RED RIVER EXTRA SPECIAL 4-PAGE WRAP | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014 | THE OKLAHOMAN • NEWSOK.COM/SPORTS | PAGE 1B
OU vs. Texas • 11 a.m. Saturday • KOCO-5 (Cox 8) • KOKC-AM 1520/KRXO-FM 107.7 • Cotton Bowl, Dallas • Line: OU by 14 1/2
AP PHOTOS; PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROB BACKUS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Bob Stoops era at OU defined by success in Red River game
Texas housecleaning is giving new meaning to LiveStrong
DALLAS — Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops era has been defined — in many ways — by his success against Red River rival Texas. Stoops’ only national championship was sparked with a 63-14 beatdown in the Cotton Bowl on Oct. 7, 2000 that propelled OU to wins over top-10 foes Kansas State and Nebraska, and then the top of the polls. He’s poached top talent out of Texas in recruiting, and can become the first OU coach to beat the Longhorns 10 times Saturday morning, when the archrivals meet again in the 109th Red River Showdown.
ALLAS — Charlie Strong brings three losses into the OU-Texas game. He’s the first Longhorn coach since 19Never to produce such indignity. The ’Horns have lost to the three good teams they’ve played and a whole lot more are waiting in line. TCU, Kansas State, OSU, West Virginia and OU, the latter Saturday in the Cotton Bowl, where the Sooners will be steaming not only over losing to Texas last year but to TCU last week. Strong’s first season in Austin is going to be rough. Very rough.
Jason Kersey
jkersey@ opubco.com
OU FOOTBALL
But lately, Stoops has been on a bit of a slump in the state of Texas. His teams have lost their last four games played in the Lone Star State, including a 37-33 defeat at TCU last weekend and a SEE STOOPS, PAGE 9B
D
Berry Tramel
btramel@ opubco.com
COMMENTARY
But whoever said cleaning up the streets was supposed to be easy? Ask Gary Cooper and Gene Hackman in cinema. Ask Buford Pusser and Wyatt Earp in history. Ask Mike SEE TRAMEL, PAGE 2B
MORE COVERAGE INSIDE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
THUNDER
Westmoore’s Green has strong family foundation
Rookie McGary to miss 5-7 weeks with foot injury
Growing up with seven older sisters and a single mother, Louisville commit Dahu Green, right, of Westmoore learned to work hard and remain humble.
Thunder top pick Mitch McGary suffered a fracture in his left footduring Wednesday night’s preseason opener at Denver.
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
RED RIVER EXTRA
BIGGER REBUILD: STRONG OR STOOPS?
Texas coach Charlie Strong has dismissed nine players since taking over for Mack Brown this past summer. AP PHOTO
Tramel: Strong instilling a tough new culture into Texas football FROM PAGE 1B
Gundy and Gary Gibbs on the gridiron. Strong, hired in January to replace Mack Brown, is trying to coach these Longhorns and change the Texas culture, all at the same time. That’s a tough assignment. Strong has dismissed nine players from a squad that was not overrun with talent in the first place. He’s doubled the drugtesting for UT football players. The new sheriff in town is not tip-toeing down Front Street. LiveStrong used to be an Austin staple. Now it is again, but not because of a bicyclist. Strong is instilling a new order into Longhorn football. “You have 95 percent of the guys that’s doing it right, and then you have a small faction of guys that just feel like, ‘Hey, this is the way I’m going to do it whether you like it or not,’” Strong said after a recent Texas practice. “I just tell them there are other teams out there, but this isn’t the school for you.” That sounds callous. His colleagues say that’s not the case. Texas quarterback coach Shawn Watson said it pains Strong when a player is dismissed. Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said, “We’re not doing anything different than parents are doing ... I want somebody out there to tell me what’s wrong with that.” Nothing, other than a gutted roster. Strong has dismissed former starters Kennedy Estelle (offensive tackle), Kendall Sanders (wide receiver) and Joe Bergeron (tailback), plus backups Leroy Scott, Chet Moss, Montrel Meander, Jalen Overstreet, Chevoski
Collins and Deoundrei Davis. Starting offensive tackle Desmond Harrison and hybrid slotback Daje Johnson, who returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown against the Sooners last season, remain suspended. That’s a lot of missing talent on a program that’s fallen into the middle of the pack in the Big 12. Texas is 19-18 in conference games since the arrival of the 2010 season. Kansas interim coach Clint Bowen, whose team lost 23-0 to Texas on Sept. 27, admitted that the Longhorn talent isn’t what it used to be. “When you talk about some of those great Texas teams we had faced in the past, no, they’re not the same as they had been,” Bowen said. “The offensive line is playing some young kids. The quarterback’s young. The tailbacks are still pretty elite kids. At wideout, they’re not deep like they were. Obviously, they’re in a little bit of a rebuilding phase there.” Strong’s maiden season smacks of Gundy’s first year at OSU in 2005. Gundy dismissed nine players before his first game, including some difference-making talent. Prentiss Elliott, Jeremy Nethon, Brad Girtman, Seymore Shaw, Thomas Wright. “No question, it set us back,” Gundy said. “We were a ways away when it came to trying to recover. It’s hard to overcome when you lose players that certainly would be in your two-deep on game day.” Through all the turmoil and defeats, Strong has lived up to his name. Hasn’t complained. Hasn’t blamed. Strong took over what seemed to have become a lax culture in Mack Brown’s later
Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at (405) 760-8080 or at btramel@opubco.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. You can also view his personality page at newsok.com/berrytramel.
TEXAS ROSTER
OU ROSTER No.Player .........................Pos.Ht. Wt.Cl.
42 Wesley Horky..............LS 6-2 217 Fr.
1
Dominique Alexander .LB 6-0 227 So.
42 Ruben Hunter..............LB 6-1 200 So.
1
K.J. Young ...................WR 6-0 177 RFr.
43 Cameron Cotton..........S
5-11198 Fr.
2
Julian Wilson ..............CB 6-2 201 Sr.
44 Jed Barnett .................P
6-2 215 Sr.
3
Sterling Shepard.........WR 5-10195 Jr.
45 Caleb Gastelum...........LB 6-2 217 Sr.
3
Tito Windham .............CB 5-9 169 Fr.
