SB Nation - Taylor McNamara

OU Football 2012 - Assessing The Sooners Current Redshirt Situation

Jordan Esco — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:11:53 -0000

To borrow a popular term from one Mr. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma's 'East Handkerchief State' portion of their schedule has come and gone. It wasn't quite as pretty as we all might have liked, but never the less the Sooners are 2-0 as they head into the first of two bye weeks and prepping for what will easily be their most difficult game to date. Given that the level of competition will step up considerably, the opportunities for those freshman who have yet to play will likely indicate a redshirt in their near future.

Through the first two games, Oklahoma has played the following true freshman: Sterling Shepard, Trey Metoyer, Durron Neal, Taylor McNamara, Ty Darlington, Charles Tapper, Michael Onuoha, Gary Simon, and Eric Striker.

Of those, Metoyer, Shepard, and McNamara are the only ones who have seen anything close to what one would call significant playing time. Neal has played, but sparingly at best. Same for (the most part) Tapper and Onuoha. Unless I'm mistaken, Striker's time has been exclusively on special teams. While both Darlington and Simon were late substitutions against FAMU. I'm not going to get into whether or not it was worth playing some of these guys, that's not what this post is really about, but it's safe of you to assume I wouldn't have a glowing review of the decision to do so for several of them.

So, we know who has played which obviously leaves those who are likely to receive a redshirt. Here is a quick rundown.

RB Daniel Brooks -No surprise here. He came in needing major knee surgery, a redshirt was planned all along.

QB Trevor Knight -No injury involved, but given the depth chart a redshirt was just as assured for Knight as it was for Brooks.

WR Derrick Woods -This one needed to happen and the OU receiver situation improving considerably pretty much guaranteed it would. Many still feel Woods' ceiling may be higher as a safety.

TE Sam Grant -Another one that needed to happen and Geneo Grissom's move all but sealed the deal for Grant. There are already some speculating his future move to the offensive line.

OG Kyle Marrs -The chances of Marrs playing as a true freshman were zero.

RB Alex Ross -Not going to lie, pleasantly surprised by this one. The coaches were raving about him this summer and this had Brandon Williams -- complete waste of a year -- written all over it. So far, the coaches have resisted the urge to play him and barring some kind of rash of injuries to OU's other running backs I expect/hope that to continue. Additionally, the success of Damien Williams makes this decision that much easier.

RB David Smith -The coaches were impressed with him this summer, but if Alex Ross isn't going to play Smith is a no-brainer.

CB Zack Sanchez -He revealed his own redshirt status on Twitter last week and it makes sense that the coaches would give him the year. Has a bright future as a potential shutdown corner, but needed a year in the weight room.

DT Jordan Wade -Initially a member of the 2011 class, Wade's enrollment was delayed due to some academic issues. Now a member of 2012, he will spend the year redshirting but will definitely be needed next season when OU loses three seniors at the defensive tackle spot.

Florida A&M at #5 Oklahoma - Things I'm Looking For

M. Hofeld — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 18:39:55 -0000

Oklahoma earned the win last week over UTEP but the Sooners failed to impress in the 24-7 victory. There are a couple schools of thought here that have Oklahoma fans either optimistically hoping that the Sooners can shake off the rust and make some adjustments or pessimistically writing off the goals set before this team in the preseason.

While tonight's contest won't provide the answers, in full, to those two lines of thinking, it will give us a possible indication of which way to lean. That is the topic that dictates the things I'm looking for this week.

I'm looking to see Landry Jones connect multiple times with receivers not named Kenny Stills. There are clearly some security and chemistry issues with the new receivers and to an extend its to be expected. However, its not an issue that can be prolonged throughout the season and there should be gradual improvement from week to week. I want to see it.

I'm looking to see if the defensive line can get a consistent push. Going up against FAMU won't be the same as what they experienced last week against UTEP or what they'll see in two weeks against Kansas State but being able to control the line of scrimmage is going to be vital and you have to start somewhere.

I'm looking to see more of running back Damien Williams. He won me over last week! I though Brennan Clay and Dominique Whaley were good against UTEP but WIlliams was superb. I want to see him again this week to see if he can do it on a regular basis.

I'm looking to see more from the tight ends. Geno Grissom was suspended last weekend but Taylor McNamera and Brannon Green were both targeted during the game, with Jones connecting to Green for a score. I would love to see this become a recurring theme for the season.

I'm looking for a linebacker to be dominant. Tom Wort, I'm talking to you. This is you're defense now. Go out and make sure that #21 is stamped on every FAMU player who carries the football.

I'm looking for excellent pass protection. Three sacks last week is mildly acceptable. Sacks this week shows significant issues along the offensive front. Its a new offensive line for the most part but they have to grow up quickly.

I'm looking for clean play. I don't want to see the Sooners shoot themselves in the foot with penalties and blown assignments. Those types of issues can change a game very quickly and will cost Oklahoma in conference play.

I'm looking to enjoy the 2012 Oklahoma Football Intro Video. Come on, how can you not be excited about that?

That's about it for me. How about you? What are you looking for tonight?

Best Of The Big 12 Around SB Nation

WVUIE97 — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 19:00:34 -0000

One of the great things about being a part of SB Nation is that we get really great coverage of most of the college teams across the landscape. The blogs representing the schools of the Big 12 are no exception and really do a great job of coverage and insight. Hell, there are more Big 12 blogs than there are teams (11, including us). Texas, I guess has too big an ego for just one blog covering them. I kid, I kid. All of the folks I've conversed with over the last 10 months or so have been awesome, all around our blogosphere. I try to spread the wealth around in our daily Shotgun/Throwdown but it's usually just a link and sometimes a random comment. We'd like to do more to shed a spotlight for you on some of our other blogs. With that in mind, here's the first of what we hope will be a regular feature around here, spotlighting excellent work from our Big 12 brethren. We By-Godders may even pick up a few new tricks in our coverage along the way too. These are just samples. The full posts are linked. Without further adieu...

Most of us have HUGE man-crushes on Coach Holgorsen. Well it seems the Longhorn faithful have the same affliction with one of their coaches:

Manny Diaz Says Awesome Things, New Mexico Week Edition - Burnt Orange Nation

Diaz was asked about the defense responding to diversity and was pleased that his group came out and blocked the extra point after the long touchdown pass, which he followed up with some heavy sarcasm:

Well, there's not going to be any touchdowns that we allow that I'm going to be overjoyed about.

Wah, wah. More chuckles! Chuckles are good.

