By Jake Trotter

Here are some leftover breakdowns from Heisman voters that never made it to print in my article about the Heisman in Saturday’s paper…

From Mike Lough of the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph:
The favorites change almost as much as who’s No. 1, 2 or 3, but at least the top half-dozen or so candidates stay pretty much the same. The only consistency may be that most of that top half-dozen or so reside in the Big 12, where being a safety, corner or pass-cover linebacker is a nightmare. I’m not sure I have an SEC player in my top 10, but there’s competition at 11. 3. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma: Actually might be an underrated quarterback, considering is conference rivals. 2: Colt McCoy, Texas: His numbers are silly. 1. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech: The Texas game was like dipping my head in holy water, for I was converted.

From David Jones of Florida Today:
One thing you can bet on: The winner is coming out of the Big 12. It’s just a matter of which quarterback. I would say, right now, whichever quarterback leads his team to the Big 12 title would be my likely No. 1 guy.
Top 3
1. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
2. Colt McCoy, Texas
3. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

By Jake Trotter

With two games to go in the regular-season, Oklahoma’s prospective bowl destinations have begun to crystallize.

Win out, and OU has a great chance of advancing to the BCS National Championship. But lose once, and the Sooners are probably bound for a second date at the Cotton Bowl.

Here are OU’s bowl scenarios:

BCS National Championship
Outlook: Win the Big 12 South and Big 12 title, and OU is a lock for the BCS title game, thanks to Penn State’s loss to Iowa.
Possible opponents: Alabama, Florida, USC, Texas, Penn State
Chances: 20 percent

Fiesta Bowl
Outlook: If OU wins out, but not the Big 12 South, and the Big 12 champ goes to the national title, the Fiesta could select the Sooners as an at-large; that, however, would require the Fiesta taking the Sooners a third straight year, something it probably won’t do if a one-loss Texas or Texas Tech is available.
Possible opponents: Utah, Boise State, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, West Virginia
Chances: 15 percent

Sugar Bowl
Outlook: OU would be an attractive BCS at-large for the Sugar, which had to take Hawaii last season; but this scenario would require the Big 12’s champ to miss out on the national championship game.
Possible opponents: Florida, Alabama, LSU, Georgia
Chances: 10 percent

Orange Bowl
Outlook: With it looking more likely that a Big 12 team will make the national title, the Orange is a long shot to snag a Big 12 at-large; the Sugar also drafts its at-large before the Orange and won’t pass up an available Big 12 school.
Possible opponents: North Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Miami
Chances: 5 percent

Rose Bowl
Outlook: If USC slips into the national title, the Rose could be looking for a quality BCS at-large to play Penn State or Ohio State.
Possible opponents: Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, USC, Oregon State
Chances: 1 percent

Cotton Bowl
Outlook: If Texas or Texas Tech goes to the national title, the Fiesta could opt for another Big 12 school instead of taking OU three years in a row; that, or a Missouri victory in the Big 12 title over the South champ, would probably send the Sooners to Dallas.
Possible opponents: LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama
Chances: 30 percent

Holiday Bowl
Outlook: OU would have to lose to Oklahoma State and/or Texas Tech to fall to the Holiday.
Possible opponents: Oregon State, Oregon, California, Arizona, USC
Chances: 15 percent

Alamo Bowl
Outlook: A Sooner collapse coupled with Missouri winning the Big 12 title would have to occur for the Alamo to be a possibility.
Possible opponents: Northwestern, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan State
Chances: 4 percent

Last week, Halloween, actually, middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds had surgery to repair an ACL tear in his knee, which he suffered against Texas.

Wednesday, coach Bob Stoops said the surgery went as well as could have been expected.

“It went great,” Stoops said. “There were no other issues, sometimes there are. It was clean. The ligament was perfectly intact. That wasn’t the case with his other surgery. Hopefully this one will heal quicker and better.”

That’s good news for Reynolds, who will attempt to make a comeback from a third serious knee injury next season.

By Jake Trotter

Last weekend’s victory was also just the fourth time in the Stoops era OU has won when allowing at least 35 points. All-time, the Sooners are 4-10 when that happens:

55: USC, 2004 Orange Bowl (L, 19-55)

48: West Virginia, 2007 (L, 28-48)

45: Texas, 2005 (L, 12-45)

45: Texas, 2008 (L, 35-45)

41: at UCLA, 2005 (L, 24-41)

38: at Colorado, 1999 (L, 24-38)

38: at Texas Tech, 1999 (L, 28-38)

38: Texas, 1999 (L, 28-38)

38: at Oklahoma State, 2002 (L, 28-38)

37: Kansas State, 2001 (W, 38-37)

35: Kansas State, 2003 Big 12 Championship (L, 7-35)

35: at Oklahoma State, 2004 (W, 38-35)

35: at Texas A&M, 2004 (W, 42-35)

35: at Kansas State 2008 (W, 58-35)

By Jake Trotter

Two years ago, Mark Manning, the Nebraska wrestling coach, was bragging that he could take Brandon Rigoni, a special teams standout on the Husker football team.

The back and forth went on for a couple of years until Rigoni used up his eligibility. They finally went after it a couple weeks ago. Manning was given five shots to stop Rigoni from scoring.

Courtesy to the Wiz of Odds (by the way, check out Rigoni’s flip over the goal line)

Showdown

By Jake Trotter

“We’re just lucky right here and right now with our team. There will be some years where maybe there isn’t the same kind of quarterbacks or receivers. It is a good time to be a coordinator here. We have a veteran group and a lot of good players that have bought in and are playing in a good way.” — Kevin Wilson on coordinating a Sooner offense that’s No. 2 in the nation in scoring, averaging 48.3 points per game

By Jake Trotter

Below is some of what coach Bob Stoops had to say about his team’s 58-35 win over Kansas State…

On the defense in the second half:
Yeah (we played better), but also in the first half we forced quite a few turnovers in short field a good number of times.
The defense was put on the short field a couple of times, too.
I think there were 11 different possessions where the offense got it in within 60 yards.
When that happens you’ve got a chance to score.

On Travis Lewis and Keenan Clayton:
I think they need to get better, but the more experience they get they’re going to keep getting better.
Travis stood out with 15 tackles, 2 INTs. Keenan stripping the ball.
I know they’ll continue to get better gaining experience.
Travis is a heck of an athlete.

On Austin Box’s first start:
He did OK. I think there’s more there. We expect him to play better and better. Again, I think it will be something ongoing.

On any injuries:
I don’t see anything right now that’s very significant.

By Jake Trotter

Sam Bradford wasn’t the only Sooner to make ESPN’s Top 32 NFL Draft prospect list.

Junior tight end Jermaine Gresham is ranked as the top tight end and the No. 28 overall player eligible for the April draft.

“He has good hands and the ability to get open,” ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay told The Oklahoman. “I don’t have a great feel yet for what kind of speed he has. We’ll see when he runs this year or next year. I don’t think he’s Kellen Winslow. And there are a lot of really good tight ends in this draft. But everyone seems to have a drawback. He could have most complete package overall.”

By Jake Trotter

« Previous PageNext Page »