SB Nation - DeMarcus Granger

Sooners Open As 16-Point Favorite Over A&M

Beergut — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:14:07 -0000

Oklahoma is currently a 16-point favorite over Texas A&M right now; I expect many gamblers to bet that number up. We'll be playing in Norman, where we've never been able to beat a Bob Stoops-coached team, and our defense just gave up 35 points to the worst offense in the Big 12 in Colorado last Saturday.

Oklahoma struggled to score points against Nebraska in their 10-3 loss, but A&M doesn't have a defensive lineman of the caliber of Ndamukong Suh, so I don't expect their struggles to continue. Add in the fact that Landry Jones won't be throwing five interceptions to our players, and you begin to see our predicament. Oklahoma averages just at 30 points a game, and 139 yards rushing with 273 yards passing. Playing our defense, you can expect those numbers to go up. If we can't stop Colorado's offense, we're not going to do much better playing OU in Norman. We have the worst pass defense in the Big 12, giving up an average of 249 yards per game, and one of the worst run defenses, giving up an average of 156 yards per game. Simply put, we really don't stop anyone.

The Sooners give up an average of 12.3 points per game, good for second in the conference behind Nebraska. OU has held opponents to an average of 179.6 yards per game passing and 86.8 yards per game rushing. Our offense will have their work cut out for them. We need to find a way to neutralize tackles DeMarcus Granger and Gerald McCoy, who might be the best second-best tackle tandem in the nation, behind Nebrask's Suh and Jared Crick. Complicating matters is the fact that defensive end Jeremy Beal is one of the Big 12 leaders in sacks, with 9.5 on the season so far. Our offensive line will need to come up big just to keep Jerrod Johnson upright, and give us a chance to run the ball and throw it around a little.

Right now, that 16-point line doesn't llike a bad bet for gamblers. Oklahoma will be angry after their poor offensive performance against Nebraska, and will want to take it out on us by scoring a decisive victory. With our defense's poor play, I am not sure how much resistance we'll offer. I am just hopeful we can make it a competitive game at this point..

Bevo's Daily Roundup - September 29, 2009

dimecoverage — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:29:00 -0000

What? All the hand wringing about McCoy and the Horns and now you say this?

After all, as chaos has reigned supreme throughout college football during the first four weeks, the No. 2 Longhorns have coasted to four easy victories and put themselves in perfect position as they prepare for a four-game gantlet that will determine the fate of the 2009 season.

Here's 10 things about college football from our favorite Austin American-Statesman columnist.

So Texas punked UT-El Paso, as we all expected, and Colt McCoy re-establishes himself as a Heisman favorite.

They let Sooners be flight attendants? We get the last laugh.

Father and son, Hugo and Alec Zuniga, flew to Austin on Friday to cheer on UTEP and to watch UT Austin's quarterback Colt McCoy in action.

They remember laughing as the flight attendant, an Oklahoma Sooners fan, cheered for UTEP over the plane's intercom.

Is A&M for real this season? The Aggies are unbeaten, unranked and heading to Arlington to take on Arkansas. We'll know soon enough.

Finally, the invisibility cloak will be removed from Texas A&M when the Aggies (3-0) head to Arlington for Saturday’s showdown (6:30 p.m. kickoff) against Arkansas (1-2) at Cowboys Stadium.

Most fans, as well as ESPN2 viewers, probably will be surprised to learn that the Aggies will arrive in Tarrant County with a team that leads the nation in both offense (574.3 yards per game) and sacks (4.7 per game). That’s a pretty impressive double, regardless of who you’ve been playing.

And that is the primary issue that keeps these Aggies from getting more love from poll voters — the teams they’ve been playing. A&M has dispatched three opponents with a combined record of 2-9, including Saturday’s 56-19 wipeout of UAB.

Oklahoma State

What did we learn about the Cowboys in nonconference play?

OSU likes amusement parks, especially roller coasters. The Pokes have been on a wild ride.

The first four games of the season have been like a ride on the Texas Giant at Six Flags over Texas for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. A trip on the renowned roller coaster has mirrored what the Pokes have gone through during their non-conference schedule.

Oklahoma

Sam Bradford is doing more in practice, but his playing status is still unclear.

But whether the Heisman winner will play Saturday at Miami is a decision that won't be made until later this week, coach Bob Stoops said Monday night.

"It will be determined on how we go through the week, on how he performs, on how he feels," Stoops said. "To make sure he can make all the throws we need him to make. Until we go through practices, I won't know that."

What are the pros and cons of playing against Miami?

But Bob Stoops must turn Solomon in deciding who to quarterback against the Hurricanes.

Balancing team needs and Bradford needs is dicey. Sometimes congruent, sometimes not.

If doctors say Bradford is completely healed, then the decision is easy and Miami beware.

But if doctors say Bradford is mostly healed and can play, Stoops starts weighing pros and cons.

There are some big questions for the Sooners. One of the biggest is about DeMarcus Granger.

The senior defensive tackle is still working his way back from offseason back surgery. Before the season, he said he would be taking his time and not returning until he was ready. That’s been the case. Granger is practicing, but has yet to play in a game. He also hasn’t appeared on the depth chart since the season began.

Once he is fully healthy, it still might be awhile before he finds a spot in the rotation of a loaded Sooners defensive line.

As a sophomore, Granger started 11 games, earning an All-Big 12 second team nod, but he hasn’t made a start since the 2007 season.

Bradford must be wearing a sign... Just blame it all on me.

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford suffered a significant shoulder injury in the season’s first week. Since then, several other headline-making quarterbacks have gone down as well.

Bob Stoops, wedding planner. Don't plan to get married during football season.

Big 12 Players of the Week:

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Iowa State RB Alexander Robinson, jr., Minneapolis, Minn. (De La Salle)
Missouri WR Danario Alexander, sr., Marlin, Texas

BIG 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Texas S Earl Thomas, so., Orange, Texas (West Orange Stark)

BIG 12 SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kansas State WR/KR Brandon Banks, sr., Garner, N.C. (Garner H.S./Bakersfield College)

The North

North Division title hopes are alive and well in Nebraska.

In four nonconference games, Nebraska (3-1) showed us plenty. Above all, the 25th-ranked Huskers showed they should be considered the clear-cut favorites to finish first in the Big 12 North. Yes, clear-cut. Let’s make that distinction now. They showed us that, in a one-game scenario, you can’t rule out Big Red winning all the Big 12 marbles.

The Cornhusker defense has been impressive in nonconference play, but real tests are coming.

"We're playing with a swagger now," defensive end Pierre Allen said. "Last year we were trying to find our way around. Now we believe in our scheme. We believe in our coaches. We believe in each other."

Missouri has to run the ball better.

"It is a bit of a concern," Pinkel said. "In this offense, there are lot of ways to look at it When we had Chase Daniel, if teams overloaded on run (defense), we just wouldn’t run it. We’d just throw 15 times in a row until they loosened up. The spread offense is designed to open up the running lanes, but how much do you want to throw it with a young QB? We are going to work to make it better. I agree that we’re not running as much as I would have liked … We have to run the ball better, period."

Who are the biggest surprises for the Jayhawks this season?

Todd Reesing is well protected.

"I think when you look at the amount of plays that we played on offense, I don't think he was under a great deal of pressure," Mangino said Sunday. "There were some instances where he was on a couple blitzes and stuff. Looking at the tape, he had a lot of time to throw most of his passes, so I don't think there's anything we need to do differently."

Are Colorado fans rational?

A certain percentage of Buff faithful want to believe their program is -- or at least should be -- on par with the Big 12 and national elite. If Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska enjoy success on an annual basis, they reason, so can Colorado. After all, the Buffaloes did compete with those schools, and every other program in the nation, for the better part of a decade.

But what some CU folks can't admit, even to themselves, is that the McCartney glory years were an aberration, not the norm. Those years were the result of a "perfect storm" that is not likely to form again anytime soon.

Has attrition played a role in Colorado's woes this year?

Josh Smith, the receiver who racked up the all-purpose yards last year, transferred. Chris Perri would have been a senior defensive tackle this year. He’s gone. Guard Kai Maiava isn’t around; he might have helped a green offensive line. Same with pass rusher Drew Hudgins on the defensive line.

There are others. Lots of others.

Every college football program deals with attrition; CU is no different. The question is whether attrition at CU has been so excessive that it has become, to coach Dan Hawkins, a big problem.

The South

Things are not good in Lubbock. Brandon Carter gets suspended indefinitely and twitter accounts have been censored.

"The policy is nothing football related outside of football," Leach said Monday during his weekly news conference. "Any way you look at it, little Twitter things that relate to football is a violation of team rules. If somebody plays for us, they don’t have a Twitter account."

Leach said players’ Facebook accounts will be monitored to make sure they don’t disclose sensitive team information.

