Dominique Franks and Ryan Broyles to handle special team duties: OU special teams coordinator Chris Wilson says Dominique Franks and Ryan Broyles will be returning kicks this year. Franks returned just six punts a year ago, while Broyles brought back 23 for 223 yards, including a 68-yarder for a touchdown at Kansas State. He says Matt Moreland continues to battle Tress Way for kickoff duty. And he continues to tout the improvement of OU's kickoff coverage, which was woeful last season. "Like I've said before, I believe we had good guys on (the coverage team) a year ago," Wilson said. (Tulsa World)
Dominique Franks named to Jim Thorpe Award watch list: Oklahoma's Dominique Franks and Oklahoma State's Perrish Cox are among 31 players listed on the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top college defensive back. Franks is a junior cornerback from Union High School. He scored two touchdowns last season, one on a fumble return and one on an interception return. (Tulsa World) Note: Three Sooners have previously won the Thorpe Award ('87 Ricky Dixon, '01 Roy Williams and '03 Derrick Strait).
Eight Sooners on All-Big 12 team; Bradford named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska) and Phil Taylor (Baylor) highlight the 2009 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team, chosen by media representatives who cover the Conference. Bradford was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and selected the preseason squad's quarterback. The 2008 Heisman Trophy winner was Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year last season and earned All-Big 12 First Team honors. Bradford was also a consensus All-America while winning the Davey O'Brien and Sammy Baugh awards. Suh garnered honors as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and as a defensive linemen on the preseason team. He was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team a year ago after leading the Conference linemen with 76 tackles. Taylor, a transfer from Penn State, was named Preseason Newcomer of the Year. The defensive tackle will have two years of eligibility remaining after playing in 18 games as a freshman and sophomore at PSU. He sat out the 2008 season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules. (Big 12 Sports PR)
2009 Media Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team Offensive Player of the Year: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma (QB, 6-4, 223, Jr/2L, Oklahoma City, Okla.) Defensive Player of the Year: Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (DT, 6-4, 300, Sr/3L, Portland, Ore.) Newcomer of the Year: Phil Taylor, Baylor (DT, 6-4, 355, Jr/TR, Clinton, Md.)
Offense Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown WR Dez Bryant* Oklahoma State 6-2 215 Jr/2L Lufkin, Texas TE Jermaine Gresham* Oklahoma 6-6 258 Sr/3L Ardmore, Okla. OL Russell Okung* Oklahoma State 6-6 305 Sr/3L Fort Bend, Texas OL Trent Williams* Oklahoma 6-5 318 Sr/3L Longview, Texas C Chris Hall# Texas 6-4 295 Sr/3L Irving, Texas OL Adam Ulatoski* Texas 6-6 310 Sr/3L Southlake, Texas OL Brandon Carter Texas Tech 6-7 354 Sr/3L Longview, Texas WR Dezmon Briscoe# Kansas 6-3 202 Jr/2L Dallas, Texas QB Sam Bradford* Oklahoma 6-4 223 Jr/2L Oklahoma City, Okla. RB Kendall Hunter* Oklahoma State 5-8 190 Jr/2L Tyler, Texas RB DeMarco Murray^* Oklahoma 6-1 214 Jr/2L Las Vegas, Nev. PK Alex Henery Nebraska 6-2 175 Jr/2L Omaha, Neb. KR Perrish Cox Oklahoma State 6-0 195 Sr/3L Waco, Texas
Defense Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown DL Ndamukong Suh# Nebraska 6-4 300 Sr/3L Portland, Ore. DL Gerald McCoy* Oklahoma 6-4 297 Jr/2L Oklahoma City, Okla. DL Jeremy Beal# Oklahoma 6-3 261 Jr/2L Carrollton, Texas DL Sergio Kindle Texas 6-4 255 Sr/3L Dallas, Texas LB Sean Weatherspoon*^ Missouri 6-2 245 Sr/3L Jasper, Texas LB Joe Pawelek*^ Baylor 6-2 240 Sr/3L San Antonio, Texas LB Travis Lewis Oklahoma 6-2 232 So/1L San Antonio, Texas DB Darrell Stuckey* Kansas 6-1 205 Sr/3L Kansas City, Kan. DB Jordan Lake*^ Baylor 6-1 215 Sr/3L Houston, Texas DB Dominique Franks# Oklahoma 6-0 192 Jr/2L Tulsa, Okla. DB Earl Thomas Texas 5-10 197 So/1L Orange, Texas P Derek Epperson Baylor 6-3 235 Jr/2L Southlake, Texas PR Dez Bryant* Oklahoma State 6-2 215 Jr/2L Lufkin, Texas ^ 2008 Preseason Team * 2008 All-Big 12 First Team selection # 2008 All-Big 12 Second Team selection
Franks impresses: Saturday, Dominique Franks picked off two passes, one of which he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. "Dom's really come along great," coach Bob Stoops said. "He's a guy that has a great feel and a knack in the secondary and I thought he played really well." (The Oklahoman)
Landry Jones has work todo: Saturday's Red/White Game played to mixed reviews, particularly for Landry Jones, Oklahoma's freshman backup to Heisman winner Sam Bradford. "I thought Landry made some mistakes that will really hurt you over the course of a game," position coach Josh Heupel said. "He stepped up and made some plays as well. That's kind of the growth pattern of a young quarterback. The biggest thing for a young quarterback is finding a way not to beat you," Heupel said. "And (Jones) did some things today that would have helped get us beat." (Tulsa World)
