maturity for a young player than any other player I've been around.

"It gives you a real secure feeling knowing you can focus on other areas. And he hasn't played very much. I say all that, and that's how strongly I feel.”

Head coach Bob Stoops feels linebacker is the defense's biggest question mark, and Reynolds is the primary answer. But it relies on his knee being fully healthy.

"The knee is holding up great. I've got a long way to go with it,” Reynolds said. "I'm hoping right around the end of two-a-days, everything will be feeling real good.”

The 6-foot-1, 237-pounder has made three tackles in eight games since arriving on campus in 2005. Regardless of his limited action, Venables still sees him as a key cog in the defense.

"He gives us the strength we need at (linebacker),” Venables said. "I think that speaks volumes for his ability.”

http://newsok.com/xml/cox/3098510/

[sooner n houston]

Published: August 04, 2007 10:15 pm

Reynolds back on the field

Scott Moore
The Norman Transcript

Ryan Reynolds has three total tackles in his career at Oklahoma. He’s a linebacker, but most of his snaps have been on the special teams.

Still, OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables praises the redshirt sophomore from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. For a guy that hasn’t seen significant action as a college linebacker, Venables couldn’t be happier about having Reynolds in the starting lineup.

“He gives us the strength we need at that position,” Venables said. “ We’re fine without him. But with him, we’re better.”

When he graduated as a four-year letterman from Bishop Gorman, he was rated as the No. 2 outside linebacker by Rivals.com. When he signed with OU, fans had visions of the next great OU player to roam behind the line of scrimmage.

But bad luck has shadowed him almost since he arrived on campus.

After seeing sporadic duty as a true freshman, he arrived in the spring of 2006 ready to be a main contributor to OU’s defense.

But he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the spring and missed the season. He rehabbed and was ready for a new start this past spring, then he tore the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee and missed every scrimmage.

“It was definitely discouraging,” Reynolds said of his second injury. “Right when I hurt it, I had the same thoughts of having to go through rehab yet again.”

The good news is tearing the LCL is not as severe as tearing the ACL. The LCL needed to be reattached, which meant four months of rehab as compared to the six months he needed to get his left knee healed.

So Reynolds won’t miss this season. And Venables couldn’t be happier.

“The linebackers, we’re not real deep, but I like the group,” Venables said. “And when I say that, I’m talking about having Ryan Reynolds in there.”

Reynolds had 94 tackles his senior season at Gorman and 96 as a junior. He played in the 2005 U. S. Army All-Star Game.

And his knees are ready to go for fall practices. He’s penciled in as a starter at weakside linebacker. Curtis Lofton, who played strongside last season, will move to his more natural position in the middle. Lewis Baker and Demario Pleasant will man the strongside.

“I feel real good, actually,” Reynolds said. “The knee is holding up great. We have a long way to go with it, but I had a great practice (Thursday). I’m hoping that by the end of two-a-days everything will be feeling real good.”

Venables is glad to have him back, but he’s still holding his breath a little. Reynolds is not quite at 100 percent, so he will be brought back into the fold slowly.

“I’m not one to ever coach with caution, but I was a scared (Thursday) without him knowing it,” Venables said. “I’ll say this, the longevity, I don’t worry. I do plan, OK, what if something happens. But I’m not really worried about it.”

Reynolds isn’t worried either.

“The injury slowed me down a little, but I think I can gain that back in two-a-days,” He said. “I went to all the meetings and all the films. Mentally, I’m as good as anyone.”

Venables would see Reynolds on crutches and still picture him making stops on Owen Field. That’s why no one is more excited to have him back.

“I don’t dislike our (linebackers) without him, but Ryan gives us a lot of security at that position,” Venables said. “I trust him a great deal. Having a guy on the field that you have utmost trust in, it just gives you a real secure feeling knowing you can focus on other areas.”

http://www.normantranscript.com/sports/local_story_216221559.html

[sooner n houston]

Published August 04, 2007 02:03 am -

OU Notebook




Reynolds returns,


but with caution

NORMAN (AP) — For the second time in his brief college career, Oklahoma linebacker Ryan Reynolds has recovered from surgery on his left knee to get back on the practice field. And while he’s been cleared to play, coaches plan to proceed with caution.

“You don’t want to overload him physically so that his knee is weakened because obviously without going through all the training that everybody else has, it’s a process to get him back physically in shape and to get his endurance and his legs back,” Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables said Friday. “When you get tired is when you get hurt.”

Reynolds tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during voluntary spring drills in April 2006 and missed all of last season. After returning for practice this spring, he tore the lateral collateral ligament in the same knee and had to have it surgically reattached.

His return was sped up because it was a reattachment instead of a reconstruction, Venables said.

Reynolds, who’ll be a sophomore, played in nine games as a freshman in 2005 and had a total of three tackles. Most of his playing time that year came on special teams.

This year, he’s a projected starter on a linebacking unit that’s trying to replace Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer, the team’s top two tacklers from last season.

Still, Venables said he’s not concerned about the Sooners’ depth if Reynolds isn’t able to play full time.

“We’ll be fine,” Venables said. “But with him we’re better.”

http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/sports/local_story_216020323.html

[CatfishSooner]

"And his knees are ready to go for fall practices. He’s penciled in as a starter at weakside linebacker. Curtis Lofton, who played strongside last season, will move to his more natural position in the middle. Lewis Baker and Demario Pleasant will man the strongside.'

What about Mike Reed????

[goingoneight]

Hope he pulls a Jason White and becomes the best player in the country after two knee surgeries!!! :D

[Harry Beanbag]

What about Mike Reed????


I've heard he's not picking up the defense as quickly as he needs to.

[Theskipster]

I've heard he's not picking up the defense as quickly as he needs to.

From what I understand from what I read in an Oklahoman article, he was always such a talented player that all he ever played was "Hit the guy with the ball" defense.

At OU, he has to learn an entire new way of playing defense by such as playing certain gaps and lining up in the proper spot in a formation. He is still learning and Venables says he lines up correctly about 90% of the time now without Venables showing him step by step.

Also to play Mike, Venables would have to run a more simplified defense and he doesn't want to do that when he has Curtis Lofton able to play.

I predict that we will see Mike used in clean up duties and infrequently in certain formations for the first part of the season. We will see him sub for Lofton more and more as the season progresses. He will be the starter for the 2008 season.

[Harry Beanbag]

From what I understand from what I read in an Oklahoman article, he was always such a talented player that all he ever played was "Hit the guy with the ball" defense.

At OU, he has to learn an entire new way of playing defense by such as playing certain gaps and lining up in the proper spot in a formation. He is still learning and Venables says he lines up correctly about 90% of the time now without Venables showing him step by step.

Also to play Mike, Venables would have to run a more simplified defense and he doesn't want to do that when he has Curtis Lofton able to play.

I predict that we will see Mike used in clean up duties and infrequently in certain formations for the first part of the season. We will see him sub for Lofton more and more as the season progresses. He will be the starter for the 2008 season.


Yeah, that's what I said. ;)

[MojoRisen]

I don't know, in spring he was the best out there- will be hard to keep him off the field if he learns his gaps - etc.

[Jello Biafra]

I don't know, in spring he was the best out there- .


considering most of the spring lofton was held out and reynolds didn't play a down..... i would say he was.

not that i played a whole bunch of linebacker but i heard a bunch of them getting yelled at behind me for not lining up correctly. apparently they have certain gaps they cover and have to line up in for this particular defense to work or something...... ;)

[Scott D]

I don't know, in spring he was the best out there- will be hard to keep him off the field if he learns his gaps - etc.

that was more out of necessity than anything.