All-American offensive lineman Brandon Carter and fellow senior Marlon Williams, the Red Raiders’ leading tackler this season from his linebacker position, both expressed disappointment with Tech’s 2-2 start. On Sunday afternoon, Williams also wrote, "Wondering why I’m still in this meeting room when the head coach can’t even be on time to his on (sic) meeting."

ESPN's Tim Griffin wasn't impressed with Leach's decision not to go for field goal in the fourth quarter.

It was obvious that the hot, humid conditions at Robertson Stadium contributed greatly to the problem with cramping for both Houston and Texas Tech Saturday night. But those sticky conditions still can’t explain the brain cramp that Leach suffered when he passed on a field goal that would have given his team an eight-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. That decision went against all conventional wisdom because it would have forced the Cougars to score a touchdown and a two-point conversion to merely tie the game. Leach’s red-zone hubris ended up costing the Red Raiders the game.

Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, makes a good observation.

For a guy who speaks his mind so freely and in such an entertaining fashion, it's always been interesting to me that Mike Leach doesn't appreciate the quality in his own Texas Tech players.

He restricts access to them during the season, often allowing only a handful to speak to the media at all. And now he has reportedly banned Twitter accounts after a couple of posts last weekend in the wake of the team's second loss, this one to Houston.

After the loss of Robert Griffin and the backup quarterback Blake Szymanski, Art Briles does not want sympathy.

"Our guys, they'll adjust. And they'll fight.

On not being the type of coach to want people to feel sorry for him:
"Baylor is in good hands. We have good people on the field and good administration and we'll move in the right direction. We'll have good support."

Does it make any sense to have Oklahoma State at No. 12 and Houston at No. 15? Dr. Saturday asks if the poll voters have any common sense.

It is September, and earnest poll-gazing is premature, to say the least. But a month into the season, is it too much to ask the AP, coaches and Harris polls reflect the slightest shred of common sense?

The BCS party crashers may be around for a while.

3k's Eyes on the Prize - College Football Week 1

3k — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:56:34 -0000

Time to get my eyes on the prize - the young studs that annually replenish the NFL with talent... and holdouts. There are some great games this weekend and some not so good ones. I'll throw in a quick recap of last night's action too with enough links to make your eyes water.

While I'm on the subject of blurry vision, LeGarette Blount may have seen his team embarassed in Boise and may have seen his draft stock plummet in a single night, but his stock as a boxer may have risen high. Especially if he continues to go after guys while they're not watching. Check out the evidence after the ad:

I think the Raiders may have found an option for their backfield.

Prizes after the fold.

NOTE: Rankings are taken from the AP poll. All times are central time zone.

Thursday recap

- North Texas @ Ball St., 20-10: This was a huge win for the Mean Green. To go into Muncie after posting a 1-11 season with so many games against the basement of college football, the Sun Belt conference, against a Ball St. team that went 12-0 last season (even if they lost QB Nate Davis and OT Robert Brewster to the NFL) and win is the kind of turnaround the Rams could enjoy with a win at Seattle in week 1. UNT QB Riley Dodge, who spurned Texas to play at UNT for his dad, head coach Todd Dodge, looked like, well, a respectable college QB in the first game of his redshirt freshman campaign; senior RB Cam Montgomery looked studly, racking up 149 yards on just 17 carries. Dodge's and Montgomery's play took the spotlight away from the one legitimate draft prospect going into the game, Ball St. senior RB MiQuale Lewis, who finished with just over 100 yards on 15 carries and a TD.

- South Carolina @ North Carolina St., 7-3: I'm so glad I didn't watch this one. I've got two prospects from these two teams on my radar: Senior SC OLB Eric Norwood (who racked up 2 sacks last night) and NC St.'s senior DE Willie Young. Might have been nice to evaluate these two defenders, but not against offenses as weak as this.

- GAME OF THE NIGHT: #14 Boise St. vs. #16 Oregon, 19-8: The story from this game will be the Blount fallout, but Boise St.'s defense was absolutely dominant. The Broncos allowed just 31 rushing yard to one of the most respected ground games in the country. Blount was in the top tier of RB prospects in what looks like a VERY weak draft for RBs. With him out of the mix for a while, I'll be watching two other Oregon seniors: CB Walter Thurmond (who I mentioned on this week's Turf Show Radio), and TE Ed Dickson. On to Saturday's action...

Saturday prizes

I've got four games I'll be checking in on throughout the day:

- #9t Oklahoma St. vs. #13 Georgia (2:30PM, ABC): Oklahoma St. hopes the opening of the recently renovated Boone Pickens Stadium doesn't end up being a sad day in the record books. The Cowboys are ranked higher than they ever have been in the preseason rankings, and this game has gotten as much hype as an opener possibly can. Few teams can boast an offensive quartet as talented as OSU's: QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, WR/RET Dez Bryant and OT Russell Okung. They could all come out in the draft and go in the 1st round. Scary thought, though I don't think Robinson will go until the middle of the draft. Georgia boasts one of the best DT tandems in the country in Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens. Of course, the NFL Draft will be the last thing on nearly everyone's mind on Saturday. OSU is trying to kickstart a run to the Big 12 Championship while Georgia is trying to open the post-StaffordMoreno era with a big non-conference win in Stillwater. For the Bulldogs, Senior QB Joe Cox will try to go to standout soph WR A.J. Green as much as possible, since their running back committee is one member short given the hamstring injury to Caleb King. Oklahoma St. will lean on the talents they boast on offense to make the crowd a factor early.

Kdiction: OSU 27, Georgia 10

- #3 Oklahoma vs. #20 BYU (6:00PM, ESPN - neutral site): Oklahoma comes to Dallas for a huge opener, just not the biggest game of the college football season, to play Brigham Young in Jerry Jones' wet dream-turned-temple. Oklahoma will be without the best TE in college football, Jermaine Gresham, who will miss several games with a knee injury. Still, with Sam Bradford at the helm making the most of OT Trent Williams' blocking, and the tandem of DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown (the one who beats defenses, not women), BYU will have its hands full. The Cougars have a TE prospect for the NFL themselves in Dennis Pitta, so there's still some talent at the position for the draftniks in this one. From a Rams perspective, one guy I'll be watching is DT DeMarcus Granger; Granger could be a solid mid-round pick for the Rams who I hope are thinking of DTs they can bring on to replace a certain permanently injured lineman whose name I don't feel like typing.

Kdiction: Oklahoma 42, BYU 13

- #5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech (7:00PM, ABC - neutral site): The lowest average ranking of the two teams of any game this weekend, just having this battle scheduled is a joy for college football fans. This is the kind of non-conference game I wish we had more of every season. They'll both head to Atlanta to open their seasons in the Georgia Dome in front of what will be a rabid crowd. I mentioned CB Javier Arenas on TSR (as well as my mancrush, WR Julio Jones), but keep an eye on DT Terrence Cody as well. If Spags has an inkling of moving to a 3-4, Cody is the mountain of a man (hovering around 400 lbs.) you want at NT. Tech will be without their sophomore rushing star Darren Evans all season, so they're going to need to prove they can still move the ball against the one of the better defenses in the country. I'll be interested in CB Stephan Virgil who also handles some return duties.

Kdiction: Alabama 24, Va. Tech 14

- #11 LSU @ Washington (9:30PM, ESPN): I've got this one on here not so much for Washington who might have a couple guys find their way to the NFL as undrafted pickups (except for a certain junior), but for LSU who is loaded with talent. The top two prospects from the Tigers are easily identifiable: WR Brandon LaFell and OT Ciron Black. Both could end up as first round picks. LSU is coming off an incredibly disappointing season, so I'm sure they want to get things moving in the right direction this year. Now for that mystery junior I referenced -- Washington QB Jake Locker. Locker has everything you want in a QB prospect... except talented targets. After a stellar freshman effort, Locker injured his thumb last year, so it will be interesting to see how he begins the 2009 season. Locker's also a highly-touted baseball prospect, so he might not end up in the NFL. Nevertheless, his talent demands scrutiny this season and in this game to see if he can make diamonds out of dirt.

Kdiction: LSU 38, Washington 18

So what are you interested in yakking for tomorrow? Is it certain games? Matchups in those games? And are you interested in specific prospects or positions? Holler.

Depth Chart For BYU Game Released - A Few Surprises

ccmachine — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:58:22 -0000

As Oklahoma is in full game week preparations for BYU, Bob Stoops has released the depth chart for game one. The biggest thing that stands out is that the rumors of Brody Eldridge actually starting at center are true. This really shouldn't be alarming to Sooner fans because we knew that he was working out at the position now as it turns out he's edged Ben Habern, at this point, to anchor the line. Eldridge gives up nothing to Habern in height as he stands two inches taller than the 6-3 Habern.

Experience also shouldn't be an issue with Eldridge either. Yes, I realize that he's never started a game at center but as a senior at Oklahoma he's had plenty of game experience. He's often been lauded as the team's best blocker, he's got size (6-5, 265) long arms and the versatility that allowed him to play tight end and fullback.