Stay tuned for next week, when Diaz will probably say some more awesome things. Because he is awesome and that is what awesome people do.

The folks over at the Sooner blog have broken down a play with screen captures and commentary:

Film Study: Landry Jones Shows New Patience In The Pocket Along With Improved Footwork - Crimson And Cream Machine

Oklahoma is lined up in a four receiver set with Justin Brown at the top and Kenny Stills in the slot just inside of him. This isn't a new set for the Sooners but it is one that can get them in some trouble if UTEP blitzes. Brennan Clay is the running back who will look for an extra defender. If there's no blitz then he'll release as the safety valve.

The Miners don't blitz on the play but what Landry Jones sees will require him to buy some extra time, and to do so he must show some poise and patience. Notice where he is on the hash marks.

UTEP only rushes four, dropping seven into coverage. Clay releases on a route, because there is no blitzer, which takes up a linebacker. So now there are six defenders covering four receivers. However, look at what's going on at the top. The topside linebacker is late getting into coverage on tight end Taylor McNamara and still has eyes in the Oklahoma backfield.

Kenny Stills is cutting up to the sideline which is going to cause some confusion with the defensive backs and spring him free. At the bottom Trey Metoyer is drawing a double team.

Over at the Baylor blog, they've amassed quite a collection of noteworthy stats from their SMU game:

Interesting Stats from Baylor vs. SMU - Our Daily Bears

On defense, Baylor gave up 507 yards on 92 (!!!) offensive plays for SMU. 92 is more than any team ran against us last season! (Sidebar: Did you know that Kansas ran the ball on us last season? 64 times!) That's good for 5.51 yards per play, an average that would rank 5th last season, including, once again, the game against SFA. Two of the teams we held to fewer ypp last season hailed from the Sunflower State (Kansas) while the other was Rice. I don't have a good joke for Rice. It's Rice. The worst game in terms of ypp last season was Oklahoma State (9.5). You probably didn't need that reminder.
To go with their 507 yards, SMU scored 24 points on those 92 plays for .261 points per play. Excluding the shutout against SFA, that ppp was better than any 2011 defensive performance. The next-best from 2011? The game against Texas (.282). The worst? Okie State once again (.937). Yes, OSU scored almost 1 point per play against us.

And finally, nobody, I mean nobody can rub salt in a wound and troll like our friends over at the Iowa State blog (the first is worth the click for the photoshop work alone):

Northern Illinois Loses Super Bowl, Deems 2012 A Lost Season - Wide Right & Natty Lite

Saturday marked the effective end to the Northern Illinois Huskies' football season as they relinquished a late lead in losing 18-17 to the Iowa Hawkeyes. "It's such a crazy thing, to have a game with this much importance to us this early in the season", NIU coach Dave Doeren said during Monday's MAC coaches teleconference. "It's like playing the Super Bowl during the preseason".

Cheer Up, Lil' Hawkeye - Wide Right & Natty Lite

Hey there, Hawk fan. How you feeling? Not too good, huh?

Yeah, it's understandable. That opening game against Northern Illinois wasn't very encouraging. You spent the last eight months convincing yourself that the Greg Davis experiment was going to be a big upgrade for your offense, and then everyone just shits the bed during the first game against a MAC team in rebuilding mode.

But hey, at least you won the game! You know what they say; a win is a win, whether it's by 20 points or... one point. Ugh. 18-17. That may be the most Big Ten score ever recorded. And not to rub salt in the wound, but take a look at the stats from the game last Saturday. James Vandenberg went 21-33. Hey, not too shabby! Oh, it was for 129 yards? That's 3.9 yards per attempt. Looks like Greg Davis' patented horizontal offense has been fully installed. And 268 offensive yards? That is... that is just rough. But hey, that kind of implosive offense is why Davis was hired, right?

There you have it. Next week we'll check back in with some more in-depth coverage from around the league.

Film Study - Oklahoma Sooners vs. UTEP (First Half)

Jordan Esco — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 22:56:53 -0000

That's right, we're back for another year of Film Study! To be honest, this is one of my favorite things to do here. Some days more than others mind you and today might not be one of those days given how our Sooners performed last night. But we're going to go ahead and do this regardless.

For those of you who are new around these parts, (1) welcome! and (2) the format of this is pretty straight forward. I'm about to hit play (somewhat reluctantly) on my DVR and my recording of Saturday night's UTEP game. As things play out, I'll document what I'm seeing and my thoughts on what/how things happen. I think we've established quite awhile ago, I'm a psychopath when it comes to Oklahoma. Clearly in doing this, I have way too much time on my hands. But in doing this, while time consuming, I can get a different, or at least more in-depth, perspective on things I likely would have missed in my initial viewing.

Anyway, mainly to save you all, I fully anticipate this taking way too long for just a single post so my plan is to break this up into the first and second halves. This first one, I'm not so much looking forward to. But here we go.

* I'm going to attempt to refrain from commenting on the announcers, mainly because I doubt I have to be the one to tell you just how god awful they were.

* Opening kickoff - Clearly I was dead wrong in my assumption that the extra five yards this year would help Patrick O'Hara actually reach the end zone on his kickoffs.

* 1st Q, 14:55 - Just want to quickly point out how OU opened up the game on defense. Four man front, with three "linebackers" (I used quotes because Ibiloye was one of the three), Tony Jefferson down in the box, and Javon Harris playing center field. R.J. Washington is unblocked on the play, should have stopped Nathan Jeffery for a gain of one or two, but Jeffery runs right by him, and for some reason all three LBs crash to the opposite side of the play leaving nothing but green and a 15-yard gain that is only prevented from being an 80-yard TD thanks to a Harris tackle. Seriously, it's crazy just how close that was to a disastrously bad start.

* Just a handful of plays into the game and Jefferson has already been down in the box quite a bit. Will be interesting to see of that's how Mike continues to use him.

* The the point I just made, it made me realize just how disturbing this first UTEP drive actually was when you consider OU essentially had eight guys in the box.

* 1st Q, 13:19 - This play, in a nutshell, validates why so many people take issue with Tom Wort at MLB. It's just a simple counter run play up the middle, he (Wort) gets sucked up into the play like he does so many times, and just gets absolutely swallowed up by one of the UTEP guards. And I mean swallowed up. To be fair, Jeffery runs through a Harris arm tackle at the LOS, but your MLB has got to be there to fill that hole, right?!? Jefferson comes up to make a solid tackle, but only after a 13-yard gain. Jeez, that was really bad.

* It's frightening how bad Jamarkus McFarland is getting dominated right now. And not double teamed, mind you, just one-on-one. Against UTEP.