45 Carson Meier...............TE 6-6 226 Fr.
4
Hatari Byrd .................S
6-1 201 So.
46 Jack Braught ...............K
6-2 183 So.
4
Justice Hansen ...........QB 6-3 204 Fr.
47 Eric Hosek ...................K
5-10157 Jr.
5
Durron Neal.................WR 5-11201 Jr.
47 Joe Palange.................FB 6-0 239 So.
6
Baker Mayfield ...........QB 6-2 209 So.
48 Aaron Ripkowski.........FB 6-1 257 Sr.
6
Stanvon Taylor............CB 5-10179 So.
49 David Driskill ..............DE 6-1 257 Sr.
7
Dannon Cavil ...............WR 6-4 214 RFr.
50 Courtney Garnett........DT 6-2 284 Fr.
7
Jordan Thomas ...........CB 6-1 183 Fr.
51 Cade Parker.................LB 6-1 231 Fr.
8
Austin Bennett ...........WR 6-0 175 So.
52 John-Philip Hughes ....G
9
Tay Evans ....................LB 6-2 221 Fr.
53 Tony Feo......................G
6-3 300 Sr.
9
Trevor Knight ..............QB 6-1 201 So.
54 Nila Kasitati................G
6-4 315 Jr.
10 Blake Bell ....................TE 6-6 259 Sr.
55 Josiah St. John ...........T
6-6 300 Jr.
10 Quentin Hayes ............S
56 Ty Darlington ..............C
6-2 286 Jr.
6-0 190 Sr.
6-3 276 Jr.
11 Dorial Green-BeckhamWR 6-6 225 Jr.
58 Chase Frazier ..............DT 5-11291 RFr.
11 Steven Parker .............S
59 Kane Snowden ............DT 6-0 247 So.
6-1 197 Fr.
12 Derrick Woods ............WR 6-1 186 So.
63 Alex Dalton .................C
6-4 282 Fr.
13 Ahmad Thomas...........S
6-0 209 So.
64 Dylan Hartsook ...........G
6-5 312 So.
14 Marcus Green..............CB 6-1 177 Fr.
65 Nick Hardaway............G
6-2 297 So.
14 Cody Thomas ..............QB 6-4 211 RFr.
66 Riley Nolan..................G
6-0 278 So.
15 Jeffery Mead...............WR 6-6 184 Fr.
68 Jonathan Alvarez........G
6-3 316 Fr.
15 Zack Sanchez ..............CB 5-11179 So.
69 Joseph Paul.................T
6-4 374 Fr.
16 Michiah Quick .............WR 6-0 170 Fr.
70 Christian Daimler........T
6-7 300 RFr.
17 Jordan Smallwood ......WR 6-2 212 RFr.
71 Tyrus Thompson .........T
6-5 336 Sr.
18 Curtis Bolton...............LB 6-2 210 Fr.
72 Derek Farniok..............T
6-9 329 Jr.
18 Michael Hunnicutt ......K
6-1 180 Sr.
73 Kenyon Frison .............T
6-6 285 Fr.
19 Eric Striker..................LB 6-0 221 Jr.
74 Adam Shead................G
6-4 339 Sr.
19 Dallis Todd ..................WR 6-5 204 Fr.
75 Tyler Evans..................G
6-5 339 Sr.
21 Keith Ford ...................RB 5-11206 So.
77 Dionte Savage.............G
6-4 343 Sr.
22 Cortez Johnson ...........CB 6-2 206 Jr.
78 Orlando Brown............T
6-8 340 Fr.
23 Devante Bond .............LB 6-1 236 Jr.
79 Daryl Williams ............T
6-6 329 Sr.
24 Brandon Young............CB 5-10178 Sr.
80 Isaac Ijalana ................TE 6-4 247 So.
25 Aaron Franklin ............LB 6-1 226 Sr.
80 Jordan Phillips ............DT 6-6 334 So.
25 David Smith ................RB 5-10205 So.
81 Mark Andrews ............WR 6-6 236 Fr.
26 Jordan Evans...............LB 6-3 223 So.
81 Sam Grant...................TE 6-7 281 So.
27 Dakota Austin.............CB 5-11164 So.
82 Ogbonnia Okoronkwo .LB 6-1 240 RFr.
28 Alex Ross ....................RB 6-1 221 So.
83 Nick Basquine .............WR 6-0 170 Fr.
29 Dylan Briggs................DB 6-1 173 Unk
84 Grant Bothun ..............WR 5-11186 Jr.
29 Rashod Favors.............LB 6-1 253 Sr.
85 Geneo Grissom............LB 6-4 252 Sr.
31 Londell Taylor .............LB 6-0 241 Jr.
86 Jimmy Frazier .............WR 5-11175 Sr.
32 Joshua Bennett ..........S
87 D.J. Ward ....................DE 6-2 256 RFr.
6-4 222 Fr.
32 Samaje Perine.............RB 5-11243 Fr.
88 Cody Chancellor ..........WR 6-1 184 So.
33 Jaxon Uhles.................FB 6-0 243 So.
88 Taylor McNamara........TE 6-5 245 So.
34 Daniel Brooks..............RB 5-8 185 So.
89 Connor Knight .............TE 6-4 244 So.
35 Ezel McIntee ...............CB 5-10195 Fr.
90 Matt Dimon.................DE 6-2 271 So.
36 Dimitri Flowers...........FB 6-1 244 Fr.
91 Charles Tapper ............DE 6-4 281 Jr.
37 Brandon Kitchens .......S
5-11165 So.
92 Matthew Romar .........DT 6-0 287 RFr.
38 Najee Bissoon .............S
5-7 172 RFr.
93 Jordan Wade ...............DT 6-4 314 So.
38 Jack Steed...................P
6-5 213 So.
94 Torrea Peterson ..........DT 6-3 300 Sr.
39 Nick Hodgson ..............K
6-2 198 Sr.
