Bob Stoops thinks OKC can more than support college sports and NBA franchise: OU coach Bob Stoops said he's excited about the prospects of an NBA franchise coming to Oklahoma City and that he's not worried the presence of an NBA team could chip away at his or any other collegiate fan base in the state. "I don't think it has to. People love all sports. More than anything, there's enough fans to go around for everybody," Stoops said. "In the end, success brings people, brings crowds no matter what it is. I think they have a great market for that. People around here will follow it and support it." Stoops was among several local dignitaries who greeted the NBA subcommittee that visited Oklahoma City last week, the next step in the Sonics making the move to Oklahoma City. "There's a lot to be proud of, and they presented it and it's undeniable," Stoops said. "Great things are happening for this state and for Oklahoma City." (The Oklahoman)
Sooners held out of scrimmage: Several projected starters did not participate in the scrimmage while recovering from injuries. Among those were running back linebacker Austin Box, Chris Brown, defensive end Auston English, safety Nic Harris, receiver Manuel Johnson, linebacker Ryan Reynolds, offensive guard Duke Robinson and defensive end John Williams. (SoonerSports.com)
OU Coaching Clinic ends: Saturday's scrimmage marked the end of a three-day coaching clinic that brought in high school coaches from as far away as Pennsylvania. Several local coaches attended the scrimmage, including ones from Edmond North, Chickasha and Deer Creek. (The Oklahoman)
Wilson decides against using no-huddle in scrimmage: With so many players injured and so many others filling in, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said he all but scrapped the no-huddle offense for this scrimmage. "It's a much slower pace than we'd like to play if we're going to do things in the no-huddle," Wilson said. "We do need to practice and do that, but right now, you're developing the foundation of your team. Going out there and going hectic and making it an unorganized drill is not helping our team." (Tulsa World)
Jaydan Bird verbally commits to OU: High school linebacker Jaydan Bird (Conway Springs, Kan.), who's in Norman this weekend, committed to the Sooners on Saturday morning before OU first's open scrimmage. "OU is a school with great tradition, the coaches are cool and laid back," Bird said. "OU has a good academic program. I felt really comfortable with the school." The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Bird has scholarship offers from Kansas, Kansas State and Miami. (The Oklahoman)
OU's first spring scrimmage today: Oklahoma's football team will hold scrimmages on March 29 and April 5. Both are open to the public. The OU Athletics Department today released information that will help those fans planning on being in Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for those two workouts. The March 29 scrimmage will begin at 11 a.m., with the April 5 event set for 1 p.m. Entrance to the stadium will be limited to gates 1 (west side) and 12 (east side). Seating will be restricted to the west side only. Concessions stands and restrooms on that side of the stadium will be open. Prohibited items are the same as during the regular season with the addition of all cameras. (SoonerSports)
OU fan to stand trial after attacking Texas fan at Hudson's: A judge ordered a man Wednesday to stand trial on a felony assault charge after a bar confrontation that escalated from football trash-talking to a near castration. Allen Michael Beckett, 54, will be tried on a charge of aggravated assault and battery, Special Judge D. Fred Doak ruled. Beckett, a federal auditor and church deacon, is accused of tearing the scrotum of Brian Christopher Thomas, 35, in June. Thomas said he received more than 60 stitches and still endures pain, although there was no permanent damage. Thomas wore a University of Texas shirt into a bar popular with fans of the University of Oklahoma and said Beckett immediately taunted him. After about 20 minutes at a table, Thomas said he decided to leave and went to pay his tab at the bar when Beckett attacked him. "I turned around and he grabbed a hold of my testicles," Thomas said. (Associated Press)
OU Regents approve charter service and upgrades: The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents agreed Thursday to award a contract to American Airlines to provide air charter services to the Sooner football team for road games during the 2008 football season. The contract is worth $436,724 to American, which beat out solicitations from more than a dozen competitors. The Regents also approved an estimated $1.5 million to go toward upgrades to OU's video production equipment at athletic venues. (The Oklahoman)
OU LB Rod Shoate on Ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame: The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced the names of 75 players and eight coaches who comprise the 2008 Football Bowl Subdivision Ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Of the 4.6 million individuals who have played college football, only 829 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. From the coaching ranks, 178 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction. The FBS Hall of Fame Class will be announced live on ESPNEWS at a press conference in New York City's prestigious Waldorf-Astoria on May 1 and inducted at The National Football Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner on December 9, 2008 also at the Waldorf-Astoria. They will be officially enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Ind. in the summer of 2009. (NFF) One former Sooner is listed on this year's College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
Rod Shoate, Oklahoma-Linebacker 1973 consensus and 1974 unanimous First Team All-America...Finished seventh in the 1974 Heisman Trophy voting and twice named Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year...Ranks third in school history with 420 career tackles.