Another thing that caught my eye on the offensive depth chart is in the receiver position. For all that we've heard on Cameron Kenney and Mossis Madu, its actually Brandon Caleb who is on the first team while Kenney and Madu are second team. However, do expect to see all these guys on the field Saturday night.

Defensively there was nothing that surprised me other than the fact that neither DeMarcus Granger nor Jamarkus McFarland made the two deep. Frank Alexander is listed as a backup tight end but then again with all the talent at that position someone had to rotate in behind the starters. There are at least three guys on the two-deep at defensive end that could compete for All-Conference honors but only two of them can start. That’s not really a bad problem to have.

Finally, my assumption that the coaches don’t want DeMarco Murray returning kickoffs was correct. They need him to stay healthy and there is enough speed and talent on this team where it isn’t necessary for him to be out there. Good call by the coaching staff.

The State of Oklahoma: High Expectations for OU's Defensive Line

TheElusiveShadow — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:49:03 -0000

As noted before, when Bradford, Gresham, Murray, and Williams skipped out on the NFL draft to return to Norman, Oklahoma's preseason status immediately jumped back up to the elite level. Their return has created expectations that they will at least partially emulate the success of last year's record-breaking offense, and that alone is obviously a big reason why Oklahoma is once again considered a national title contender.

Nonetheless, the offense is actually expected to take a slight step back from last season. While Gresham, Bradford, and Williams are all arguably first round talents, the losses at the OU offensive line, as well as the loss of some receivers, may keep this offense from being as dangerous as it was last year. Whether or not this will turn out to be true is anyone's guess, but that is the expectation of the vast majority of media pundits. Why is Oklahoma still ranked #2 or #3 in virtually everyone's preseason ballot? Don't laugh: It's the defense, which is expected to be much improved from last season.

We at Texas love taking potshots at Brent Venables and his overrated-ness, and we are especially thankful he thought it was a grand idea to cover Jordan Shipley with a linebacker last October. Thanks for that, Brent. However, no matter how overrated we think he is, he returns the majority of his defense, and the talent and experience alone can make him look quite good. Truth be told, last year's OU defense was not elite, but it was second in the Big 12 to Texas and certainly much better than their bare NCAA rankings might suggest. Another year of experience for these players can help OU win yet another Big 12 championship, and nowhere is this more true than at defensive line, where Oklahoma seems absolutely stacked.

Want to stop a pass-happy offense? Kill the QB.

Longhorn fans know full well how a great defensive line can change everything; we had one of the best ones, if not the best one, in the country last year, and it helped shield our young secondary and mess up many a pass-happy Big 12 offense, including Oklahoma's. While the likes of Harrell and Daniel have left the conference, the Big 12 will still sport the best collection of QB's in the nation (and by a large margin). The best remedy, obviously, is to smack the QB around or otherwise get in his grill before he gets comfortable, and it was something Texas was very good at. They weren't the only ones.

Oklahoma had a solid D-line last season as well and were actually pretty good at sacking the quarterback, second only to Texas in the Big 12. They ranked #3 in the country last season with 42, averaging out to three per game. They weren't too shabby in the run game either; while we should be very cautious of reading too much into bare NCAA rankings, Oklahoma ranked #20 in the country in rushing defense and gave up a respectable 3.47 yards per carry. Granted, things like sacks and the lack of elite rushing offenses in the Big 12 inflated (or deflated?) these numbers, as they did for Texas, but if anything, it shows OU was at least solid in this department, even if they were not elite. OU was also #3 in the country in tackles for loss, and while many were notched by their linebackers, their D-line was very active in that department as well and enabled the LBs to make plays in the first place. OU's defense as a whole wasn't stellar last season, but the main problems were mostly with their back seven, not their front four.

As discussed last week, while last year's Sooner O-line was hyped to be the best unit in the country, this year's O-line is considered a potential weakness. This time around, it is the D-line getting the hype, and this unit is the reason why people are high on the Oklahoma defense. Compared to the O-line losing four starters, the D-line lost zero, and they have some decent depth to go with that.

OU Defensive Line Starters

DT - Gerald McCoy, Jr.: 6'4, 297 lbs. Backup: Cordero Moore, Sr.

McCoy is yet another Sooner who turned down the draft to return to college football (as a redshirt, he was eligible to leave). Unlike what many say about Bradford, who might have been the #1 pick if he left, this might have been a financially smart move for McCoy. McCoy could have gone in Day 1 if he left early, but his stock is expected to rocket up this season, and he is considered one of the best prospects in the draft. Some sites apparently are bold enough to predict that he'll be the #1 pick, although that obviously depends heavily on who actually has that choice. Even a Nebraska site admits that McCoy may be on par with the Husker's Ndamukong Suh as the best tackle in not only the Big 12 but arguably in all of college football. He was first team All-Big 12 and he was also the Defensive Freshman Player of the Year in the conference in 2007. There is good reason why he is on several preseason lists for defensive awards.

McCoy is obviously a big guy and he is very athletic for his size. Last season, he had 11 TFL and 6.5 sacks, good for third and second on his team, respectively. His role is more in-line with what we expect from Lamarr Houston, as he not expected to gobble up blockers but to attack his gap and make plays, which is obvious with his 6.5 sacks. He fits the mold of a 3-technique tackle well, which will be his most likely position in the NFL. Unlike Houston, however, he is credited with the ability to take on double teams as well and free up linebackers behind him. In other words, if an offensive line is having trouble against OU, you can expect to hear McCoy's name often. Let this be a note to Chris Hall and our guards.

He is backed up by senior Cordero Moore. Moore has been a reserve man his whole college career and doesn't have too much playing experience, but he did show up on the stat sheet for a few of OU's games last season, most notably against Tech and TCU. There's nothing grand about him, but he's big and he can take up space if McCoy ever needs a break.

DT - Adrian Taylor, Jr.: 6'4, 293 lbs. Backup: DeMarcus Granger, Sr.

A more natural 3-technique tackle, Adrian Taylor is arguably slightly undersized for a nose guard. Nonetheless, he is one of the leaders of the defense and is expected to have a great year. Taylor started all 14 games last season as well while Granger nursed some injuries, and he beat out Granger for the starting job in the offseason. Taylor notched 4.5 sacks and 6.5 TFL last season.

Taylor is a good defensive leader and he has high expectations for his defense, as he discusses in this interview. By the way, he disagrees with Brandon Spikes that Oklahoma is dirty, as do all the Oklahoma reporters. They're just "playing hard." On a side note, one bit of good news in this interview for Texas may be his brief discussion of former TE Brody Eldridge switching to the center position, whom he gamely says "works as hard as anyone on the team" but needs to put on weight to be effective. We'll see how that goes.

Taylor is not as hyped as McCoy and he isn't the country's biggest space eater, but he is strong and he works every play. He and McCoy are apparently great friends (and even roommates now!) who push each other and work well together. While nothing quite like our super roommates, McCoy and Taylor are quite the tandem and are considered the best one in the country in many circles.

Backing him up is senior Demarcus Granger, who, as noted above, lost his starting job due to injury last season. While an avid shopper, he is still an imposing guy, standing 6'2 and listed as 327 pounds, making him look more the size of a nose tackle than Taylor. He didn't do much statistically last year and was largely slowed by injury, showing up in only 11 games, but Oklahoma expects him to provide excellent depth and regain the form he had in 2007 when he made the All-Big 12 second team.

DE: Auston English, Sr: 6'3, 251 lbs. Backup: Frank Alexander, So.

English was another player who probably had a better 2007 season. That season, he led the Big 12 with 9.5 sacks and was a first All-Big 12 selection, even though he missed the last three games of the regular season. English did well enough his 2007 season to be on 2008 preseason watch lists for defensive awards, but with some injury problems (including an emergency appendectomy before the season started), he did not live up to expectations last season. English missed three games last season as well, and he only recorded 4.5 sacks and 9 tackles for loss and therefore was only an All-Big Honorable Mention. Similar for Granger, OU fans are hoping he regains his 2007 form to help this D-line dominate.

English is very athletic and has proven his ability to get to the QB when healthy. As seems typical for Stoops and Oklahoma coaches, Stoops said English is as good as any DE OU has had in his tenure back in 2007. We can perhaps ignore the hyperbole but there's no denying that this guy is capable. He's no Brian Orakpo and he may not even be the pure athlete that a guy like Brian Robison was for us, but with the DT's this team has, it will be scary for opposing QB's having this guy coming off the edge.

Sophomore Frank Alexander will provide some depth, a former four star recruit according to Rivals. Alexander recorded 3.5 sacks and 5 TFL last season in a backup role and as a replacement for injured starters, so he has some good game experience. Alexander is a bit undersized, weighing about 229, but he reportedly runs a 4.7 forty and has good strength. He was an AP All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.