96 Mitch Tate...................DE 6-4 252 Jr.
39 Darius Owens .............CB 5-10180 So.
97 Charles Walker ...........DT 6-2 296 RFr.
40 P.L. Lindley..................LB 6-2 262 Jr.
98 Chuka Ndulue..............DT 6-3 289 Sr.
41 Justin Fa'aola..............FB 6-0 248 Jr.
99 Dwayne Orso...............DE 6-6 300 Fr.
41 Brian Walker ...............S
seasons. “It’s not anything I had to do,” Strong said this week. “Coach Brown’s done a great job here. Unbelievable, the job he’s done. It has nothing to do with what I’ve been left with. Sometimes when you do have a coaching change, some players, you don’t know ’em that well, they kind of do things on their own. We just have to do things our way, the way we want them done.” Truth is, such tough love can be popular in the locker room. Cleaning house leads to clean houses. People like clean houses. “I love the way he’s taking the approach and getting guys out of here that don't belong,” Texas cornerback Quandre Diggs said during Big 12 media days. “Heck, if it was up to me, or if Coach Strong asked me, I would help him weed guys out.” And so Texas comes to the Cotton Bowl on Saturday with a team that might not win enough games to qualify for a bowl. Comes into a tradition-rich rivalry that this year isn’t even the second-best game on tap Saturday in the state of Texas. Ole Miss at Texas A&M and TCU at Baylor trump OU-Texas. The ’Horns have fallen into the same malaise that afflicts traditional powers Michigan and Florida; programs that once seemed immune from slumps but are wallowing in mediocrity. Difference is, Michigan and Florida haven’t started the reboot. Texas has, with a get-tough coach who is cleaning house.
6-1 186 RFr.
No.Player ......................Pos.Ht. Wt.Cl. 1 Shiro Davis ...............DE 6-3 253 Jr. 2 Mykkele Thompson ..S 6-2 191 Sr. 3 Jordan Hicks.............LB 6-1 234 Sr. 4 William Russ............K 6-3 206 Sr. 5 Josh Turner ..............S 5-11175 Sr. 6 Quandre Diggs ..........CB 5-10195 Sr. 7 Demarco Cobbs ........LB 6-0 221 Sr. 7 Marcus Johnson .......WR 6-1 193 Jr. 8 Jaxon Shipley ...........WR 6-0 190 Sr. 9 John Harris...............WR 6-2 218 Sr. 11 Tevin Jackson...........LB 6-2 245 Sr. 11 Jacorey Warrick .......WR 5-11172 So. 13 Jerrod Heard ............QB 6-2 199 Fr. 14 David Ash .................QB 6-3 230 Jr. 15 Bryson Echols...........CB 5-10184 So. 15 Trey Holtz.................QB 6-0 190 So. 16 Jermaine Roberts Jr.DB 5-9 171 Fr. 16 Logan Vinklarek .......QB 6-1 217 So. 17 Cody Boswell............DB 5-11180 Sr. 17 Miles Onyegbule ......QB 6-4 230 Sr. 18 Tyrone Swoopes.......QB 6-4 243 So. 18 Kevin Vaccaro ...........S 5-11188 So. 19 Jimmy Greenwood ...QB 6-2 167 So. 19 Peter Jinkens ...........LB 6-1 237 Jr. 21 Donald Catalon.........RB 5-10195 Fr. 21 Duke Thomas ...........CB 5-11178 Jr. 23 Daje Johnson ............RB 5-10178 Jr. 23 Nick Rose .................PK 6-2 203 Jr. 24 John Bonney.............DB 5-10181 Fr. 25 Antwuan Davis ........CB 5-11193 RFr. 25 Chris Giron ...............WR 5-8 160 Sr. 26 Adrian Colbert ..........S 6-1 206 So. 26 David Thomann ........WR 6-0 184 Sr. 27 Roderick Bernard .....WR 5-9 170 Fr. 27 Connor Huffman.......WR 5-9 170 Fr. 28 Malcolm Brown ........RB 5-11222 Sr. 28 Nick Jordan ..............PK 6-1 175 So. 29 Hunter DeGroot .......WR 6-1 207 RFr. 29 Sheroid Evans ..........CB 6-0 190 Sr. 30 Timothy Cole ............LB 6-1 236 So. 30 Ryan Roberts............CB 5-8 170 Sr. 31 Jason Hall.................DB 6-2 207 Fr. 31 Ben Pruitt.................PK 6-1 215 Jr. 32 Johnathan Gray........RB 5-11215 Jr. 32 Erik Huhn ..................S 6-3 209 RFr. 33 Steve Edmond ..........LB 6-2 258 Sr. 33 D’Onta Foreman .......RB 6-2 215 Fr. 35 Michael Davidson.....K 6-4 200 Sr. 35 Edwin Freeman ........S 6-1 220 Fr. 36 Dillon Boldt ..............DB 5-10167 Jr. 36 Alex De La Torre .......FB 6-1 241 Jr. 37 Nate Boyer ...............DS 5-10195 Sr. 37 Devin Huffines .........DB 6-0 195 Sr. 38 Mitchell Becker ........P 6-2 190 RFr. 38 Tyler Lee...................DB 5-10185 So. 39 Brandon Allen ..........DB 6-2 200 Sr. 39 Gaston Davis............RB 5-11193 Jr. 40 Trenton Hafley .........RB 5-8 187 Fr. 40 Naashon Hughes ......DE 6-4 232 RFr. 41 Tyler Marriott ..........DB 6-1 192 So.