* 1st Q, 12:34 - Demontre Hurst missing what, by my count, was the first of four should have been OU interceptions. Really baited the UTEP quarterback into the throw, closed on the ball perfectly, but you've got to make that pick, man. Jefferson actually almost got a real cheapie off the deflection.

* 1st Q, 12:01 - This play is a clear example of why King was moved to the inside. It's 3rd and 5 here, a pretty clear passing down, and King even being on the interior gets a clean release as the o-line drops into pass pro. King absolutely abuses the UTEP right guard, who barely even gets a hand on him, before pulling down Lamaison for a sack. Which saves OU at least three points with the first of three shanked UTEP field goals.

* 1st Q, 10:41 - OU's first offensive possession, 2nd down and 6. This is definitely a new play. Sooners are in the shotgun (which I think I read they were on literally every offensive snap, so something I'll keep an eye on) slash pistol formation, with Whaley the deep back and Millard to Landry's left. Stills comes in motion from the slot and it's almost kind of like a double play action to both Stills and Whaley. Meanwhile, Millard releases on a bit of a drag route out of the backfield while Landry rolls out to his right. Millard is wide open, makes the catch, lowers his shoulder, plants a UTEP defender, and it's an easy eight yards. But yeah, only give him three more touches in this game, Josh. Great call!

* I am by no means ready to write off Dom Whaley after just one game, but it's pretty clear he's going to need a couple weeks to work his way back into things. It was expected, so don't be one of those people screaming he should be benched for Damien Williams. Look, I was/am driving the Damien Williams bandwagon and I still want Whaley in there getting carries, ok.

* 1st Q, 9:57 - 2nd down and 6 for OU from their own 46. Either horrible blocking or a someone just missed the play call because both Stills and Metoyer block the same guy leaving Whaley completely unprotected on a simple swing pass out of the backfield. The UTEP defender is completely untouched and arrives at Whaley just about the same time the ball does. Five yards loss, Stills and Metoyer just look at each other.

* 1st Q, 9:08 - The blocked punt. Honestly, I can't tell you what happened. Other than OU just didn't block at least five UTEP players. They literally just allowed the UTEP guys to run right by them untouched. It's seem too stupid to be that simple, but go back and watch it. It was. Jesus, as they come back from commercial they show a replay from overhead and it makes OU look even worse, which I didn't think was even possible on that play. 7-0 UTEP

* For the people who said Roy Finch played, you were absolutely right. He is very clearly the second man back deep on this kickoff, which goes out of the end zone. Did you see that, Patty?

* 1st Q, 9:00 - OU gets the ball back after the fake punt. Opens in the shotgun (weird), in a four wide set, with Taylor McNamara one of those four, and another very simple swing pass out of the backfield to Whaley. This time, unfortunately, my boy Adam Shead is the culprit of hanging Whaley out to dry. He either doesn't see or completely misses the UTEP defender to his left, who again is left untouched to come up and make the play. To make matters worse, somehow Whaley actually spins off the initial tackle, but a second UTEP defender literally runs right past Shead (who could not look more lost on this play) and pancakes Whaley for a one yard loss. The more I watch this, the more Whaley really got screwed by his teammates on a lot of these short passes.

* 1st Q, 7:57 - 3rd and 5 for OU on their own 31. Landry is very lucky here not to have thrown an interception. I'm certainly no quarterback expert, but if you go back and watch this play it sure as hell looks to me like he's made up his mind where he's going the second the ball is snapped. He literally locks on to Metoyer the instant the ball hits his hands. The UTEP defender sees this, jumps the route, and only as a result of his drop does Landry avoid the INT. That was vintage Bad Landry. Oh, and three straight passes leads to a three and out. Awesome.

* They actually show an OU sideline shot following that play as the offense comes over and let's just say it's, um, slightly less than encouraging. OU looks completely defeated, guys hanging their heads. Their down 7-0 with almost eight minutes left in the first quarter! Where is the freaking fire?!? Where is the fight?!? Yeah, we know they came back and won now but at the time this actually took place? I mean wow, just wow. Pathetic.

* 1st Q, 6:14 - 3rd and 8 for UTEP from their own 22. I guess this is what Mike Stoops calls a dime package. They do have an extra DB in (Julian Wilson), but at the expense of a defensive lineman as opposed to a linebacker. Which means OU is in a three man front, which sucked you know what all of last year, but here it actually works thanks to Washington and King getting pressure.

* 1st Q, 6:01 - Sooners get the ball back and Josh Heupel almost gives me a heart attack when I watched this live. The ~~Triangle~~ Diamond returns! Even as excited as I was to see it come back, Heupel didn't really use it the same way Wilson did. There were two fullbacks (Millard and Bird) instead of two running backs and they really didn't have all that much success with it on run plays. Which I'm sure means Heupel will never use it again.

* 1st Q, 5:19 - 3rd and 11 for OU on their own 32. I'm not sure at the time I realized the down and distance which only increases my admiration for this throw Landry is about to make. OU is back in that four wide set with McNamara. Landry takes the snap and gets good protection from his o-line, but UTEP's coverage initially is spot on. In one of several instances from this game where Landry's work with George Whitfield is clearly evident, his footwork is outstanding and he keeps his eyes downfield the entire time. Again, where his improvement is clearly on display just before he lets go of the ball a UTEP defender is baring down on him. The old Landry would have freaked out and either taken the sack or more likely just thrown the ball up for grabs. Instead, here, he unleashes what is unquestionably an NFL-type throw from one hashmark to the other and hits Kenny Stills, behind the defense, in perfect stride. It was essentially a broken play that turned into huge swing in momentum for OU. Oh, and it was one hell of a throw. 7-7 all tied up.

* It's pretty clear now Mike Stoops' idea of a dime package is basically a 3-2-6. It's worked both times tonight with respect to still getting pressure, but I'm not sure how big a fan I am of it once conference play starts.

* Admittedly, it was just a glimpse but that one Justin Brown punt return gives you hope for the rest of the season.

* 1st Q, 2:23 - Trey Millard's second touch = another OU first down. But, again, by all means Josh, whatever you do, don't get the ball into his hands.

* Maybe I just don't understand the rule, but from my vantage point that chop block call on Whaley was horse bleep.

* 1st Q, 0:33 - I'll make this one quick. But this is the exact same play as the first one in the game described above, the exact same play. Again, off the edge, Washington is unblocked. However, this time he makes the tackle and instead of a 15-yard gain, it's only six. Pretty significant difference. Just sayin'.

