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QB
Sam Bradford |
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2007
Statistics |
Coach:
Bob Stoops
97-22,
9 years |
2007
Record: 11-3 |
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NORTH
TEXAS |
WON
79-10 |
MIAMI
FL |
WON
51-13 |
UTAH
STATE |
WON
54-3 |
at
Tulsa |
WON
62-21 |
at
Colorado |
LOST
24-27 |
vs.
Texas |
WON
28-21 |
MISSOURI |
WON
41-31 |
at
Iowa State |
WON
17-7 |
TEXAS
A&M |
WON
42-14 |
BAYLOR |
WON
52-21 |
at
Texas Tech |
LOST
27-34 |
OKLAHOMA
STATE |
WON
49-17 |
BIG
12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME |
vs.
Missouri |
WON
38-17 |
FIESTA
BOWL |
West
Virginia |
LOST
28-48 |
|
2007
Final Rankings
AP-8, Coaches-8, BCS-4
|
2008
Outlook |
Those
who have studied this game and
its grand history know Oklahoma
is a fixture at the highest
levels of college football.
The eighth-winningest program
of all-time, the near misses
recently have been agonizing
to fans. Last year saw their
BCS title hopes again dashed
when Colorado and Texas Tech,
two teams not their equal on
paper beforehand, broke through.
Then it happened again, for
the fourth time in five years
- the Sooners lost their bowl
game. Winners in six of the
last eight Big 12 championship
games (90-17 over that span),
there have been two complete
four-year cycles now since their
last BCS Championship (finished
in the top 11 every year since
but one, 2005, when they were
No.22). Parity in the conference
has yet to take OU from its
top spot, and they will have
to be vigilant again to keep
all of the upstarts from their
conference crown. This is the
favorite team to take the Big
12 and represent the conference
with an automatic BCS bid, but
only their best effort will
get all of this to happen again.
Sam
Bradford was one of the biggest
surprises in one of the biggest
years of college football surprises
ever. His 36-to-8 TD-to-INT
ratio is amazing for a freshman
(I-A record for freshman TD
passes in a season), signaling
a soon-to-be stellar era in
Norman. The right guy to bring
that next national championship
is only a sophomore, but one
who has maturity beyond his
years. Head coach Bob Stoops
is eager to exploit all of his
potential. The consensus amongst
the brain trust at OU is to
implement a no-huddle wrinkle
that will allow OU to check
out how another team lines up
(and with whom) and then audible
into the best possible call.
Bradford should be able to handle
this with little trouble (except
at first and/or in their first
big/tough game). The first returns
on what this has looked like
in practice shows they still
stress two-TE sets, a good package
to accentuate if the running
game is to remain a popular
option. The receivers go deep
(both down field and throughout
this roster) and the RBs are
ready to go, as are the tight
ends. An all-senior OL means
nothing should stop the offense.
That is good, for Stoops &
Co. may have to win with offense
instead of their usual signature
D. That has some question marks
concerning the back seven. Nic
Harris has to come back in full
force (shoulder surgery) for
the secondary to gel, and foes
will use the (underneath) pass
until the Sooners prove they
can stop it. The line should
be able to do its job and get
to the QB quickly with just
four hats, aiding the pass defense's
ability to get it together.
Unlike
some top teams, OU still goes
on the road for half of the
season. Cincinnati will not
be easy to beat, nor will Washington...both
are obviously games they should
win, though. A&M and Kansas
State on the road will force
Oklahoma to dig deep, and Kansas,
Nebraska and Texas Tech at home
will all challenge this team
to the point that they prove
enough to pollsters to break
any tie-breakers against teams
that have a similar record.
The League Championship game
may be the first time they see
Missouri again; whoever it is,
the North rep won't be a pushover.
This team can match up with
many/most of the top foes, but
a foe’s superior passing
game could be 2008's bane. Bradford
should reach a level where little
will be able to stop his will
to score, making OU’s
possible defensive troubles
mean little as they outscore
anyone who dares to keep up.
(Bennie) Owen Field turns 85
this year, a great time to bring
home some hardware and keep
Stoops' momentum chugging along.
