Dec. 2-8, 2019

W E E K LY E D I T I O N | D E C E M B E R 2 - 8 , 2 0 19 | O U D A I LY. C O M

OU DAILY

NEWS

CULTURE

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Oklahoma teachers reflect on state’s education nearly two years after walkout

Member of OU Board of Regents accused of embezzlement

SPORTS

OU defense makes big plays against Oklahoma State in Bedlam game

Manufacturing company accuses OU Regent Phil Albert of embezzling over $7.4 million

One step closer for Sooners

OU playoff hopes remain high after strong showing in fifth-straight Bedlam victory CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Senior quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with OU fans after winning the Bedlam game Nov. 30.

@GeorgeStoia

Rat Poison.

That’s what Jalen Hurts and No. 7 Oklahoma think of the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn. That’s also what they think of all this College Football Playoff talk.

For the Sooners, who just put together their best performance of the season in a 34-16 win over No. 21 Oklahoma State, they’re focused on being 1-0 each week.

“Sounds like rat poison to me,” Hurts said. “Got to focus on Baylor this week.”

With No. 5 Alabama and No. 8 Minnesota falling Saturday, Oklahoma’s playoff hopes are as high as ever. The only thing that stands in the Sooners’ way is Baylor in the Big 12 Championship, a oneloss Utah and the potential for an upset in the SEC Championship game between No. 2 LSU and No. 4 Georgia.

Oklahoma doesn’t necessarily control its own destiny, but it has to be feeling optimistic with the way things are playing out. As for themselves, well, the Sooners are playing their best ball of the season.

“We know the intent that we have, the standard we have and how we want to play, the style of football we want to play,” Hurts said. “It’s about going out there and executing and finishing. Talk about maybe finishing drives or finishing football plays or finishing games in general.

That’s what we want to do, and I think we

took another step with that today. Room to improve like always, but we’ll take this win.”

Since losing to Kansas State, Oklahoma had played inconsistently. It needed a Parnell Motley interception on a 2-point conversion to beat Iowa State, 42-41. It needed a historic 25-point comeback to beat Baylor, 34-31. And it needed a late interception by Brendan “Bookie” RadleyHiles to beat TCU, 28-24.

But Saturday, against maybe one of their toughest opponents this season, the Sooners put it all together — offense, defense, special teams.

“It was great. It’s fun. I mean, the other ones are fun, too, but certainly nice to win one with a little bit of a comfortable margin,” coach Lincoln Riley said. “I think you’re constantly evolving. I mean, there’s a lot of things we’re doing really, really well right now, and we can still play a lot better, too. We’re excited about that. I know our best is still out there, and we’re chasing that, but we’re taking some big steps.”

Oklahoma, unlike in years past, is winning games on the back of its defense.

First-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has completely rebuilt a Sooner defense that finished 101st in total defense a year ago.

This year? 26th.

“The thing I notice is they’re talking like us now. They talk like the coaching staff,” Grinch said. “They’re saying the things before we have to say them, in terms of avoiding the noise and not making

evaluations, that’s been a big part of it.

You can only win the game in the fourth quarter. All those things we keep kind of hitting them over the head with, now they’re hitting us with them, which is a positive.”

Grinch has changed the culture at Oklahoma defensively, but he knows there’s still more games to play.

“

Whether it’s by one, whether it’s by 40, whatever it is. You have to win big games in November.

“

GEORGE STOIA

-Lincoln Riley, OU head coach

“I won’t go there,” Grinch said. “I won’t go there ‘cause we got one game left, and we talked about one-game evaluations, and we’re going to stick to that as we go.

I thought tonight was good and we got to play our best game, and it is going to require our best game to call us champions.”

As for Riley’s offense, it’s changed. He’s impressively taken Hurts and completely changed his offense to cater to Hurts’ running skillset. Riley has turned the Sooners into one of the best ground attacks in college football.

Riley’s offense, while it doesn’t look like his offenses of the past, is hitting its stride

at the perfect time.

“I think some of it’s been just the way the games have gone here as of late. I think some of it is what was a new, inexperienced offensive line is starting to come together and do some really, really good things, and then I think settling in on Kennedy (Brooks) on the feature back has been part of it,” Riley said. “We’ve always wanted to get him involved. Like I’ve said, there’s going to be points in the season where we’re gonna have to have him, we’re gonna need him, and we’re gonna use him like that, and we’ve seen it the last couple of weeks, and he and our offensive line have done a nice job with the run game.”

Riley, Grinch and the Sooners know they have a tough game ahead in No. 9 Baylor, which is likely why coaches and players showed little emotion after the Bedlam win. Oklahoma still has business to take care of.

