Coach Bob Stoops defends Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson: Head coach Bob Stoops came to the aid of offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, who has been criticized by fans and media for being too conservative in his play-calling during Oklahoma's 21-20 loss at Miami. "Those people, I'm sure they're good play-callers after the fact; they can call plays when they get their team," Stoops told reporters after Monday's practice. "Our game plan was what it had been all along; I don't see where people get that. We went right down the field and scored on the first drive of the game. We were calling those same plays throughout the game. "They don't look as good when they're defended as well or you get a holding call out on the perimeter. I don't see it that way. I thought we called the game the same really throughout." (More at The Oklahoman)
Murry suffers knee injury; expected to play bowl game: Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray left the game after taking a helmet to his left knee on the opening kickoff. After being examined on the OU sideline, Murray was taken to the locker room with 4:37 left in the first quarter and didn't return to the game. He came back to the sidelines later in the second quarter wearing sweats. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, however, said Murray only suffered a knee bruise and that holding him out was just for precaution. Murray is expected to be fine for the Sooners' bowl game. (The Oklahoman)
OU offense sets NCAA record: With 38 points scored in the first half, the Sooners set a record for points scored in a season during the modern era with 678, besting the previous mark held by Hawaii in 2006 (656). The all-time mark is 765 posted by the 1886 Harvard team. The Sooners currently rank third on the all-time list with 702. (SoonerSports PR)
Quality competition: Oklahoma is the only team this season to record five wins over ranked opponents, topping TCU, Kansas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Missouri. (SoonerSports PR) In addition, Oklahoma defeated Cincinnati who is currently ranked 12th.
60 or more points consecutive games: The OU offense has scored 60 or more points in five straight games, an NCAA record. Overall, Sooner teams have scored 50 or more points in 134 games in school history. (SoonerSports PR)
Lewis surpasses Bosworth to set record: Travis Lewis recorded his 136th tackle of the season in the fourth quarter and set an OU freshman record held by Brian Bosworth. Bosworth had 133 tackles in 1984. (SoonerSports PR)
OU Coaches talk about the no-huddle offense: The Sooners have joined the growing horde of teams experimenting with no huddles. "It's the trend," said Sooner defensive coordinator Brent Venables. In the same way the wishbone took over college football in the 1970s, and the spread did the same almost a decade ago, the no-huddle is all the rage in the 21st century, going from fad to standard in a season or two. "I don't think offenses would do it if it weren't advantageous, to a degree," Venables said. Bob Stoops says he ordered implementation of the no-huddle for mathematical reasons. "I want to get as many at-bats as they do," Stoops said. "I don't want anyone having more snaps than we do." Wilson, OU's offensive coordinator, ran the no-huddle for four years at Northwestern. Twice, his Northwestern team led the nation in offensive plays. But I'll bet Northwestern ranked high in plays allowed, too. That's the delicate nature of the no-huddle. Even if it helps your offense, it can hurt your defense. "To me, the problems are, can you protect your defense?" Wilson said. "At Northwestern, our defenses weren't any good. We didn't really worry about helping them." That's why Wilson must be careful. For example, coaches say OU this spring practiced about 60 percent huddle, 40 percent no-huddle. (The Oklahoman)
OU confirms Malcolm Kelly to run another 40: University of Oklahoma spokesman Kenny Mossman said Kelly will run the 40-yard dash again on Wednesday, presumably on AstroTurf, after running 4.68 and 4.75 last Wednesday. After his workout, Kelly sounded off about the setup, particularly a perceived lack of loyalty to him by "certain people" on the OU football staff. He also criticized the OU training staff for misdiagnosing an injury that kept him out of the Fiesta Bowl. Kelly was upset because he and OU strength coach Jerry Schmidt agreed he would run his 40s on the AstroTurf of the Mosier Center instead of the Field Turf of the Everest Center, on which every other OU football player has worked out for NFL scouts the last two years. (Tulsa World)
University of Oklahoma Football Second Scrimmage stats and quotes at SoonerSports.com
Box may return next weekend: Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said Box might return to noncontact work next week. Venables also said it was important for Reynolds to be back. "He's not 100 percent," Venables said, "but he needs to be out there to get some of the positioning down as much as anything, get a presence about him." (Tulsa World)
Recruits visit Norman: Centennial Frisco (Texas) High School quarterback Ryan Mossakowski was one of several blue-chip recruits in attendance. Mossakowski, the No. 53-ranked player in the nation according to Rivals.com, was accompanied at the scrimmage by Las Vegas defensive end Justin Chaisson, who is the No. 27-rated prospect in the country. Four-star cornerback Gabe Lynn of Jenks saw his second OU scrimmage. He was in Norman last weekend as well. Linebacker Tom Wort of New Braunfels, Texas, and tight end Greg Brown of Bixby were also in attendance Saturday. (The Oklahoman)
Bradford on the no huddle: Telling the Tulsa World "Today was about as game-like as we've had with the no-huddle as far as the referees and the clock and everything going," Bradford said. "I think we did move the ball pretty well. We did have some penalties that hurt us, but I thought our tempo was good today and guys for the most part, we were on the same page."
