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14

Trying to sell Iowa? Start with the coach

Posted by jennicarlson
on November 2, 2009 at 3:13 pm

Most of the time, press releases sent to us media types are boring. They might contain important info such as game times being set and whatnot, but for the most part, they hit on the basics and not much else.

That isn’t the case with an e-mail that I received earlier this afternoon.

It had no subject line, but in the e-mail, it said it was addressed to “College Football Media” from Phil Haddy. Never having met Mr. Haddy, I did some checking and discovered he is the sports information director at the University of Iowa.

The headline on his e-mail: GET THE CORRECT FACTS ON IOWA FOOTBALL

I don’t know about you, but that seems pretty demanding to me. Haddy writes, “It seems popular for national pundits to criticize the University of Iowa football team these days. Many have said Iowa doesn’t belong on the same board with Florida, Texas, Alabama, Cincinnati, TCU, Oregon or Boise State.”

I have to admit — I stopped reading right there.

It wasn’t because the e-mail was whiny, although it was. It wasn’t because I’m not interested in Iowa, because I am. (I can’t for the life of me figure out how they’re still undefeated.) No, I quit reading because the person who should’ve received that e-mail instead of me was Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz.

Just last week he said, “Realistically, I still have a hard time picturing us in the top 10.”

If I was guessing, I doubt a fourth-quarter, come-from-behind victory against Indiana — Indiana??? — on Saturday did little to change the coach’s mind.

Listen, if the coach of the team has a hard time believing that it belongs in the top 10, much less the national championship conversation, it’s going to be difficult for an e-mail from the PR office to sway me.

Mr. Haddy might want to get Coach Ferentz on board before he worries any more about the college football media.

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Yes, Bradford will

Posted by jennicarlson
on October 9, 2009 at 12:04 pm

News is out that Sam Bradford will start against Baylor.

That turns a potentially ho-hum day into an afternoon packed with intrigue. I suspected that Oklahoma would throttle Baylor and turn the second half into a second-stringer’s dream, and even though I think the Sooners are still the heavy favorite, this game has all sort of interesting questions.

What will Bradford look like? How will he play after more than a month off?

How will his arm look? Will there be signs of fatigue?

Will Kevin Wilson’s playcalling change? Does Bradford’s presence make that much of a difference?

For so long, the biggest question surrounding OU football was, “When will Sam Bradford play?” Now that we have the answer to that, we have plenty more questions that need answering.

Saturday can’t come fast enough.

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Slingin’ Sam: Will he play or not?

Posted by jennicarlson
on October 9, 2009 at 10:01 am

Perception is an interesting animal.
 
Earlier this week, Sam Bradford made his first public comments since injuring his shoulder in Oklahoma’s opening game. He talked about his rehab, his recovery and his possible return. Everyone heard the same answers from the Sooner quarterback, but not everyone came to the same conclusion about what he said.
 
One website headline: Bradford close to return.
 
Another one: Bradford eyeing return, but surgery still possible.
 
And another one: Bradford hopes to play vs. Baylor.
 
And one last one: Surgery remains possibility for Oklahoma QB Bradford’s shoulder.
 
Technically, every one of those headlines is correct. Bradford is close to returning, or at least he’s closer now than he was a few weeks ago. He is eyeing a return, but surgery is still possible. He does hope to play Saturday. It is interesting, though, how the same nine-minute question-and-answer session can be perceived so differently.
 
Some saw the good in what Bradford had to say. Some saw the bad. But the truth is, what he had to say was both good and bad and everything in between.
 
The guy is clearly frustrated and not healing the way he’d hoped, but he is also better now than he has been since he injured his AC joint against BYU. Then, there are also the things that you find reading between the lines, that his shoulder is better and his pain is minimal but that his arm isn’t as strong as it used to be. He is struggling to put the same zip on the ball and to do it for as long as he used to. But wait, that’s a perception, too, isn’t it? The truth is, everyone who heard what Bradford had to say earlier this week made a judgment about it.
When questions abound but answers are as scarce as they have been in Bradford’s case, everyone is left with only one thing — their perception.
 