42 42 43 43 44 44 45 45 46 47 47 48 48 49 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 55 56 57 58 59 62 63 64 65 66 68 71 72 74 76 80 80 81 81 82 82 83 83 84 85 86 87 88 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 97 98 99
Caleb Bluiett ............DE Dakota Haines..........WR Logan Mills...............DE Jordan Strickland.....DB Eddie Aboussie.........RB Dylan Haines ............DB Kyle Ashby ...............DS Cameron Hampton ...LB Johnny Tseng ...........DE Andrew Beck ............TE Chris Terry................TE Dominic Cruciani ......FB Trey Gonzales...........LB Derick Roberson.......DE Matt Sims ................P Jake Raulerson .........C Terrell Cuney ............OL Darius James ...........OG Jak Holbrook ............DS Garrett Graf .............OL Dominic Espinosa.....C Dalton Santos ..........LB Daniel Rodriguez......OL Clark Orren ...............OL Frank Lopez ..............OL Michael Welsh .........OL Curtis Riser ..............OG Alex Anderson..........OL Jake McMillon..........OL Marcus Hutchins......OL Sedrick Flowers........OG Desmond Harrison ...OT Camrhon Hughes ......OT Elijah Rodriguez .......OL Taylor Doyle .............OG Kent Perkins.............OT Dererick Giles...........WR Blake Whiteley.........TE Greg Daniels.............TE Nick Kreider..............WR Geoff Swaim ............TE Michael Wilson ........WR Matt Center..............TE Armanti Foreman.....WR Lorenzo Joe ..............WR M.J. McFarland.........TE Jake Oliver ...............WR Garrett Gray .............WR Cedric Reed ..............DE Ty Templin................WR Dorian Leonard.........WR Malcom Brown .........DT Bryce Cottrell ...........DE Alex Mercado ...........DL Paul Boyette Jr. .......DT Alex Norman ............DT Poona Ford ...............DT Chris Nelson.............DT Hassan Ridgeway.....DT Desmond Jackson ....DT
6-3 261 So. 6-1 195 Sr. 6-3 223 Jr. 5-9 152 Fr. 5-9 221 Sr. 6-1 194 So. 6-1 227 So. 6-1 202 Fr. 6-1 220 So. 6-3 242 Fr. 6-3 243 Sr. 5-11225 Jr. 6-0 219 Jr. 6-3 219 Fr. 6-2 179 So. 6-5 281 RFr. 6-1 278 Fr. 6-5 304 Fr. 5-10153 Fr. 6-1 280 So. 6-3 308 Sr. 6-3 252 Jr. 6-2 299 So. 6-0 260 So. 6-2 300 RFr. 6-1 256 Fr. 6-4 324 So. 6-4 320 Fr. 6-3 290 Fr. 6-5 278 Jr. 6-3 320 Jr. 6-8 313 Sr. 6-7 324 So. 6-3 292 Fr. 6-4 298 Jr. 6-5 330 So. 5-11160 Fr. 6-5 250 So. 6-4 246 Sr. 6-1 181 So. 6-4 250 Sr. 6-3 208 Fr. 6-2 218 RFr. 6-0 189 Fr. 6-2 201 Fr. 6-4 249 Jr. 6-3 214 RFr. 6-4 211 Fr. 6-5 272 Sr. 6-0 195 So. 6-3 201 Fr. 6-2 320 Jr. 6-2 247 So. 5-10272 So. 6-2 302 So. 6-4 288 So. 5-11280 Fr. 6-1 307 Fr. 6-4 307 So. 6-0 298 Sr.
Who took over in most destitute circumstances, Charlie Strong at Texas in 2014 or Bob Stoops at OU in 1999? Let’s analyze: I Recent history: Mack Brown went 8-5, 9-4 and 8-5 in his final three Texas seasons. John Blake went 12-22 his three OU seasons. I Championship distance: Texas won the 2009 Big 12 title and tied for the Big 12 South lead in 2008. Before Stoops, OU hadn’t won a conference title since 1987. I Available talent: Much is made of the talent that Blake left Stoops. But the only Sooners taken in the 2000 NFL Draft were Stockar McDougle and William Bartee. No Blake recruits went in the 2001 draft. Blake did leave behind Roy Williams and Rocky Calmus, two great players taken in the 2002 draft. Texas had no players drafted in 2014. But the Longhorns have a few quality prospects for the 2015 draft: senior defensive end Cedric Reed, senior tailback Malcolm Brown, junior defensive tackle Malcom Brown and cornerback Quandre Diggs. I Quarterback: When Stoops took over, there was no varsity quarterback. Mike Leach found Josh Heupel out of Snow Junior College and history was made. Strong inherited junior David Ash, a solid player, but with a history of concussion problems. Ash lasted one game this season and has had to retire from the sport. The jury remains out on new starter Tyrone Swoopes. I Conference landscape: Stoops took over when the Big 12 was strong — but stronger in the North Division, when Nebraska still was great, Kansas State was very good and Colorado was potent. The South Division was rather wide open, with both Texas and Texas A&M jostling for supremacy despite less-than-outstanding teams. Strong takes over in a parity-driven Big 12 that has only 10 teams but is spreading the wealth — a different school has won the last five conference titles. Texas in ’09, OU in ’10, OSU in ’11, K-State in ’12 and Baylor in ’13. I Result: Stoops had the bigger rebuild. He took over a program that had gone five straight years without a winning season and 11 straight years without a title. But Stoops also had greater opportunity, because of the slumbering South Division.
STOOPS AND STRONG SIMILIARITIES SIMILARITIES I Age: Both are 54. Strong was born Aug. 2, 1960. Stoops was born 38 days later. I Florida ties: Both were the defensive coordinator on University of Florida national title teams, Stoops in 1996 for Steve Spurrier, Strong in 2006 and 2008 for Urban Meyer. I Strong pedigrees: Strong has worked for R.C. Slocum, Spurrier, Lou Holtz and Meyer. Stoops has worked for Hayden Fry, Bill Snyder and Spurrier. I Coaching fathers: Strong’s father, Charlie Sr., was the basketball coach at Luxora, Ark. Stoops’ father, Ron, was the defensive coordinator at Cardinal Mooney in Youngstown. I Hired by new athletic directors: Texas AD Steve Patterson had been on the job less than two months when he hired Strong. OU athletic director Joe Castiglione had been on the job less than eight months when he hired Stoops.
DISSIMILARITIES I Geography: Strong grew up in Batesville, Ark., a town of about 10,000 in the northeast part of the state. Stoops grew up in the steel-mill city of Youngstown, Ohio. I First head coaching job: Strong’s first job was a good one, Louisville, though he felt he was overlooked for some jobs because of his race and his interracial marriage. Stoops turned down Louisville-level jobs to wait on a tradition-rich program like Oklahoma. I Sideline dispositions: Strong is stoic. Stoops is fiery. I Playing level: Strong played at Central Arkansas, when the Bears were in the NAIA. Stoops played at Iowa, when the Big Ten meant something. I Psychological assignment: Strong at Texas is charged with changing a soft and coddling culture. Stoops at OU was charged with changing the beaten-down attitude of his players.
