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BAKE WALK
Bedlam beatdown cements Mayfield’s Heisman hopes BRADY VARDEMAN
assistant sports editor @BradyVardeman
STILLWATER, Okla. — No. 3 Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) grasped an outright Big 12 title Saturday for the first time in five years, completing the journey of a team that had little-to-no preseason expectations and, in all likelihood, propelling the
Sooners into the College Football Playoff. But for quarterback Baker Mayfield, there’s one more item on his checklist before his team begins postseason play — earn an invite to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Mayfield stepped out of the locker room after the Sooners’ 58-23 demolition of No. 11 Oklahoma State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) still sporting a giant grin
stuck between two tails of a handlebar mustache. “It’s a new QB thing here at Oklahoma,” he said. “We’re doing it for Bedlam week. We’re the real outlaws.” The Sooners secured their position at the top of the state as well as the Big 12 Saturday behind Mayfield’s 180 yards and two scores on 17-of-25 passing. He added 77 yards and one more touchdown on the
Pae, Lutter recruiting reps SGA leaders looking for people to fill their cabinet BRIANNA SIMS news reporter @briannana18
OU Student Government President and Vice President Daniel Pae and Michael Lutter are beginning to compile a representative team to help them serve their terms in SGA. The applications for Pae and Lutter’s cabinet are all online through OrgSync and will be due on Dec. 4 at 11:59 p.m, according to Pae. “We’ll have a whole bunch of interviews during dead week, and we’ll make our final decisions the week before Christmas break,” Pae said. Pae and Lutter sat down and discussed the structure of their cabinet to ensure that it encompasses
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everyone on campus. “We’re going to have a Chief of Staff, an Executive Assistant, a L egislative Assistant, then four departments : Department of Interior that will focus on campus-wide issues ; a Department of Exterior that will focus on city and state issues, particularly with the sales tax that will be a big campaign in the spring; Department of Communications that will reach out to the student body; and finally, a Department of Inclusivity that will reach out to multicultural and minority groups to make sure they’re represented and to make sure SGA has diversity among the branches,” Pae said. Pae and Lutter said the applications are open to anyone and everyone who is willing to apply.
JESSE POUND news editor @jesserpound
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SEE MAYFIELD PAGE 6
Facilities budget steadily climbing Increase due to prices of power, heat, water, light
SEE RECRUITING PAGE 2 Daniel Pae and Michael Lutter speak at the peace rally on Nov. 20. The pair is creating a representative team to help them serve their terms in SGA.
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ground. Oklahoma’s primetime Bedlam victory was the third chapter in Mayfield’s recently-emerged Heisman campaign, pushed by everyone from fans to the OU athletic department on social media with the hashtag #Baker4Heisman since the Sooners’ 44-34 victory over Baylor Nov. 14.
The budget for OU Facilities Management has increased by over 42 percent since fiscal year 2010 and now totals more than $48 million. The biggest growth sector of the budget has been power, water, heat and light, which has increased by more than $10 million during that time frame. This increase is due to upgrades to the utility system, including Utility Plant #4, OU Press Secretary Corbin Wallace said in an email. Utility Plant #4, which also includes a water cooling component, costs
over $70 million, said Brian Ellis, director of Facilities Management. The 15 megawatt plant, which lies directly south of the construction site for the new residence halls, produces additional power for the university, complementing a preexisting plant that had been around since 1947. Utility Plant #4 was completed in the fall of 2011, Ellis said. Eventually, the new plant may fully replace the old one, Ellis said. “The intent is really to make Utility Plant #4 become the new central plant for the university,” Ellis said. The office of the director saw large increases between FY10 and FY12 before steadying. SEE BUDGET PAGE 2
OU YAK OF THE DAY “Not mentally ready for the flood of people trying to get back on campus”
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NEWS RECRUITING: Continued from Page One
“We want you to apply whether or not people have prior experience with SGA, because we know some people are freshman that are interested in getting involved or the person hasn’t had a chance to get involved with SGA thus far,” Lutter said. As far as what they are looking for in cabinet members, Pae and Lutter said they want a group of passionate people in all four departments. In the individual departments, however, they qualities they are looking for
are different. “It depends on the department,” Lutter said. “With the communications, we want them to really try to push the brand of SGA so that people know what SGA is doing for them on a daily basis. We want people with experience. Our communications team during our campaign did such a great job, and we want to take that to a whole other level, so that people know what SGA is able to do. For interior, we are looking for event-oriented people who can work with things like Turn Up for Transit. The exterior is kind of neat because they will be coordinating a lot of service projects here in Norman that we’re going to try to initiate. So it
AVAILABLE CABINET POSITIONS Chief of Staff
Department of Exterior
Executive Assistant
Department of Communications
Legislative Assistant Department of the Interior
Department of Inclusivity
Page Jones, news managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
really depends on the department on what people are interested in SGA.” There will also be a five-person selection committee comprised of Pae and Lutter and leaders of different multicultural groups and greek organizations to ensure representation among their cabinet members. “We don’t want our panel to just be our friends or people we have worked with in the past,” Lutter said. “We want it to be representative of the student body.” Pae and Lutter said they ultimately want to improve the students’ overall experience here at OU. “Michael and I aren’t Batman and Superman,” Pae said. “We can’t be in every place at once, so we want a great team of people behind us consisting of a representative cabinet with the best and brightest minds on this campus. We want to make a difference.”