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2

A.D. and Co. know how to have fun

Posted by jennicarlson
on October 6, 2009 at 12:18 pm

I’m going to let you in on a little secret — being a sportswriter can take the fan right out of you.
 
At least, it has for me.
 
Cover teams long enough, deal with athletes and coaches long enough, and slowly but surely, the fandom drains right out of you. I don’t cheer for any teams. I don’t pull for any programs. I just don’t have it in me anymore.
 
But the Minnesota Vikings are doing their darnedest to change that.
 
You probably think this is all about Brett Favre, and while it’s true that the old guy is really something special, I’ve never been a big fan of his. He isn’t the reason why I’m on the verge of cheering for the purple and gold.
 
No, the reason I’m really coming around to the Vikings is because they play fun. Some teams play fast. Some play hard. The Vikings play fun.
 
They just seem to be out there having a great time. Now, I suspect that’s because they take what they do very seriously. They put in the time at practice. They put in the effort in film. They do all the grunt work behind the scenes so that when they hit the field, they can let it fly.
 
It’s like Olympic gymnasts. What they do looks effortless, like any of us could do it if we just try. But the truth is, most of us can’t even do a cartwheel.
 
Listen, I’m not saying the Vikings are the best team in the NFL. Heck, they might not be among the three or four best teams. But after watching the Vikings beat the Packers on Monday night, I realized how exciting they were. Watching Jared Allen and Percy Harvin, Adrian Peterson and Kevin Williams, Bernard Berrian and the rest of those guys is fun.
 
This is a fun and exciting bunch, fun enough to make a fan out of anyone, even yours truly.
 

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Hurricane warning in South Florida

Posted by jennicarlson
on September 30, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Consider this a warning, Sooner Nation.
 
A hurricane warning.
 
Oklahoma is heading to Miami on Saturday, but after the Hurricanes went to Virginia Tech last weekend and got throttled, 31-7, I get the feeling like a lot of folks in crimson and cream heaved a huge sigh of relief.
 
Yes, Virginia Tech took a team that had been rolling right along and cut it down to size. Sure, the Hokies exposed the Hurricanes’ weaknesses and made it seem like the Sooners’ defensive front will be able to get to Miami quarterback Jacory Harris. But make no mistake — Miami is still a formidable foe, this game still a losable contest for OU.
 
If anyone in the Sooner Nation is dropping their guard to those facts, then they do so at their own peril.
 
Remember, Miami didn’t lose to St. Mary’s Sisters of the Blind. Virginia Tech is a stout opponent, and at home in Blacksburg, the Hokies are even tougher. Throw in a steady downpour during the game Saturday, and Virginia Tech’s plodder tendencies benefited and Miami’s speed was negated. It was the perfect storm to produce a Virginia Tech romp.
 
Might the Sooners go to Miami and win in a rout, too? Sure, it could happen. But Miami is no slouch.
 
No doubt the Hurricanes’ loss took some shine off this game against the Sooners, a contest that would’ve been a top-10 showdown, but that doesn’t mean Miami is a gimme game. Think that it is, Sooner Nation, and you’ll find yourself in a world of hurt Saturday.
 
You know what they say about Hurricanes — be prepared. 
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Heisman Trophy talk

Posted by jennicarlson
on September 24, 2009 at 9:03 am

How can the Heisman Trophy race be so clear, yet so muddled at the same time?

Yours truly is a voter in the HeismanPundit.com/Orlando Sentinel straw poll. Every week, myself and about a dozen other voters submit our top five picks for the Heisman Trophy, and over the past few weeks, a pattern has emerged. The players among the top three are clear cut, but everything else is anyone’s guess.

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Cal running back Jahvid Best are the top guys at this point in the season.

After that, who knows?