OU-TEXAS COACHING DEBUTS First-time coaches are 8-8-1 in this series since 1945. I 1999: Bob Stoops, OU. The Sooners led 17-0 early, but the Longhorns rallied to win 38-28. Stoops would not lose in this series again until 2005. I 1998: Mack Brown, Texas. The Longhorns rolled 34-3. Fifteen years later, Brown would win his final OU-Texas game, too. But in between, he won just four. I 1996: John Blake, OU. The Sooners entered the game 0-5 but rallied from a 24-13 fourth-quarter deficit to win 30-27 in overtime. It was Blake’s finest hour. I 1995: Howard Schnellenberger, OU. The Sooners rallied for a 24-24 tie after trailing 21-0. It was Schnellenberger’s finest hour. I 1992: John Mackovic, Texas. Gary Gibbs’ string of close losses ended not with a win but a blowout defeat — UT rolled 34-24 in a game not nearly that close. Mackovic would go 3-2-1 vs. the Sooners, who otherwise in the ’90s went 0-4 in the series. I 1989: Gary Gibbs, OU. Texas rallied for a 28-24 victory, the first of three narrow defeats in the Cotton Bowl that came to define Gibbs’ six years as head coach. I 1987: David McWilliams, Texas. OU rolled 44-9. McWilliams eventually won three straight in the series, 1989-91, but even that was not enough to save his job. I 1977: Fred Akers, Texas. Texas won 13-6 in a game dominated by kicker/punter Russell Erxleben. Akers proved to be quite competitive with Barry Switzer, going 5-4-1 against OU. I 1973: Barry Switzer, OU. The Sooners rolled 52-13, the most dramatic debut in series history. Switzer would become OU’s greatest coach in this series, going 9-5-2, a winning percentage of .625, which Stoops can best with a victory this year. I 1967: Chuck Fairbanks, OU. Texas won 9-7, the only loss all season for the Sooners. Fairbanks eventually would lose four straight before two rousing wins. I 1966: Jim Mackenzie, OU: Mackenzie’s only OU-UT game ended with an 18-9 Sooner victory, the only OU victory between 1957 and 1971. Mackenzie died of a heart attack the next April. I 1964: Gomer Jones, OU. Jones had a winning record against Texas as Bud Wilkinson’s chief assistant for 16 years, but Texas won 28-7 in 1964 and again the next year, Jones’ lone seasons as head coach. I 1957: Darrell Royal, Texas. The Sooners won 21-7, but they wouldn’t win again until 1966. Royal finished 12-6-1 in the series, the best winning percentage of any coach with more than three games. I 1951: Ed Price, Texas. Texas won 9-7, but Price then would lose five straight in the series and give way to Royal. I 1947: Bud Wilkinson, OU. The Longhorns won 34-14, but Wilkinson would win nine of the next 10, the best Sooner stretch in series history. I 1947: Blair Cherry, Texas. The only modern-era game that matched new coaches for both schools. UT won 3414, but Cherry lost his next three and was fired. I 1946: Jim Tatum, OU. The Longhorns won 20-13 in Tatum’s only Sooner season. BY BERRY TRAMEL
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014
RED RIVER EXTRA
Stoops’ memories of his first Red River Rivalry game Earlier this week, Bob Stoops didn’t have many warm memories of his first Red River Showdown. “I remember being up 17-nothing and then ended up losing,” Stoops said. “And frustrated trying to get our guys to learn how to win and finish through a game.” Here’s a look at what Stoops had to say during his early days associ-
ated with the rivalry: I Before the 1999 game: “Everyone wants to tell you how important it is, I recognize that. I’m smarter than I look. I understand I won’t have a job next week if we don’t win. I’ve been around long enough.” “We’re a different team than last year and the year before and the year before that. Things change;
they’re a different team than they were. I don’t see how (history) does (matter). Every day is a new day. You’ve got to go out and earn your way every day and every year.” I After the 1999 game: “It was exciting. Great atmosphere. Great to see the stands split in half.” BY RYAN ABER
FROM PAGE 1B
stunning 36-20 upset in last year’s Red River game. “We understand … what a challenge it’ll be,” Stoops said of Saturday’s game. “Went down there a year ago and got beat by 16 points. We're still very aware of that.” Oklahoma’s dominance of the Big 12 Conference throughout much of the Stoops era was often predicated on Red River success. The Sooners won five straight games over the Longhorns from 2000-2004, and many of those games were top-10 clashes that often determined the Big 12 South champion. “For us, the stakes increased when they put us, in the old Big 12, in the same division,” Stoops said. “Not only in the same conference, in the same division, as opposed to being in nonconference game ahead of that.” The Big 12 dropped to a 10-team league and a round-robin schedule in 2011, perhaps taking some of those stakes out of the game, but Texas’ struggles over the final four years of the Mack Brown era also caused the game to lose some luster. The current streak of losses in the state of Texas began with the 2013 Cotton Bowl Classic — played in nearby Arlington — when Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M routed Oklahoma 41-13. Coincidentally, it’s a big win over
the Aggies that Stoops remembers from his first season at Oklahoma as one game that helped turn the tide with his program. The Sooners had blown big leads at Notre Dame and against Texas, and entered their Oct. 23 home game against Texas A&M as a heavy underdog. But Oklahoma jumped out to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter, led the Aggies 34-6 at halftime and went on to win 51-6. Texas A&M had beaten the Sooners four straight years before that game. “We got them pretty bad that day,” Stoops said. “You could sense then that was a big game for us at that time, for the way they had been beating us.” That same mentality has the Sooners extra-motivated for this season’s Red River Showdown. OU entered last year’s game against Texas as heavy favorites. Dating back to 2009, the Sooners have won 10 straight games over opponents they lost to the previous season, a streak that began with an Oct. 17, 2009 win over Texas. “They kinda walked all over us a year ago,” said defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. “They got after us, so anyone that's got any pride as a player, as an Oklahoma guy that knows what this game’s all about, we have to take that to the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.”