DE: Jeremy Beal, Jr.: 6'3, 261 lbs. Backup: David King, RS Fr.

With English slowed by injuries, Beal picked up the slack in terms of sack total. Beal led the team in both sacks and TFL, with 8.5 and 15.5 respectively. His season earned him a first team All-Big 12 selection as the strongside defensive end. Not only that, Beal was sixth on the team in tackles, notching 65, and all that shows why he and English are on the Hendricks award preseason list, won last year by Brian Orakpo for being the nation's top defensive end. Also, if you care what Tim Griffin thinks, Griffin has Beal listed as the Big 12's 23rd best player (by the way, Gerald McCoy was 7th on his list, in case you're wondering).

Beal reportedly runs a 4.7 forty as well and he has matured as a pass rusher. He was a linebacker in high school but was moved to DE, and he initially struggled. However, he has now become a sort of pass rushing specialist and he's capable of playing as a pass rushing LB similar to Sergio Kindle. Needless to say, having two players on the Hendricks award list on the same line doesn't spell good things for opposing quarterbacks.

Behind Beal will be redshirt freshman David King. He was the 11th best DE of his class according to Scout.com and #16 strongside DE according to Rivals, receiving four stars. He possess good size already, standing 6'4 and weighing 240 pounds, and he reportedly uses his arms to shed blocks fairly well.

Other notables

Our favorite player, Jamarkus McFarland, is apparently impressing people. In Taylor's interview above, Taylor says good things about McFarland, and as well all know, he was a four star recruit and the highest rated DT in Texas. He may receive a redshirt but OU may look to get him some playing time and add to their already impressive depth. The jury is still out on whether his mama prefers him to redshirt or not and if she disapproves of unwholesome Oklahoma parties as well. She certainly doesn't disapprove of lying.

Be Very Concerned, Big 12 Quarterbacks

Oklahoma seems justified into believing they have the best defensive tackle rotation in the country. McCoy looks to be a star and they have two quality players playing next to him in Taylor and Granger. Cordero Moore is a solid backup and Jamarkus McFarland can give them some playing time if he is needed. However, with the depth they have, he may not be, although with anticipated losses to the NFL next season, the coaches may want to work him in anyway.

The defensive ends aren't as scary but they do sport some serious talent. Texas may outshine OU in terms of depth here but Oklahoma does return both of their starters, while Texas lost both to the NFL. Again, this was a unit that was third in the nation in sacks and second in the Big 12, bested only by Texas, and with Texas sending three starters to the NFL, most people expect Oklahoma to claim the status as the top defensive line in the conference. This was certainly a big reason why OU was so good in defending passing downs according to Bill C., except perhaps against Texas. Make no mistake, this D-line is dangerous.

What does this mean for Texas? Well, we have a bit of role reversal for this October. Last year, we went up against an experienced O-line but our stacked D-line ultimately prevailed. This season, OU wants to return the favor against our experienced O-line, and it's not going to be easy blocking all these guys. Despite our offensive success in last year's game, OU did have some success pressuring Colt and they did hold down our run game for most of the game until fatigue set in and Ogbonnaya was able to bust them for a couple big runs. Once again, the story of this game will be in the trenches, where our plethora of DE's will test OU's inexperienced line and Oklahoma's stacked D-line will throw everything at our experienced and solid but sometimes unimpressive O-line. It will be both fun and nerve-wracking to watch. I kind of have a feeling that BYU might get their tails kicked in Dallas because of this unit, despite the predictions of some bozos like Andre Ware.

So, Greg Davis? Let's fix that run game ASAP. Colt can handle pressure as well or better than anyone in college football, but he's still human, and no QB wants to be running around for his life because the D-line can just pin their ears back and go after him. Because we faced all these guys last season, I'm confident that we can win, but it may pose the most significant challenge in the game. I think our tackles can handle their ends, but the big concern is their DT's, who will test our new guard and guys like Tanner and Hall. In my estimation, they deserve the hype. We'll see you in October.

Football Season Quickly Approaching

dishingoutdimes — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:19:36 -0000

More photos » AP

4 months ago: In this photo taken in Norman, Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables is pictured during media day. Between 2000 and 2005, the Sooners were ranked among the top 13 defenses in the country every year. That slipped to 16th in 2006 and 26th in 2007 before last year's big drop-off to 68th. Now, players are talking about coming out with a new attitude, one that's mean, nasty and stingy. (AP Photo)

Browse more photos »

Practice continues in Norman for the fast approaching football season. There has been a fair amount of information about these practices and the team, so I'll try and condense that in a short briefing here for you.

Stoops' Surprising Players (link)

Bob Stoops had high praise for Chris Brown, Frank Alexander, Auston English, Quinton Carter and Tom Wort, saying that all of these players are unheralded but have a big impact, or the potential to make a big impact. Apparently, Quinton Carter would have started last season had he not pulled a hamstring. And of Tom Wort, Stoops said:

"Tom Wort is going to be pretty special, if not this year, then awfully soon," Stoops said.

Wide Receiver Question Mark

It's hard to say who will be starting at wide receiver for the Sooners when they open up against BYU. It's pretty safe to say that Ryan Broyles has one of the spots locked up. The Sooners employ three wide receiver sets a lot, which leaves two more spots open. Junior college transfer Cameron Kenney has started with the first unit in both of the open practices in 11-on-11 drills. Apparently he has made quite a few plays. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a shot. The other front runners appear to be Adron Tennell and Mossis Madu, the latter of whom was converted from running back this summer.

The Center of the Problem

Center is obviously a position of concern with the top two people on the depth chart suffering injuries a couple of days into practice. The Sooners have been rotating a bunch of other people into the center position at practice in the meantime, in order to have "emergency plans". The list of emergency centers include Trent Williams, Stephen Good and even Brody Eldridge who has been commonly referred to as the "team's best blocker".

The good news is that it looks like the injured centers are on their way back. From the Oklahoman:

Habern, who has participated in some contact drills, has shown gradual improvement since sustaining the injury and doesn’t appear to be too far away from being cleared all the way for practice. When that happens, Patton said Eldridge will move back to tight end, where his blocking acumen is so valuable.

And from the Monday practice report from the Tulsa World:

Ben Habern, competing to replace Jon Cooper at center while battling a strained back, took part in a one-on-one blocking drill. He drove defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger several steps backward after one snap.

Defensive Depth Chart

Here is how the defensive depth chart is shaping up, according to Jake Trotter at the Oklahoman, who watched the open practices:

At the moment, the first-team defense looks like this:
DL: Jeremy Beal, Adrian Taylor, GK McCoy, Auston English
LB: Travis Lewis, Ryan Reynolds, Keenan Clayton
DB: Brian Jackson, Dom Franks, Sam Proctor, Quinton Carter

The second-team defense look like this
DL: RJ Washington, Casey Walker, Cordero Moore, Frank Alexander
LB: Daniel Franklin, Tom Wort, Austin Box
DB: Demontre Hurst, Marcus Trice, Emmanuel Jones, Lamar Harris

No real surprises on the first team. Daniel Franklin has edged out JR Bryant at linebacker, but no significant news on the second team either. The defense is projected to be improved from last year, and they have a ton of talent two-to-three deep on their depth chart.

Bradford Still Sharp

From all accounts, it seems like Sam Bradford has benefitted from another summer of conditioning, learning the system, and practicing. I haven't heard anything negative about Bradford, and most everything has been strongly positive.

BYU Injury Problems

The Sooners' first opponent - BYU Cougars - have had their share of injury problems. Starting QB, and one of the biggest stars on their football team, Max Hall dislocated his finger in a scrimmage on Monday. Max told reporters that his finger was fine, but it is still something to take note of.

Like the Sooners, BYU also only returns one starter on the offensive line. The only returning starter (LT Matt Reynolds) had to have surgery on his left hand and his status is questionable for the OU-BYU game. To top it off, BYU also lost the odds-on-favorite at their left guard spot for the season with a shoulder injury.

This means that BYU could be short handed on Max Hall's blindside for their season opener against OU.

Bevo's Daily Roundup - The season has arrived

dimecoverage — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:12:38 -0000

27 days until the Louisiana-Monroe game

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy talks about why he returned for his senior year and his expectations for the Longhorns in 2009. From ESPN.

Think Oklahoma-Texas is a heated rivalry? Wait until October. Texas' players may have forgotten about losing the South Division to OU on last year's tiebreaker, but I don't think Texas coach Mack Brown has. Neither has OU's Bob Stoops. "You want to throw out our win over Tech?" he said. "Fine. Then throw out Texas' win over us."

From DenverPost.com

Video and interviews from practice.

Some questions to anwser in preseason camp. Some of the most important have to with the defense. Will Muschamp is gearing up for his second year at UT with a lot riding on his unit's success.