And it starts on Saturday in Arlington.

“Our recipe has just been winning,” Riley said after the game on TV. “Whether it’s by one, whether it’s by 40, whatever it is. You have to win big games in November. We’ve been able to do that the last several years. We’ve put ourselves in position.

“We’ve done it again, and we’re going to go try to win another one next week.”

George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu

Senior named OU’s 30th Rhodes Scholar Leanne Ho to study medical anthropology at Oxford University SCOTT KIRKER @scott_kirker

“This is going to change my life.”

That’s what English literature and social justice senior Leanne Ho told one of the judges after they found out they had been named a 2020 Rhodes Scholar.

Each year, only 32 U.S. students are selected as Rhodes Scholars to pursue degrees at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, according to OU’s website. The scholarship is one of the oldest and most celebrated international

fellowships in the world.

Ho said they plan to attend medical school in the U.S. after their time at Oxford, where they plan to pursue a master’s in medical anthropology for one year and a master’s in evidence-based social intervention and policy evaluation for the next year.

“I’m really interested in health care disparities for marginalized populations,” Ho said. “I come from an immigrant background — my parents are Vietnamese refugees. So watching them and also my entire community struggle to access culturally competent healthcare really made an impact on me when I was growing up. I also identify as queer and nonbinary, and the LGBTQ community

faces all sorts of health care challenges as well.”

Ho said they hope their experience at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar will prepare them to serve marginalized communities beyond just the medical education required to become a physician.

To become a Rhodes Scholar, Ho first had to receive an endorsement from OU before preparing their application — beyond a personal statement and resume, Ho submitted eight letters of recommendation. Once Ho was selected as a finalist to interview, they traveled to Pasadena, California.

Ultimately, Ho was selected as a Rhodes Scholar. see RHODES page 2

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PAXSON HAWS/THE DAILY

English literature and social justice senior Leanne Ho poses for a photo Oct. 17.

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NEWS

• Dec. 2-8, 2019

Regent accused of embezzling

Manufacturing company claims Albert stole money BLAKE DOUGLAS @Blake_Doug918

A member of the OU Board of Regents has been accused of embezzling several million dollars from an Oklahoma manufacturing company, according to court records filed in Rogers County on Nov. 25.

On Nov. 1, current OU Regent Phil Albert filed a lawsuit against Pelco Structural, a steel pole manufacturing business he co-founded in 2005, claiming wrongful termination. In a countersuit filed by Pelco Structural on Nov. 25, the company denied the allegations and claimed Albert and a company accountant embezzled $7.4 million from the company from 2010 to 2019. The countersuit was first reported by NewsOn6.

The Tulsa World reported

that Albert left the company in April 2019 and “declined to comment on his departure” at the time.

The Pelco lawsuit claims Albert “paid himself a salary greater than that authorized by his employment agreement,” as well as receiving unauthorized payments labeled as “office regular,” “bonus” and “reimbursements.”

The lawsuit also alleges Albert used company credit cards to purchase goods and services and make “charitable contributions that were personal to Albert and provided no benefit to (Pelco) Structural.”

Albert’s attorney, Paul DeMuro, released a statement on the countersuit Nov. 26.

“Mr. Albert was shocked and dismayed when, in April of this year, (Pelco Structural co-founder) Phil Parduhn’s sons abruptly forced him out of the company. We are now engaged in a business divorce,” the statement read.

“Like in many divorces, emotions run high, and inflammatory allegations are made.

We intend to pursue vigorously Mr. Albert’s claims, and separate the wheat from the chaff on the claims against him.”

The OU Board of Regents released an email statement Tuesday refraining from comment on the allegations.

“Since this is a personal matter for Regent Albert, it is inappropriate for us to comment on the lawsuit. That said, (Albert) is an excellent Regent and we expect him to continue to serve well into the future,” the statement read.

The board will meet Dec. 2 for a series of special meetings and its regular meeting.

Albert was appointed to the Board of Regents in 2016 by former Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, replacing former Regent Jon Stuart.

Blake Douglas

bdoug99@ou.edu

PELCO LAWSUIT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST OU REGENT PHIL ALBERT: Embezzled $7.4 million from the company from 2010 to 2019.

Paid himself a salary greater than that authorized by his employment agreement.

Received unauthorized payments labeled as “office regular,” “bonus” and “reimbursements.”