Even the order of the top three guys has shuffled around a bit. I’ve kept Tebow, McCoy and Best in the same order on my ballot since we voted after the opening week of the season. (Sam Bradford dropped off after his shoulder injury.) But the poll changed this week when Best traded places with McCoy, moving into second place behind Tebow.

As for other contenders, I think I’ve changed my No. 4 and No. 5 vote-getters every week. I haven’t had the same two in consecutive weeks yet. I’ve had everyone from Mississippi quarterback Jevon Snead to Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant to Houston quarterback Case Keenum to Miami quarterback Jacory Harris.

It’s been a rotating door.

But then, that’s probably how it should be this time of year. Thing is, with the top three finalists returning this year, everyone thought this would be a pretty stable Heisman race. It would be Bradford, McCoy and Tebow, and that would be the end of the story.

Bradford’s injury has changed that. Ditto for Best’s performances, which have been stellar thus far.

So, here’s my ballot, and be sure to check out the entire poll at www.HeismanPundit.com.

1. Tebow

2. McCoy

3. Best

4. Snead

5. Harris

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Tulsa will test OU coverage teams

Posted by jennicarlson
on September 18, 2009 at 1:42 pm

Remember when covering kickoffs and punts was the biggest concern facing the Oklahoma football team?
 
Those days seem long since passed, but they were only last season. The Sooners had a terrible time figuring out how to cover kicks and punts. There were long returns. There were touchdown returns. It was a mess.
 
This season, it’s been difficult to know just how good OU’s coverage is. Idaho State last week offered no gauge, and BYU two weeks ago isn’t exactly a team known for its speed.
 
So, are the Sooners any better this year covering kicks and punts?
 
We’ll find out this weekend.
 
Tulsa return man Damaris Johnson is one of the best in college football. Never mind that he plays for Tulsa, a mid-major school. Never mind that he’s all of 5-foot-8, though some might dispute that. The dude is a burner. He makes people miss. He causes special teams’ nightmares.
 
Last season as a freshman, he set a Tulsa record with 1,382 kickoff return yards. He averaged 25.6 yards per return.
 
Get this — against UTEP last season, Johnson had 211 kickoff return yards. You read that right, friends, 211. Now, granted, OU is a lot better than UTEP, but the Sooners’ kick coverage was so bad last season that you have to wonder what kind of day Johnson will have against them.
 
A couple big returns could give the Golden Hurricane the boost that it needs against the favored Sooners. Will it be enough to upset the Sooners? I’m not ready to go that far, but at the very least, we’ll have a much better idea if OU’s coverage has improved this season.

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Bradford lucky to return vs. Miami?

Posted by jennicarlson
on September 9, 2009 at 9:39 am

Oklahoma will be lucky to have Sam Bradford back for the Miami game.
 
That may not be so lucky, though, for the Sooner quarterback.
 
That’s because it looks like the Hurricanes are for real. Monday night, they went to Florida State and scored a big-time win against their in-state rival. Miami scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, then made a late-game, fourth-down stand to seal the victory.
 
This isn’t your granddad’s Miami. Heck, it’s not even your dad’s Miami. But this is an improved program.
 
OU will have its hands full on Oct. 3.
 
And no position will be in the cross-hairs more than the Sooner offensive line. Miami sacked Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder twice, including one late in the third quarter. It caused a fumble that led to the first of Miami’s three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
 
Ponder was also hurried once and intercepted once. The Hurricanes made it a tough night for him.
 
Think they won’t do the same to Bradford?
 
Now, I suppose it’s possible that the Sooner offensive line might make some fairly significant strides in the next couple weeks. It could figure out what ailed it Saturday against BYU. It could be as good as Kevin Wilson professed it would be during the preseason.
 
By the way, after the way the line played Saturday, maybe Wilson should’ve spent less time talking about how good the line would be and instead spent more time actually making it better.
 
Because you can bet that the challenge will be significant against Miami. Don’t you think the Hurricanes are licking their chops after the way the Sooners were dominated up front by BYU? I can guarantee you, if they get a good shot at Bradford, they’ll take it.
 
