Blake Bell is still committed to Oklahoma despite Landry Jones: Blake Bell, a Bishop Carroll Catholic standout in Wichita, Kan., turned down offers from Georgia, Miami, Nebraska, Notre Dame and several others to play for the Sooners. The recruiting site Rivals.com ranks Bell as the No. 4 quarterback in the country. Bell won't be bound to Oklahoma until he signs a letter of intent in February. And despite the Sooners sudden shift at quarterback, his commitment hasn't wavered. "I'm still excited," Bell said. "People ask me if I'm reconsidering or stuff like that, but not really. I'm still excited about coming into it. I can't wait to get on the field and show them what I've got." (The Oklahoman)
Stoops: Both Jones and Bradford are comparable: Now that Sam Bradford is out for the year, having opted for shoulder surgery, the comparisons have returned. "He's similiar to Sam in that he's a very humble guy. He has a great passion to play. He has a calm demeanor to him," OU coach Bob Stoops said of Jones on Monday morning's Big 12 teleconference. "Those kinds of guys have a calm presence to them and relaxed look. But they’re really competitive. It just kind of resonates." (Tulsa World)
Backup QB position still undetermined: With only a week and a half until the opener, Sooners coaches still aren't ready to reveal who quarterback Sam Bradford's backup will be. Both true freshman Drew Allen and redshirt freshman Landry Jones continue to compete for the spot. So far, neither has outshined the other. "They are doing well, but they still need work, and you still go back and appreciate how good Sam was as a second-year guy," Wilson said. "We need them to heighten their sense of urgency, because there is a chance that they will play." (The Oklahoman)
Status of OU's kicking game: After practice on Thursday, OU coach Bob Stoops talked about the format for Saturday's Red / White Game at Memorial Stadium. It's hard to simulate fall kicking situations in the spring, but Stoops said the mind-set and urgency "can't be" the same. "You work different drills, still work it." Tulsa Union product Tress Way has taken over the punting duties (Mike Knall graduated) as well as the kickoff duties. Matt Moreland, last year's kickoff specialist, ''has some family issues he's working through," Stoops said. "But Tress is doing a really good job. Really punting the ball great. And all his field goals and all have been good, too." (Tulsa World)
Expect backup QBs to see plenty of action: Backup quarterback Landry Jones and Drew Allen will get a lot action Saturday. And it will be the first time either has seen significant action in front of a live crowd. Quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel said both are having good and bad days, but that's to be expected. "The thing about both of them is they have a great attitude in the meeting room and they want to get better every day," Heupel said. "When a bad play happens, they don't let it hurt the next play. They bounce right back." Wilson said he's been impressed by both.(Norman Transcript)
Stoops tweaks OU's scoring system: Stoops said he's tweaked his confusing scoring system for the scrimmage -- so confusing, defensive coordinator Brent Venables said after last year's game, "Oh, there's a bunch of numbers up there. I was at a little bit of a loss whether to be happy or not." The score of last year's game was 69-40 with the Red team (first-team offense, second-team defense) beating the White (second-team offense, first team defense). "I got in trouble a year or so ago," Stoops said. "Defense intercepted a ball and ran it to the 1 or 2 and the offense scored the touchdown and they got 7 points. So we tweaked it as far as some things like that."(Tulsa World)
UPDATED: Report: Clemson AD visits Oklahoma to interview who? Late this afternoon Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips boarded a plane headed for Oklahoma City. At first everyone believed that he would be talking with OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, but it now looks like Phillips is meeting with OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables. (More at SoonersIllustrated) UPDATE 2: Internet reports suggested that Phillips flew to Oklahoma City to interview either Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson or defensive coordinator Brent Venables for Clemson's head-coaching vacancy. Wilson said Tuesday night he has not spoken with anyone from Clemson. "I'd like to say there was some truth, I'd love to say there was some truth to it," Wilson said. "But I have not talked to anyone, as God is my witness." Venables, however, was not available for interviews after practice. Sports information director Kenny Mossman said Venables went straight home after practice to be his with his wife, who gave birth to a girl last Friday, the couple's third child. Venables was mentioned as a candidate for the Clemson job in a report by Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com two weeks ago that cited unnamed sources. (In parts and more at The Oklahoman) Last week, Kansas State was rumored to be after Brent Venables for their vacant head coaching job.