Projected
2008 record: 11-1
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OKLAHOMA
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 5 |
DL
- 4.5 |
RB
- 4 |
LB
- 3.5 |
WR
- 3.5 |
DB
- 3.5 |
OL
- 5 |
.. |
|
OKLAHOMA
2007 Statistical Rankings |
OFFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
30 |
4 |
Passing: |
36 |
7 |
Total
Off: |
19 |
7 |
Sacks
Allow: |
5 |
2 |
|
DEFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
17 |
3 |
Passing: |
59 |
3 |
Total
Def: |
26 |
2 |
Sacks: |
37 |
2 |
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RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Sam Bradford, 237-341-8, 3121
yds., 36 TD
Rushing: DeMarco Murray,
127 att., 764 yds., 13 TD
Receiving: Juaquin Iglesias,
68 rec., 907 yds., 5 TD
Scoring: DeMarco Murray,
15 TD, 90 pts.
Punting: Mike Knall,
24 punts, 43.7 avg.
Kicking: None
Tackles: Nic Harris,
74 tot., 50 solo
Sacks: Auston English,
9.5 sacks
Interceptions: Lendy
Holmes, 3 for 70 yds., 1 TD
Kickoff Returns: Juaquin
Iglesias, 29 ret., 28.5 avg.,
0 TD
Punt Returns: Dominique
Franks, 12 ret., 10.3 avg.,
0 TD
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DB
Nic Harris |
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OKLAHOMA |
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OFFENSE
- 8 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 6 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Dane Zaslaw-FB, Allen Patrick-RB,
Joe Jon Finley-TE, Garrett Hartley-K,
Malcolm
Kelly-WR (NFL) |
DEFENSE:
Alonzo
Dotson-DE, Lewis Baker-LB, Marcus
Walker-CB, D.J. Wolfe-SS, Michael
Cohen-P, Curtis Lofton-LB (NFL),
Reggie Smith-CB (NFL) |
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2008
OFFENSE |
QUARTERBACK
To lead the nation in passing (efficiency)
as a freshman gives you a gauge for
the expectations heaped upon Sam Bradford
as he enters his second season. He
stands 6'4 in the pocket, remaining
there when needed with a great sense
of when to throw it away and when
to thread it into his guy. Coordinator
Kevin Wilson and coach Stoops are
impressed enough to begin training
this year's offense to run a no-huddle
variation. New co-coordinator Jay
Norvell is a big reason this should
work. Really, it's Bradford who proved
this can work - he has the offense
down, so why not just shift it up
a gear or two. It will likely be the
team approaching the line of scrimmage
ASAP once the last play is over, forcing
the opponent to show its matchups/scheme/alignment/personnel,
thus allowing a play to be called
from the sideline (booth more like
it) and optimizing its potential impact.
The ball is hiked around 15-to-10
seconds prior to the play-clock running
out, so it isn't a two-minute drill
type of lightning attack. This is
more of a conceptual no-huddle tact
that takes strategic advantage in
sequencing the simple events between
the time that the ball placed and
the time it is hiked a certain way.
It is a smart move many are now doing,
taking full advantage of the Oklahoma
City product's (Norvell’s) advanced
knowledge of the game. Senior Joey
Halzle and soph Keith Nicol are not
going to be able to pull this approach
off, but either is capable of leading
this offense with all of the weapons
it has aligned. Former JUCO-transfer
Halzle will again get the nod first,
but don't be surprised if newcomer
Landry Jones loses his redshirt for
this year since he is a drop-back
guy, too, and has enrolled early (Jan
'08). Like in years past, OU is stacked
at quarterback.
RUNNING
BACK
The same can be said for RB, and DeMarco
Murray is the next big name in line
for the starting tailback slot. The
No.2 prospect in '06, he has bulked
up around 200lbs and not lost a step...we'll
see if this is true after he returns
from dislocating his kneecap trying
to recover an onside kick. That has
given Chris Brown a huge amount of
face time, which will continue into
the fall since he is the No.2 guy
now, and Wilson's RB-by-committee
won't likely change. Mossis Madu is
a similarly sized back (like Murray
and Brown), big enough to produce
between the tackles and fast enough
to get outside effectively. Jermie
Calhoun is this year's No.2 RB prospect
and is ready to get in line for carries;
he is a size up from the others, at
that. The holes come via ex-TE/DE
Brody Eldridge - foes don't have to
mark him for carries, but he will
leave his mark on each of them individually
as he works his way down opposing
rosters looking for guys to bury as
he plows with vengeance. Eldridge
was honored as a 2007 All-Big 12 First
Team member, the only FB found on
any post-season All-Conference list.
Matt Clapp is another oft-seen FB
option so Eldridge seeing reps at
TE still works.