JESSE POUND/THE DAILY
Brianna Sims Brianna.M.Sims-1@ou.edu
JESSE POUND/THE DAILY
BUDGET: Continued from Page One
Wallace said in an email the increase was due to budget realignment. The office of the director had previously been using money from another sector to pay for its needs, and the new budget more accurately reflects the office’s expenditures. “Those salaries and things were being paid
NOOR EEMAAN/THE DAILY
Daniel Pae and Michael Lutter prepare to speak at the peace rally on Nov. 20. The pair is seeking seven cabinet members to help them serve their terms in SGA.
essentially through our overhead charges, which reduced the amount of maintenance we could do with our maintenance funds,” Ellis said. There is only about $5,000 w o r t h o f d i s c re t i o na r y spending in the budget for the office of the director, Ellis said. “I don’t think I’ve really used all that much,” Ellis said. All sectors of the facilities management budget increased during this time frame, including the budget for landscape and grounds,
which increased by more than $1.2 million. Tuition and fees at OU and other colleges across t h e c o u n t r y h av e b e e n steadily increasing as states slash funding for higher education. OU President David Boren recently proposed raising the sales tax in the state to help fund higher education. Jesse Pound jesserpound@gmail.com
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Page Jones, news managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
Focusing in on minorities CLASSIFIEDS Program works to support firstgeneration students
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Home for Rent Tenant pays bills Lease runs to 30 June 2016 Pet & Smoke Free Application fee $25 One month’s rent security deposit 907 Parsons available 5 November 1 bedroom small house 1 person 3 Blocks from OU No washer/dryer hookup Gas Heat, Window air $550 809 Comanche available now 2 Bedroom house 10 minute walk to OU Washer/ dryer, Gas Heat, Window air $750 Call 360-3850
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D’Andre Fisher, special assistant to the vice president for the university community, attends an event hosted by BSA on Nov. 12. Fisher created the George McLaurin Leadership Initiative.
D.C. The history of George McLaurin outlines what the conference is really about, he said, and the underlying meaning of the conference is to focus on young men of color. “Not just AfricanAmerican students — we have Hispanic students (and) we have some Caucasian males who are a part of our conference as well. So, we’re very broad and open,� Fisher said.