Don't expect Halzle in OU's hurry up offense: A question during the press conference centered on backup quarterback Joey Halzle, whom Stoops said will "occasionally ... throw it on third down to pick up the first down and try to keep the chains moving," but will likely not be allowed to operate OU's fast-paced offense. Was it a fair way to prepare Halzle if an injury occurred to starter Sam Bradford? "Probably not," Stoops said, "but what do you do?" (Tulsa World)
OU's search for a QB after Bradford: All signs point to four-star prospect Nathan Scheelhaase as being OU's current top choice. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound dual-threat quarterback from Kansas City's Rockhurst High School holds offers from a dozen schools, including OU, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and South Florida, and has said he expects to make a commitment later this month. Scheelhaase, who was Missouri's Gatorade Player of the Year, made a lot of plays last season getting outside the pocket and throwing the ball downfield on the run. (In search of the next Sooner QB/The Oklahoman)
JUCO signee Sims yet to arrive on campus: (David) Sims, a 5-foot-11, 198-pound speedster, is the only newcomer yet to arrive in Norman and go through summer workouts. Sims is completing a class at Butte (Calif.) College and is expected on campus in time for fall camp. But Venables wonders how the absence from summer workouts will impact Sims' transition to Big 12 Conference football. "I think it set him back a little bit mentally, let alone physically, not being here through the course of the summer," Venables said. "We brought him here to help us. What he does this fall remains to be seen, but it goes without saying that it set him back not being here all summer with his teammates." (The Oklahoman)
Backup QB Keith Nichol to transfer after all: Keith Nichol's career at Oklahoma is over. Nichol, the former all-state quarterback at Lowell High School, announced Friday morning that he has left the University of Oklahoma after just one year. He completed his final exams this week and drove back to West Michigan on Friday. Nichol, a 6-foot-2, 204-pound signal caller, played in three games with the Sooners. He rushed for eight yards and completed his only pass in his debut against North Texas. He also saw action against Utah State and Tulsa. He finished his freshman season having completed 2 of 7 passes for a total of 15 yards. He rushed for 13 yards on three carries. "It was a really tough decision," Nichol said Friday morning. "I love OU and the people there, but you can't stay there for the people. I had to leave there for me. I look at it as a missed opportunity, but not everything works out the way you plan. "This has been on my mind for a while. When it came down to it, I couldn't go to practice if I was thinking about transferring. I had to make a decision and go with it." If he transfers to another Division I school, Nichol will have to sit out the 2008 season. He could practice with a team next season but would not be eligible to play Division I football until the 2009 season. He said Friday that he plans to take a long look at all of his options. "I am looking to transfer to a school with a good situation, one that fits my style. I am going to look for the best opportunity," Nichol said. "Maybe I cheated myself in the recruiting process the first time. "I didn't look at all of my options completely," he said. "Now I am trying to look at everything. Having been involved in big-time college football for a while now, I understand things better." Nichol, who was a marketing major at Oklahoma, was waiting until exams were finished and he returned home before contacting other college football programs. (Grand Rapids Press)
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.