Used company credit cards to purchase goods and services and made charitable contributions that were personal to Albert and provided no benefit to Pelco Structural.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JACKSON STEWART & CARLY OREWILER/THE DAILY

Behind the scenes: winter weather closures OU’s Emergency Response Team discusses ‘the call’ MATT WELSH

When winter weather looms in the forecast, OU’s decision-makers gather to listen to Kevin Kloesel.

Kloesel, the university’s meteorologist, is never off the grid. He has backup power and internet at his home. He is always within reach of a phone and computer. He refuses to board a plane without Wi-Fi. Kloesel is a crucial member of OU’s Emergency Response Team, a group of senior campus leaders that shares information with OU’s president and vice president of operations before they make the call to cancel classes. Kloesel always stays connected — just in case.

THE PLAYBOOK Any potential decision to cancel classes is part of the emergency operations plan, which features different “annexes” for possible events.

“Every annex is the playbook for the specific situation,” said Kloesel, who moved to his current role in 2014 after serving as an associate dean of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences. “We have one for tornadoes, we have one for winter weather, etc. So that annex describes the playbook as soon as I see a threat, and in this particular case, a threat of winter weather, weather that’s 24 hours out, a week out, whatever it is.”

As Kloesel follows the playbook, he updates the Emergency Response Team and other members of the OU community. In the three to five days before a weather event is projected to occur, he sends out a daily briefing with forecast updates.

Forecasts Kloesel incorporates in his assessment include public forecasts by the National Weather Service and private forecasting services purchased by the university.

RHODES: continued from page 1

Brian Johnson, OU adviser for nationally competitive scholarships, worked with Ho on a scholarship application last year and worked with them on their Rhodes application as well. Johnson said that though he’s relatively new to his current position, he’s been at OU since 2005 and has worked with numerous applicants for high-profile scholarships.

“I would say Leanne is as intelligent as anyone I’ve

Kloesel can analyze data at his office in the National Weather Center or at a workstation in a conference room in the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory. Should he need to monitor inclement weather events during off-hours, Kloesel has similar resources available at home.

Kloesel uses these tools to forecast potential weather outcomes across the Norman area.

“Winter weather especially is very difficult. Winter weather doesn’t touch everyone equally. No two people are directly impacted the exact same way in winter weather,” Kloesel said. “We may have an area of Norman that gets A file photo of the OU campus covered in ice and snow. snow, and an area of Norman that gets sleet and an area of we going to wait until, say, Norman that gets freezing and transportation, student 4, 5, 6 in the morning to see life, emergency preparedness, rain. It can be that different what happens?” Kloesel said. police and housing, ” Kloesel across small distances.” said. “Almost every element “If we’re still at 8 o’clock the that could be touched by night before, and we’re not ‘MAKE THE CALL!’ weather is involved ... in pro- quite sure this is going to hapStudents post, tweet and viding information to the vice pen, then we’ll reconvene at snap the rallying cry to cancel president of operations and 4 o’clock in the morning if we classes every time the possi- the president of the university have to, to try and get the word bility of winter precipitation to inform any decision on this out before.” enters the forecast. campus relative to weather.”

Pre-law senior Bradon In the day before the event, BUILDING PRESSURE Christian said the decision Kloesel increases communiThe meeting to discuss to cancel class is always cation with the Emergency canceling class tends to come welcome.

Response Team, providing after Norman Public Schools “A lot of the times, I’m hop- roughly three updates during and Moore Public Schools reing that they do,” Christian the day. lease their decisions, ratchetsaid. “Any time I can get an “Winter weather doesn’t ing up the pressure for OU to extension on a paper or an astypically manifest exactly cancel classes. signment, that’s good.” what is going to happen until Kloesel said Norman and Kloesel said students’ most-desired response to win- hours before it occurs, and the Moore Public Schools make decision is something that we their decision with different ter weather events is clear.

“I’ve never ever, in all of my like to make ahead of time,” factors in mind than the OU years here, have ever seen Kloesel said. “So, when we’re administration.

Public school districts often a text, a tweet, an email or a making the decision, there phone call that says, ‘Kevin, typically is a huge amount of have buses running at 4 a.m., please, please, please, let’s uncertainty associated with Kloesel said, which can be too have school tomorrow. Please the forecast, and that makes early to make a decision on the let’s have school tomorrow.’ it all the more difficult, espe- morning of potential severe cially when people are beg- weather. Their students may Not a one,” Kloesel said.

The pleas for an unsched- ging and wanting school to be also have to stand at cold bus stops for prolonged periods. uled respite crescendo as the closed.”

The night before the event, Though OU does not asEmergency Response Team members use Kloesel’s fore- the Emergency Response sess all the same factors as cast to discuss how the event Team convenes in person or public schools, Kloesel said will affect different aspects of virtually to determine if any the university does take their action should be taken. decisions into account becampus.