End of 1st Q, game tied 7-7.

* 2nd Q, 13:23 - 3rd and 3 for OU from their own 24. This play winds up being an incomplete pass, but it's another instance in which they work Landry put in this offseason clearly shows. UTEP has a guy come untouched off the edge to Landry's right. Instead of freaking out, like Bad Landry, he steps up into the pocket to avoid the pressure then makes a move to avoid another rusher and actually makes a great throw off his back foot to Whaley while being tackled. Unfortunately, Whaley drops the ball as it hits him right in the hands. I saw a lot of people say after the fact if Whaley catches it he takes it to the house and while I may not necessarily agree with that, at a minimum it's a first down and extends the drive.

* 2nd Q, 11:42 - 3rd and 3 for UTEP from the OU 28. Sometimes you just have to give it up to a guy for making a hell of a play and that's exactly what happens here with Jeffery. Oklahoma strings up a run play as well as you could hope for with multiple guys in pursuit as Jeffrey bounces it to the outside. He launches himself over Hurst, who goes low, then amazingly as he's coming down he, I don't know how to really describe it, leaps off the foot he lands on for just enough to get him past the first down marker. Just an outstanding play.

* Landry Jones has been fantastic off play action all game thus far. I really hope we see more of this going forward.

* 2nd Q, 5:20 - I said it at the time and the watching it a second time changes nothing. UTEP did Michael Hunnicutt by "blocking" this field goal attempt. Had whatever happened not happened, it might have gone down in history as the ugliest field goal attempt in the history of football.

* 2nd Q, 5:03 - I ripped Wort in my recap for being non-existent so I suppose it's only fair that I point out a solid play here. Granted, he is unblocked but he plays good contain by not overrunning the play (or getting sucked up into the middle of the scrum) and tackles Jeffery for a three yard loss.

* 2nd Q, 2:56 - Whaley loses the ball here after a 16-yard gain, but it was clearly his best run on the night. I think he'll work his way back to the old Dom, eventually.

* 2nd Q, 2:00 - Another couple of inches and people probably aren't talking about Metoyer's debut supposedly being a tad disappointing (which is stupid, IMO). Runs a great route, makes a great catch with a man right on him, but unfortunately his foot was just barely out of bounds.

* After the OU drive stalls, UTEP with three runs and a punt, then Sooners with a failed hail mary and we're at the half tied 7-7.

Second half breakdown coming soon.

OU Football 2012 - Sooners Lose Another Starter According To Report

Jordan Esco — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 02:59:36 -0000

Source tells SoonerScoop.com tight end Geneo Grissom has been suspended for season opener against UTEP.
— SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) September 1, 2012

Wasn't really looking for more bad news, let alone the night before the game, but it sounds as if that is exactly what we're getting. According to a report from SoonerScoop.com, the Sooners will be without tight end Geneo Grissom Saturday night against UTEP.

At one point, Bob Stoops had referred to Grissom as the Sooners' starter at tight end but was more recently listed as a co-starter (with Brannon Green and Taylor McNamara) on the official depth chart.

I'd expect some of you to brush this off considering how low the expectations were for tight end not just for this game, but for the season as a whole as well. However, for me this brings up a question many probably will not like. But at what point do we start to question Stoops, as the head of this program, for all of these discipline issues?

UTEP vs. #4 Oklahoma Game Week Reading Materials

asalom — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:00:54 -0000

If you're out there looking for your fix of information on the UTEP vs. Oklahoma football game this weekend, you've found the right place. Here's a list of some good reads on everything from game previews to team previews, and bulletin board material to coaches' comments. Enjoy.

Stoops, Sooners Preview Season Opener - SoonerSports.com - Official Athletics Site of the Oklahoma Sooners
SoonerSports.com is the official athletics site of the Oklahoma Sooners and partner of CBS College Sports. SoonerSports.com provides official coverage of the Oklahoma Sooners direct from the OU Athletics Department in Norman.

NCAA College Football Preview - Oklahoma Sooners at Texas-El Paso Miners - Sep 01, 2012 - CBSSports.com
A 10-win season and bowl victory would be considered a great year for most programs. Oklahoma is not " most programs.

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First glance: Breaking down UTEP - Oklahoma Sooners Blog - ESPN
The Sooners have a history of struggling in openers. Look no further than 2010, when Utah State took OU to the brink in a 31-24 Sooners victory. That Utah State team was no better than this UTEP squad.

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Multiple OU freshman to play against UTEP | OU Sports
Well, there's Ty Darlingon and Taylor McNamara. Then there's Charles Tapper and Mike Onuoha. Don't forget Durron Neal and Sterling Shepard, or Gary Simon

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UTEP Miners Football At A Glance - Crimson And Cream Machine
2012 UTEP Miners Football At A Glance

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Oklahoma Sooners Remain Focused Solely On Football - Crimson And Cream Machine
In 2011, the bar was set high as the Oklahoma Sooners came in with the nation's top ranking. With all the expectations that were placed upon the 2011 season, only a few have been removed heading into 2012. This is a season that is shaping up to be far removed from the fanfare as the Sooners have taken on a new sense of focus.

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Mike Price - "Oklahoma Has No Weaknesses" - Crimson And Cream Machine
Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops met with the media on Monday to discuss the UTEP Miners, his first opponent of the season. His counterpart, Mike Price, also met with the media to discuss the Sooners and apparently he's pretty high on them.

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Oklahoma's QB Landry Jones wants to win the national championship | Tulsa World
Landry Jones was asked - before fall camp hit full speed earlier this month - what his focus was for Oklahoma's 2012 football season. The senior quarterback didn't hesitate with his answer. "It's going after that national championship," Jones said. "We've had some success around this place. With me at quarterback, we haven't yet been able to get to that big game. We've had some stumbles usually in the regular season that keeps us from that.

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Sports Extra - Blogs - Did UTEP quarterback provide bulletinboard material | Tulsa World
UTEP quarterback Nick Lamaison sat across from me at Conference USA media day in Dallas last month and honestly answered a question about Landry Jones.

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Running ahead of the pack, Jeffery ready to lead - Sports - The Prospector - University of Texas at El Paso
As football fans await the 60 minutes of wholesome American competition, Miner players are looking to their upperclassmen to lead them into the game and into a successful season. Making an exception to this tradition, UTEP chances for football victory rests in the hands of one of the teams’ youngest, sophomore running back Nathan Jeffery.

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Tight ends looking to have bigger impact in Price’s offense - Sports - The Prospector - University of Texas at El Paso
With plenty of new faces in the offense this upcoming season, the Miners tight ends feel ready to take a leading role and help the team improve on their 5-7 record from 2011.