Ratterree separates shoulder: The Sooners were without several key players but came out of the game with only one injury. Tight end Trent Ratterree, who caught four passes early, separated his shoulder. But Stoops said he didn't think the injury was too serious and expects Ratterree to be back before fall camp. (The Oklahoman)
Oklahoma announces number changes: Oklahoma has announced a handful of players will change jersey numbers for 2009, including two returning starters. Dominique Franks, a junior cornerback from Tulsa, will wear No. 1 next season. He previously wore No. 15, partly in honor of his uncle, former Sooner defensive back Charles Franks. Ryan Reynolds, a senior linebacker from Las Vegas, is switching from No. 8 to No. 4. Deep snapper James Winchester changes from 46 to 86. Seven others who didn't play or were backups in 2008 also will wear new numbers. (Tulsa World)
Checkout:The Oklahoman they offer their projected 2009 depth chart.
Tim Tebow responds to Dominique Franks' comment: Dominique Franks raised eyebrows Sunday when he said Tebow ranks behind Oklahoma teammate and Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, Texas' Colt McCoy and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell. Tim Tebow first heard about the comments during a quarterbacks meeting. He chuckled at the time, then spent the better part of an hour doing the same Monday when asked repeatedly about the critique."Who knows? Maybe," Tebow said. "That might have been a compliment. We'll see." When the subject came up again, Tebow responded, "I'm thankful for being fourth. There's a lot of good quarterbacks in the Big 12." (FOXSports.com)
Coach Stoops offers praise for Tim Tebow: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops attempted Sunday to play down inflammatory comments made by Oklahoma cornerback Dominque Franks about Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. "We know he's a great player," Stoops said. "We have great respect for him. There's not a lot of Heisman Trophy players running around. That speaks for himself. He's an exceptional guy and we know that." (ESPN.com)
Franks offers bulletin board material: Dominique Franks said Florida's Tim Tebow, the 2007 Heisman winner and 2008 finalist, would "probably be about the fourth best quarterback" in the Big 12. That's behind OU's Sam Bradford - the 2008 Heisman winner - Texas' Colt McCoy and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell. "I really think with those three guys, it's a lot harder to prepare for those guys," Franks said. " We're coming in and facing Tebow, and he wants to run the ball a lot more. "He's predominantly a running quarterback. So to me [playing in the secondary] it's going to be a lot easier for us to prepare to stop the run than having to face a quarterback that might throw the ball 40 or 50 times a game." (Dallas Morning News)
Parcells visits Sooners practice: Bill Parcells, the Dolphins' vice president of football operations, visited OU's practice Saturday, and took a moment to address the team. "It's always important when you get a legendary figure and a guy that's a hall of fame coach, you get a chance to be around him and say hello," Stoops said. "I like our guys to get a chance to see and hear from those kinds of guys." Before leaving practice, Parcells made a point to encourage DeMarcus Granger, the defensive tackle recovering from back surgery, who was standing by himself on crutches on the sideline. "He's just evaluating our players," Stoops said. "I've always been a big fan of the way he coaches. And the way he handles you media guys, too." (Tulsa World)
Murray injured? [DeMarco] Murray and Stoops insist he's healthy. Murray said it's "been frustrating." "But we're winning," Murray added, "so there ain't too much I can complain about." Kevin Murray, who talks to his son almost daily and comes to most games, said he's noticed a difference. "Something is not there this year," Kevin said. "I don't know what's the problem. Either he's still hurt and doesn't want to say anything or he doesn't have the confidence back in that knee. He always says, 'Dad, I'm OK.' I think it's more of his confidence." (Dallas Morning News)
Franks anxious about OU-Texas: Sophomore Dominique Franks from Tulsa Union gets his first crack at Texas on Saturday. He can hardly wait. "I can't really sleep thinking about it," he said. "I went to bed about 10 last night and woke up about 1:30 in the morning and looked back over my playbook. I just know this is a great opportunity to be able to prove what I can do." (Tulsa World)
Stoops, Brown on Cotton Bowl renovations: Bob Stoops: "I've heard it looks great," Stoops said. "I'm sure it will add to the excitement and the atmosphere."