“We get together the night cause families and others are “(The team) includes every aspect of this campus from before ... to try to decide, affected.

“Can we make the decision executive leadership, market- are we making the decision ing and communications, fa- now — is there enough in- early enough so that they can cilities, maintenance, parking formation to do that? Or are arrange for daycare, or not? Is

worked with and as driven as anyone I’ve worked with at OU. ... I think Leanne exemplifies the best that OU has to offer.”

Erin Simpson, director of OU’s Gender + Equality Center, wrote one of Ho’s recommendation letters.

Simpson said Ho works with the center as a Step In, Speak Out peer educator, LGBTQ Program Advisory Board chair and LGBTQ program intern.

Simpson said Ho worked last spring to create a guide for transgender and nonbinary students to navigate OU and Norman, collating resources that transgender and

nonbinary advocates had worked on in the past and creating an impactful tool for OU students. “(Ho) did that because they knew it was a need,” Simpson said. “They did that because they knew that they had to navigate (that), and that they had navigated with help. And knew that help had been critical, and that not every student was necessarily seeking out the same level of help. They wanted it to be easy to find for any of our campus community that needed that.”

Along with their work at the center and other efforts, Ho was the first OU student to receive the Big Non-Binary

Person on Campus award, which was instrumental in the campus awards name change this fall.

Simpson said she believes Ho can continue their success in advocacy as they work to help marginalized communities in the health care profession in the future.

“One of the things I know they’re passionate about is how health care affirms identities,” Simpson said. “All identities ... The way that we experience healthcare is a sort of one-size-fits-all experience.

And one of the things I expect (Ho) to challenge is (whether) that’s sufficient. I imagine one of the things we may see from

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

it something where we think it’s dangerous enough (where) we want our parents to stay home with their kids? Those kinds of things all go into that agonizing discussion,” Kloesel said.

If the Emergency Response Team does feel there is enough information for a decision to cancel classes, the goal is to make the decision before 10 p.m., if possible.

But sometimes the forecast is too uncertain. If there is not enough information yet, Kloesel said the team will reconvene early in the morning.

DECISION DELIVERY If the vice president of operations and president agree to cancel classes, Kloesel follows the annex to alert the OU community in tiers through email.

“There’s a group of people that are on this email tree. That group of people is, of course, OU leadership emergency team,” Kloesel said. “Then there are folks that are somewhat in the need-to-know.”

Those in the “need-toknow” are the university contacts for any university or campus event. These contacts are contained in a binder Kloesel carries with him. It holds the details for every event on campus for the next several days.

After alerting the top two levels of the email tree, Kloesel

(Ho) in the future is contributing to that culture of change.”

Simpson said Ho thrives despite the difficulties of being the first and advocating for change. “(Ho has) done it with such good grace and such care for their campus community,” Simpson said. “I just really value who they are as a person, but also who they are to their fellow OU students, their peers, their colleagues, their campus community members. They’ve really stepped out in many ways that will make it easier for the next person to do so.”

Ho joined just 29 previous OU Rhodes Scholars since

uses Rave, the emergency notification system for the university. The new system, launched Aug. 9, sends texts, emails and phone calls to the 48,221 individuals in the system, said Kesha Keith, director of media relations.

As the system sends out notifications, Kloesel also tweets additional information from the OU Emergency Preparedness Twitter account.

The phrase “the call” originates from notification by pre-recorded phone call from the president of the university, most recently from former OU President David Boren.

But the days of pre-recorded messages may be over.

Former OU President James Gallogly did not record a new message, and interim OU President Joseph Harroz has yet to do so.

“From a practical emergency standpoint, in terms of streamlining what we do, we want the information to go out as quickly as possible, and that is not a quick solution,” Kloesel said.

Some students miss the recorded voice message, and it adds additional time to the notification process.

“That’d be nice to have,” Christian said. “It seems a little bit more personal. Like you took the time to do it for us to record that.”

As scrutiny builds surrounding potential school cancellation, Kloesel maintains that the focus of the Emergency Response Team never wavers.

“There will always be those instances where we’ll be wrong, too. We know that. We are not going to be right every single time. But we are never going to make a decision that we know would compromise life safety. Ever.”

Of course, the agonizing decision to some is not always perceived so seriously.

Christian’s reaction to hearing “the call?”

“Hell yeah. ... Hell yeah.”

Matt Welsh

mwwelsh@ou.edu

the scholarship was created in 1904, according to the site.