“You have to be your biggest cheerleader, and you can’t let anyone put you in a box.� D’ANDRE FISHER, ASSISTANT TO VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
Fisher said for the third annual conference, which will take place from April 14-17, the renowned Marc Lamont Hill will be a special guest. “He is known around the nation for his dynamic speaking ability — for him being a social agent of change. So it’s going to be really big for this campus to get someone like him,� Fisher said. He said around 100 men will attend the conference. The next conference will also introduce a sister-branch of the initiative, which has not been given an official name yet, to focus specifically on women, Fisher said. “This year we’re bringing out the women’s conference as well. It’s the sister conference that’s going to gear toward first-generation women of color — really trying to help those women and giving those young ladies the support they need in transitioning from high school to college,� he said. Today, Fisher said he mentors around 50 students. “We’re tracking these students. We had a 91 percent retention rate from freshman to sophomore year already with these young men. We’re going to track the graduation rate and make sure they graduate in four years,� he said. Human relations sophomore Tion Grant said the program has had a significant impact on his grades. “We have study hall every Sunday, and he sees us,� Grant said. “If we need anything, we just call him. If we need help with an assignment, a job or any advice,
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we just go to him. He points us toward people to talk to, basically.â€? “It helped me through my freshman year. It kind of opened my eyes to college ‌ the program gives you access to people or individuals who you might not meet on a daily basis. It really opened doors for me,â€? he said. Grant said he was not planning on attending OU until Fisher reached out to him during a conference. This is true of other students as well. Human relations sophomore Isaiah Flowers said he was planning on going to a smaller university before meeting Fisher because he wasn’t sure he could get into OU. “He’s been a mentor, and plus, he’s been the person I go to when I need help,â€? Flowers said. Flowers said aside from Sunday night study hall, he regularly stops in Fisher’s office throughout the week. “We’re all brothers; we’re all there for you if you’re going through a rough time. It’s just a good thing to have a group of people who want you to succeed and want you to do great. In everyday life, Mr. Fisher is a great person to put you in connection with people that will help you,â€? he said. Flowers said the program isn’t just beneficial for African-American or Hispanic students but is helpful for any first-generation college student. Mechanical engineering freshman Adan Gutierrez said Fisher helped him out with scholarships. “He played a big role in me
coming to OU, because he was my recruiter,� Gutierrez said. “If you have one bad grade in your class, he tells you ‘Hey man, you need to get your work up, and if you need any help, I can get you some tutors.’ He will help us get tutors on campus, know where to go, where to locate you to,� Gutierrez said. Fisher said the initiative has progressed as more than just a mentorship. “There’s not a day that goes by that these young men do not come to our office, and we love it,� Fisher said. “For me to see this now, I’m amazed. I’m amazed at how we’re able to stay connected with these young men. I’m amazed at how vice president Shumate has just jumped in and took this under his wing,� he said. “Me just being able to relate as an African-American male, or young man of color — being able to relate to these young men and wishing I had, when I was at the University of Oklahoma, somebody who just really keyed in on seeing me be successful,� Fisher said. He said he advises students to believe in themselves. “You have to be your biggest cheerleader, and you can’t let anyone put you in a box. That would be the biggest thing I would tell any student,� Fisher said.
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Yo u n g m e n a c r o s s Oklahoma are being recruited from high schools and brought to OU through the George McLaurin Leadership Initiative, which was created by D’Andre Fisher, special assistant to OU Vice President for the University Community Jabar Shumate. The initiative focuses on students from high schools with high African-American and Hispanic populations, Fisher said. Most of the schools they choose to recruit from have a large population of AfricanAmerican and Hispanic students as well as first-generation college students, he said. Once on campus, the students regularly meet with Fisher for studying and socializing, Fisher said. “Every Sunday, we have a study hall. The first class that came in 2014 — that are sophomores now — are mentoring the freshman now,� he said. “It’s very much a bonding within the organization. It’s very much a mentorship, a brotherhood and just finding people who you can relate to who actually are there to help and get you through that hill,� Fisher said. Fisher said he developed the program with Trey Moore, associate director for Diversity Enrichment Programs. He said he and Moore came together with a handson approach to the OU community and the recruited students. “I’ve been more of the lead, but we came together to get this going when I was in Diversity Enrichment Programs when it first started almost two years ago in 2014,� he said. The initiative was originally called the Black Male Development Initiative, but it changed names for symbolic reasons, Fisher said. “George McLaurin was the first African-American male who was admitted into the university,� Fisher said. “ We d e c i d e d t hat w e would name this program after him ... the foundation of why it was created is knowing the rate of African-American males going to college is a lot lower than any other minority group —on top of actually graduating,� he said. Fisher said it’s symbolic for what they’re looking for in the initiative. “(It’s good) for these young men to see someone who has done it — someone who has overcame obstacles being the first African-American male here at this university to be admitted,� Fisher said. Fisher said the initiative also hosts an annual conference, which recruits high school students from Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Dallas, Houston and Washington,