Can the defense play to a level that would make Colt McCoy proud? Will Muschamp be twice as good, now that the head coach-designate more than doubled his salary to $900,000 a year? Will a defensive back intercept a ball or two? Can the defense stay multiple, get the most speed on the field and maintain a physical toughness?

Texas won 12 games a year ago, but its defense overshadowed its offense probably only four times, if you consider great performances against Colorado, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Ohio State in the bowl game.

What was Mack Brown's advice to the Longhorns as they start practice for the season?

"I told our kids in the spring and I told them again tonight to forget the system ... forget any of it," Brown said. "They need to be the best team they can be. Let's enjoy being Texas and not sit around and answer questions and worry about the system all the time."

"The Big 12's tiebreaker won't change, short term for sure, and the BCS won't change for at least a year," Brown said. "You've got what you've got so quit worrying about. You play the best you can play and we'll go wherever they tell us."

The Horns are not planning too far ahead.

Texas fans always demand a lot from Brown and the Longhorns, but there hasn’t been this kind of buzz around Austin since 2005, when Vince Young and the Longhorns won the school’s first undisputed national title since 1969.

"You walk in the locker room, nobody’s talking ‘Let’s win the national championship,"’ McCoy said. "All (the players) are talking about is winning the first game."

And if the Longhorns win all their games, they know they’ll get their shot, just as they did in 2005.

The USA Today Preseason Coaches' Poll is out. We came in at No. 2 behind Florida. (ESPN video)

Does it matter where you start in the poll?

But see Florida, Texas and Oklahoma sitting 1-2-3 in the USA TODAY coaches' preseason poll released Friday — and Boise State, TCU and Utah ranked a more modest 16-17-18 — and take it seriously. In a sport that settles its national championship, in part, by popular vote and not by a playoff, early positioning matters.

All too much, some coaches say.

"We've been ranked among the Top Five in the coaches preseason poll several times recently and that's rewarding because it shows respect for our program from coaches around the country," head coach Mack Brown said. "It also is a tribute to how strong we’ve finished in winning our last five bowl games. But, at this point, no one has earned the right to be in the upper part of the polls. I’ve always said I think we should start the polls in October like they do with the BCS Standings. That’s a much truer evaluation of a team because at that point you’ve proven it on the field.

"All of that said, Coach Royal told me a long time ago that preseason polls are like beauty contests, and if they're going to enter you, you want to be near the top. We’re proud of everything we've built and the hard work our guys are putting in, but also realize that the preseason ranking means nothing. We need to be sure the guys understand that where you finish at the end of the year is important; where you rank at the first of the year is simply respect."

From Mack Brown Texas Football

The top three teams have the top three quarterbacks in the country.

This fall could be exceptional for several reasons — three, in fact. "It's a wonderful thing for those three to be the face of college football," Texas coach Mack Brown says.

"They're all three high-character guys," Florida coach Urban Meyer says. "College football needs that."

McCoy doesn't mind being the leading rusher... again.

"I don't mind running the football," said McCoy, who was the only Big 12 quarterback to lead his team in rushing. "I would love it if we had a back who stepped up and said they wanted the ball and said to feed me the ball. The guys back there are motivated and are really trying to be effective in our offense."

What's our biggest need this season? Besides the whole running game issue? Tight end.

Coach Mack Brown said one of his primary goals is to find "two or three" tight ends who can be viable receiving options and allow the offense more flexibility than last season, when the Longhorns leaned heavily on four-receiver sets (with no tight end) after Irby was injured in a Sept. 20 victory over Rice. The ground game, Brown said, became more inconsistent without a tight end in the mix.

"Trying to run the ball with four receivers is a lot different than having a 250-pound tight end who can pound on people," Brown said.

There are no "wildcat" formations in our future.

Despite plays from the single wing becoming the rage in college football and in the NFL during the last several years, Mack Brown does not expect the Longhorns to experiment with the "Wildcat" formation.

Brown also pronounced that the Longhorns' ballyhooed "Q package" as dead. That formation featured Colt McCoy and John Chiles in the lineup at the same time with Chiles occasionally receiving snaps from center and McCoy at wide receiver.

"We got into it some last year," Brown said. "It was not productive for us. We want the ball in Colt's hands."

Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley have been named to the 2009 Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year award watch list.

Sergio KIndle's leadership was apparent at Woodrow Wilson HIgh Schhol in Dallas. His leadership and play could determine the Horns' defensive success this season. KIndle has also been named to the 2009 Ted Hendricks Award watch list.

"Sergio emerged as a strong, forceful leader," Woodrow Wilson coach Bobby Estes said. "I notice that same maturity this year at Texas. Before, there was Brian Orakpo and the other guys in front of him. In talking to [Kindle] and watching him go through drills this spring, he's returned to, 'This is my year. This is my time.' "

Texas can only hope Kindle's college career tracks the same as his prep career.

How Kindle plays and how he leads could partly determine whether Texas' BCS hopes were merely deferred by the Big 12 tiebreaker of a season ago. One tick of a clock in Lubbock separated Texas from the conference title game and a probable date against Florida for the national championship.

The Los Angeles Times believes that the Horns are the most motivated team to win the title this year.

Which team is most motivated to win the national title this year?

That's easy. Texas. Imagine what it was like for the Longhorns to watch Oklahoma, a team they beat in Dallas, play Florida for the BCS title. And all because of a Big 12 tiebreaker rule that broke a three-way tie among Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech in Oklahoma's favor. That's why the 2008 Big 12 title team from Norman will always be remembered in Austin as the Oklahoma Asterisks.

Mack Brown will not be voting in the USA Today coaches' poll this season.

"They selected six coaches from the Big 12 at random, and I wasn't one of the ones selected," Brown said. "I'm OK with it."

In 2008, the Big 12 had seven coaches voting in the poll, which counts as one-third of the BCS standings.

And, for the record, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops is voting this season. Stoops did not vote in 2008.

Did Sporting News forgot someone in their 50 greatest head coaches of all time?

Charlie Tanner reports from training camp.

You may not recognize some of the players this August. Some of the team decided that they wouldn't shave during camp.

SI's Andy Staples expects Aggie true freshman Christine Michael to have a big impact on the season.

The Aggies averaged just 2.9 yards a carry last season thanks mostly to an offensive line ravaged by injuries. Texas A&M boasts a pair of quality backs in Cyrus Gray and Bradley Stephens, but the 5-11, 200-pound Michael possesses the strength to break tackles and the speed to break away for scores. Expect him to get a chance to earn carries in camp.

Aggie punter Ken Wood decided to attend A&M after hearing about the 12th Man lawsuit against the Seattle Seahawks.

Texas A&M's flap with the Seattle Seahawks over the "12th Man" trademark keeps paying dividends for the Aggies.

Three years ago following a lawsuit filed by A&M, the Seahawks agreed to pay the Aggies a licensing fee to continue using the term, which A&M had trademarked.

Now, it appears the commotion helped land the Aggies their potential starting punter. Sophomore Ken Wood, a Washington state native who punted for the University of Montana last season, first became aware of A&M through the 12th Man ruckus.

Wood describes himself as a big Seahawks fan — and he became a fan of A&M after learning more about the school and its 12th Man tradition through its Web site, aggieathletics.com.

"I was constantly visiting their Web site," Wood said Thursday. "It looked like an awesome place — even just on the computer screen."

So, what happens if A&M is successful this season?

Defensive lineman Paul Freeney and tight end Ben Bass are no longer on the Aggie football team.

Oklahoma State

Finding a second receiver for Zac Robinson is critical for the Cowboys.

Dez Bryant's importance to the Cowboys was best illustrated in their 42-31 Holiday Bowl loss to Oregon as he produced seven receptions in the first quarter and nine in the first half to help spark an early Cowboys lead.

But after Bryant sustained a knee injury, the Cowboys' offense sputtered. Oregon outscored OSU 35-14 in the second half en route to the comeback victory.

It's made finding a second wide receiver one of coach Mike Gundy's critical tasks during fall camp.

Defensive coordinator Bill Young has five goals for the Cowboy defense. Mike Gundy has his own list.

Gundy wants his receivers to stop thinking.

The Oklahoma State receiving corps has been dropping the ball more than head coach Mike Gundy would like to see in the first few days of fall practice. But Gundy isn’t worried, because he knows it’s an issue caused by too much thinking, not a lack of ability.

"It looks like it always has this time of year," Gundy said of his receivers’ early drops in practice. "There’s a lot of thought and thinking going on. They’ll start playing better in 10 or 15 days. We never encourage the ball being on the ground, but the reason it is is because they’re thinking so much."

Oklahoma

The Sooners are back in Norman. Bob Stoops is very optimistic.

"Hopefully we can be a game or two better (than last season)," said Stoops, whose club made it all the way to the national title game in 2008. "You have to go earn all of that, you have to get back with your team, get back out on the field and start competing and working to see truly where you are.

"We have a chance to be every bit as good or hopefully maybe a little better."

Did you know Stoops has a sense of humor?