K. Wilson: Joey No. 2 QB? OU may play all three? Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson isn't completely ready to commit to a No. 2 quarterback behind starter Sam Bradford yet. "Joey goes in first right now," Wilson said, adding that he's slightly more comfortable with Halzle at this point. "Don't read into that, that Keith is third and we're planning on redshirting him. We might need to play all three." (NewsOK.com)
OU to use two punters in season opener: Bob Stoops said he expects to use two punters against North Texas game. Senior Michael Cohen will handle long kicks and junior Mike Knall will kick in short-field situations. (Dallas Morning News)
Oklahoma fan asked to stop fundraiser for Mitchell: Just hours after Oklahoma football recruit Herman Mitchell was shot to death Friday in Houston, Adam Fineberg started raising money for Mitchell's family. But after raising $4,500, enough to cover almost half the cost of Mitchell's funeral, Fineberg stopped. An OU compliance officer told him his actions would constitute an NCAA rules violation against the Sooners... That money is considered illegal financial assistance under NCAA rules because Mitchell's brother is a sophomore fullback at Westfield High School in Spring, Texas, and because Fineberg is an OU fan who attends Sooner football games and solicited donations through an OU fan Web site... OU spokesman Kenny Mossman said the an official with the university's compliance office contacted Fineberg on Monday asking to him halt his fundraising efforts until the OU received a rules interpretation from the NCAA. That interpretation came Tuesday. "This is not a permissible expense for OU or someone who could be construed as an OU supporter,” said Mossman, an associate athletic director for communications. "We're not trying to be the bad guys, but we have to play by their rules.” (In parts and more at NewsOK.com)
Murray, Franks and Holmes may be used in returns: OU will use Reggie Smith and Juaquin Iglesias as the kick returners Saturday. Both handled the job last season. Stoops said Murray might also be used, depending on how many carries he gets from his running back spot. Redshirt freshman safety Dominique Franks and senior defensive back Lendy Holmes could also be used. (Norman Transcript)
'07 O-Line largest in Stoops era: OU's offensive line is the largest of the Bob Stoops era, averaging 6 feet, 5 inches and 316 pounds.The beast of the group is 6-foot-8, 350-pound left tackle Phil Loadholt, who will go against right defensive end Jeremiah Chapman, who is listed at 6-4, 243 pounds. UNT's defensive line averages 274 pounds. (Star-Telegram)
No QB backup decided yet: Stoops said he hasn't chosen a backup quarterback for the UNT game, saying junior Joey Halzle and freshman Keith Nichol are still even. (Dallas Morning News)
Bradford named Oklahoma's Starting QB: Sam Bradford has been tabbed for the starting quarterback job at Oklahoma. OU head coach Bob Stoops made the announcement Tuesday. Stoops said the decision was actually made Sunday and that Bradford took snaps with the first team during Monday's practice. Bradford, a redshirt freshman from Oklahoma City, emerged from a battle with Joey Halzle, a junior, and Keith Nichol, a true freshman. "We feel very good about all three of those guys," Stoops said. "All three have made great improvement and contributed a lot to our program. "We are going with Sam because he earned the position. We expect both Joey and Keith to continue working hard and competing for playing time just like all our players do at every position. There may be an opportunity for them at some point and it will be important for them to be ready." Bradford, the son of former Sooner offensive lineman Kent Bradford, redshirted at OU last season. (SoonerSports.com)
OU ranked eighth in college football sales: Oklahoma ranked No. 8 in college football, the Sooners also are ranked eighth in college merchandise sales. Sunday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution released the 2006-07 school-year sales of the Atlanta-based Collegiate Licensing Company, which brands merchandise for nearly 200 college athletic programs, including OU and OSU. The Cowboys also made the top 25, coming in at No. 24. Texas finished No. 1 for the second consecutive year. Michigan, which was second last year, dropped to No. 4, and Notre Dame replaced the Wolverines at No. 2. (NewsOK.com)
No Quarterback Announcement yet: Everyone except coach Bob Stoops and his staff [named a QB]. No official announcement came Monday -- the first day of fall classes at OU -- as to who would start at quarterback in the Sooners' season opener Sept. 1 against North Texas. OU coaches and players were not made available to the media following Monday evening's practice but are expected to be available today. (Dallas Morning News)