MORAL VICTORIES IN YEAR 1 Bob Stoops went 3-2 in his first five games as the OU coach. Charlie Strong went 2-3 in his first five games as the Texas coach. And something quite similar in both coaches’ starts. Optimism soared more in defeat than in victory. Stoops’ first five games I W — Indiana State, 49-0 I W — Baylor, 41-10 I W — at Louisville, 42-21 I L — at Notre Dame, 34-30 I L — Texas at Dallas, 38-28 The victory at Louisville invigorated OU with a sense of optimism. And the performances against Notre Dame and Texas enhanced that feeling in Sooner Nation — OU led 30-14 in South Bend and 17-0 in Dallas. In the ’90s, that was considered promising. Strong’s five-game results I W — North Texas 37-0 I L — Brigham Young 41-7 I L — UCLA at Arlington 20-17 I W — at Kansas 23-0 I L — Baylor 28-7 The Longhorns put up fights against both UCLA and Baylor, despite major quarterback issues. And of course, Strong can change his first-year script with an upset Saturday in the Cotton Bowl.
Treon Harris hopes to
Cowboys coach Mike Gundy has been touting the arrival of parity for years. It’s not only here, Gundy said this week, but it’s expanding to the point that almost no one is safe on Saturdays. Last week offered a prime example, with five of the AP’s top eight teams going down. Gundy singled out Arizona, which won at then-No. 2 Oregon, 31-24. The Wildcats are 5-0, yet had to hold on to beat UTSA 26-23, beat Nevada 35-28 and needed a desperation heave on the game’s final play to get past Cal 49-45. Until winning at Oregon, the ’Cats were unranked, then shot to No. 10 — the largest leap into the rankings since they expanded to 25 teams in 1989. “Arizona barely got out of San Antonio a month ago and they threw a Hail Mary to beat Cal,” Gundy said. “And they went into Oregon and for the most part controlled that game. And they were an unranked team. “I don’t think that anyone can figure out what’s going on week to week. It just proves to us and players and everybody, when you go into a Saturday, unless you’re really good, you have to play fairly well to get a win. “Everybody’s vulnerable for the most part.” Beware Kansas?
be reinstated on the Florida football team once authorities complete their investigation into a sexual assault allegation, his attorney told the Orlando Sentinel. Harris, a quarterback who steered UF to a win at Tennessee, has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities while the UF Police Department and Gainesville Police Department investigate a sexual battery allegation that occurred early Sunday morning. Harris also has been barred from campus and is limited to taking online courses. Huntley Johnson, Harris’ attorney, said he is confident his client will never be charged with a crime in connection with the sexual assault and battery claims. A combination of the criminal investigation and a student code of conduct review process with a lower burden of proof have clouded Harris’ future at UF.
BARNETT INTERESTED IN KANSAS JOB Former Colorado and Northwestern coach Gary Barnett is among those interested in the Kansas job. “Do I think I have a shot? I have no idea,” Barnett told CBSSports.com. “Who knows what they're going to look for. It's a natural for me in so many ways. It's something that I would really want to do but who
knows? They've got so many choices.” Kansas fired Charlie Weis on Sept. 28. The 68-year-old Barnett lives in the Phoenix area and does college football radio color commentary.
UCF BEATS BYU IN OVERTIME UCF needed a little extra time to finish off BYU. Justin Holman threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back William Stanback on the first possession of overtime to give UCF a 31-24 victory Thursday night. The Knights (3-2) jumped out to an early lead before overcoming a 14point deficit in the second half to extend the game. After UCF’s touchdown in overtime, Christian Stewart’s fourth-down pass for BYU (4-2) fell incomplete in the end zone to end the game.
WVU REINSTATES WORLEY West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen has reinstated cornerback Daryl Worley after the sophomore pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault in a nightclub altercation. Holgorsen announced the reinstatement Wednesday, clearing the way for Worley to be in uniform for the Mountaineers (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) when they play at Texas Tech (2-3, 0-2) on Saturday. Monongalia County Assistant Prosecutor Cindy Scott said Thursday
Frequently during the preseason, OSU defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer would shake his head in discussions with the media about how his rebuilt unit was progressing. Of course, Spencer cops to being something of a perfectionist. But he was replacing seven senior starters and a key backup with unproven players, so the consternation was reasonable. Through four games, Spencer is now confirming that the OSU defense has played better than anticipated. “Because of the unknown,” Spencer said. “You hope they can react when they’re out there and it’s on them. We had ups and downs in camp. Until they got together and got a game plan for another opponent … a lot of that comes into play. And then reacting off situations you’re given, the sudden-change situation, the turnovers or the quick three-and-outs. You have to react. That’s hard to simulate. You can’t simulate that in practice. “But we saw enough effort-wise and guys really playing hard and playing fast, that we’d have a chance. Now, that doesn’t guarantee anything. It just gives you a chance.”
QUOTABLE Gundy on who would go in at quarterback if Daxx Garman had his helmet knocked off and had to be replaced for a play: “You know, I don’t have to cross that bridge right now. We’ve taken that into consideration. We’d put a double chinstrap on him.”
KANSAS FOCUSES ON RUN GAME Kansas lost running back De’Andre Mann to injury early in last week’s loss to West Virginia, leaning on true freshman Corey Avery to carry the ground attack. Avery ran for 58 yards on 17 carries, answering some concerns about his durability, at 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds. He’ll remain a factor in the run game, although Mann is expected back against the Cowboys, and Jayhawks coaches say they’re trying to get receiver Tony Pierson involved. KU lost seniors Brandon Bourbon and Taylor Cox to season-ending injuries in the preseason, crippling its depth at the position. BY JOHN HELSLEY
Cowboys FROM PAGE 3B
BY BERRY TRAMEL
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK
ATTORNEY: HARRIS HOPES TO REMAIN AT FLORIDA
Gundy puts everyone on upset alert
SPENCER SAW POSITIVE SIGNS IN CAMP
Stoops: Sooners extra-motivated
Georgia star tailback Todd Gurley has been suspended indefinitely while the school investigates an alleged violation of NCAA rules. The school made the announcement Thursday, two days before the No. 13 Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) face No. 23 Missouri (4-1, 1-0) in a crucial Eastern Division game. Georgia officials did not reveal the alleged violation. A source told the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph that the investigation involved whether Gurley received money in exchange for his autograph or use of his likeness. That echoes a report by Fox Sports. SI.com reported that a person confirmed to Georgia’s compliance office this week that he paid Gurley $400 to sign 80 items on campus in Athens, Ga., one day this past spring. The person claimed to have a photo and video of Gurley signing the items. Gurley is considered one of the leading contenders for the Heisman Trophy. He leads Georgia with 773 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. In addition, he has 11 receptions and a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD.
