Monthly Archives: March 2012
Checking On The Enemy: Sooner Spring
Article Excerpt: A feature in which we examine some of the developments in enemy country. This time, we’ll peak peek across the Red River at conference frontrunner OU.
On paper, the Sooners have the strongest collection of returning talent in the conference. On offense, they return 4/5 of their OL (3/5 if you consider that the RT is moving to the left side), Kenny Stills, Roy Finch, Trey Millard, Jaz Reynolds, and future NFL 1st rounder Landry Jones. I think we can safely assume a high level of passing efficiency from this unit so we’ll discuss their development of a running game.
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OU’s Jaz Reynolds Says Injury Has Him Playing Harder
After missing the 2011 Insight Bowl because of a severe kidney injury, Jaz Reynolds is dancing again.
The 6-foot-2-inch 198-pound junior wide receiver was among those Sooners who took part in Oklahoma’s first spring practice. He said he feels good about his fitness and the injury he suffered against Oklahoma State last season shouldn’t hinder his performance during spring workouts — mentally or physically. That’s good news for Stoops and his staff.
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Bob and Mike Stoops Are Back Together And Better Than Ever
Mike Stoops is back with brother Bob at Oklahoma and after spending eight years at Arizona, is fired up and ready to coach again.
There is not a family reunion in the country like this. That much is certain.
There may be a few that are more boisterous, or have more people, or even have more fun but, in many respects, there’s nothing quite like the get together held by the Stoops brothers early in March. The only talk about heritage, deep in the Oklahoma football offices, comes when discussing the basics of the 4-3 defense.
In the Barry Switzer Center, family members play second fiddle to the overhead projector. It is not the lumens on the wall that has everybody ‘ahhing’ about but 22 players moving in various directions and whose idiosyncrasies were looked at frame-by-frame. For hours upon hours, between Diet Cokes, coffee and unhealthy snacks, the Stoops brothers watched. And watched. And watched some more.
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Women Sooners Dispatch Michigan, 88-67, In First Round
The 2012 installment of the NCAA tournament started off with a bang on Sunday at Lloyd Noble Center as the OU women’s basketball team blew out the Michigan Wolverines, 88-67.
The Sooners were led early by junior guard Whitney Hand who recorded 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in the first half — she ended with a double-double, scoring 12 points, gathering 10 boards and dishing six assists.
After half time, however, sophomore guard Aaryn Ellenberg took over.
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Opinion: OU Will Greatly Benefit From New Kickoff Rules
Sooner4OU Opinion: The University of Oklahoma Sooners may be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new kickoff rules implemented by the NCAA for this upcoming season.
Let’s be honest…kick offs and the kicking game in general at OU have been suspect if not painful the last couple of years.
Even with the extra five yards, by moving kickoffs from the 30- to 35-yard line, the OU kickers will not likely kick it out of the endzone often if at all and that keeps them from being negatively affected by the other rule change. That being touchbacks will be placed at the 25 versus the 20 previously.
These two rules seem to be a custom fit for a frustrating kickig game that may now prosper under the new rules. We will find out in six months.
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Sooner State’s Williams Enjoying First Dance
Kaylon Williams has no clue about the particulars of Tuesday’s game against St. John’s.Sure, she knows its a second-round game in the NCAA tournament. He knows what time the game starts — 8:45 p.m. and she knows if the Sooners lose, the season is over. But past that, Williams doesn’t think about where the Sooners will play next if they win. She doesn’t know St. John’s seed. She doesn’t really even know what seeds are for, anyway. “She’s never done this before,” coach Sherri Coale said, answering for Williams, when the freshman from Midwest City was asked about the severity of the situation.”She doesn’t know what it all means.”
So, is it really true Kaylon? “Yeah, what she said,” Williams admitted, pointing to Coale.
Position battle update: Backup QB
While the Sooners are on spring break this week, SoonerNation will update readers on five position battles this spring. For today: Backup quarterback.
The reality of this position battle is that it won’t be decided in earnest until at least next spring, after Landry Jones leaves campus. Still, Drew Allen, Blake Bell and even Kendal Thompson are using this spring to jockey for position for what will be OU’s first quarterback derby since 2007.
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FSU Needs To Follow 2010 Sooners Model
Among the teams that made a big leap on offense, few were able to maintain an elite defensive rating as well. The 2010 Oklahoma Sooners improved dramatically in Landry Jones’ sophomore season (60th OFEI in 2009, 11th OFEI in 2010) and maintained a top-five defense. They are the only team in the past five seasons to achieve what Florida State hopes to do in 2012.
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Tony Jefferson Filling Sooners Leadership Void
Oklahoma junior linebacker/safety Tony Jefferson has taken on a leadership role with the Sooners because he says teammates look up to him.
There is a bit of uncertainty surrounding Tony Jefferson.As spring football begins, the Oklahoma coaching staff is searching for the best way to utilize arguably their most-talented defender. Is he a linebacker or a safety?
Jefferson, 5-foot-10, 212 pounds, excels along the line of scrimmage, making instinctive plays against the run while remaining active in pass defense. He also holds his own in pass coverage, playing sound and smart football as a deep safety.
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Via espn.go.com
What’s next for the Blake Bell and the Belldozer?
NORMAN — It was a curious moment in Oklahoma’s curious 2011 season.
The Sooners had advanced to the 1-yard line on their opening drive against Kansas State on Oct. 29. Quarterback Landry Jones ran toward the sideline, Blake Bell ran toward the huddle.
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Via newsok.com