Murray's improvements come by suggestion: [DaMarco] Murray said the reason for the turnaround was not attempting to turn every carry into a big run. "Coaches have been telling me not to try to make the big play all the time,” Murray said. "I let the offensive line open up the holes and just made my cuts.” (NewsOK.com)
Former Sooner Beeler to visit Stanford: Oklahoma sophomore center Chase Beeler might be transferring to Stanford. Beeler, originally recruited by the Cardinal, reportedly has been granted his release by the Sooners and made his official visit to Stanford on Saturday. (San Francisco Chronicle)
No timetable to name Oklahoma QB: Wilson suggested that the coaching staff would have more time to evaluate who should be the starter this week since players will be starting classes and limits on their contact with coaches will take effect. But coaches have repeatedly refused to set a timeframe for a decision. "We just go by who we feel is doing the best job directing the team and the most consistent job, and staying away from the plays that really hurt you," head coach Bob Stoops said. (AP/SoonerSports.com)
Oklahoma Scrimmage Stats: A crowd estimated at 5,000 braved a steady rain to watch the workout, which included 97 plays. SoonerSports.com
Passing Sam Bradford: 12-17-130, 4 TDs Keith Nichol: 5-16-82, 1 TD Joey Halzle: 8-23-47, 1 INT
Rushing Murray: 9 carries for 105 yards, 1 TD. Brown: 8 carries for 37 yards. Gove: 8 carries for 34 yards. Madu: 7 carries for 28 yards. Gutierrez: 8 carries for 26 yards. Nichol: 3 carries for 4 yards. Halzle: 1 carry for -3 yards. Iglesias: 1 carryfor -4 yards. Complete Scrimmage stats at SoonerSports.com
Patrick may return next week? Stoops said next week's workouts might include running back Allen Patrick, who has been sidelined for nearly two weeks with a sprained right ankle. (SoonerSports.com)
Stoops on the QB performance:"We're still deciding," OU coach Bob Stoops said. "We like what we've seen from all of them. They've all made great progress."
Clayton to strongside linebacker: One position switch was noticeable Saturday. Keenan Clayton, who started two games last season at strong safety, has been moved to strongside linebacker. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said the switch was made a few days ago. Clayton only made eight tackles last season and lost his starting job when Reggie Smith was switched back to strong safety after two games. D.J. Wolfe has won the starting job there this season. (Norman Transcript)
Sooners search for backup at center: At right guard, Brandon Walker is the returning starter, but Brian Simmons held the spot last spring while Walker worked his way back from knee surgery. Now the two could end up splitting time. And the newest battle is for the backup job at center. With the announcement Tuesday that sophomore Chase Beeler had left the team, that spot on the depth chart became vacant. OU coach Bob Stoops said Wednesday that Walker is capable of playing center, but the coaching staff is also looking at sophomore Noah Hughey and true freshman Jason Hannan in that role. (NewsOK.com)
QB race still wide open: It appears Oklahoma will conduct its second major preseason scrimmage Saturday night with Keith Nichol, Sam Bradford and Joey Halzle all still in the hunt. "Not trying to drag it out, but right now, like we've got three tight ends, we've kind of got three quarterbacks," offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Thursday between the Sooners' two practices. "Everybody says no one's separating, but it's not because they're stinking. They're all playing really good. So we'll just let them keep playing." Wilson said all three took snaps in Wednesday night's mini-scrimmage, when the Sooners ran the ball more than they did in the previous Saturday's full scrimmage, concentrating particularly on short-yardage situations. (Tulsa World)
Oklahoma breaks ground on statue work: Dirt work has begun beside the statues honoring Heisman Trophy winners Steve Owens and Billy Vessels in the areas that will eventually house statues for OU's other Heisman winners, Billy Sims and Jason White. The statues, which will be located on either side of the Owens and Vessels statues east of Owen Field, will be unveiled this fall. (NewsOK.com)
Injury Report: Branndon Braxton, battling Trent Williams to start at right tackle, has recovered from an ankle injury and is practicing. Cory Brandon, who was second-team right tackle, has missed time with a concussion. Tight end / fullback Brody Eldridge, coming off ankle surgery, is practicing but not participating in major contact situations. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is still hampered by a hamstring injury. (Tulsa World)