RECEIVER
The other big surprise last year was
finding TE Germaine Gresham, a former
prep First Team All-American who is
huge for blocking and fast for opening
up the deep middle. The receiving
corps looks strong, even without Kelly's
superior abilities. The two senior
starters mean Bradford has targets
he knows and trusts. Iglesias is a
sure All-Big 12 selection, and Johnson
is ready to emerge after doing more
than enough as a third option. The
sizable backups are all upperclassmen
too, giving Wilson options out the
yin-yang for rotating fresh legs in
at will in the new no-huddle looks.
OFFENSIVE
LINE
The ground production increased by
13 yards per game from the prior year,
so what kind of increase should we
predict knowing all five starters
on the line are back? It looks pretty
good for the Sooners, especially with
two All-Americans leading the way.
Brandon Walker and Duke Robinson guarantee
that inside ground production will
occur. Jon Cooper is the shizz at
center (team high 455lb bench max).
Cooper’s backup, Noah Hughey,
is not coming back, but there are
guys like athletic Trent Williams
and Brian Simmons who can work well
from any position. Ben Habern is due
by summer - the No.3 center prospect
is supposed to be good enough to bypass
a redshirt this year, so we will see
how things pan out and keep you in
touch. The tackles are appropriately
named and placed, with the Branndon
& Brandon show on the right side
and Loadholt causing an overload on
the left with the hefty Robinson.
Scary
is the only way to describe the soon-to-be
Oklahoma offensive machine...only
an injury rash can keep them from
carrying the Sooners through if the
defense ever fails.
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OG
Duke Robinson
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OKLAHOMA
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Sam
Bradford-So (6-4, 208) |
Joey
Halzle-Sr (6-3, 199) |
FB |
Brody
Eldridge-Jr (6-4, 260) |
Matt
Clapp-Jr (6-2, 231) |
RB |
DeMarco
Murray-So (6-0, 198) |
Chris
Brown-Jr (5-10, 196) |
WR |
Juaquin
Iglesias-Sr (6-0, 204) |
Brandon
Caleb-Jr (6-1, 191) |
WR |
Manuel
Johnson-Sr (5-11, 174) |
Ryan
Broyles-Fr (5-11, 175) |
WR |
Quentin
Chaney-Sr (6-5, 203) |
Adron
Tennell-Jr (6-4, 191) |
TE |
Jermaine
Gresham-Jr (6-5, 264) |
Brody
Eldridge-Jr (6-4, 260) |
OT |
Phil
Loadholt-Sr (6-8, 351) |
Corey
Brandon-So (6-7, 308) |
OG |
Duke
Robinson-Sr (6-5, 346) |
Brian
Simmons-Jr (6-4, 297) |
C |
Jon
Cooper-Sr (6-2, 289) |
Jason
Hannan-Fr (6-3, 283) |
OG |
Brandon
Walker-Sr (6-3, 309) |
Alex
Williams-Fr (6-6, 300) |
OT |
Branndon
Braxton-Sr (6-5, 318) |
Trent
Williams-Jr (6-4, 309) |
K |
Jimmy
Stevens (5-5, 157) |
Matthew
Moreland-Fr (6-1, 209) |
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2008
DEFENSE |
DEFENSIVE
LINE
The DL loses only Dotson. Alan Davis
broke through his junior year, and
gives confidence for the open end
slot, as does designated starter Jeremy
Beal, a converted LB who rushes nicely
and can drop back when multiple-WR
sets demand a 3-4 alignment. Frank
Alexander was last year's Sooner prize
at end, but this year sees the No.1
weakside DE prospect in the country,
R.J. Washington, press for time. It's
a good problem to have. Ex-RB Auston
English will have plenty of help after
he demands double-teams. Also demanding
two hats to control his super-human
efforts are tackles Granger and McCoy.
These were the back-to-back No.1 tackle
prospects 2005-06...oh my!!! This
is possibly the top starting pair
of inside bigmen in the FSB. Backups
Bennett and Taylor know the ropes,
too, so the full rotation is definitely
the best in the Big 12 for '08. It
is just a matter of time before we
see a swarming group that is rarely
found out of position and/or missing
on plays.
LINEBACKER
Losing Big 12 Defensive Player of
the Year Curtis Lofton as well as
fellow-OLB Lewis Baker is sure to
impact the initial quality of this
stopping unit. Stoops admitted this
spring that his corps is marginally
thin (Mike Reed, the five-star JUCO
recruit from '07, is gone). Most think
reloading will only take as long as
developments take over those first
few games, but we will see how the
new faces do knowing the secondary
also lost major contributors. The
first in the depth chart is Ryan Reynolds,
a MLB monster who came back after
knee troubles two years ago to thrive
last year in his six starts. He has
speed, but not as much as Keenan Clayton,
a junior backup who graded highest
of all LBs in off-season speed drills.