OU Football scrimmage Saturday: Oklahoma's football team will hold scrimmages on March 29 and April 5. Both are open to the public. The OU Athletics Department today released information that will help those fans planning on being in Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for those two workouts. The March 29 scrimmage will begin at 11 a.m., with the April 5 event set for 1 p.m. Entrance to the stadium will be limited to gates 1 (west side) and 12 (east side). Seating will be restricted to the west side only. Concessions stands and restrooms on that side of the stadium will be open. Prohibited items are the same as during the regular season with the addition of all cameras. (SoonerSports PR)
Stoops among others to welcome NBA to OKC: Gov. Brad Henry, Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops and numerous other representatives of the city, state and sports community came out to welcome Stern, New Jersey Nets owner Lewis Katz, Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon and Los Angeles Lakers vice president Jeanie Buss as Oklahoma City brought out fancy cars and hard facts to woo its first major-league sports franchise."It was a pretty full presentation and pretty much a tour de force on behalf of Oklahoma that I'd say impressed the members of the committee greatly," Stern said. (Associated Press)
Broyles suffers broken collarbone in practice; out remainder of the spring: Once again, Ryan Broyles has been shut down just when it seemed he was getting started. Coach Bob Stoops said Monday that on March 12, during a scrimmage in the closing minutes of Oklahoma's final practice before spring break, Broyles, the Sooners' fleet-footed freshman wide receiver, sustained a broken collarbone. "He'll be all right," Stoops said Monday, after the fifth of 15 spring practices. "That's something that shouldn't be a big deal." Stoops said Broyles had stood out once again in his first four spring practices before the injury. "Yeah, Ryan was having a really good camp," said receivers coach Jay Norvell. "He's a young guy that just needed to play, and he got more reps than anybody the first couple weeks of camp before he got hurt, and he was really learning from those opportunities and gaining confidence from those opportunities."(Tulsa World)
Saturday scrimmage open to public:Coach Stoops announced Saturday's public scrimmage will begin at 11 a.m. at Memorial Stadium and open to the public.
Ryan Reynolds injury:Linebacker Ryan Reynolds suffered a sprained ankle on Monday but "should be back in a day or so." (Tulsa World)
DeMarcus Granger pre-trial moved to April: OU defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger was supposed to have his pre-trial hearing with a Tempe, Ariz., prosecutor earlier this month. But his attorney, Jess Lorona, filed a motion to continue Granger's pre-trial hearing on April 8, where Granger or his attorney will meet with a prosecutor or plead to the court. Granger was arrested back in January, accused of misdemeanor theft just before the Fiesta Bowl. (The Oklahoman)
The Oklahoman's Q&A with backup QB Keith Nichol: More at The Oklahoman
Q: In the two scrimmages last year, you showed you have a lot of ability. People have said, with that kind of ability, why has Keith stayed? Make the case for why you've decided to stay here, why it's important to you and what you hope to achieve during your time here.
A: I'm still doing the same thing I did the first day I got on campus and that's compete for a starting spot. I'm not backing down and would never back down just because someone had a good year. A lot can change in college football. A lot of people ask me that same question, why aren't you going somewhere? I love OU, I love the people here. Worst-case scenario, you get a free education. It's really not a bad deal. I'm staying for a lot of reasons. I love these guys here. I'm glad Sam played so well last year and the team did so well. It's a selfish standpoint to get disappointed — I'm real proud of the team and Sam. If I had to transfer I'd still have to compete for a starting spot. So, I'm not going to sit here and compete for a second spot. I'm here to compete for the top.