9B
OSU FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK
Texas coach Mack Brown, right, greets OU coach Bob Stoops at midfield after the Sooners’ 65-13 victory on Oct. 11, 2003. Stoops’ teams won five straight Red River Rivalry games from 2000-2004, but the 2003 game had the largest margin of victory in series history. AP PHOTO
Georgia RB Gurley suspended
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Big 12 Standings Conference All Games W L PF PA W L PF PA
Baylor ................ Kansas St. ......... Oklahoma St. .. TCU .................... Oklahoma......... West Virginia .... Texas ................. Kansas............... Texas Tech......... Iowa St. .............
2 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3
77 77 82 37 78 66 30 14 49 76
35 41 55 33 70 59 28 56 90 118
5 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 1
0 1 1 0 1 2 3 3 3 4
255 204 196 171 212 183 92 75 148 110
62 105 128 54 103 129 96 134 200 169
Saturday’s Games West Virginia at Texas Tech, 11 a.m. Oklahoma vs. Texas at Dallas, 11 a.m. Toledo at Iowa State, 2:30 p.m. TCU at Baylor, 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma State at Kansas, 3 p.m.
that prosecutors recommended a six-month jail sentence, but a magistrate late Wednesday placed Worley on unsupervised probation until next August.
BRIEFLY Duke’s defensive line rotation will be a little thinner than desired for Saturday’s game at Georgia Tech. Starting defensive end Dezmond Johnson will miss his third straight game with a leg injury, and Jamal Wallace, who can play both tackle and end, is out with a lower body injury. ... Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly said that the five players held out of practices and the first five games of the season because of an academic dishonesty investigation will not be available again Saturday when the sixth-ranked Irish host North Carolina. The Chicago Tribune reported that none of the five are expected to return this season. COMPILED BY KENDALL MATTHEWS FROM WIRE REPORTS
Those four Kansas high school stars turned Cowboys: running back Joseph Randle (Wichita Southeast), cornerback Devin Hedgepeth (Derby), defensive end Trace Clark (Wichita Collegiate) and safety Jerel Morrow (Emporia). Randle blossomed into an All-Big 12 selection, and Hedgepeth was on pace for the same before his career was cut short by injury. Morrow was the top-rated Kansas prospect in the 2013 class, and Clark is currently part of a deep rotation of Cowboy defensive linemen this season. Since signing those recruits, the Cowboys brought in defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements — a former assistant at KU and KSU. And OSU plays two games in Kansas this season. It all adds up to future success plucking talent north of the border. And Kansas high school coaches have taken notice. “I think in the past there were a lot of times where Oklahoma schools didn’t think Kansas kids were really on the same par as other kids,” said Mike Gehrer, head coach at Wichita Collegiate, where Clark and walk-on OSU running back Raymond Taylor got their start. “I think they found out through time that isn’t true, that we do have kids that are capable of playing at a high level.” Corby Milleson is the first-year head coach at Emporia High School. He spent the previous 15 seasons as an assistant at a number of Wichita programs.
Milleson said OSU has become a more attractive option for Kansas recruits for all the obvious reasons — facility upgrades, uniform trends and recent success. But what’s made the Cowboys a major player in scooping recruits from in-state schools is a commitment to establishing a Kansas pipeline. And that connection is easy to maintain when all it takes is a couple hours to drive north on Interstate 35. “It helps if you’ve got a face that will pop into your school just to say hi,” Milleson said. “I’ll tell Joe Bob when he comes in that we probably don’t have anybody for him. He says, ‘That’s OK coach, I just want to see the kids and visit with you guys. Make sure we’re taking care of the things we can do to help you.’ They’ve done a great job of trying to build relationships. “To have coaches come in, express interest and really get to know you on a personal level speaks volumes for programs. Oklahoma State is not the only one who does it, but it’s huge.” Gundy said his staff normally crosses paths with KU, KSU, Nebraska and Arkansas on the Kansas recruiting trail, but that’s about it. Among OSU’s future Kansas targets is 2016 defensive end Amani Bledsoe out of Lawrence High School. Scout ranks the 6foot-5 and 265-pound prospect as a four-star recruit, and he’s already secured offers from the Cowboys, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas Tech and others. And who else but Clements, with all his Kansas ties, has recruited Bledsoe from the start.
10B
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
RED RIVER EXTRA
Five Sooners to watch
RYAN ABER TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT OU’S KEY PLAYERS HEADED INTO SATURDAY’S GAME. PHOTOS FROM AP AND THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES
TREVOR KNIGHT
SAMAJE PERINE
ERIC STRIKER
STERLING SHEPARD
ZACK SANCHEZ
Quarterback Knight is catching some heat after a string of lackluster performances, including in last week’s loss at TCU. He needs to prove that his dynamic Sugar Bowl performance against Alabama was not an aberration. Knight threw for 309 yards and a touchdown in the TCU game, but most of his positive moments came before halftime. After the break, Knight was just 8 of 23 for 79 yards and two interceptions. Knight did flash the running ability that helped win him the job last fall, with five carries for 28 yards. The Sooners didn’t use the zone read or any other quarterback-run look last year against Texas.
Running back When Keith Ford went down with a broken fibula late in the Tennessee game, there was plenty of uncertainty surrounding the Sooners’ running game. While they miss Ford — especially in the passing game — Samaje Perine, the true freshman from the Austin area, has proven he’s capable of carrying the load out of the backfield. In the last two games, Perine has 329 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. With Trevor Knight struggling a bit and the wide receiver group not showing much depth, Oklahoma will need to establish their running game early against Texas and that starts with Perine.
Linebacker Striker announced his presence on the college football landscape in this game last year with a memorable hit on Texas quarterback Case McCoy. The hit drew a personal foul penalty, but it showed just how quick Striker can be in getting to the quarterback. This time around, the Longhorns’ quarterback is a bit more mobile, but Striker should have all kinds of opportunities to make plays. This season, Striker has 29 tackles including a teamhigh 6.5 for a loss. No other Sooner has more than four. He also has three quarterback hurries while no other OU player has more than one.
