OU spring practice report: Days 4-7
Oklahoma Sooner players and coaches met with reporters for the first time since Saturday’s intrasquad 90-play scrimmage, which was closed to the media and to the public.
Among the highlights:
Running back Jermie Calhoun rushed for 3 TDs. A pair of 1-yarders and a 20-yard scamper.
“I think I dragged one of our players a couple times,” Calhoun said. “It was a good day for me.”
Calhoun’s teammates and coaches were impressed with the sophomore running back’s performance.
Said QB Landry Jones: “We ran the ball really well. Jermie and Mossis Madu really ran the ball well.”
Said tight end Trent Ratterree: “Jermie is running really physical.”
Said offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson: “Nice to see Jermie run with power, good pad level. He had some nice runs.”
* Tight end James Hanna and WR Jaz Reynolds both added big plays. Hanna took a quick out route, broke a tackle, and raced about 65 yards for a TD. With one hand, Reynolds caught a tipped pass for a long TD reception.
* OU’s two trouble spots last season, WR and OL, had nice scrimmages. The Sooners dropped 3 of the first 4 passes from the scrimmage, but caught everything in sight after that. The line, meanwhile, more than held its own against OU’s defensive front, as the offense was able to grind out rushing yards throughout the day.
“The line did pretty good,” coach Bob Stoops said. “They’re doing a good job. Competing hard.”
Other notes from Tuesday’s practice:
* Slot receiver Ryan Broyles has been dealing with a slight hamstring pull, which kept him out of the scrimmage. He practiced some Tuesday.
* Wilson admitted he’s toying with the idea of playing 6-foot-5 wideout Dejuan Miller in the flex some, similar to what OU did with Jermaine Gresham two years ago. That season, Gresham was deadly in the red zone thanks to his combination of size and speed. Wilson envisions Miller also creating matchup problems. But first, Wilson has to figure out this spring if Miller can handle the scheme, blocking and technique differences of playing inside.
* Running back DeMarco Murray, who is not taking part in live drills during the spring, has been trying out yoga to help improve his flexibility and and maybe help keep him from tearing or straining muscles. He said the idea came from his dad.
“I’m not very flexible,” he said. “It’s to get me stretched out, keep my hamstring and things loose and not tight. And I’ve heard it helps prevent a lot of injuries, especially from running backs.”
Murray said he’s making gains this off-season unlike the last two, when he’s been coming off serious injuries. As a freshman, he dislocated a kneecap. As a sophomore, tore his quad. While he dealt with a sprained ankle last year, Murray said he’s healthy and looking forward to increasing his speed and strength during the next four months.
“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I think that’s really going to help me.”
* True freshman Kenny Stills continues to make noise this spring, and could join the WR rotation as early as this fall.
“He’s showing some flash and some savviness,” Wilson said.
Stills is currently working at wideout, but could over time eventually play some in the slot.
* Ratterree continues to be the frontrunner in the 3-headed tight end competition. Hanna has the most athleticism and big-play ability, exemplified by his TD catch in the scrimmage.
6-foot-7, 265-pound Lane Johnson is the biggest of the three tight ends. But the converted QB is still learning the position and could be a year away from significantly contributing.
“For Lane, it’s coming in short glitches,” Wilson said.
That leaves Ratterree, who remains the most consistent TE on the roster.
* Center Ben Habern returned to practice this week. Habern is coming off a broken fibula. For now, Brian Lepak will man the starting role at center, backed up by freshman Gabe Ikard. Look for Habern to resume his spot atop the depth chart as he works back into form.
* The starting secondary continues to be Demontre Hurst and Jamell Fleming at CB, and Quinton Carter and Jonathan Nelson at safety.
* Boise State coach Chris Petersen visited Tuesday’s practice. Former South Florida coach Jim Leavitt has also been in Norman. Leavitt and Stoops go back to their days as co-defensive coordinators at Kansas State under Bill Snyder in the 1990s.
-JT
Follow Jake Trotter on Twitter: @Jake_Trotter.
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Comments
Does it appear that the Sooners are planning to man-up and run the ball more this year? Last year OU seemed to run out of the shotgun 80-90% of the time. We cannot win big games unless we can run from under center. Even Texas gets this now.
Have you heard this all before? I bet so. They are Physical, They are Fast,
Running the ball well, Held their own, Flash’s of Greatness, etc.,etc., We’ll
know after the first 4 games if they will have what it takes to compete at a
higher level than they have in the last 5-6 seasons. beat Texas, Run the
table in the Big 12, Win a BCS Bowl, Be a player in the Top 10, Win road games.