Jermaine Gresham came back for one reason and one reason only:

"Anything less than a national championship would be (a disappointment)," Gresham said. "That's what we work for and play for. Nobody on this team plays for individual awards — nobody. We play as one and the ultimate goal is to win every game."

Sooner injury reports. DeMarco Murray is hurt. Again. Linebacker Ryan Reynolds is back and he is healthy. For now.

But one of the many bright spots was the return to the field of senior linebacker Ryan Reynolds, who wore only a brace in his first practice back since suffering a third major knee injury midway through last season.

And Ryan Reynolds felt he needed some luck so he changed his number from 11 to 4.

Linebacker Austin Box is making progress.

Austin Box drew praise from Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops during the Sooners’ Media Day Friday.

The redshirt sophomore linebacker is coming back from an elbow injury which kept him out of spring practice.

"He looked great,’’ said Stoops of Box’s effort in OU’s first practice Thursday. "He was running well and his conditioning was good.’’

NewsOk has a Q&A with DeMarcus Granger. Granger now calls himself the Comeback Kid, because of the injuries and adversity he has dealt with. Most of his own making.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson is a little fed up with all those pesky questions about the offensive line.

It was apparent that Wilson has about had it up to his chinstrap with those critics who have zeroed in on OU's inexperienced offensive line as being the only glaring weakness on a team ranked No. 3 in the first USA Today Coaches Poll.

"It's documented that everybody is concerned about our line," Wilson said. "I'm not ... at all."

ESPN analyst Andre Ware isn't sold on Bardford's front line just yet.

During Thursday's edition of College Football Live, ESPN analyst and former Heisman winner Andre Ware made a bold, if not bizarre, prediction.

The Oklahoma Sooners, ranked No. 3 in the preseason and returning the Heisman winner at quarterback, would lose four games this season, including the opener to Brigham Young.

His rationale?

OU's inexperienced and unproven offensive line.

Need an introduction to the Sooner o-line? Notice how many Texans there are?

Sam Bradford is impressive. He is just a really nice guy.

Bradford, meanwhile, sat for two hours in a chair under a shade tent, wearing his crimson No. 14 jersey and flip-flops, signing autographs, posing for snapshot and just saying hi.

One young fan across the ropes in line for the tight ends got near Gresham, then shouted, "Hey, Sam Bradford!" Bradford looked up from signing a football, peered between shoulders and made eye contact. The boy smiled and waved. Bradford waved back and smiled. The boy jerked his little brother into a better perspective through forest of bodies and said, "See? See? He waved at me!"

Guess who else was left off Sporting News' list of the 50 all-time best coaches?

Sooner Sports has an update on Corey Wilson.

Four Big 12 teams make the USA Today Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Texas was ranked No. 2 by the coaches and defending Big 12 champion Oklahoma was third. Oklahoma State was ranked No. 11 and preseason North Division media favorite Nebraska was picked by the coaches at No. 22.

Kansas was just on the outside at No. 26, 27 points behind No. 25 Oregon State.

Everyone still seems to think the conference is lopsided, definitely heavier in the South.

"I think what we have is two top programs who are playing at a high level year in and year out," said Kansas coach Mark Mangino. "And there are people like us at Kansas who aspire to be in their shoes."

And that can only make everyone better, the coaches will tell you.

The South

You can never tell what a bear will do.

Those Bears are confident. Safety Jeremy Williams has some ideas about the season: Baylor will play in a bowl game this season.

Baylor strong safety Jeremy Williams isn’t in the prediction business. Then again, maybe he is.

Asked if he felt comfortable guaranteeing a specific number of wins for the Bears this season, Williams at first was hesitant. Then, he blurted out:

"I’m not going to give you any guarantees or any predictions. I just know we’re going to play hard every week and we’re going to win more games than we did last year and we will go bowling this year."

Good news, everyone. Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin is just as fast, plus he is bigger and stronger than ever before. And, no, he is not the least bit concerned about his offensive line.

"I trust those guys," Griffin said. "I know if they make a mistake in one game or one play, they'll recover and make up for it on the next. It's not a problem like I'll be looking over my shoulder on every play to check and see somebody is coming."

The two new tackles will be the Bears' biggest offensive question marks and perhaps the biggest determining factor in whether Baylor can break a 15-season bowl drought that ranks as the longest in the conference.

You can't miss the Bear o-line. They have mohawks.

Baylor transfer Terrance Ganaway's memory of his mother keeps him going.

He’ll remember the love and support she gave him as he became a star running back at DeKalb, a small town near Texarkana. He’ll live out the lessons Charlor taught him, especially the ones dealing with hard work and sacrifice.

When she died last summer after a battle with kidney cancer, it floored him.

But after taking a year off from football, Ganaway wants to honor his mother.

"I know that if it wasn’t for my mother, I wouldn’t be at Baylor right now," Ganaway said. "She is what keeps me motivated. She was the backbone of our family. I looked to her for guidance and wisdom and my spiritual needs. She was a great woman."

Whatever 6-4, 355-pound Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor wants, he gets.

The Red Raiders are determined to have another successful season.

“We do have a lot to prove,’’ new quarterback Taylor Potts acknowledged. “A lot of people are saying that we’re not going to be very good; we lost too many good players; we lost certain key players that we can’t replace.

“But I don’t think that’s the case, and I don’t think anybody else out here thinks that’s the case. Everybody has a sense of urgency, and everybody’s really positive and thinks we can do this thing.’’

Another product of the system? Mike Leach really likes freshman quarterback Jacob Karam.

Of all the quarterbacks who have ever got in line to play quarterback for Leach, Karam might have the most kid-in-a-candy-store demeanor, the most high-strung personality. He channels it well, well enough last year to lead his Class 4A Friendswood High School team to the state semifinals. Austin-based recruiting analyst Randy Rodgers, a former Division I coach, said Karam was one of the best at leading a two-minute drill in crunch time.

At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Karam might be a little short for an ideal quarterback, but what the heck. He figures he can make up for it by acting tall to the guys in his huddle.

Ryan Erxleben, son of former Longhorn Russell Erxleben, is a walk-on kicker for Tech.

The North

Bo Pelini is popular in Nebraska.

But progress is important, and Nebraska showed enough of that in Pelini's first season to keep the enterprising T-shirt folks in business:
"Bo knows Nebraska," "reBOrn," and presumably for the women, "Bo-licious."

What does Nebraska's defense have to do this season to improve? What about special teams?

Just call Cornhusker workouts Camp Confident.

"They're excited and ready to go," second-year coach Bo Pelini said after the season's first workout. "I sense that they feel like they have something to prove. I think we do have something to prove."

Tight end Mike McNeill described the Huskers as a confident team.

"We're just a little more sure of ourselves," he said. "Last year, I think we had a little bit of doubt."

But the Cornhuskers are trying to keep the expectations in check.

Players, feeling stronger and refreshed after a summer's worth of weight exercises and pad-less drills, are showering in optimism — because all teams, no matter last year's outcomes, are undefeated in August.

It's the coach's job to provide the reality check, to keep the upbeat players from developing a sense of complacency as they absorb all the offseason's positive vibes.

Bo Pelini's been doing that since the Gator Bowl, as the program's expectation levels have heightened along the way.

There is a new era in Missouri football: The Blaine Gabbert era.

But when it comes to the sophomore, Yost and others are ready for comparisons to the program's all-time leading passer to be set aside.

"He's not going to be the next Chase Daniel," Yost said. "He's going to be the first Blaine Gabbert."

Coming off a 2-10 season, Iowa State needs improvement from both the defense and the offense. But the offense is key to the win.

"We're going to control and dictate the tempo, and you're certainly going to see us go fast at times," Herman said of his version of the spread offense that doesn't include a huddle. "When we feel like we've got our foot on (the opponent's) throat, we're going to go for the kill.

"The advantages are, obviously, the fact that defenses can't substitute (against the no-huddle). We want to wear those defensive players down as much as we can, so in the third and fourth quarter when we're in better condition and those big 310-pound defensive tackles are sucking wind and trying to tap out and get off the field, we're on the ball and ready to play."

Herman promises you'll see four-wide formations, and quarterback Austen Arnaud - tabbed the starter heading into fall workouts - will spend his Saturday afternoons in the shotgun, something the junior from Ames says he relishes. But Arnaud also knows much of the burden will fall on his shoulders.

The Cyclones are starting with the basics during practice this year: tackling.

ESPN"s Tim Griffin expects some good things from Kansas State this year.

Snyder's coaching acumen will enable KSU to claim a victory or two that some might not expect this season. The Wildcats are expected by most to struggle to stay out of the North Division basement. I think they'll be better than that, coming close to qualifying for a bowl berth and sneaking in an upset from one of three late-season home games -- against Missouri, Colorado or Kansas. If they can win two of those games, the Wildcats might go bowling this season.

