Oklahoma-Stanford: Breaking down the matchups
Quarterbacks
This could have been a compelling showdown, pitting the of the nation’s best freshman QBs against one another. But Andrew Luck’s injury leaves Stanford starting senior Tavita Pritchard, who has 19 career starts, but only three pass attempts this season.
Landry Jones has struggled away from Norman, but you have to like his chances against a Stanford defense that’s been lit up by the pass all season.
Edge: OU
Running backs
The sun will set on arguably the best tandem backfield in the Bob Stoops Era. DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown have combined for more than 4,500 career rushing yards.
But Toby Gerhart is, in my opinion, the best running back in college football after leading the nation with 1,726 yards and 26 TDs. He will be a load for OU to handle. So will blocking fullback Owen Marecic.
Edge: Stanford
Offensive line
The OU front can’t buy a break. This game, they’ll be starting LT Trent Williams at center, and TE Eric Mensik at right tackle.
Stanford’s, meanwhile, is healthy and one of the best in the nation led by tackle Chris Marinelli and center Chase Beeler, who transferred from OU two years ago. Think Beeler could help the Sooners out right now?
Edge: Stanford
Wide receivers
As bad as OU’s group has been at times this year, there are reasons to feel about the receivers heading into the bowl game and next season. Sophomore Dejuan Miller has become a solid threat. Freshman Jaz Reynolds is showing signs of life. And Stanford defensive coordinator Ron Lynn called Ryan Broyles the “best he’s seen” all season.
Ryan Whalen is solid for Stanford, and Chris Owusu can deliver some big plays. But Broyles is a difference-maker.
Edge: OU
Tight ends
Does OU even have any tight ends left? After the move of Mensik, all that’s left is walk-on Trent Ratterree and James Hanna, who has made strides in recent weeks.
But Stanford’s Coby Fleener and Jim Dray are stud blocking tight ends, and can make plays in the pass, too.
Edge: Stanford
Defensive line
This is the strength of the Stanford defense, led by nose tackle Ekom Udofia. But that’s not saying all that much, considering the Cardinal ranked No. 65 in scoring defense.
This is the strength of OU’s team, but that is saying much. GK McCoy figures to be a Top 5 pick in the NFL Draft. Throw in fellow tackle Adrian Taylor and rushing end Jeremy Beal, and you have arguably the best d-line in football outside of Lincoln, Neb.
Edge: OU
Linebackers
The fact that safeties Delano Howell and Bo McNally lead the team in tackles tells you what you need to know about the play of the team’s linebackers this season.
Look for senior Ryan Reynolds to go out in style for the Sooners, who also boast several young, talented linebackers led by Travis.
Edge: OU
Defensive backs
Stanford will have all its cornerbacks healthy finally. Quinn Evans and Kris Evans are back from injuries and, along with Michael Thomas, will back up starters Richard Sherman and Johnson Bademosi. Veteran safety McNally is an underrated star.
But Dom Franks and Brian Jackson, both All-Big 12, form one of the best corner tandems in the nation, and Quinton Carter and Jon Nelson are becoming standouts after strong closes to the season at safety.
Edge: OU
Special teams
With Tress Way, the nation’s fourth-best punter, OU has the edge in punting. With Nick Whitaker, who booted a 54-yarder this season, Stanford has the edge in place-kicking.
Edge: Even
Prediction: Stanford has the best player, but OU has the better team. A season to forget ends on a high note. OU 35, 24.
-JT
Another branch hacked from the Stoops coaching tree
In 2007 and 2008, former Oklahoma assistants Mark Mangino and Mike Leach had their teams, Kansas and Texas Tech, in the nation’s top 2 and in the national title hunt.
Now, before 2009 comes to an end, both are unemployed.
Leach was Bob Stoops’ offensive coordinator in 1999 before leaving for Lubbock.