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HOROSCOPE By Eugenia Last
Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -Someone will try to meddle in your YouĘźll have to think fast and be personal affairs. DonĘźt share your willing to eliminate whatever is problems with peers or anyone who holding you back. Your intuition and could put you in a vulnerable posiprecision will be tough to beat and tion by blabbing your secrets. will help you drum up the support you need to advance. DonĘźt be shy. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Stop Flaunt your ideas and attributes, and think before you take a risk and set your plans in motion. that could lead to an unstable emotional or professional situation. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Overdoing it in any way will lead -- DonĘźt offer your time or cash to loss. to outsiders or you will be taken advantage of. Your personal respon- CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Making sibilities will keep you busy. Get home improvements or hosting a your priorities straight. function at your place will bring you great satisfaction and joy. The CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- In results of your hospitality will lead order to get something from others, to advancement. Romance is on you have to offer incentives. A the rise. personal business proposition can help you raise your income. Form LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Travel and an alliance with someone who has communication are favored. Keepsomething interesting to contribute. ing busy will help you get ahead and avoid a spat with someone AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) near and dear to you. A decision -- Gossip or personal secrets will regarding a loved one will help you undermine your reputation. DonĘźt move forward. express your thoughts openly or share confidences with colleagues. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- DonĘźt You will benefit most if you finish make unrealistic promises or expect what you start before moving on. too much from others. Take care of details on your own in order to PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Picking avoid disappointment. Arguing is a up new skills or experiences will waste of time. boost your earning potential. Finishing what you start will be LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Stop wafyour ticket to success. Socialize with fling and start doing things. Waiting friends who inspire and challenge for someone else to take the lead you. will set you back. If you step up and make things happen, youĘźll be ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You proud of your accomplishments. will attract positive attention if you take an enthusiastic approach to SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Pay whatever you do. Offer assistance homage to the people you love the to those in need in order to build most. Plan something unique that a strong support system. Love will bring everyone closer together conquers all. and help set a new tradition in place.
Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker November 30, 2015
ACROSS 1 Matriarchs 6 Adventurous, heroic story 10 Cleaning substance 14 To no ___ (worthless) 15 Press, as a shirt 16 “Cogito ___ sum� 17 First National of Wyoming? 20 Nobleman, informally 21 Where Jesus grew up 22 Do-ityourselfer’s genre 25 Holographer’s beam 26 Id’s counterpart 30 Hawaiian dance 32 Pollen, e.g. 35 Make do? 41 Independence Day colors 43 Rent collector 44 Bahamas cruise stop 45 Word with “miracle� or “wonder� 47 Die pip 48 Prone to backtalk 53 Eschew a big wedding 56 Where some are young 58 Mount for Noah 63 Maryland’s state flowers 11/30
66 Long, angry complaint 67 Made a mockery of? 68 Ravens tight end Dennis 69 Makes inquiries 70 Tuna-andcheese sandwich 71 Nonlethal weapon, usually DOWN 1 Legendary Angelou 2 Say it isn’t faux 3 Bamako’s country 4 Is under the weather 5 A deadly sin 6 She may be bro kin? 7 “How Great Thou ___� 8 Number with 100 zeroes 9 Visitor to Siam 10 Restored photo, perhaps 11 Doctorate exams 12 Be in concurrence 13 Hand-raising activity? 18 Pursue amorously 19 90-degree shape 23 Stimulate, as one’s appetite 24 Pleasing to the ear
26 Viscount’s superior 27 Cheerfulness 28 Bygone automaker 29 Performs stitchery 31 Pimples 33 P, on a fraternity sweater 34 ___ one’s loins 36 Poem of praise 37 Broadband speed letters 38 Alka-Seltzer sound? 39 100-cent unit 40 Native of Latvia 42 Golden Fleeceseeker’s vessel 46 Correct, as a manuscript
48 Native-born Israeli 49 Collection of maps 50 Beef cut 51 Religious spin-offs 52 Talk, talk, talk 54 Faux ___ 55 Let out the lava 57 500 sheets of paper 59 Marco Polo crossed it 60 Charlie Brown expression 61 Kitty starter 62 Nicholas I or II, e.g. 64 Unagi, at a sushi restaurant 65 Banned bug-killer
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• Monday, November 30, 2015
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• Monday, November 30, 2015
SPORTS
Dillon Hollingsworth, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
Pokes down, playoffs up
Improbable regular season ends with conference title SPENSER DAVIS football reporter @Davis_Spenser
S T I L LWAT E R , O k l a . — Oklahoma arrived at Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday with all of its goals within reach. It was a dream that seemed unattainable just seven weeks ago as the Sooners fell in Dallas. Aspirations that once seemed unrealistic were there for the taking. “We were in danger of being a failure again,” senior center Ty Darlington said. G e t t i n g t o t h i s p o i nt was an uphill battle for the Sooners. Oklahoma dropped to No. 19 in the AP poll after losing to Texas 24-17 on Oct. 10. “We took a big time look in the mirror after that game,” Darlington said. “That Sunday, the next day, was a miserable day.” A Big 12 championship seemed like it would escape the Sooners again, their last outright conference title coming in 2010. A playoff berth wasn’t anywhere on the radar. Oklahoma rebounded.