The only certainty for the Wildcats is uncertainty. One of the decisions Bill Snyder will have to make is the starting quarterback. Carson Coffman does not have a lock on the job just yet.

Kansas State may a duel passing/running threat in Daniel Thomas.

Coach Bill Snyder calls Thomas, a junior transfer who wears No. 8, a running back. Thomas, 6 feet 2 and 227 pounds, played quarterback at Northwest Mississippi Community College. He can run and throw well enough to present a threat for the Wildcats as a surprise weapon.

"He can do a lot of damage with that," receiver Lamark Brown said. "He has the running-back style, and he’s a quarterback. Either way, it gives us a chance to do some special things."

The Jayhawk's defense had issues last season. This year should be different.

As tacklers go in the Big 12, the Jayhawks were middle-of-the-road last season. Which is to say they got flattened way too often.

Any opportunity for the Jayhawks to contend in the North is based on the return of primary playmakers within each skill group of the offense. But to cash in on a title run, the defense must stiffen.

"I think we'll have a chance to have a pretty good offense, no question about that," said KU coach Mark Mangino, who enters his eighth season coming off back-to-back bowl victories. "But I think our defense will be better than a lot of folks outside of our program think."

Kansas receiver Dezmon Briscoe has been cleared to practice.

Colorado running back Darrell Scott bulked up for the season.

There's a Buff camaraderie that just hasn't been there before.

The SEC may be buying into the spread offense.

The marketplace, needless to say, has changed. Florida has won two national championships in the past three seasons and it led the SEC in scoring and total offense last season. Pages on the spread offense are now incorporated into playbooks all around the conference.
Spread offense hysteria has not completely replaced the rugged culture of the SEC, as it has in the Big 12. Most SEC teams still use a tight end, a fullback and massive tackles to open holes for a 215-pound running back. But there have been adjustments, including fewer tight ends and fullbacks on rosters, and smaller, quicker defensive backs who can stick with receivers better in the open field.

2009 OU Football Preview: Defensive Line

ccmachine — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:00:15 -0000

fb-cincy-4 (via _Zach_)

Oklahoma returns one of the best defensive lines in the nation in 2009 that’s not only stacked with talent but also experience. Should they remain healthy they’ll comprise a unit of run stuffers and pass rushers that’s unrivaled in the Big 12. Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables likes to rotate his linemen and there is no shortage of personnel in Norman this year. Gerald McCoy leads this cast of defenders but by sharing the field with Frank Alexander, Jeremy Beal, Auston English and DeMarcus Granger he’s a long way from being the only star.

Defensive Tackles

Gerald McCoy, Jr. – A First Team All Conference selection in 2008, McCoy was also the conference Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2007. His 30 tackles led Oklahoma’s defensive tackles last season and he was second on the team in sacks (6.5). He also recorded 11 tackles for loss last year as a sophomore.

Adrian Taylor, Jr. – Started all 14 games last season as a sophomore. He was just behind McCoy for tackles by a defensive lineman and placed third on the team with 4.5 sacks. In the BCS Championship game he registered a career high 6 tackles against Florida.

DeMarcus Granger, Sr. – Was a member of the Big 12’s All Conference Second Team in 2007 only to have his `08 campaign limited to injuries.

Cordero Moore, Sr. – Has spent his career at OU as a reserve but has also made the most of his opportunities. Last season he registered a career-high three tackles versus Texas Tech, forced a fumble against Texas A&M and broke up a pass against TCU.

Jamarkus McFarland, Fr. – Was listed as one of the nation’s top defensive recruits in the 2009 recruiting. Has tremendous upside and could work his way onto the field as a true freshman but could also receive a redshirt.

Defensive End

Auston English, Sr. – After being a First Team All Big 12 selection in 2007, English was limited to seeing actions in 11 games in `08 because of a knee injury. He recorded 32 total tackles, 9 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season.

Jeremy Beal, Jr. – Was a first team All Conference selection last season after leading the team in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (15.5). He recorded 61 tackles in `08 which was the most among Oklahoma’s defensive linemen.

Frank Alexander, So. – Recorded 21 tackles and 3.5 sacks in `08 while giving OU valuable minutes in filling in for injured starters.

David King, RS Fr. – Was listed as the nation’s number eleven defensive end by Scout before signing with the Sooners as a part of the 2008 class.

Adding A "Pistol" Series To The Offense Could Have Some Advantages

Beergut — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:33:35 -0000

In looking at ways that the Mike Sherman can adopt the offense to utilize the talent we have while still keeping some of the concepts he wants to eventually incorporate into his preferred scheme (the West Coast Offense), I began thinking about the "Pistol offense" Chris Ault runs at Nevada. The Pistol features the QB in a modified shotgun (hence, the pistol nickname) about 4 yds back from the center, with the TB at a more traditional I-formation depth of roughly 7 yds, right behind the center. This gives the QB the advantage of already having some depth to get into his dropback for the passing game, while also giving the TB the depth to begin running downhill similar to a normal I-formation attack. The Pistol thrives when you have a skilled dual-threat at QB like Nevada currently has in Colin Kaepernick, the WAC's reigning offensive player of the year. A&M has a similar dual-threat QB in Jerrod Johnson., a player who can be equally as dangerous running or passing the ball. The Pistol also excels when you have stellar wide receivers to take advantage of its elements of the spread passing game, and we have those receivers in Jeff Fuller, Ryan Tannehill, and Terrence McCoy.

The biggest advantage of running the Pistol is what it does for your running game. You can use the staples of power football from the I-formation while also utilizing the option game. With Jerrod Johnson at QB and a stable of backs including Cyrus Gray, Bradley Stephens, and Christine Michael, A&M has the players to make the option game work. A dangerous play in the option arsenal of the Pistol is the midline option. The video below shows Nevada running the midline option:

Nevada running the Pistol midline option.

The title of the video calls the play a veer, but the veer to me means an element of the the triple option, a true two-read play, and this is just a simple midline read. The midline option is a very simple play: Basically, the offensive lines leaves one defensive lineman unblocked, and then blocks down playside. The unblocked defender is often a dangerous defensive tackle or defensive end who the line is having trouble blocking. Midline gives you the option of forcing that defender to make a decision to choose playing the QB or the TB on the play, and then based on the defenders decision, the QB makes his read and either gives to the TB who will follow his blocking playside, or he will keep the ball and go outside as the defenders crashes down on the TB. You can see how #94 in the video attempts to read the play, then crashes down to stop the TB as Kaepernick goes untouched to the outside. The Pistol midline option would be a particularly useful play to have in our arsenal when we face Oklahoma, with their two stud defensive tackle in DeMarcus Granger and Gerald McCoy. If we have both offensive guards and the center triple-teaming one, we can leave the other unblocked for the read, while the other offensive tackle kicks out the end. I could see us running this play with either Christine Michael or Cyrus Gray in the backfield with Johnson.

The Pistol also gives you the ability to use the speed option and the play-action passing game off of the option game. More importantly, the power concepts from the running game are in line with what Coach Sherman wants to eventually do with a West Coast Offense scheme. The advantage of the option game of the Pistol for us would be that we have a young offensive line, and it would give us a schematic way to deal with stellar defensive lines if we can't yet match them in the personnel department. The blocking scheme for the offensive line in the Pistol can use the same zone principles we use in our normal running game from the spread, while adding a few new rules for the option game. We already have the basic structure in place in our offense to run this series, we just need to add some new tweaks along with this formation to make it work.

Currently, no one runs the Pistol in the Big 12 Conference, so installing a Pistol series into our offense would allow us to force the opposition to learn to defend something they don't see the rest of the season. Being contrarian on offense has other advantages, too, in that we're able to utilize our personnel better, and I think it would be really entertaining for the fans.

We don't need anything complicated in the series, just a basic off-tackle play, the midline option, possibly a triple-option play where we have Gray or Stephens motioning from the slot to the pitchman position (assuming Christine Michael would be a diveback), a counter, and then the play-action passing game using Jamie McCoy at TE and Fuller, Terrence McCoy, and Tannehill at WR.

The only disadvantage I can see to installing a Pistol series in our offense is that it takes practice time to get the option game down efficiently, but I think the advantages of having this series completely outweigh disadvantages.

2nd Annual SB Nation Big 12 All-Conference Team Ballot

RPT — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:30:08 -0000

Our Colorado cohorts at The Ralphie Report have once again solicited the powers that be in the Big 12 Blogosphere here at SB Nation to determine the SB Nation Preseason All-Big 12 Team. As Rock M Nation's representative in the voting process, here's how my ballot will appear. It must be noted that bloggers are NOT allowed to vote for players on teams they cover. As an aside, I must give a major shoutout to the SB Nation tech team, whose "Autotag" tool probably just imploded upon linking this post.

On to the ballot!