Mangino worked under Stoops as offensive line coach in 1999 before succeeding Leach as offensive coordinator for the 2000 and 2001 seasons.
Leach made a name for himself with his quirks, both offensively and personality…ly. Should he stay outside the conference, the Big 12 will miss both his outings flirting with 70 passes and his dating advice.
Remember, always look for the underneath receiver in space, and never take a girl out to a restaurant that’s too formal on a first date.
Oh, and there was also that one play that OU fans might be just a little bit thankful for.
Leach will surely field calls from programs with coaching vacancies in the weeks that follow, but for my sake, I hope he spends at least a season or two as an analyst somewhere. Charles Barkley would no longer be the only must-watch voice on TV.
On a serious note, though, is it not somewhat strange that Texas Tech would hire Bob Knight to coach its basketball team after he was fired after being accused of plenty of incidents far more scandalous than forcing a player to study outside in the cold or stand in a dark equipment garage?
Just a thought.
But Texas Tech now has a vacancy of its own, and the race to fill it should be something to watch. Houston’s Kevin Sumlin, another Stoops disciple, could be a favorite, but he might be better served to stick around Houston for another season or two and wait for a job that doesn’t require him to knock off Texas and/or Oklahoma to win more than an Alamo Bowl trophy.
Plenty of names other than Sumlin will emerge in the coming days. So will the torch-bearing hordes that want Leach reinstated.
Lubbock, Texas is many things. When Mike Leach is involved, boring is rarely one of them.
Report: Cam Newton decision delayed
The Cam Newton saga continues.
A recruiting site for Mississippi State reported Tuesday that Newton’s decision has been delayed. The site quotes Newton’s father as saying the announcement, which had previously been set for Thursday, won’t happen until the end of the week at the earliest.
This news can only be good for Oklahoma, one of three schools Newton is believed to be considering along with Auburn and Miss. St. He has taken officials to all three campuses.
However, a report by a college recruiting affiliate site of ESPN.com reported earlier this week that Newton had eliminated OU from consideration, was going to make an announcement Thursday and was strongly leaning toward Auburn. Of course, the site that reported that was affiliated with Auburn. So who knows what to believe.
A delay could mean that Newton needs more time to choose between Miss. St. and Auburn. But it could also mean that OU is back in the picture.
Until Newton makes a decision, we won’t know. But as long as he remains undecided, you have to believe OU is still in the picture.
In other recruiting news, No. 1 wideout Darius White is expected to announce his college intentions during Saturday’s Under Armour All-American game on ESPN.
At the outset of his recruiting, OU appeared to be his clear leader. But in the last few weeks, Oklahoma State has jumped into the picture along with Texas and LSU. It was believed that OU was out of the picture, when White canceled a visit to Norman to go to Stillwater instead. But White has told multiple recruiting outlets that OU remains in the mix.
Saturday, we’ll find out if it’s enough to garner his commitment.
-JT
Chat with Jake Trotter at 11 a.m.
Tandem RBs in OU’s future
But while their run has been great, it shouldn’t be the end of tandem running backs in Norman.
The Sooners appear to have a pair of twosomes waiting in the wings.
Freshmen Jermie Calhoun and Jonathan Miller. And high school seniors Brennan Clay (San Diego) and Roy Finch (Niceville, Fla.).
Calhoun and Miller have both displayed loads of potential as a tandem in mop-up duty this season.
On 45 carries this season, Calhoun rushed for 220 yards, averaging 4.9 yards a carry. He scored a touchdown against Idaho State, but had his best game against Texas A&M, against which he ran for 94 yards on 18 carries.
Miller also showed promise before suffering a season-ending cartilage injury in his knee against Texas A&M. All told, he ran for 130 yards and a touchdown this year on 18 carries, averaging 7.2 yards a rush.
“Both of those guys are very capable,” Brown said. “Next year, these guys will have the experience, playing time, knowing how it feels to carry the ball, score a touchdown, get tough yards. That’s going to help them in the long run. They’re going to have great careers here. They’ve taken the work ethic instilled by us. Those guys catch on real fast.”