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Past games between UTEP and Oklahoma | News - Home
UTEP VS. OU - Third meeting between the schools, all since 2000. - OU leads the series 2-0 and has outscored the Miners 123-14. - OU has scored the last 89 points in the series. - The Sooners beat the Miners in Norman, Okla. in 2000 (55-14) and 2002 (68-0). - OU was ranked 19th heading into the 2000 matchup and second entering the 2002 game.

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Landry Jones stays cool under pressure
Oklahoma QB Landry Jones stoic despite Blake Bell taking over under center in big plays for the Sooners.

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Oklahoma football: No update on receiver Jalen Saunders | NewsOK.com
The wait for an NCAA ruling on Fresno State transfer wide receiver Jalen Saunders continues. Saunders has asked the NCAA to waive its requirement that transfers sit out a season. Oklahoma assistant coach Jay Norvell has said the request related to personal, off-the-field issues. OU coach Bob Stoops said he expected an announcement any day.

OU Football 2012 - Sooners Release Updated Depth Chart For UTEP Game

Jordan Esco — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:35:06 -0000

We've been waiting and waiting and waiting for Bob Stoops to release an updated depth chart and that time has finally come (here).

*** FULL DISCLAIMER - A Bob Stoops depth chart historically means very, very little. ***

Okay, with that out of the here are the highlights.

The Sooners have 13 freshman listed in the two deep, nine of which are true freshman.

Your starting offensive line is exactly as we expected (from left to right): Lane Johnson, Adam Shead, Gabe Ikard, Bronson Irwin, and Daryl Williams. Austin Woods listed as the backup right guard (not center) while true freshman Ty Darlington is listed behind Ikard.

Stoops pulled a total 'Mack Brown' and listed all three guys at tight end (Geneo Grissom, Brannon Green, and Taylor McNamara) as "co-starters."

The starting wide receivers are Trey Metoyer, Kenny Stills, and Justin Brown. They are backup up by Lacoltan Bester, Sterling Shepard, and Durron Neal respectively.

Dominique Whaley is listed as the starter and running back with Brennan Clay and Damien Williams behind him as "co-backups."

The listed starting defensive tackles are David King and Casey Walker, interesting that Jamarkus McFarland is running second team.

Rashod Favors and Charles Tapper as listed as "co-backups" behind senior R.J. Washington.

Frank Shannon and Jaydan Bird are listed as "co-backups" at middle linebacker behind Tom Wort.

Gary Simon is behind Aaron Colvin.

Your kickoff return guys are Brennan Clay and Roy Finch, while again as expected Kenny Stills and Justin Brown returning punts.

2012 Oklahoma Football Preview: Sooner State of the Union

Vasherized — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 04:56:28 -0000

The Big 12 Conference is finally getting to know peace after two years of turmoil, with both farmers and flatlanders defecting for more humid, hostile pastures in exchange for Appalachian 'shine and bejeweled boots n twang.

Yet oddly, despite being a national title contender and ranked 4th in the preseason polls, the Big Red Propaganda Machine is in full swing, dropping pamphlets up and down the Red River, declaring early supremacy over all things Big 12 in one of the most wide races the conference has seen since ... 2011.

These paranoid pronouncements come without provocation. Stoops speaks, asshole happens. It's The Norman Way.

Sooner Nation has declared war not only its conference neighbors but modern society at large -- with evolution, dentistry, two parent families, slab foundations, varied topography, recorded deeds of trust, Texas blue-chip talent, anti-perspirants, inconvenient narcotics laws, physical limitations of the human body, and preseason hype.

You may not be aware of this threat to the virtuous game of college football because the Sooner Politik features a Hall of Fame roster of misinformation peddlers who stir the masses with a cheap musk of arrogance, a rally cry of backfiring two-stroke engines, and false promises of football immortality.

L to R: JOSEF SWITZER, MAO ZEDOOPS, KIM BOB IL, BRENT VIETNABLES, JERRY SCHMIDSTAPO

The Big Red Machine would have you believe that mounting suspensions and injuries across both offensive and defensive fronts have been a benevolent act by the football gods, letting the less capable make way for stronger, braver candidates to assume the positions, then winning them with superior STRENGTH and CONDITIONING. We already know it's not from genetics.

In reality, these offensive and defensive lines would make Andre Maginot weep. And Mark Mangino hungry for a silo of Belgian pomme frites.

But the word out of Norman is not one of concern. "We have a starting five we really like. In fact we wouldn't trade it for any other in the conference," said Bob Stoops recently while wearing a visor. One of our embedded interns revealed that starting five to actually feature two guards from the Oklahoma Federal Penitentiary in McAlester (affectionately called Big Mac), two tackles from the 1986 squad whom the compliance department discovered to have an unspent year of eligibility, and a center from Penn State who wasn't good enough to earn one of the Nittany Lions' 36 available roster spots.

So let's dive headfirst into the latest Sooner Sturm und Drang, acknowledge a few areas of strength, and decode how this 2012 Big Red Campaign will unfold.

OFFENSE

Landry Jones returned to OU for his senior year to save his marriage. Seriously. Not to win a national title, a Heisman Trophy, or the Sooners' 8th Big 12 title in the last five years. Now that he's seen his current offensive line, a year in the CFL and divorce probably sounds good right now. It also makes you miss that lazy-eyed Chippewa, or whatever Indian blood Sam Bradford claimed 1/32nd of.

What makes the Sooner passing game tick is the ability to go up tempo, keep passing lanes clean, and make quick decisions before pressure arrives. Sooner wideouts typically run crisp routes, catch the ball in motion, and leave a receipt for six points if you miss a tackle. But once Ryan Broyles got hurt and Jones had to go through multiple progressions to find open guys, the offense started to churn like fried butter at the state fair ... which put more pressure on Brent Venables' predictable schemes with guys playing the wrong position. It all added up to a visor-tossing, fists-lodged-in-doublewide-vinyl 8-5 record, and a quick fall from grandiosity after starting the season ranked #1.

So why are the Sooners ranked so high again this year? PROPAGANDA! PUNDITRY!

Before all the injuries and suspensions, you could make an argument that the Sooner defense paired with Uncle Rico returning for his senior year added up to a theoretical top-5 ranking. It's this thinking that also keeps guys like Phil Steele employed.

The media looks at a guy who passed for more than 350 yards against 7 different teams last year, including Missouri (448 yards, 3 TDs), Texas (367 yards, 5 TDs) and Kansas State (505 yards, 5 TDs); and thinks "Who will ever stop the Luftwaffe?!"