And if they happen to leave him rolling around on the ground in pain, I doubt there will be any apologies.
 
The Miami game could mark the return of Sam Bradford, but unless the OU front line figures out a way to protect him better, it could be a short-lived comeback. A big game looms even larger after the opening weekend.

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Bradford needs line, time

Posted by jennicarlson
on April 11, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Sam Bradford looks a lot like you remember him.

Smooth. Accurate. Composed.

Unless he’s running for his life.

The Oklahoma quarterback was hurried more in the first couple series of the Red-White game Saturday than he was all of last year. Oh, that might be a bit overblown, a smidgen of hyperbole, but not by very much. Bradford clearly didn’t have the time that he had a year ago when he led the Sooners to the national championship game and won the Heisman Trophy.

Offensive line was one of the biggest questions after the Sooners lost four big-time players from last year’s starting unit. Out are Jon Cooper, Phil Loadholt, Duke Robinson and Brandon Walker. In are Ben Habern, Cory Brandon, Brian Simmons and Stephen Good. Trent Williams is the only holdover.

Everyone knew it would take time for this new group to come together.

Clearly, that time has yet to arrive.

Did the Sooner offensive line do some nice things in the Red-White Game? Sure, but Bradford was “sacked” twice in the first possession. (Being “sacked” in the spring game means that a defender got to him and would’ve lit him up in a full-contact situation, but being the spring, full contact is a no-no where quarterbacks are concerned.) Slingin’ Sam was sacked an average of once a game last season.

He wasn’t just sacked. He was rushed, too.  Bradford missed a couple throws because he just didn’t have time. Several other times, he went with a hot read or a quick out or a dump off to get simply get rid of the ball.

It was a positive play, a smart play, but it wasn’t the play it might have been.

Bradford looks like he’s every bit as good as he was a year ago, but it might not look like it come the fall unless the offensive line improves.

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Bomar still an NFL prospect

Posted by jennicarlson
on February 21, 2009 at 12:43 pm

Rhett Bomar has been out of sight and out of mind for the past few years.

Many in the Sooner Nation would say that’s good news.

Booted from the Oklahoma football team for taking money for work he didn’t do at Big Red Sports and Imports, the quarterback became Public Enemy No. 1 for many a Sooner fan. He transferred to Sam Houston State. The division was lower. The stage was smaller. But Bomar just wanted to get his football career back on track.

Looks like he’s done it.

Looks like he might not be out of sight, out of mind much longer, either.

Bomar is expected to be drafted in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft later this spring. So says a story on FoxSports.com. He is strutting his stuff this week at the NFL Combine. That means he’s being poked and prodded. It also means he’s being asked about what happened at OU.

And according to the FoxSports.com story, that won’t be much of an issue come draft day. NFL scouts, apparently, are more concerned about his arm strength than they are about his NCAA rules violation.

It’s hard to blame them.

For starters, the infractions might have been major in the eyes of the NCAA and college football types everywhere, but they are small potatoes compared to some of the issues that NFL teams must grapple with on draft day. There are prospects with arrests and convictions. There are resumes that include assaults and DUIs right beside 40 times and bench press reps.

Bomar’s offenses are minor compared to that.

Then, there is his ability.

I had a chance to meet Bomar when he was still a high school senior in Grand Prairie, Texas. I went down there to work on a story about him and had a chance to see one of his workouts with his personal trainer. He was doing drills specific to the quarterback positions, things with drops and such that I can’t imagine many high school quarterbacks are doing.

And it showed.

Everyone saw the results while he was at OU. He could throw. He could run. He could do just about everything. He has an NFL skill set.

Now, I’m not saying he’s a first-day guy in the draft. I’m not saying he’s going to start right away or become some great NFL quarterback because, frankly, such things are rare even with the most talented players. But Bomar has always shown abilities that could one day take him to the NFL.

Looks like that day will come soon.

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