Nic Harris at MLB?
Talk has heated up that safety Nic Harris will start at middle linebacker Saturday against Kansas. That would put Quinton Carter in the starting lineup at strong safety.
Is it true?
“I doubt it,” Harris said on Tuesday. “I’m pretty sure that I’m honed in at the safety position right now and I’m just taking that leadership role back there.”
Many, including me, expect Austin Box to be the starter at middle linebacker in place of the injured Ryan Reynolds. That’s basically been the “read-between-the-lines” responses of OU coaches and players this week, including from Harris and Box.
But this wouldn’t be the first time OU’s coaches have been playing something close to the vest in order to surprise an opponent (and the media). Few would have guessed that Malcolm Kelly was going to miss all but two plays of the Fiesta Bowl (I watched him practice several times in the week leading up to that game; he even told me his thigh was fine and that he was going to play).
If this Harris move turns out to be true, it could be quite a gamble. For one, you now have two positions in flux instead of just one. The only way it makes sense is if Box or Brandon Crow, or even Travis Lewis, haven’t given Brent Venables and co. reason to be confident this week during practice.
As we saw last Saturday (when Texas exploited Reynolds’ injury with the run and pass) middle linebacker is a key position on this defense. And to shore it up, OU must pull out all the stops. That includes using Harris there.
By Jake Trotter
Plenty of sunshine
Kansas often gets overlooked in the loaded Big 12, but the Jayhawks are 17-2 over their last 19 games.
Their only losses came in the final minute at South Florida this year, and against Missouri in Kansas City last season. USF was No. 10 at the time, and if Todd Reesing doesn’t toss up an errant pick late in the game, Kansas maybe wins.
Missouri, remember, was No. 1 in the nation after beating KU last year.
Those are hardly bad losses.
By Jake Trotter
Catching up with Lewis Baker
I spoke with Lewis Baker Monday for a special teams story. Watching OU struggle in special teams has been gut-wrenching for Baker, who was a special teams guru at OU.
Baker is Norman at the moment rehabbing from a deep thigh bruise that kept him from making the SF 49ers practice squad. He has kept in touch with the 49ers and hopes to make their practice squad by next season.
In the mean time, Baker has been attending OU games.
“I don’t know what the deal is with the kickoff return,” he said. “Special teams is something coach Stoops is very passionate about. I’m sure it’s been tough for him to watch what’s happened.”
By Jake Trotter
More on the coverage unit
Finding players able and willing to make kickoff return tackles is crucial.
Last year, the Sooners had several players who took pride and excelled in special teams play, notably linebacker Lewis Baker and running back Allen Patrick.
“If I was going to run down the field full-speed, someone was going to get punished,” Baker said. “Sometimes you have to want to do it. It’s something I wanted to do. I made sure I was on all the special teams.”
This year, that player is yet to emerge, even though Bob Stoops has placed several of his best and speediest defenders on kickoff coverage, including Lendy Holmes and cornerback Brian Jackson.
“Those guys we had last year were impactful,” Stoops said. “We just haven’t had that same production. We’ll look at working some other personnel. We had guys we felt could handle it and even guys that were on it a year ago. But we’re not getting the production consistently enough.”
By Jake Trotter
OU-Texas Live Blog
Granger, Alexander suited up
Who knows at this point if they’ll play, but defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger and defensive end Frank Alexander are both suited up and participating in warm-up drills.
Granger looks very active and doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of suffering from that sprained foot injury that has kept him out since Washington.
Backup center Ben Habern, however, is not dressed and won’t be playing apparently.
Tight end Eric Mensik and cornerback Jon Nelson are both still injured and won’t be playing.
By Jake Trotter
C. McCoy nursing sore legs
Columnist Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman reported Friday that “Texas quarterback Colt McCoy suffered ’sore legs’ after a physical game against Colorado last week and wore a protective boot on one of his feet on the airplane ride home from Boulder.”
Here’s the rest of the story:
Will McCoy be fully healthy for the Red River Shootout?
By Jake Trotter
OU-Texas Columnist Chat, 10 a.m. today
Cooper, McCoy will play
Center Jon Cooper and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy are locks to play Saturday against Texas. Not only that, both will be close to 100 percent, they’ve said this week.
We’ll have more as the week goes along about the status of DeMarcus Granger and Frank Alexander.
We do know that CB Jon Nelson and TE Eric Mensik are out for this game, and probably longer, from prior injuries.
By Jake Trotter
Bradford unplugged (2003)
I was digging through the office the other day and found Sam Bradford’s old Oklahoman prep questionnaire, which he filled out in 2003 while a sophomore at Putnam City North High School.
Here you go:
Favorite TV show?
SportsCenter (now he’s on the show every weekend)
Favorite movie?
2 Fast 2 Furious (which, by the way, is a terrible movie)
Food?
Steak
Music?
Rap
What’s in your CD player?
50 Cent
If you were a pro wrestler, what would your name be?
Aztec Warrior
If you could play with any other high school player on another team?
Dom Franks of Owasso (that worked out in college)
If you could have dinner with one person?
Michael Jordan
Future plans?
Going to college and becoming a doctor
By Jake Trotter