TYLER WOODWARD/THE DAILY
Oklahoma celebrates at midfield after Saturday’s 58-23 win over OSU in Stillwater. OU secured its ninth Big 12 championship and a trip to the College Football Playoff.
Th e S o o n e rs p o ste d 5 0 points in five of their next seven games, winning each by double digits save for a one-point victory over TCU. “We fight,” Sanchez said. “Sixty minutes. Don’t care who you are or what numbers you put up or who
“I’m very proud of this team. I’m very surprised that we all came together the way that we did. I’ve never been a part of something like this and it’s a very different experience. I love it. ” DRU SAMIA, FRESHMAN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
you’ve played. It’s you and us, right here for that 60 minutes.” “We dug deep and realized how good of a team we are,” junior cornerback Zack Sanchez said. With each win, the Sooners crawled further up the rankings. As OU faced and eventually took down the other giants of the Big 12 — Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State — its stock rose. “We’ve said all year ‘it’s about us,’” Darlington said. “It’s always about us. When we play to the best of our ability, we can play with
What’s next for the Sooners? No. 3 Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) looks to be headed to the College Football Playoff after its 58-23 victory over No. 11 Oklahoma State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) in Stillwater on Saturday. With a week of regular season left to play for the rest of the country, here are the Sooners’ potential playoff destinations.
SEMIFINALS: CAPITAL ONE ORANGE BOWL (Miami, Florida — Dec. 31 — 3 or 7 p.m. ESPN) If Clemson improves to 13-0 with a victory in the ACC title game Dec. 5, there is little chance the Tigers would fall from the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff Rankings. By proximity, they would play their semifinal in Miami against the No. 4 team in the country.
GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL (Arlington, Texas — Dec. 31 — 3 or 7 p.m. ESPN) If Clemson lands in the Orange Bowl, the No. 2 and 3 teams in the country will be pitted in Cowboys Stadium for the Cotton Bowl. As the rankings stand, Alabama and Oklahoma would face off in this semifinal.
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anybody in the country. It doesn’t matter who you put against us, we’re going to be able to play with anybody.” Oklahoma proved t hat aga i n w i t h i t s w i n over Oklahoma State on Saturday night. Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon led the way, both exceeding 130 yards on the ground. Baker Mayfield made plays when he needed to, throwing for a pair of touchdowns and 180 yards. The game got away from the Cowboys in the second quarter. Oklahoma posted 30 points in that period, taking a 44-20 lead to the
locker room. With just one half standing in between OU and all of its goals, the Sooners finished the game. “I’m very proud of this team,” true freshman Dru Samia said. “I’m very surprised that we all came together the way that we did. I’ve never been a part of something like this, and it’s a very different experience. I love it.” OU’s season has been nothing if not surprising since the Texas loss. “Oct. 10 was not Oklahoma,” Sanchez said. “We decided from that point on that we weren’t going to
lose another Big 12 game.” Sanchez and Oklahoma did just that. “The resolve within ours e l ve s— w e d e c i d e d w e weren’t going to be like last year and let one loss turn into five,” Darlington said. “We were going to be exceptional.” Spenser Davis davis.spenser@ou.edu
6
SPORTS
• Monday, November 30, 2015
Spangler’s evolution fuels OU Senior forward leads Sooners past Wisconsin Badgers JOHN WALKER
men’s basketball reporter @jtw2213
S e n i o r f o r w a rd Ry a n Spangler’s decision to transfer to Oklahoma was more of a footnote than a headline at the time. The former Bulldog was fighting to be a part of Gonzaga’s rotation. Spangler averaged a mere two points and two rebounds in just over six minutes of play. Now Spangler has evolved into a consistent, versatile player for the Sooners — shown off by his season-high 20-point, 14-rebound game against a tough Wisconsin Badger defense Sunday. “I shot this morning, and it felt pretty good,” Spangler said. “Coach (Kruger) always
“Ryan worked hard on that part of his game. He knows that’s just going to complement everything else that he does.” LON KRUGER, COACH