Austin Box looks like the guy at the
other outside slot, but word is he
has been a bit behind on the learning
curve so far, making room for the
four big recruits (two JUCO’s)
who highlight the latest incoming
class. We think super-quick Travis
Lewis will be the next household name
in Norman, since he runs a 4.34 second
40 and weighs enough to effectively
take on those big beefy OLmen found
all over this league. It’s simple…how
long the corps takes to gel will dictate
whether OU can make a serious run
for the national title game.
DEFENSIVE
BACK
The secondary is the other area needing
restructuring. Alexandria (LA) native
Nic Harris is their sizable free safety
who hits as hard as any front seven
member. This All-American is a worthwhile
start to build around, but he won't
be back until just before fall after
shoulder surgery held him out this
spring. Red-shirted last year, Quinton
Carter has the most experience in
this system, a tough one for safeties
since blitz compensation assignments
are complicated. Many around Norman
think he can be the latest "Roy-back",
a huge compliment that conjures the
great Roy Williams's legacy/impact.
But Desmond Jackson has been seeing
lots of first-string reps at SS, while
Sam Proctor looks like a backup for
'08. The nation's No.4 safety prospect,
Joseph Ibiloye, should make this area
well covered, if not a strength by
October. Like the LB developments,
the safeties will only be as good
as their corner counterparts. The
only cover guy back is nickel Lendy
Holmes, an all-around talent who can
be left alone in one-on-one situations.
Holmes is able to jump to safety,
where he subbed for Harris much of
this spring. CB newbie Franks looks
like a true Dominique (Wilkins, that
is...) - tall, fast and able to win
jump balls once given the starting
assignment. But Franks will have to
hold off athletic freak Jonathan Nelson
(42" vertical leap) and powerful
Brian Jackson (purported 5% body fat
best on OU). Again, this talent is
ample, but untested and in need of
some trial-by-fire knowledge. Though
we stress this point, never discount
the ability of a strong pass offense
like the Sooners have to give a young
secondary tough, but valuable, lessons
in practice(s).
OU
has produced the last two Big 12 Defensive
Players of the Year, and coordinator
Brent Venables is the reason for this
and for Oklahoma's commanding defenses
for the past nine years. Expect similar
commanding results this time, too.
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DE
Auston English
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OKLAHOMA
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Auston
English-Jr (6-3, 241) |
Jeremy
Beal-So (6-3, 253) |
DT |
DeMarcus
Granger-Jr (6-2, 315) |
Adrian
Taylor-So (6-4, 295) |
DT |
Gerald
McCoy-So (6-4, 288) |
Cory
Bennett-Sr (6-3, 276) |
DE |
Alan
Davis-Sr (6-3, 255) |
Frank
Alexander-Fr (6-4, 259) |
SLB |
Kennan
Clayton-Jr (6-1, 220) |
J.R.
Bryant-Jr (6-3, 230) |
MLB |
Ryan
Reynolds-Jr (6-2, 236) |
Lamont
Robinson-Jr (6-1, 226) |
WLB |
Austin
Box-Fr (6-1, 237) |
Travis
Lewis-Fr (6-2, 240) |
CB |
Dominque
Franks-So (5-11, 190) |
Jonathan
Nelson-So (5-11, 177) |
CB |
Brian
Jackson-Jr (6-1, 202) |
Jamell
Fleming-Fr (5-11, 185) |
SS |
Nic
Harris-Sr (6-3, 230) |
Sam
Proctor-Fr (6-0, 208) |
FS |
Lendy
Holmes-Sr (6-1, 201) |
Quinton
Carter-So (6-2, 192) |
P |
Mike
Knall-Sr (5-9, 187) |
.. |
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2008
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Mike
Knall has one of the biggest right feet
in the punting game today. He stepped in
last year and took over nicely, helping
OU to the 24th-ranked result (Knall's efforts
would have been good for a 15th ranking
if he has qualified.) Jimmy Stevens finally
gets his chance after riding the pine since
the beginning. He is the top prep kicker
ever (50 total FGs). His speed would be
good for tackling if he weren’t 5'5
and 157lbs, but will work in fakes. The
return game is solidified with Iglesias
and Granger for KRs and Dominique Franks
the heir-apparent for PRs. This should be
a strength for the Sooners, even if they
have to dip deeper for that speed they have
at most positions.
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