Time will tell. Hope Springs Eternal for everybody that see’s the World through
crimson colored glass’s, but reality is different. It’s time for Bobby Boy to produce bigtime victories, compete against and win against the SEC. Be a
factor in the top 10. Earn a top 10 ranking instead of being given a spot as
as a gift. Earn the right to be compared to Bud and Barry by winning big
games and Bowls, not being given a “gift” comparison on paper. Putting
a championship defense, as well as offEnse, on the field. Play with
Disipline, Be prepared for each game. Coaching has really faltered in these
area’s the last 6 season’s. A better indication of success would be a 0-0
Red/White game. With 75-80% of the defense coming back, well, Hope
Springs Eternal.
Faltered the last 6 years? Gosh, weren’t we playing for a national championship 14 months ago. I hope we falter again then.
What? 5-6 years! How many teams would kill(illegally recruit) to have those kind of seasons? Remember the years prior to Stoops coming? I think a national championship in his second season speaks volumes about his coaching ability. Learn the game a little more before your mouth engages. Question to you…has anyone repeated as national champion in that time? Florida was supposed to…but it didn’t!!! Maybe if we don’t lose Demarco for the championship game, the outcome would’ve been different. injuries change things a bit. wonderful job of coaching through injuries this past season…probably one of your better jobs. let me see…no Bradford,Gresham,o-line, Texas 16,OU 13. tEXAS was loaded and we were hurt.
A win is a win though! OU has to turn the tide against Texas. Coach Brown seems to have figured them out. OU must be able to run the football better as was stated by chris. People would love to have your success, but unfortunately for you…when you don’t win(regardless of injuries) you are cursed by it! We have been spoiled and expect undefeated seasons and championships. We don’t appreciate good ole coaching anymore…just championships. Like Al Davis says”just win baby” huh?! Oh they’re not winning! They do have championships though! Well I guess if you’re not going to win championships, you might as well be horrible and become a last place team because we don’t need any “gifts”! I think it’s time to slap another one of those 65-14 beat downs on Texas again so people like Jadams can learn some more humility…and the game! Texas got to the National championship game and lost huh?! Oh that’s right…Colt McCoy its great quarterback got hurt. Man…I bet that changed things a little. Mack Brown must be a horrible coach now…huh. Great job this past year Mack…you are a great coach in my eyes. You kept your guys playing!
Let’s examine this last decade; 6-1 in Big 12 championships, 6-4 record against Texas, 1 BCS championship and 3 other appearances in the championship game, and played in 7 BCS games total. Yeah, the guy can’t coach a lick. The only knock on Stoops is he only won 2 of his BCS Bowls, but how many coaches would give their left nad to even make one BCS Bowl? You Longhorn fans really look silly with your criticism. Mack’s second best team beat Stoops’s worst team by three last year. Oh, and let’s not forget 65-14 and 63-13, the two most lopsided wins in the history of the series. Mack usually wins the recruiting battles, but loses the coaching battles. I’ll take Stoops over Mack anytime.
The comment about the need for a strong running game is accurate. We also have tremendous needs at the TE position and on the D. (If you have not noticed, we will have 6 to 8 players drafted in a few weeks). Landry, ain’t Sam (Peyton is) but he is more than adequate provided that we can keep the defense honest with power running and quick slants to the TE and backs. The kid can throw a tight deep ball but no quarterback can force it into triple coverage. Having the masochistic nature to have attended the last two losses at the cotton bowl, I can definitely say “if we can’t run, we can’t win”. The 63-14 game that you mentioned was a “rip em up the gut and bomb em for 40″ game. Until we get that balance back (with a line that actually run blocks as well as they pass block, I will keep having to kill Bevo on my grill vice on the field.
I think which is a exciting factor, it manufactured me suppose somewhat. Thanks for sparking my pondering cap. Now and once again I am getting such a ton in a very rut that I simply experience like a file.
i don,t care if i have too walk ride a mule or drive my ou-red chevy silverado truck down the lawton turnpike i will be there for the spring game. look forward too seeing the upcoming football players and veterans too encourage the young bucks on. i do not want too see another performance like last year season, everyone come out fired-up and excited about ou-football. fight too the end in every game and go all-out on every play. no-excuses just play 3-hours of oklahoma football and take no prisoners in 2010 season. prove the critics like espn, the state of texas schools oklahoma is back for sure and staying there for along time. coach stoops and staff needs too encourage you guys in pratice on the field before every game that means alot too players when coaches pat you on the back and tell ya get after it. thats all i have too say on my oklahoma sooners. boomer-sooner. ou-johnny in texas. please guys be even better in 2010. i have too take alot of texas crap and my family as well. we take up for you guys all-year. we fly our ou-flag on top of our house and in our front yard with the american flag as well.