Beeler to keep football options open: Sources said Tuesday that [Chase] Beeler wanted to focus on other areas of his life, instead of being consumed by the demands of major college football. A source said Beeler intended to keep open his football options at academic benchmarks like Stanford, Harvard and Princeton. OU signed seven linemen in the 2006 class, and Beeler is the third one to leave the program, joining Curtis Bailey (injury) and Ada's Chad Roark (transferred to Nebraska, then quit there). (Tulsa World)
QB situation remains unchanged: Oklahoma coaches said they are no closer to naming a starting quarterback today than they were at the beginning of preseason practices. Oklahoma has scheduled a closed scrimmage of about 60 plays tonight to look at each quarterback. The quarterbacks will also participate in an open scrimmage at 6 p.m. Saturday at Owen Field. OU quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel said each quarterback is getting an equal number of reps with the first-team offense. (Dallas Morning News)
Sooners required to take ice baths in 100 degree plus heat: OU players have been taking ice baths for years, but head coach Bob Stoops made it mandatory this year, [Scott] Anderson said. "For heat stress, ice immersion is the gold standard," Anderson said. "There's never been any known case where someone died of heat stroke after being immersed in cold water. It's something we worry about and pay a great deal of attention to." Especially with the state cooking in triple-digit temperatures for several days. Anderson said two factors contribute to overheating. "There's the internal production of heat and the external heat factors. The higher environmental heat, then the more problematic it is to shed that internal heat," he said. (Tulsa World)
Braxton and Williams returned to practice Monday: Senior free safety Darien Williams and offensive tackle Branndon Braxton returned to practice Monday. For Williams, it was the first practice of the year. Offseason knee surgery kept him out of spring practice, and a surgically repaired stress fracture in his foot forced him to miss the beginning of training camp. "He was a little rusty out there," defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "Gotta get to communicating, quit thinking. But it was good to see him back." Braxton's ankle injury was minor. (NewsOK.com)
Sooners to find direction at QB this week? Oklahoma could see some movement in the quarterback race by the end of the week, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Monday."This is a big week," he said. "We're going to work on our identity, No. 1. I think as this week goes, we need to probably start making the decisions."The Sooners have set a mini-scrimmage for Wednesday and another major scrimmage Saturday night. (Star-Telegram)
Patrick on crutches at practice: Senior running back Allen Patrick, the Sooners' expected starter, left Monday morning's practice on crutches with his right foot in a protective boot. (Dallas Morning News)
Pair of Sooners demoted: DeMarcus Granger and Steven Coleman, who both saw significant action last season, were demoted because they showed up to preseason camp out of shape. "It's all about playing hard," [Jackie] Shipp said. (Norman Transcript)
OU's Quarterback role remains unfilled: Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Sunday will be the first opportunity since preseason practice started for the Sooners' coaching staff to discuss the quarterback situation at length. He hinted it's possible that the final decision on a starter might not be made until after the season starts. Oklahoma will open on Sept. 1 at home against North Texas and will host Miami a week later. "I wish it would be settled and done right this second, personally, for all positions," Wilson said. "But at the same time, we're going to need more than one....Maybe we go with two. "We're through the first (week) and through a scrimmage. Maybe, from what we've seen in practice and today, maybe we can get close to making that call...or (decide that) we're five, six, eight, 10 days away." (Dallas Morning News)
Players out due to injuries: Notables that did not play due to injury included OT Branndon Braxton, CB Reggie Smith and RB Allen Patrick. Patrick is out with a sprained ankle. Stoops said Braxton and Smith have minor ailments and should be back soon. (SoonerSports.com)
Bob Stoops post-scrimmage quotes: "It was good overall. Defensively we're just so much more stable in the secondary. You have the potential there for giving up plays or making plays. Defensively, we were solid."
"It's obvious that our quarterbacks can make all the throws. They did a really nice job. I didn't see any forced decisions. The drives that stalled didn't stop because of their play. The players around them have to make plays."
"On offense, I was pleased for the most part. Our defense sees that offense every day so the offense is at a significant disadvantage."