Sooners ranked third in spring top 25: Another preseason top 25 rankings.. This time from BleacherReport.com who ranked their spring top 25 college football teams.
1. Georgia Bulldogs 2. USC Trojans 3. Oklahoma Sooners 4. Texas Longhorns 5. Ohio State Buckeyes 6. Arizona State Sun Devils 7. LSU Tigers 8. Texas Tech Red Raiders 9. Missouri Tigers 10. Florida Gators 21. Kansas Jayhawks
Offensive line backups compete for playing time: OU returns all five starters on the offensive line from last season. But OU coach Bob Stoops said that doesn't mean the backups won't have a chance to compete for playing time during spring drills. "There are a lot of guys that are coming on that are going to have a chance to compete," Stoops said. "Cory Brandon, Brian Simmons, Donald Stephenson and Jason Hannan are coming back. There are a number of guys that really have a chance. We've got to get them out there and get them working, and they'll have a chance to do that." (The Oklahoman)
Five-star wide receiver eyes Oklahoma: Marlon Brown the 6-foot-5, 205-pound five-star wide receiver from Harding High School in Memphis, Tenn., finished his junior season with 41 catches for over 860 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for 60 carries and 630 yards and 10 scores. Brown, Scout.com's No. 2 wide receiver nationwide, has over 20 scholarship offers, but denies a favorite. "Right now I'm really wide open," he admitted. "I'll probably have a top five or six during the summer. I'm just taking things slow and not worrying about it right now." While Brown isn't sure if he's going to visit Oklahoma during the summer, he admits they meet his criteria. "Coaches are really important to me and coach Bob Stoops and his staff are some of the best coaches in the country. Every year Oklahoma is in the race for the national championship." (Scout.com)
Reminder Spring Break: OU is off this week for Spring Break. The Sooners will resume practice March 24.
Bobby Jack Wright happy with defensive talent: Bobby Jack Wright is pleased, especially with cornerback Brian Jackson. "We're pretty happy with where they're at," Wright said. "Brian Jackson has had his hands on a ton of balls in four days. Brian knows this is his big opportunity and he's making the most of it. "Same thing with Dominique Franks and Jonathan Nelson. Those three have had four great practices. We don't feel we're missing a beat." (The Oklahoman)
Recruiting Update; Sooner Connections: The Sooners have already benefited from a former player helping them land a verbal commitment in the 2009 recruiting class. Mansfield (Texas) Legacy High School defensive end Terry Franklin committed to OU, following in the footsteps of his high school coach and former Sooner quarterback Chris Melson. OU could be hoping a second Sooner connection will pay off in another 2009 commitment. Plano (Texas) wide receiver Kris Lott, the son of former OU wishbone quarterback Thomas Lott, is interested in the Sooners along with Plano RB Rex Burkhead and QB Carson Meger, their high school coach Jaydon McCullough said. (The Oklahoman)
Carl Albert's Daytawion Lowe receives OU offer: Carl Albert safety Daytawion Lowe has received offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas Tech, Missouri and others. "OSU is No. 1 right now,” Lowe said. "OU is No. 2 then Texas Tech.” OU was the most recent offer for the junior, who has led the Titans in tackles the past two seasons. "I was pretty excited,” Lowe said of the OU offer. Often overlooked because he plays on the same team as standout running back David Oku, Lowe has seen his recruiting pick up since signing day in February. (The Oklahoman)
'08 signee Josh Jarboe's recent arrest just 'a speed bump': Oklahoma football signee Josh Jarboe told an Atlanta television station Thursday that he's still planning on coming to OU despite being charged with two felony gun counts late last week. "I still have my scholarship, I'm still going to Oklahoma," Jarboe told JaQuitta Williams of WSB-TV. "If I don't go to Oklahoma, I'm going somewhere. "This isn't fixing to just stop me." Jarboe, 18, was charged in DeKalb County, Ga., with theft by receiving a gun and carrying a weapon within a school safety zone stemming from a March 6 arrest. "If you know me, (you know) I'm a good person," Jarboe said. "This is just a speed bump that has slowed me down. "I'm going to get up out of this and go on doing what I'm supposed to be doing."(The Oklahoman)
ESPN not scheduled to cover annual OU Red-White game:At the moment, ESPN has no plans to broadcast the Red-White spring game on April 12. But that has a chance of changing. ESPN and OU have had discussions, which could lead to an agreement to televise the game. ESPN has shown the Red-White game in 2003, 2006 and 2007. (The Oklahoman) Maybe ESPNU or ESPN2??