By simply returning for his senior season, those numbers should be replicated, right?

Churchill knew better and you should too.

After decimating Texas and K. State in back-to-back weeks, the Sooners imploded, losing two of their last three games. Jones went an entire month without a touchdown pass. Even David Ash was impressed. Stoops blamed the rest of the offense for too many dropped passes. Going 16-25 for 150 yards in a winning effort over Iowa in the Insight.com Bowl didn't lend any further insight into what the hell had happened to Landry Jones.

So what has changed since last year to merit a 15 spot climb in the polls?

Broyles is gone. The OL has seen more shuffling than a Bellagio blackjack dealer. Penn State transfer Justin Brown and Kenny Stills are the only receivers starting the season who have ever played a down of college football.

At the wideout position, Texas super frosh Trey Metoyer will step in as the third guy and may not give up the job when Jaz Reynolds and Trey Franks return from suspension for perpetual dipshittery. Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal are trying to get in the mix. Will one of them define his entire life by the touchdown he scores against Texas after never having caught a collegiate pass? Probably.

But this is Oklahoma, where players emerge from nowhere to win Big 12 crystal. Surely the cupboard can't be this bare.

Imagine if Trey Franks kept his track speed, didn't abuse marijuana, caught everything thrown at him, and had NFL level balance? That would be Fresno St. transfer Jalen Saunders.The question isn't whether OU will be able to make him academically eligible. The question is when. You should also be wondering how a guy who couldn't stay eligible at Fresno State can get into OU. (Nothing to see here, clearinghouse fraulein.) As a sophomore, Saunders averaged nearly 22 ypc for 12 TD / 1,000 yds.

Remember, Stoops went to the Snyder school of JUCO poaching. Your team isn't capable of finding these guys.

But at least they have an All-Conference Tight End returning, right? Or at least a functional blocking surface?

... Crosseyed stare ...

... Drool ...

SLAP!

DO WE HAVE A GODDAMN TIGHT END?!

Ummm, no coach.

Then MAKE me one, Schmidty.

The Sooners' TE woes actually makes Texas' situation look downright salty. Of the two guys they had with any experience, one went on medical scholarship and the other quit. That leaves JUCO enrollee Brannan Green as the designated blocking surface and true frosh Taylor McNamara at H-Back, or Schmidt's preferred term: Slot Penetrator. If those two can hold off 6'4 255 lb converted DE Geneo Grissom from turning into Jermaineo Gresham, they have a chance.

But they won't be running many passing routes if a patchwork Sooner OL can't keep Jones off his ass. We've already covered the first team OL.

Here is the second team.

A few weeks ago, Bob Stoops asked Kommissar Schmidt to pick any four cheerleaders that could bench press 80 pounds and would buy into his program. Uber-midget Vern Troyer looks to replace All-Conference Center Ben Habern, who disgraced Sooner Nation by citing future injury risk as a reason for quitting football. Within a week, Troyer grew 8 inches and the cheerleaders were all benching over 250 lbs. The fat kid either had an allergic reaction to steroids or didn't like the taste of his own urine and now repairs flats at Big Red Auto.

You probably won't see any of them in action because Sooners will only play five OL. Their depth needs are not like yours and mine. Two legs, two arms - you play. slow tempo, no tempo, up tempo. The UN-endorsed Gabe Ikard slides into center spot and should do just fine. Former Texan Adam Shead (he's an Okie now) will step up at guard and show his red ass whenever given the chance. He plays pissed off, earning winks and nods of approval from a trolling Barry Switzer during practice. Eye gouging and fingerbuggery can't be far away. Along with Habern, the Sooners lost another three-year starter in Tyler Evans to an ACL injury. This rash of injuries has to be embarrassing for a unit lauded for playing above and beyond pain, severed ligaments or not. As usual, Stoops disagrees...

"Tell us why this unit will be better with the loss of Habern and Evans, coach Stoops.."

"Bronson Irwin is the next great Sooner OL. We'll move forward with what we have, coach'em up better than your guys, and never look back. BOOMER SOONER"

"Don't you need five linemen to start the game?"

"Well technically, yeah you do but we'll convert a few Tight Ends if we need to."

(awkward silence)

"You don't have any of those either, sir. Coach. Sorry."

"Heupel - who the fuck is this guy and how did he get in this press conference?"

"His nametag says Bob Wheeler - Barking Carnival"

"Hey Bob, you're a disgrace to the name. Why don't you wheel on out here and I'll worry how we'll dominate the Big 12 this year just like we do every year. IT WILL HAPPEN. DO I LOOK LIKE A GUY THAT LACKS CONFIDENCE?"

"All I see is chins, sir --

"Schmidty - take care of him."

Thankfully our intern was able to send a recording of the interview from his phone before he was dipped in a vat of pig fat, lacquered in Goo Gone, coated in Magic Shell and dropshipped to the Texas State Fair as an exotic food offering.

Having a depleted, inexperienced offensive line can be offset by elite talent at Running Back. Unfortunately the Sooners don't have any. Dominique Whaley is the closest approximation - he blocks well, runs the screen game, and has breakaway speed. Unfortunately he gets injured while talking about injuries. He'll shoulder most of the load until he inevitably breaks it. Then he'll spend his offseason watching Inception before quitting football entirely. Vern Troyer's cousin Roy Finch has been moved to the slot, leaving former American Eagle Outfitter model Brennan Clay and incoming JUCO AA Damien Williams to back up Whaley. If Whaley stays healthy and Williams translates to this level, the OU run game should be sufficient. Either way, Demarco Murray and Adrian won't be impressed.

Bob Stoops will tell you all of that doesn't really matter because the Sooners also have human IED Trey Millard, who was considered for the role of Bane in Batman, narrowly losing out to Tom Hardy because he kept chewing through his metal facemask. Have fun tackling him, Big 12. This ain't your average fullback. I'm not sure there is an actual name for the position(s) he'll play but expect to see a lot of Millard plowing over would be tacklers.

DEFENSE

The strength of this unit is easily in the secondary, where Tony Jefferson moves from Nickel back (queue up How You Remind Me, Sooners.) to Free Safety opposite Javon Harris. Gabe Lynn and Joe Ibiloye will alternate at nickel, with the former playing more on passing downs and Ibiloye coming in to stop the run (because he proved to anyone watching last year except Brent Venables that he can't cover). Along with Kenny Vaccaro, Jefferson is one of the best safeties in college football and is a legit conference POY candidate. He covers a lot of ground with a long, rangy frame but will deliver the knockout blow on any tentative routes across the slot. He'll be telling Javon Harris what to do a lot. Like a Millard, you want a Jefferson on your team.