Stats: Sam Bradford: 11-of-18 passing for 83 yards; 1 INT Joey Halzle: 8-of-16 for 51 yards; 1 TD pass for 3 yards Keith Nichol: 12-of-21 for 85 yards; 1 TD pass for 20 yards
SCORING Manuel Johnson 3-yard pass from Keith Nichol Malcolm Kelly 20-yard pass from Joey Halzle Jacob Gutierrez 53-yard touchdown run RUSHING Gutierrez - 7 rushes for 68 yards Madu - 10 rushes for 18 yards Murray - 6 rushes for 25 yards Brown - 2 rushes for 7 yards Tennell - 2 rushes for 1 yard Gove - 2 rushes for 0 yards Caleb - 1 rush for negative 2 yards
Equal time for all three quarterbacks in practice allows comfort: That's part of the reason Oklahoma's scrimmage on Saturday is open to the public. It's also why the Sooners offensive coordinator and his other coaches will step to the sideline during practice. "Instead of us being out there calling the play and setting the tempo, 'Hey, it's your team, your offense. You've got this group. Let's see how you do.'" Wilson said. "We did that a lot at the end of last spring, and we want to start early this year with those guys playing on their own, instead of us holding their hands." Wilson said all three quarterbacks -- Joey Halzle, Sam Bradford and Keith Nichol -- are playing an equal number of snaps in practice. (NewsOK.com)
Stoops appreciates Barry's HR 756: Count the Sooner coach among those who support new home run king Barry Bonds. "I thought it was great," Stoops said of Bonds' 756th home run. "The guy is amazing what he's done. The more they talk about him. . . I'm not the biggest baseball fan, I don't follow it that much. But just all the Gold Gloves, what a complete player he's been is really impressive." (Tulsa World)
Big Red Rally set: OU has set the date for its annual preseason pep rally. The Big Red Rally will take place at 6 p.m. on Aug. 23 at Owen Field. (NewsOK.com)
Scrimmage Information: Remember Oklahoma's first scrimmage of the 2007 fall schedule is open to the public this Saturday, gates open at 9:30 a.m. and starts at 11:00 a.m. Information on the scrimmage is available at SoonerSports.com.
Oklahoma QBs talk about getting the nod: From the Tulsa World.. "It'd be great for me," Joey Halzle said. "This is what I've been working at my whole life. I've always wanted to get to this level, and once I got to this level, play. So this would be one of my dreams come true."
"It would mean a lot," said Sam Bradford. "Growing up here, my dad played here, just coming to the games as a kid, it's kind of been one of my dreams growing up as a kid. I think it would definitely mean a lot to me to walk out there and play in front of 85,000."
"I think everybody, every little kid, dreams of that moment," said Keith Nichol. "You watch college football at home on Saturdays, just a year ago, I was watching preseason stuff on ESPN. I was dreaming of it then, what it'd be like. To say I wasn't doing it now would be a lie. So yeah, I dream of it."
Large crowd at Meet the Sooners: OU's annual Meet the Sooners Day drew an estimated 10,000 fans on Friday, according to the school's event management staff. (Tulsa World)
McEachern to play after all: [Hayes] McEachern, a film and video studies major, was on hand Friday and said he plans to play this season after all. "I kind of determined that if I look back on it in a couple years, will I regret quitting?” McEachern said. "And I figured I would.” (NewsOK.com)
Eldridge back in limited role: Tight end / fullback Brody Eldridge injured his knee and ankle in the Red / White Game (he had a screw implanted in his leg to stabilize the ankle), but seems to be on his way back. "Brody Eldridge is hands-down the best blocker on our football team," said offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, who added that Eldridge has returned to practice in a limited role. "They don't want to overdo it and have some irritation." (Tulsa World)
OU coaches visit Patriots' camp: Last weekend, Bob Stoops and several assistants were on the sidelines for a couple of New England Patriot workouts. "Tom Brady's arm wasn't very impressive, but his anticipation and his knowledge and his placement of the ball was so strong," OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson noted. It's a point that relates to the Sooners' three starting quarterback candidates. (Tulsa World)
D. Williams back in week or two: Senior starting free safety Darien Williams is "still another week or so away” after undergoing surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot July 16. "He's moving around and said he feels great,” Stoops said. (NewsOK.com)