Quarterback (2)

Nominees: Jerrod Johnson (TAMU), Austen Arnaud (ISU), Taylor Potts (TTU), Sam Bradford (OU), Zac Robinson (OSU), Blaine Gabbert, Robert Griffin (BU), Colt McCoy, Todd Reesing (KU), Daniel Thomas (KSU)

The Vote: Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford

Notes: You can go around looking for ways to justify other picks, but it's going to be McCoy and Bradford at the top. I'm just glad we're selecting two quarterbacks so I don't have to decide between them and draw the ire of one of the fan bases. At the same time, you've got to feel for Reesing, Robinson and Griffin, dynamic players who'd be shoo-ins in a lot of other conferences.

Running Back (2)

Nominees: Roy Helu Jr. (NU), Cyrus Gray (TAMU), Christine Michael (TAMU), Chris Brown (OU), DeMarco Murray (OU), Kendall Hunter (OSU), Derrick Washington, Darrell Scott (CU), Rodney Stewart (CU), Jay Finley (BU), Jake Sharp (KU), Cody Johnson (UT), Vondrell McGee (UT), Foswhitt Whittaker (UT)

The Vote: Kendall Hunter, Chris Brown, DeMarco Murray

Notes: I went with the Oklahoma trio here. Kendall Hunter may well be the best back in the conference. Brown and Murray are a formidable 1-2 punch, assuming Murray is capable of staying healthy in 2009. Derrick Washington would have been my pick over one of these two had the blogger/player restrictions not been in place. I fought with including Roy Helu on the ballot. Helu came on hot at the end of 2008 (he averaged almost 10 yards a carry in a 157-yard day at Oklahoma) and could very well prove me wrong. Darrell Scott still has a lot to prove.

Fullback (1)

Nominees: Matt Clapp (OU), Jake Behrens (CU)

The Vote: Matt Clapp

Notes: I see no reason to unseat the reigning All-Big 12 fullback.

Wide Receiver (3)

Nominees: Ryan Tannehill (TAMU), Jeff Fuller (TAMU), Darius Darks (ISU), Detron Lewis (TTU), Edward Britton (TTU), Dez Bryant (OSU), Danario Alexander, Jared Perry, David Gettis (BU), Dezmon Briscoe (KU), Jordan Shipley (UT), Kerry Meier (KU), Brandon Banks (KSU), Jonathan Wilson (KU), Malcolm Williams (UT)

The Vote: Dez Bryant, Dezmon Briscoe, Jordan Shipley

Notes: Bryant has the unenviable task of trying to replace Michael Crabtree as the conference's best receiver, even though some call Bryant "a superior receiver" to Crabtree. Briscoe continues to be undervalued by the conference as a whole, and Shipley -- one of the conference's most consistent producers over the last few seasons -- has seen his stock rise in the national eye since last year's Red River Shootout. Honorable mentions go out to Kerry Meier, Brandon Banks and Detron Lewis, and player to watch mentions go out to Jeff Fuller and Malcolm Williams.

Rest of the ballot after the jump!

Tight End (2)

Nominees: Mike McNeill (NU), Jamie McCoy (TAMU), Jermaine Gresham (OU), Andrew Jones, Riar Geer (CU), Patrick Devenny (CU), Tim Biere (KU)

The Vote: Jermaine Gresham and Mike McNeill

Notes: Gresham is the no-brainer with the first vote. I know we're supposed to scoff at Nebraska right now, but I feel like McNeill is the only Husker that's being underhyped. A tight end like that is a tremendous asset in the process of breaking in a new quarterback.

Offensive Line (5)

Nominees: Jacob Hickman (NU), Mike Smith (NU), Brandon Carter (TTU), Marlon Winn (TTU), Trent Williams (OU), Brady Bond (OSU), Russell Okung (OSU), Kurtis Gregory, Elvis Fisher, Dan Hoch, Tim Barnes, Nate Solder (CU), Ryan Miller (CU), Adam Ulatoski (UT), Chris Hall (UT), Nick Stringer (KSU), JD Walton (Baylor), James Barnard (BU), Charlie Tanner (UT), Jeremiah Hatch (KU), Kyle Hixx (UT)

The Vote: Brandon Carter, Trent Williams, Russell Okung, Adam Ulatoski, Chris Hall

Notes: I'd be lying to you if I said I had hard and fast reasoning for selecting individual lineman. I do hope the other Big 12 bloggers give some love to Gregory and Barnes, who we've extolled here at RMN many times.

Interior D-Line (2)

Nominees: Ndamukong Suh (NU), Eddie Brown (Texas A&M), Colby Whitlock (Texas Tech), DeMarcus Granger (OU), Gerald McCoy (OU), Jaron Baston, Jeffrey Fitzgerald (KSU), Lamarr Houston (UT)

The Vote: Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy

Notes: Another relatively painless selection. Even a second team of any two of the trio of Granger, Fitzgerald and Houston would be extremely stout.

Defensive End (2)

Nominees: Pierre Allen (NU), Barry Turner (NU), Matt Featherston (TAMU), Jeremy Beal (OU), Auston English (OU), Brian Coulter, Jacquies Smith, Brandon Herald (KSU), Jake Laptad (KU), Sergio Kindle (UT)

The Vote: Sergio Kindle, Auston English

Notes: I know Jeremy Beal is getting most of the pundit love at DE for Oklahoma, but I remain a massive apologist for English when he's healthy. Maybe it's all just fallout from seeing English singlehandedly dominate Mizzou in person in Norman back in 2007. And, oh yeah, Sergio Kindle is a physical freak of nature.

Linebacker (4)

Nominees: Von Miller (TAMU), Brian Duncan (TTU), Marlon Williams (TTU), Keenan Clayton (OU), Travis Lewis (OU), Patrick Lavine (OSU), Sean Weatherspoon, Luke Lambert, Jeff Smart (CU), Shaun Mohler (CU), BJ Beatty (CU), Joe Pawelek (BU), Andre Sexton (OSU), Rod Muckelroy (UT)

The Vote: Joe Pawelek, Andre Sexton, Travis Lewis, Von Miller

Notes: Let's all take a moment to pour one out for Sean Weatherspoon, who is required to be left off my ballot. Pawelek enters what seems like his 37th year of eligibility at Baylor. Sexton and Lewis are relatively safe picks, while I take my one big departure from security and select A&M's Von Miller as my fourth 'backer. Miller is really more of a "project pick" here, as he's got the physical skills to be as good any other linebacker nominated if he's able to carve out his own role in Joe Kines' system. If it all comes together, Miller could turn into the type of player Kines had in Demeco Ryans at Alabama.

Cornerback (2)

Nominees: Leonard Johnson (ISU), Jamar Wall (TTU), Dominique Franks (OU), Perrish Cox (OSU), Carl Gettis, Jimmy Smith (CU), Cha'pelle Brown (CU), Josh Moore (KSU), Justin Thornton (KU), Daymond Patterson (KU), Chykie Brown (UT), Deon Beasley (UT)

The Vote: Dominique Franks, Josh Moore

Notes: A surprisingly solid list of nominees here. Franks was a second team All-Big 12 selection last year, and Moore quietly had a good year in the midst of a forgettable season for K-State. Brown would have been next on my radar, with Johnson, Wall, and Beasley close behind.

Safety (2)

Nominees: Larry Asante (NU), Trent Hunter (TAMU), Jordan Pugh (TAMU), Kenji Jackson, Jordan Lake (BU), Earl Thomas (UT), Blake Gideon (UT), Darrell Stuckey (KU), Phillip Strozier (KU)

The Vote: Jordan Lake, Darrell Stuckey

Notes: I'm probably drawing the wrath of the Burnt Orange Nation community by excluding two very talented young safeties in Earl Thomas and Blake Gideon, but Lake and Stuckey are certainly deserving of the nods here. Lake means to the Baylor defensive backfield what Pawelek means to Baylor's linebacking corps. Stuckey was ALL over the field at Arrowhead last year, and has to be the top safety in the Big 12 North (this despite my almost irrational love of Kenji Jackson).

Kicker (1)

Nominees: Alex Henery (NU), Hunter Lawrence (UT)

The Vote: Alex Henery

Notes: Hard to make the call here, but the cannon attached to Henery's hip gave Nebraska the win that COMPLETELY changed the outlook for the Huskers in 2009.

Punter (1)

Nominees: Mike Brandtner (ISU), Jake Harry, Derek Epperson (BU), Ryan Doerr (KSU), Alonzo Rojas (KU)

The Vote: Derek Epperson

Notes: Epperson is the returning leader in punt average, which is good enough for me. My apologies to Jake Harry.... THE FOURTH.

Kick Returner (1)

Nominees: Cyrus Gray (TAMU), Leonard Johnson (ISU), Perrish Cox (OSU), Dez Bryant (OSU), Jordan Shipley (UT)

The Vote: Perrish Cox

Notes: Cox and Bryant are somewhat interchangeable here, and since Bryant's already feeling the love, I decided to go with Cox. I would have had no qualms with Shipley in this slot either.