Said Murray: “I think they look up to us and see how we work and prepare ourselves to do well on Saturdays. Jon Miller showed up. He’s going to be a great player. Calhoun, too. But I’m really looking forward to see what Jon Miller can do.”
Primed to follow-up Calhoun and Miller are blue-chip recruits Clay and Finch. Both players are 4-star prospects and have excelled rushing and receiving.
Clay rushed for more than 2,000 yards and led San Diego Scripps Ranch High School to the third round of the playoffs.
Finch ran for more than 1,600 yards and 27 touchdowns while spearheading his team to the Florida state championship game.
Both players will arrive on campus in the summer.
-JT
Chat with Jake Trotter at 11 a.m.
Mortensen says Cowboys could call Stoops
Brian Kelly packing up his things for South Bend still didn’t end the speculation over Bob Stoops’ coaching future.
This time, though, the possible destination is quite a bit more attractive than Notre Dame.
On an ESPN radio show Friday, NFL reporter Chris Mortensen speculated that if the Cowboys fired Wade Phillips, a possibility inching closer to reality with a difficult closing schedule and waning playoff hopes, Oklahoma’s head man could get a call.
His exact words: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would have Stoops “in his discussions,” should the job open up.
Mortensen stressed that to even call the move a rumor was a leap of faith, but did say the speculation came with a “little bit of knowledge.”
Saturday, Mortensen revisited the idea in a Twitter post, again referencing Jimmy Johnson, who Jones hired away from Miami in 1989 and won two Super Bowls with.
“As for Cowboys, if Wade goes, sources say he prefers some in 40′s. Maybe a back to the future deal like a Bob Stoops. Not saying Stoops will be Cowboys coach – he has said he’s staying put, as has Urban Meyer. But J. Johnson and B Switzer. 3 Super Bowls,” read Mortensen’s posts.
Unlike the original Stoops to Notre Dame rumor, Mortensen suggests the interest is, at this point, only one-sided.
But for Oklahoma, which is home to plenty of Cowboys fans, college coaching rumors don’t get much more interesting than that.
Leaving for Notre Dame was a lateral move, if not a step down. But an NFL job with one of the league’s premier franchises? Stoops would be sacrificing the comfy job security he enjoys in Norman, but if Jerry Jones’ name pops up on his cell phone, he’d have to at least answer, right?
Chat Recap: Jake Trotter
Jake jumped in for Berry Tramel today to answer questions on Sooner football.
JUCO lineman choses Auburn over OU, Cal
OU coach Bob Stoops said his staff would scour the country for junior-college offensive tackles. But JUCO offensive tackle Roszell Gayden signed with Auburn Wednesday over the Sooners and Cal.
Gayden, 6-foot-7, 310 pounds, would have given OU help at the tackle position, which will have a void with Trent Williams moving on to the NFL after this year.
The Sooners will probably turn all their efforts to JUCO lineman John Cullen, who visited OU last weekend. Cullen, out of Fullerton (Calif.) Community College, is also looking at Arizona State, Tennessee and Utah.
-JT
Bradford’s stock just went up
Now, there are two.
Monday, Washington QB Jake Locker announced he’s coming back to school for his senior season.
Good news for Sam Bradford.
Now, Bradford just has to deal with Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen to be the top QB prospect in the 2010 NFL Draft.
In his most recent Big Board, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper had Locker surging ahead of Bradford. Locker’s big arm and quick feet had many scouts intrigued.
But now, Bradford just has to outshine Clausen. Unless complications emerge from his shoulder surgery, or Arkansas QB Ryan Mallet decides to throw his hat in the mix and give up his last 2 years of eligibility, Locker’s decision to stay almost ensures that Bradford will be a lock to go in the Top 15. Maybe now even the Top 10.
-JT