Stoops doesn't rule out using two quarterbacks: Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops seeks a starting quarterback for the 2007 season and hasn't ruled out the idea of using two quarterbacks. "There's always that chance," Stoops said Friday morning during the Sooners' media day in Norman. "I'm not saying we will, but it's too early to say we wouldn't." The biggest question as Oklahoma opens August practice is who will be the starting QB. (Tulsa World)
Pendleton receives Bowden FCA Award: Former Oklahoma football player Carl Pendleton held the Bobby Bowden Fellowship of Christian Athletes Award in his hands for about two minutes. And that was enough for him. Pendleton, who was announced as the winner of the award in January, finally received the trophy Thursday night during the OU Caravan stop at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. (NewsOK.com)
OU starting QB job not about arm strength: "It's not about how hard you throw it," Finley said. "It's about whether you get it there on time. Jason White couldn't throw the ball near as hard as Keith can, but Jason put it there, right where it needed to be, right on time." (NewsOK.com)
McEachern expected to quit team: Stoops said he might be auditioning holders for extra points and field goals this fall after fourth-string quarterback Hays McEachern -- the team's holder as a sophomore all of last season -- informed him this summer that he plans to quit football. "Hays, right now, is thinking he's not going to play this year," Stoops said. "He's getting a little older and is concentrating on his school work. I'm hoping he'll change his mind, but right now, that's not likely." (NewsOK.com)
Reynolds recovery on time:Stoops said he expects linebacker Ryan Reynolds to be ready to start the season. Reynolds missed last season after tearing his ACL just after the completion of spring practice and then underwent more surgery on an LCL injury this spring. (Dallas Morning News)
Former OU player Quinn Arrested: Montana lineman J.D. Quinn, who transferred from Oklahoma after being kicked off the team there, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. Montana coach Bobby Hauck didn't release details Monday of the junior offensive lineman's arrest, saying only that disciplinary action will be taken. "As always, there will be firm disciplinary measures taken, and those measures will be handled within our football team," Hauck said in a statement. "One of the disciplinary actions will include mandatory alcohol counseling." Missoula Police Lt. Mike Brady said Quinn was pulled over for speeding at 2:39 a.m. Sunday. Police records said Quinn was going 44 mph in a 35 mph zone. (ESPN.com) Weeks ago, you might recall Quinn telling KFOR's Brian Brinkley get a REAL job.
Stoops familiar with QB competition: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops on OU's 2007 quarterback race.. "This isn't the NFL, where you have a guy for 12 years, Joe Montana,” Stoops said. "This is natural, it's college football. Guys come and guys go. It's always been that way and always will be. "I don't look at it as an issue. It's not like we haven't had this issue in eight years. We've had it many times and we've managed it fairly well.” Stoops is proud of his quarterback record at OU. His QB/championship ratio is impressive. In the last seven years, Stoops' Sooners have won four Big 12 titles with a different quarterback for each trophy. (NewsOK.com) As Stoops said earlier this month, it all comes down to how much the players around the quarterback have improved. Landry Jones could put Sooners back in title hunt: Tulsa World
Stoops on Oklahoma's Quarterback performance: Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops, told the Tulsa World: "The biggest factor for them (quarterbacks) will be how much the players around them have improved from a year ago," Stoops said. "Every position around them ought to be better and stronger than they were a year ago." (Tulsa World)
Stoops doesn't expect to makes decision on QB till August: Bob Stoops said a decision between Sam Bradford, Joey Halzle and Keith Nichol won't be made until one of the three has clearly seized the job. One thing working in the coaches' favor is a recent history of intense competitions. "I would guess it would be sometime in August," Stoops said after Saturday's Red-White scrimmage. "When I feel a guy has earned it, we'll say so. I think if you go through eight years here, we have named 'em all at different times. "I mean it when I say (when) a guy has earned it, we'll say so. This isn't new territory for us. We've had four Big 12 championships with four different quarterbacks. So we're used to this. Hopefully we'll get back to another one with a different quarterback." (NewsOK.com)
Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes Oklahoma Coaches anticipate Nichol to improve: "We hope all three of them are completely different players when they show up in August," said [Josh] Heupel, OU's quarterbacks coach. "But certainly, we feel like Keith has a lot of strides he can make." (NewsOK.com)
Jerseys to include names in '07? Oklahoma played last season without players' names on the backs of their jerseys, but Saturday, the Sooners' jerseys included their names. Stoops said he would probably keep them that way in the fall, too. "Right now, the players wanted to," he said. "I asked them ... can they remain unselfish about it and not worry about whose name's on the back and more about who's on the front?" They assured the coach that they could. "If they'll continue to act that way," Stoops said, "maybe we'll keep 'em that way." (NewsOK.com)
Murray still getting used to the cameras: After Oklahoma's Red/White spring game Saturday at Owen Field, DeMarco Murray was the media darling. Even if the redshirt freshman wasn't ready for it."I'm not comfortable at all, to be honest," Murray said. "I'm trying to get used to all these interviews. I haven't had this many interviews since my senior year in high school." (Norman Transcript)
No press for the QBs: He enforced the policy [limited press access] again Saturday when he didn't allow OU's three quarterbacks to meet the press after the annual Red / White Game at Memorial Stadium. (Tulsa World)
Eldridge's sprained knee ligament: Tight end Brody Eldridge suffered a sprained knee ligament injury after being tackled hard, Wilson said. (Dallas Morning News) The injury is being reported as low grade sprain.
Walk-on Whitson makes a impact: [Carter] Whitson, a walk-on who played high school ball for his dad, Brent, at Broken Arrow and Shawnee, did more than enough to atone for the missed block. He was OU's third-leading receiver Saturday with two catches for 45 yards. (Tulsa World)
McCoy Practice Injury: Nose guard Gerald McCoy was a late scratch for the Red-White game. The ballyhooed redshirt freshman has been practicing with pain in his calf muscle, but when he jumped over a lineman Thursday, he landed wrong on his leg. "My calf muscle kind of stretched out a little bit, strained it a little bit," McCoy said. "They said they were going to see what happened this morning. Then they said they were going to hold me out, just let me rest a little bit." (NewsOK.com)
Sooners youth highlight scrimmage: Three sophomores and a freshman accounted for the four touchdowns in the event. When it was over, OU head coach Bob Stoops, who was critical after his team's first major scrimmage, was more positive about his team. "It was better," he said. "The intensity, the effort, the enthusiasm all were really good. We've got improvement to make in clearing up some mistakes but that's why we practice." Redshirt freshman running back DeMarco Murray again practiced well. He rushed 16 times for 132 yards and one touchdown. (Stats and more at SoonerSports.com)
Wolfe playing at safety: For the third time in his four years at Oklahoma, D.J. Wolfe has landed at a new position, playing with the first-team defense at free safety in Saturday's scrimmage at Owen Field. "I'm loving it, being able to get back there and have vision of the whole field and be in the action," Wolfe said of the move to safety. "I hate to say it, but it might be better than corner." Wolfe moved to safety as the Sooners try to find a suitable backup for returning starter Darien Williams who is out for the spring after undergoing offseason knee surgery. (NewsOK.com)
Kevin Wilson on turnovers and quarterbacks: Afterward, coordinator Kevin Wilson said he sped the pace from the March 14 scrimmage, which likely contributed to the turnovers. He said coaches hadn't met to discuss the quarterbacks' progress, let alone determine any kind of pecking order, something he feels is a long way off. (Tulsa World)
All three quarterbacks have potential? According to at least one receiver, any of the three could claim the job."(All) of them have the opportunity to potentially get us where we need to go," Quentin Chaney said. "They're coming along very well. They're all pretty comfortable back there." (Norman Transcript)
Injury Report: Left guard Duke Robinson injured his shoulder in Friday's practice and was not available. Cornerback Lendy Holmes has a bruised sternum and will be held out a few days as well. Holmes, a receiver-turned-defensive back who is also talented at basketball, still managed to show off his versatility. (NewsOK.com)