The tandem of Demontre Hurst (offspring of an actual demon and a dude from Flower Mound named Tre) and ~~Jamell Fleming~~ Aaron Colvin is either the best corner tandem in the Big 12 or right there with Texas' duo of Carrington Byndom and Quandre Diggs. Hurst and Fleming at least have seniority, which gives them pick of the litter come slumpbustin time. These guys have battled Broyles the last few years and now get to take on Kenny Stills and his shitty bleached fauxhawk fade.

Defending the Sooner air raid in practice over the last few years generally has these dudes ready for whatever will come on Saturdays. Last year, Fleming certainly came to play against Texas, notching 13 tackles, forcing a fumble and returning it 56 yards for a touchdown. Naturally, after the game, Stoops declared he was better than Derrick Strait and Andre Woolfolk combined. Let's hope we don't see a repeat performance from Colvin or Hurst.

Most of the secondary's miscues during OU's late season slide were schematic issues. Venables had been wrapping his wristband cheat sheets so tight, they were cutting off circulation to his brain, short-circuiting every play call to Deep Cover 2 on any down except fourth. RG3 and Weeden took the candy. Ash shit the bed. To beat OU you have to keep their safeties honest, working the soft zone with TE drags and seam routes, Jermichael Finley-style, or at least convert a few pump fakes. OU DBs are still Venablese creatures of habit after all and commonly display the brain power of a sunshine coast beach dingo. IBILOYE WANT SHRIMP ON BARBIE? COME HERE JOE JOE.

Another way to keep OU's safeties honest? Raise them in Texas.

The DL was also a strength until Stacy McGee was recently suspended for an arbitrary amount of games for failing an arbitrary school policy that is arbitrarily biased against synthetic marijuana use. Sorry if that was arbitrarily vague. In other words, he'll be back the week of the Texas/OU game and live in our backfield. DE David King slides inside next to Casey Walker, who mocks the training staff with the variety of ways he indulges the art of injury. Mike Stoops likes his two freshmen DEs Chuka Ndulue and Charlie Tapper, more out of necessity because they have to be good. He's like his brother that way. King will anchor the line with Senior DE R.J. Washington, who has one year left to deliver on his promise as a 5 star recruit, and three years to flame out of the NFL and knock up three different women.

This unit lacks the typical size and strength you're used to seeing in a Sooner DL. There's certainly no Tommie Harris, Demarcus Granger, or a five tool guy like Dusty Dvoracek. But in typical Stoopsian fashion, they're not worried "because they get to play Texas' OL". That's an actual quote recently spoken in private by an OU coach to a group of boosters. DICKS. But it's been true more years than not in the Texas/OU rivalry since Mack and Bob took over. Cue some tape of 2000 and 2003 if you're a masochist. Then finish off with 2005 and 2009 if you're into porn.

Another huge issue being conveniently swept behind the red iron curtain is the lingering injury issues in the core LB unit of Tom Wort and Corey Nelson. Wort has been banged up since last year and while willing to play through the pain, as he is wort to do, Old Tom hasn't looked like the same guy that tore FSU a new asshole last year at the beginning of the season. Nelson may be injured more than they're letting on and if they can't get him back, Mike Stoops loses a lot of versatility in their zone schemes. If they had landed in-state stud Demarco Cobbs, that would have helped. He'll remind them why in two short months.

This D is also looking pretty light in the ass across the board, with linemen checking in anywhere from 250-295 and LBs in the 210-225 range. Dom Espinosa just flexed his guns. BOOM BOOM BABY.

But one thing you can guarantee in Dallas on the first Saturday of every October is that the Sooner defense will play its best game of the year before shitting the bed against a team like Tech a few weeks later, leaving Texas fans and national media to wonder why we couldn't similarly exploit those weaknesses. The answer is simple: they hate us more. They are defined by beating Texas. If you lived in Oklahoma, you would hate everything. Texas is just a convenient target.

PREDICTIONS

Assuming they don't sustain any more suspensions or key injuries, those already hurt come back quickly, Vern Troyer doesn't get cast in a new Austin Powers movie, and the Brothers' Stoops can keep their substantial egos in alignment; this Sooner squad should contend for the Big 12 and BCS honors.

That's a best case scenario and despite the propaganda flowing from Norman, which has been bottle-fed to a willing and lazy media, OU will lose a few games this year for the 78 reasons mentioned above, one to a better team (Texas, KSU, WVU, OSU) and another to a lesser team that got to Landry Jones early by describing details of his wife's lower back tattoos.

Whether 10-2 will be enough for OU to hoist it's 18th conference trophy in 13 years is another question.

That's more propaganda math. Here's something that will never change.

******

(h/t ACE@BC and @nateheupel of Crimson and Cream Machine for the assistance on depth charts and military tactics)

2011 OU State of the Union

OU Football 2012 - The First Annual CCM 'My Guys'

Jordan Esco — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:00:12 -0000

This is something we've probably done here before in some form or fashion, but now we're going to 'formalize' things and make this all "official like." This likely doesn't need much explanation, it's pretty simple. We all have a guy or two we may irrationally favor more so than some others. It doesn't necessarily make sense all the time. Sometimes you just can't explain something when it "just feels right." We all know what that's like, right?

Did things just get a little weird in here?

Anyway, this is an admittedly borrowed idea. This is something Peter, over at Burnt Orange Nation has been doing for a number of years. Granted, he borrowed it from Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus, but it's always something I've enjoyed reading and wanted to try here at CCM. So I have to give proper credit where credit is due, even if it is to a Longhorn.

So, here we go.

Matt's Guy: Gabe Ikard - Not a flashy pick, but even before Ben Habern had to retire from football I thought he was Oklahoma's best all around offensive lineman. What he does on a weekly basis won't show up in the stats but anchoring the offensive line from the center position is pretty darn important. Other than Landry Jones he's the only other player who will touch the ball on every offensive down.

Rich's Guy: R.J. Washington - This is a defensive end who has shown flashes of potential, but has not received enough playing time to really stretch his wings. In the playing time he saw last season, behind NFL Caliber players, Washington came up big time and time again. With his name being inserted into the starting lineup, I think he grows into what he has already shown. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised to see this kid lead the Big XII in sacks.