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)
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)
Former UCLA Offensive Coordinator Norvell hired: Jay Norvell has joined Oklahoma's football staff as co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach. OU head coach Bob Stoops made the announcement today. Technically it's the second tour of duty for Norvell with Oklahoma. He had been announced in a similar position prior to the 2002 season, but then opted to join the staff of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. Norvell left the Oakland Raiders in February of 2004 for a three-year stint at Nebraska. In 2007, he was the offensive coordinator at UCLA. "Jay has a varied and impressive background of coaching both college and professional football and we are excited that he is coming to Oklahoma," Stoops said. "He brings with him expertise in both coaching and recruiting and we feel there are significant contributions that he can make to our program." Norvell said that the positives of the Oklahoma program are overwhelming. "I'm so excited to work with Bob and the staff there," he said. "I have so much respect for that program. The talent of the team, the quality of the staff and the tremendous support all mean so much to me. I've worked at a lot of schools and I know that this is a special situation. "I've known Bob for a long time and he is tops. Several of the assistant coaches are good friends to so there are just so many positive aspects to this move." The new Sooner assistant said his background should benefit the OU program. (SoonerSports PR)
Malcolm Kelly upbeat despite no catches in a loss to Colorado: "We got a good scheme now," said Kelly, who didn't have a pass thrown his way in Saturday's 27-24 loss to Colorado. "We'll be able to counter that." Kelly said he was frustrated by not being a bigger part of the offense but appeared upbeat after practice. "If I sit around and worry about that, I'm not getting better, getting ready for Texas," Kelly said. "That's all behind me now." (NewsOK.com)
Stoops not worried about Bradford's confidence: With Texas looming, is OU coach Bob Stoops concerned about his redshirt freshman’s state of mind? "No, I don’t think his confidence will be shaken whatsoever," Stoops answered during the Big 12 coaches teleconference Monday morning. "He's doing an excellent job in what we're asking him to do. He was the least of our problems the other day. There’s a whole bunch of other things around him that need to be better." (Tulsa World)
Venables: No scheme found in Texas loss to Kansas State: Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said when he played the tape of Kansas State's 41-21 win over Texas, he was hoping to see the Wildcats had come up with a definitive scheme to stop the Longhorns."That wasn't the case," Venables said. "When Texas wasn't turning the ball over, they were moving the ball. They had to play catch-up... but you would be getting ahead of yourself if you thought Kansas State shut 'em down." (Star-Telegram)
Oklahoma coach Stoops avoids replay talk: Two Oklahoma pass plays in Saturday's 27-24 loss to Colorado were reviewed by the replay booth during the second half. And both calls eventually went against the Sooners. OU coach Bob Stoops refrained from commenting on either play. "I'm not gonna get into it,” he said. "What's that gonna do?” (NewsOK.com)
OU's Ryan Reynolds "fine": OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said linebacker Ryan Reynolds is "fine" after playing through a shoulder injury Saturday. "He's just a little bit sore," Venables said. Reynolds had numbness in his right arm after getting hit by another player's helmet. (NewsOK.com)
Kevin Wilson: On OU's offensive performance against Colorado: OU had seven second-half possessions against the Buffs, none longer than five plays. A Sooners' offense that had averaged 562.3 yards per game finished with 230. "We had been playing so well," OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said, "but our execution was just off, and it hasn't been that way." (Dallas Morning News)
Stoops on the Red River Rivalry after losses: When asked if the losses [OU and Texas, Saturday] detract from Saturday's showdown, Sooner coach Bob Stoops dryly responded: "I don't know how it could add." (Norman Transcript)
