Landry Jones confident, Ronnell Lewis buff and other OU musings
After about five hours in the AC, I’ve finally recovered from Oklahoma football media day and Meet the Sooners Day.
Here are some thoughts about the sights and sounds of the day:
* Landry Jones seems much more mature. Now, granted, I was only around him for about six or seven minutes — a video that we shot of him will post later this month on NewsOK.com — but he seemed much more at ease. More comfortable. More confident.
Remember, a year ago today, Jones was just a guy.
Now, he’s the starting quarterback at OU.
Much has changed in a year, and it seems that Jones has, too. He was even comfortable enough to joke around about his mustache. It was gone when he showed up for media day, but he said later, according to our man Jake Trotter, that the facial hair would be back. “Sooner Nation needs the ‘stache.”
Folks, that’s funny. Scared, worried guys don’t usually crack jokes like that. How this all translates on the field remains to be seen, but Jones’ demeanor off the field is a good sign for the Sooners.
* Dejuan Miller is going to become a fan favorite. What the young receiver has already done on the field is making fans in the Sooner Nation, but his personality is really going to make him a hit.
I hadn’t had a chance to interview Miller before Friday, but he is well-spoken, funny, thoughtful. He reminds me of Malcolm Kelly, and I mean that in a good way. Before Kelly said and did things during his pro-day workout that ruffled some feathers, he was an endearing character. Well-spoken, funny, thoughtful … all the things that Miller seems to be.
Truth is, he could be the same type of receiver on the field that Kelly was, too. He’s a big guy who can really make plays. That, ultimately, will be why fans love him, but the other stuff doesn’t hurt either.
* Ronnell Lewis is one scary looking dude. The linebacker made his mark last season as a special teams terror, but he looks ready to start knocking some serious skulls on defense. He’s already been penciled in as a starter, and just seeing him standing around Friday was enough to make a believer out of me.
He is massive.
Now, granted, he hasn’t gotten any taller, but it looked like his shoulders had been blown up like a balloon. He almost looked like a cartoon character — kind of like the way I see Dwight Howard; that dude’s shoulders and arms are so cut and chiseled that they don’t even look real — but there is little doubt that Lewis is for real.
And he didn’t even have his pads on.
There may not be a more soft-spoken guy on this Sooner team, but Lewis is nevertheless an imposing figure.
* Don’t be surprised if …
1. Gabe Ikard plays quite a bit on the offensive line this season. He’s a smart guy, and that’s important when playing that position. He’s also beefed up to 292 pounds.
2. Matt Moreland asks for a little more love. He is lumped in with the walk-ons on the walk-on page in the Sooner media guide. Apparently being the guy who handles the kickoff duties doesn’t even deserve a bio. That doesn’t seem right.
3. Travis Lewis makes some sort of friendly wager with Landry Jones where if the quarterback loses, the linebacker gets to cut off his mustache. Jones said he’s bringing back the ‘stache, but at Big 12 media days, Lewis said he’d cut the thing off himself. Lewis is just crazy (in a good way) enough to do it.
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Dear jen…Although there are some that must always post trash, no matter what you write, I continue to appreciate your insight and “outside the box” articles. Keep up the good work…most of us appreciate what you add to the sporting world for the fans…Just my opinion…