Jordan's Guy: Aaron Colvin - Colvin is primed to take over the 'most underrated player' role Demontre Hurst currently holds and this year will be no exception. And it's a shame, because he is one hell of a football player. Corner, as many of you know, is a position that doesn't typically get noticed unless they are helplessly chasing down a receiver from behind. So with that being the standard, Colvin may go unnoticed all season. But for those of us who pay closer attention to all the little details, he could easily prove to be the most valuable player on this defense in 2012.

Matt's Guy: Corey Nelson - Kid was in the doghouse during the spring but has worked his way out of it and has emerged as a leader of the defense during the summer. Tom Wort will be getting a lot of attention this fall (and deservedly so) but Nelson will be in on a ton of plays himself and will be among the best linebackers in the conference.

Rich's Guy: Landry Jones - Yes, this is a high profile pick but I have always been in Jones' corner. He made the decision to come back for his senior season for a single reason...to finish what he set out to do and become the best. This is the season it all culminates for Jones' and he has off the chart numbers while putting his doubters to rest.

Jordan's Guy: Damien Williams - I've been in the driver's seat of the Damien Williams bandwagon ever since his LOI came through that fax machine on National Signing Day. If you've ever taken the time to watch some of his highlights, you know why I'm so bullish on the JUCO transfer. He's a tough, hard inside runner yet also possesses the ability to take it to the house if he hits the crease. Admittedly, the odds aren't necessarily in his favor with Dom Whaley and Brennan Clay providing some stiff competition for carries. However, I remain of the opinion that he'll simply be too good to keep off the field. (Disclaimer - I'm just going to go ahead and claim Alex Ross in this spot for 2013. The things people close to the program are saying about him, I mean wow.)

Matt's Guy: Tress Way - Yeah, I know he's a punter but he's also one of the best punter's in the nation. There aren't a lot of schools who can claim the punter as a game changer, but the Sooners certainly can as Way has proven over and over again that he can flip the field position battle with just one swing of his foot.

Rich's Guy: Michael Hunnicutt - We saw the beginning of a new era when Hunnicutt took the field. From the moment we all closed our eyes and held our breath right before a field goal attempt, to being able to peek through our fingers at every attempt, this is a kid that has a ton of potential. Could he be the best since Garrett Hartley? Absolutely, and he will only be a sophomore this coming season. Hunnicutt is a guy that has never ceased to impress me as this summer, he reportedly knocked a 55-yarder through the uprights. When the games are close, my money would go on this kid if I were a betting man.

Jordan's Guy: Javon Harris - Yeah, I said it. The guy took all kinds of grief last year from OU fans, but showed a ton of class and character by (1) meeting with the media following the Baylor game (one of his worst on the season) and (2) never letting the doubters bring him down. Following that Baylor game and his meeting with the media, he instantly won my respect and became a player I will root for always. Couple that with quotes I've read this summer like "Mike Stoops arrival has saved his (Harris') career" and "He's a completely different player." I think the simplified schemes Mike Stoops is bringing to this defense are going to make a huge difference in his play.

Matt's Guy: Aaron Colvin - Like Tony Jefferson you have to love this kid's attitude and resolve. He was moved from a position that he's a natural at and placed at a position with a learning curve in 2011. Now he's back at corner and several Oklahoma fans (myself included) are expecting him to shine.

Rich's Guy: Demontre Hurst - I dunno what it is but Hurst has never gotten the credit I think is due him. Maybe it is because he has made a living putting receivers on Hurst Island, a desolate place to be exiled to. Nonetheless, he has been a solid corner with great hip rotation and the ability to break up passes constantly. Maybe this season, his senior year, the media will see the impact from him that this fan sees.

Jordan's Guy: Sterling Shepard - There was already talk this summer about the true freshman potentially starting as the Sooners slot wide receiver. Granted, Kenny Stills apparent move inside all but squashes the chances of him starting but Shepard should still see plenty of snaps this season. He is the prototypical slot wide receiver - smallish, great moves in the open field, has a knack for finding holes in the defense - and projects as the perfect replacement for Ryan Broyles in this offense. I expect him to be one of those rare true freshman who appears to play well beyond his years of experience.

Guys who could have very easily been included: Austin Woods, David King, Jordan Phillips, Durron Neal, Trey Metoyer, Gabe Lynn, Justin Brown, Alex Ross, Trey Millard, Eric Striker, Adam Shead, Taylor McNamara, Chuka Ndulue, Charles Tapper.

OU Football 2012 - New Development At Tight End For The Sooners?

Jordan Esco — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 20:09:26 -0000

Very few Oklahoma football fans are unaware of the issues their Sooners are currently experiencing at the tight end position. Following the loss of two seniors and the decision by a promising young player to transfer, OU was forced to start from scratch in 2012.

In an effort to do so, they brought in two players this spring (Brannon Green and Taylor McNamara) with the hope that the extra time would better prepare them for the coming season. Earlier this summer, we also learned that once promising defensive end, Geneo Grissom, requested a position change and would be flipping to the offensive side of the ball.

It was somewhat of a surprising move because (1) Grissom, a third year sophomore, had not played the tight end position since his high school days and even then only part-time and (2) many thought he had a bright future as a defensive end. Regardless, the coaches honored his request and Grissom starting working with the offense in summer workouts and fall practices.

On Thursday afternoon during an interview with Sirius satellite radio, OU fans got some more surprising news regarding Grissom from head coach Bob Stoops. Evidently, Grissom has impressed so much since the switch that Stoops seemed to imply that he would be the starter as things stand today

(Ed. note - I say "imply" because I was not able to actually listent to the interview. I'd prefer to quote Stoops directly just to avoid any possible confusion, so if anyone heard the interview or has access to it and can give me a direct quote I'll gladly add it and credit you for it.)

Frankly, the assertion from Stoops pretty much came out of left field. Just a couple days ago, the coaches met with the media for the first time in just over a week and when asked about the tight end position few had glowing reviews to report. More to the point, Grissom was not mentioned and in the past couple weeks when asked specifically about him Stoops hasn't exactly raved about his performance.

Maybe this was just another case of the ultimate tactician we know Stoops to be keeping his cards close to his vest? Maybe it was a motivational ploy meant to get back to Green and/or McNamara? I suppose at this point it really doesn't matter very much until they line up against UTEP in two weeks.

Naturally, this news will lead some of us to "freak out" about how bad the tight ends must be if a guy like Grissom can switch to the position and supposedly win the starting job after just a couple weeks. Much like some will trend more to the positive side of things and rejoice in the fact there are not apparently three viable options at tight end. The rest of us will just sit back and watch.

So which camp do you fall in?