Mack Brown: "There are a lot of really good fans who never get a chance to walk in that stadium," Brown said. "Now maybe there will be 46,000 from each school that gets a chance to watch it instead of 35,000." OU-Texas game awakens dormant animosity: OU Daily
Defensive play likely key for OU: Stoops said playing good defense will be the key to winning the Fiesta Bowl. "Great defense is a major factor in these games,” Stoops said. "What always jumps out at me is defense. I think (West Virginia) has played really good defense through the season.” Despite being known for offense, the Mountaineers have the seventh-best scoring defense in the country. (The Oklahoman)
Dominique Franks to start at cornerback: Redshirt freshman Dominique Franks will make his first start at cornerback today, OU coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday. Franks is replacing injured starter Reggie Smith, who is out with a broken toe he suffered in the Big 12 championship game. Franks will also replace Smith as punt returner. Franks has played sparingly in 12 games and has only three tackles. (Dallas Morning News)
Fiesta Bowl swag: The rundown of gifts received by the OU football players from the Fiesta Bowl and the university: A $300 Best Buy gift card, a 20-inch flat-screen TV, Oakley sunglasses with built-in MP3 player, Fiesta Bowl watches, loads of OU and Fiesta Bowl apparel. And that's not all. "Oh, and the per diem out here, too. Pick up some cash, have a little bit of fun," said kicker Garrett Hartley. "We got $200 the other night. I don't know when we get our next." (Tulsa World)
English sidelined with a cold: Oklahoma defensive end Auston English is recovering from an ankle injury, Sooners coach Bob Stoops said, but wasn't at practice Thursday for another reason. "The ankle is fine, but he's got a little bit of a cold," said Stoops, who expects the 6-foot-3, 257-pound sophomore to play. (Arizona Republic)
DeMarco Murray fine after surgery: OU running back DeMarco Murray, who had knee surgery a few weeks ago to repair a dislocated kneecap, said Thursday he's doing better. "I feel good, just rehabbing right now,” said Murray, who is still walking with a noticeable limp. Murray suffered the injury against Texas Tech while trying to recover an onside kick. (NewsOK.com)
West Virginia's White impressed with OU: White said third-ranked Oklahoma is playing at a national-championship level right now, even if the Sooners have to wait until next season to fulfill their promise. "I think they're the best team in the country," White said. "Their athleticism is far beyond any other team we've played. "They make plays. That says Oklahoma to me," he said. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Franks and Jackson competing for starting CB role: Brian Jackson and Dominique Franks are both competing to replace Reggie Smith as starting cornerback. Both, Stoops said, "are doing a nice job, so we'll see. Very confident and pleased with the way the two of them are working, so we'll work it out during the week. More than likely, they'll both play." (Tulsa World)
Hate involved in Red River Rivalry? Asked about his OU-Texas experience this week, Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy was quoted as saying: "I was just amazed at how much these teams hated each other." Asked to respond Tuesday, Stoops said: "We don't talk about hating anybody, and I don't think it does a whole lot for you. In the end, people talk about hating or being angry, that doesn't get you two minutes into the game. After that, you've got to play and you've got to know what you're doing, and you've got to have the focus and the ability to get it done." (Tulsa World)
More Franks, less Smith on returns? Smith will continue to return punts, but Stoops might choose to rest him on occasion, replacing him with Dominique Franks. Stoops hinted that Smith's muffed punt could have been a result of his starting cornerback being tired late in a game where OU's defense had been on the field more than usual. "I've got to be smarter (about) how fatigued he is at times, how many snaps he's had," Stoops said of Smith. "Dominique Franks has done a great job with it. We need to probably spell (Smith) some for that reason."(NewsOK.com)
Stoops: It's not just about Texas: Stoops said beating Texas is just a part of the whole picture. "In the end, we've beaten Texas before and not won the Big 12 championship, and I don't hear anybody congratulating us at the end of the year," Stoops said. "If you beat them and do nothing the rest of the year, that doesn't go around here. "That might go at some schools where everybody said, 'At least you did that and you're showing improvement,' or whatever, but that doesn't happen here. Winning a championship is what matters." (Dallas Morning News)