On that note: Reminder Red-White Game tickets available: The game is set for April 12 with a tentative kickoff time of 1 p.m. The tickets are $5 in advance or $10 the day of the game and will be available online, in person at the Athletics Ticket Office on the plaza level of the Asp Avenue Parking Facility or by phone at 405-325-2424 or 800-456-GoOU.
Duke Robinson and Auston English on Lombardi Award watch list: Oklahoma's Duke Robinson and Auston English are on the watch list for the 2008 Rotary Lombardi Award. They are among 54 players named to the preliminary list. Robinson, OU's left guard, was a consensus All-American last year, for a Sooners offense that ranked No. 1 nationally in passing efficiency, No. 5 in scoring, No. 5 in sacks allowed, No. 19 in total yards and No. 30 in rushing. One finalist and three semi-finalists from last year's Rotary Lombardi Award voting are among 54 players selected to the 2008 preliminary watch list released today. The 6-5, 330-pound senior graded at 85% last season. He was on the field for 663 plays with 97 knockdowns. English, a junior defense end, was No. 15 in the nation last season with .86 sacks per game. He had a total of 15 despite missing four games due to injury. English also had a team-high 13 tackles for loss. His 1.18 tackles for loss per game led the Big 12. Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen and those defensive players who line up within five yards of the football. The candidates earned a place on the preliminary watch list by earning All-American honors or by being named to their respective all-conference first team as selected by the conference's head coaches. (SoonerSports PR)
Former OU winners of the Lombardi Award: 1975 Lee Roy Selmon 1985 Tony Casillas 2003 Tommie Harris
Quote of the Day: "You made yourself a lot of money today," a scout telling Curtis Lofton.
Malcolm Kelly expected to workout April 9: Wide receiver Malcolm Kelly didn't work out because he's still recovering from a strained thigh muscle. He and Reggie Smith (broken toe in the Big 12 championship game) will work out for scouts at OU on April 9. Kelly said skipping his senior year wasn't a hard decision. "When I heard (first round), there's too much to chance it to come back," he said. "OU's going to win with Malcolm Kelly or without Malcolm Kelly. They're going to win Big 12 championships with me or without me. I would have loved to have been a part of it, but this team is a whole lot bigger than me." (Tulsa World)
Former Sooners attend Pro Day: Several ex-OU standouts now on NFL rosters came to pro day to visit with former coaches and cheer on old teammates. That list included defensive end Larry Birdine (Broncos), wide receiver Mark Clayton (Ravens), linebacker Clint Ingram (Jaguars) and wide receiver Travis Wilson (Browns). Former running back Renaldo Works, safety Jason Carter and offensive lineman Chris Messner were also in attendance. (The Oklahoman)
OU holds annual Pro Day: Fourteen former Sooner players participated in the event along with a pair of former team members, Tommy Grady, who transferred to Utah, and wide receiver David Robinson, who finished his collegiate career at South Dakota. Neither Malcolm Kelly nor Reggie Smith participated. (SoonerSports PR)
Top 5
Vertical Jump: Marcus Walker: 37.0 Allen Patrick: 36.0 D.J. Wolfe: 35.5 Darian Williams: 35.0 Lewis Baker: 33-0
Broad Jump: Allen Patrick: 10-0 Marcus Walker: 10-0 Lewis Baker: 9-11 Joe Jon Finley: 9-10 Ian Pleasant: 9-9
40 Yard Dash: D.J. Wolfe: 4.57, 4.57 Marcus Walker: 4.58, 4.55 Allen Patrick: 4.60, 4.55 Ian Pleasant: 4.63, 4.71 Curtis Lofton: 4.67, 4.67
Short Shuttle: Marcus Walker: 4.17, 4.18 Lewis Baker: 4.22, 4.14 Joe Jon Finley: 4.24, 4.16 D.J. Wolfe: 4.24, 4.34 Allen Patrick: no time, 4.51
Three Cone: Lewis Baker: 6.88 Marcus Walker: 7.08 Joe Jon Finley: 7.10 D.J. Wolfe: 7.16 Darien Williams: 7.20
Long Shuttle: Lewis Baker: 11.22 Marcus Walker: 11.35 D.J. Wolfe: 11.68 Joe Jon Finley: 11.69 Darien Williams: 11.90
Bench Press reps at 225lb: Steven Coleman - 21 Alonzo Dotson - 20 Tommy Grady - 18 Allen Patrick - 17 Lewis Baker - 16 Ian Pleasant - 16