Wide receiver Shepard has been phenomenal this season, racking up four consecutive 100-yard games and coming within two yards of Ryan Broyles’ school receiving mark for a game last week. The Sooners will have to continue to rely heavily on Shepard, both due to the great comfort level between he and Trevor Knight and the lack of other consistent playmakers in the passing game. Last season in this game, Shepard had a 24-yard carry on Oklahoma’s first offensive play but didn’t touch the ball again the rest of the day. OU also needs Shepard to make strides quickly in the punt return game. He’s averaging just 5.7 yards per return.
Cornerback Sanchez has heard al the criticisms of his recent play and said he’s harder on himself than anyone else, calling his tackling issues of late “unacceptable.” He also allowed a critical third-down conversion in last week’s loss to TCU as he went for an interception instead of making a play on the receiver first. While Texas figures to pound the ball on the ground, it will have to take some shots downfield, figuring to go Sanchez’s way plenty. The Sooners need solid play on the back end to give their rush time to get to inexperienced Texas quarterback Tyrone Swoopes.
Five Longhorns to watch
JASON KERSEY TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT UT’S KEY PLAYERS HEADED INTO SATURDAY’S GAME PHOTOS FROM AP AND THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES
JOHNATHAN GRAY
MALCOLM BROWN
QUANDRE DIGGS
TYRONE SWOOPES
JAXON SHIPLEY
Running back Gray, a junior, is the Longhorns’ leading rusher, with 301 yards and a touchdown through five games so far this season. He’s averaging 60.2 yards per game. He rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown in last week’s loss to Baylor. Gray was part of Texas’ two-man running back duo — both of whom are back this year — that ran through the Oklahoma defense in last season’s 36-20 upset. He carried the ball 29 times for 123 yards in the Cotton Bowl last season.
Running back Brown, a senior, and Gray teamed up to run through the Oklahoma defense a year ago, and both are back under first-year coach Charlie Strong. Brown, a former five-star prospect who was Rivals’ No. 1-ranked running back in 2011, has never quite lived up to the hype. The senior has rushed for 246 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Last year against the Sooners, Brown recorded 23 carries for 120 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. If the Longhorns want to pull a second-straight Red River upset, Brown and Gray will have to bring that sort of effort again.
Cornerback Diggs, a senior, is one of the best players on this Texas team and one of the best defensive backs in the Big 12. He’s recorded 23 tackles and two interceptions through five games. The two-time All-Big 12 selection will probably line up quite a bit against Oklahoma star Sterling Shepard. Considering Shepard has been the only standout receiver for the Sooners thus far, that matchup could go a long way in determining how effective the Oklahoma offense can be in the Cotton Bowl.
Quarterback The sophomore was thrust into Texas’ starting quarterback role after David Ash’s career-ending concussion earlier this season, and is clearly still adjusting to big-time college football. Swoopes seems to be getting more comfortable leading the Longhorns. Last week against Baylor, he rushed for a career-high 40 yards. For the season, Swoopes has completed 59.4 percent of his pass attempts for 734 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Swoopes will make his first appearance in the Red River Showdown, so his nerves could play a major factor in the Longhorns’ upset chances. If he limits his mistakes and takes care of the ball, Texas has a chance. If not, the Sooners could roll.
Wide receiver The senior leads Texas with 29 receptions this season, but has yet to find the end zone through five games. He’s the younger brother of former Longhorns standout Jordan Shipley, who caught 11 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown — and also returned a kickoff for a score — against the Sooners in the 2008 Red River game. Shipley also returns punts for the Longhorns, averaging 9.2 yards in that category. Daje Johnson took a punt back 85 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of last year’s Red River game, so that’s definitely an area Oklahoma will have to focus on. Against the Sooners last season, Shipley caught five passes for 59 yards.
OU NOTEBOOK
Sanchez understands criticism Oklahoma cornerback Zack Sanchez hears the criticisms from fans on his tackling of late. “It boils me sometimes, I’m not going to lie,” Sanchez said. “At the end of the day, I know what I’ve got to do and I know what I’m capable of.” Sanchez struggled with tackles during the Tennessee and West Virginia games after suffering a shoulder injury against Tulsa. Sanchez said tackling wasn’t a problem for him against TCU. The problem on one play that looked like a missed tackle was actually Sanchez going for an interception instead of making the tackle on a TCU third-down try.
“One game you can go out and have three picks and you’re the best corner in the league and you go out the next week and give up 70 yards and a touchdown and you’re the worst guy that’s ever stepped on the football field,” Sanchez said. “It’s definitely like quarterback. … It just comes with the territory. You’ve got to have thick skin — very thick skin — to play this position.”
SOONERS HOPING BOUNCE-BACK STREAK CONTINUES Under Bob Stoops, Oklahoma has a pretty good record coming off losses. Only once during Stoops’ 15 previous seasons have the Sooners dropped back-to-back games. In Stoops’ first season, Okla-
homa lost to Notre Dame a week before falling to Texas. Sooner tight end Blake Bell said part of the reason for OU’s success after a loss has been its ability to take lessons from the losses while moving past them quickly. “For the time I’ve been here, it seems like when we’ve lost it’s been like reality setting in,” Bell said. “We just lost a game and no one wants that to happen, but you have to keep moving forward. You can’t keep thinking about the past.”
“You’re always going to have that loss in the back of your head,” Shepard said. “It was a big one last year and we came up short. No one wants to take that two-hour bus drive back to Norman feeling like that. My first year, we blew them out of the water and the bus ride back was great. We got to go to the fair. Last year, coaches were saying, ‘Let’s set the record getting out of here.’”
SHEPARD HOPING FOR A BETTER RIDE
Harley Clark, the man credited with creating Texas’ “Hook ’em Horns” hand signal, died Thursday. He was 78. Clark was a Texas cheerleader who started using the hand
Sooners wide receiver Sterling Shepard remembers the long, quiet bus ride from Dallas to Norman last year.
‘HOOK ’EM’ HAND SIGN CREATOR DIES
Harley Clark gives the Hook ’em Horns sign during a 2005 event that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Hook ’em Horns. AP PHOTO signal at a 1955 pep rally before the Longhorns’ game vs. TCU. He went on to become a lawyer and was appointed as a district judge in Texas in 1977. BY RYAN ABER AND JASON KERSEY