MAYFIELD: Continued from Page One “I keep telling (Mayfield) he’s not going to get my public endorsement, but this is it, I guess,” OU center Ty Darlington said. “I publicly endorse Baker Mayfield for Heisman — hashtag Shake and Bake
tells me that if I’m open to knock down that first look to gain confidence for the rest of the game, and that’s what I did today.” Spangler’s performance in the Sooners 65-48 win epitomized the improvements in his game since his first year with the program. Spangler registered his third double-double in four games this season. He contributed to the Sooners holding the Badgers to just 10 points in the paint. He scored a pair of open three-pointers in the first half, effectively disgruntling Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan. “We knew he could shoot,” Ryan said of Spangler. “We got too much separation.” Coming to the program in 2013-14, Spangler established himself early as a gritty forward and a rebounding addict but not much of a scoring factor beyond clean up duty around the paint. Spangler gained a bit of notoriety in his first season with the Sooners, leading the Big 12 conference in rebounding with 9.3 rebounds per game. He became the symbol of grit and toughness for the developing Oklahoma team in his first two seasons. The Bridge Creek, Oklahoma, native served as the classic lunch-pail player,
outhustling the opposition for points on offense and anchoring the interior with his strength and rebounding on defense. But Spangler spent his first two seasons at Oklahoma with go-to scorers in the frontcourt. Whether the focus was on the perime t e r- o r i e n t e d f o r w a r d Cameron Clark or inside-out big man TaShawn Thomas, Spangler ranked toward the bottom of the scoring hierarchy. But with the growing forward Khadeem Lattin taking the fifth spot in the starting lineup this season, the scoring spotlight has shifted to Spangler. Spangler has focused on expanding his shooting range for a while, but this year he has brought his three-point shooting out of practice and into the games. As a result, Spangler has connected on 50 percent of his shots from the perimeter through four games this season. “Ryan worked hard on that part of his game,” coach Lon Kruger said. “He knows that’s just going to complement everything else that he does.” Spangler has become the team’s Swiss Army knife, and his newfound shooting range can further stretch the
— and everything he brings to the table. I’m so proud to be blocking for him.” While Mayfield has been avoiding pass rushers and throwing touchdowns — 33 to be exact — all season long, he added a new dimension to his Heisman candidacy early in the second quarter. As running back Joe Mixon reversed field after taking a handoff, Mayfield
looked downfield for someone to block. He ended up putting Oklahoma State cornerback Ashton Lampkin on his face. “Blocking’s a thing that I used to love doing in high school,” Mayfield said. “I put a couple of those on my high school highlight tape.” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has remained coy about his quarterback’s ca n d i da c y f o r nat i o na l
CHRISTOPHER MICHIE/THE DAILY
Senior forward Ryan Spangler eyes the basket during Sunday night’s game against Wisconsin at the Lloyd Noble Center. Spangler earned a double-double and scored a team high 20 points in the Sooner’s 65-48 victory over the Badgers.
floor in Kruger’s offense. His perimeter shooting alleviates pressure from his teammates and vice versa. “(Spangler) is so
aggressive attacking the ball senior guard Buddy Hield and driving and kicking, and said. now he’s making shots so that keeps us flowing and John Walker opens up the game for us,” john.t.walker-1@ou.edu
awards since Mayfield’s campaign began, often sticking to praise for his performance on the field. Now that OU’s regular season is over, Stoops came out of his shell. “I would think he’d be as deserving as anybody in the country,” Stoops said. “I’m never one to say any one guy is. There’s still some games to play here. He has to be right up there at the
top with everybody.” First-year offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley went a step further. “I think he’s the best player in the country,” Riley said. In the midst of praise from teammates and coaches alike just minutes after OU secured its ninth Big 12 title, the former walk-on stood surrounded by reporters, beaming below his
handlebar mustache, and soaked in everything he accomplished in his first year as starting quarterback. “There’s a new sheriff in town,” he said. Brady Vardeman bradyvardeman@gmail.com