OU Pro Day Today: The OU football program holds its annual pro day this morning at the Everest Indoor Training Center.. Results and measurements to be posted later today. OU offense tries goes no-huddle: OU coaches determined during the offseason that a quicker tempo was needed. So through three spring practices, the Sooners have worked extensively on installing a version of the no-huddle offense. "We're looking into doing that (exclusively)," offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Monday, "and if we feel it's going good, then we'll consider doing that. "We won't go to it if it's not a good deal." Wilson said head coach Bob Stoops and "defensive coaches" approached him after the Fiesta Bowl with the idea of speeding things up offensively. (Tulsa World)
March of Dimes to honor Coach Stoops: The March of Dimes will honor New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker and Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops during its 32nd annual Sports Headliner Banquet on Wednesday. The banquet will begin at 7 p.m. at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63. Tickets are $100 per person. Tables for groups start at $500. For more ticket information, call the March of Dimes office at (405) 943-1025 or go to MarchofDimes.com/Oklahoma. (The Oklahoman)
Police report in Josh Jarboe arrest released: According to the police report, Dekalb assistant principal Karl Moton asked one of the school's police officers last Thursday to search [Josh] Jarboe, [James] Davis and their vehicle, a yellow Geo Storm, after watching Jarboe pull a black and silver hand gun out from underneath a spare tire cover in the back of the car. Jarboe then stuffed the gun in the waistband of his pants, police said. When he saw police officer J.P. Brooks approaching, Jarboe tried to hide the gun underneath the driver's seat of the car, where the gun was eventually found, police said. The gun -- a. 380 cal. automatic pistol -- was loaded, police said. A serial number check revealed that the pistol was stolen out of nearby Clayton County, according to police. (The Oklahoman)
Title changes for co-coordinators: Jay Norvell was hired as OU's co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. But his title at OU has changed to "assistant offensive coordinator." Likewise, Bobby Jack Wright's title has changed from co-defensive coordinator to "assistant defensive coordinator." The change is in title only -- everyone's jobs have remained the same. The reason for the alteration was to keep the titles "defined" for OU's primary coordinators -- offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and defensive coordinator Brent Venables. (The Oklahoman)
Sooners at linebacker: The first two spring practices had junior-to-be Ryan Reynolds replacing Curtis Lofton at middle linebacker. Taking Reynolds' place on the weak side is redshirt freshman Austin Box, and stepping in for departed senior Lewis Baker is converted safety Keenan Clayton. Their backups are Brandon Crow in the middle, Travis Lewis at weakside and Lamont Robinson at strongside. (Tulsa World)
Clayton on the switch to linebacker: Telling The Oklahoman... "I was kind of blindsided by the switch," [Keenan] Clayton said. "But coach Venables knows what he's doing. "I feel real good, real natural here." (The Oklahoman)
Holmes to practice at free safety and corner: Coach Bob Stoops said Holmes will practice this spring at cornerback and free safety, and by the fall will probably settle in the spot he's needed at the most. "He can do either. That will depend on who we get the best play from in the other guys," Stoops said. "I think Lendy has the unusual ability to be solid at corner or safety. He's been that way for us. He's played really well for us at both positions. That's been a plus for us that he has the ability to do either one. We'll just see how these other guys come along." At the moment, OU has Dominique Franks, Brian Jackson, Jamell Fleming and Jonathan Nelson competing fo