OU’s most recent Rhodes Scholar was Mubeen Shakir in 2013.

Ho encouraged anyone who might be inspired by their accomplishment, especially members of marginalized communities, to keep striving for success.

“You can do this — you deserve this,” Ho said. “The world is changing, and you have (as much) right as anyone else to seize that change and be successful.”

Scott Kirker stk@ou.edu

CULTURE

Dec. 2-8, 2019 •

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Jones: ‘I never had a chance’ After 20 years on death row, Julius Jones fights for life SYDNEY SCHWICHTENBERG @sydnerry

On an early October morning in McAlester, Oklahoma, a banner with the words “Welcome Rodeo” hung above the entry gates of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.

Marc Howard, a G eorgetow n University law professor leading the Prisons and Justice Initiative, a Georgetown organization that responds to the mass incarceration crisis, drove his rental car through the entrance of the maximum security prison. Howard drove over three hours to meet one of the death row inmates in person, 39-year-old Julius Jones, a man many believe to be innocent.

Over the years, cement bricks painted in a patriotic combination of red, white and blue faded to a soft pink and pale blue from the unforgiving Oklahoma sun.

Beyond the gates, deep inside the 1,556 acres of property, 46 inmates waited on death row in the infamous H Unit, which houses all male Oklahomans sentenced to death. “(Jones’ case) is not a unique situation,” Howard said.

“At least 4.1 percent of defendants sentenced to death in the United States are innocent,” according to the National Academy of

Sciences.

In the fall of 1998, Jones was an 18-year-old engineering freshman at the University of Oklahoma, a recipient of the president leadership scholarship and on the verge of gaining a basketball scholarship.

“He was supposed to been walking on at OU (his sophomore year), and he was going to get a full ride if he did good and kept his grades up,” said Antoinette Jones, Julius’ younger sister.

In the summer of 1999, three days after his 19th birthday, Jones was the number one suspect in the killing of Edmond businessman Paul Howell.

August 1999 passed, and instead of playing on OU’s basketball court, Jones remained in police custody. By 2002, Jones was convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to death.

In October 2019, Jones filed for clemency after exhausting all efforts to fight the death penalty.

“As God is my witness, I was not involved in any way in the crimes that led to Paul Howell being shot and killed,” Jones’ clemency report stated.

“I have spent the past 20 years on death row for a crime I did not commit, did not witness and was not at.”

Over the course of 17 years, as Jones spent his time in solitary confinement in the penitentiary, his story faded out of news publications, until Kim Kardashian West, an American socialite with a net worth of $370 million, tweeted his name. “(Kardashian West has)

VIA ABC’S “THE LAST DEFENSE” FEATURETTE

A screenshot from the ABC docuseries “The Last Defense” shows Julius Jones’ arrest in 1999.

established herself as one of the leading figures in the country in support of criminal justice reform and in support of people who have been wronged by the criminal justice system,” Howard said.

“She has a reach through her network on social media that is basically second to none.”

Kardashian West, whom Howard works closely with in efforts to free innocent people from incarceration, believes Jones was wrongfully convicted.

Jones played Monopoly on the dining room table with his siblings, and after the game ended, they moved on to dominoes. Together, the family ate a homemade spaghetti dinner.

“The dinner sticks out in my mind because it was close to my birthday, and one of my friends had given me a large birthday cookie,” Jones’ clemency report stated.

Less than 20 miles away, in the quiet suburb of Edmond, 45-year-old Paul Howell parked his 1997 GMC suburban outside of his parents’ THE CRIME AND house. Moments later, he was SENTENCE shot as the victim of a car theft.

On July 28, 1999, Jones en- He was murdered just a few joyed the summer night at feet from his two daughters his parents’ Oklahoma City and sister, Megan Tobey, who home. were still inside the car.

“(Howell’s sister) described (the shooter) as a black man wearing a stocking cap and a red bandana across his face,” said Dale Baich, Jones’ attorney. “She said that half an inch of hair was hanging out from the stocking cap. Julius, his hair was short. It was almost shaved to his skin.”

As Jones’ attorneys uncovered possible racial bias and questionable evidence in the case, Howell’s murder became the backbone for two attempts for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case in efforts to fight for Jones’ freedom.

“The police, rather than conducting a thorough investigation, let tunnel vision set in and did not follow the facts and evidence,” Baich

said. “Instead, they focused on Julius.”

Despite the two decades since the murder, Jones’ retelling of the day of Howell’s murder remains the same.

Unlike Jones’ clear memory of the July night, Christopher Jordan, Jones’ teammate from their high school basketball team and convicted co-defendant to Howell’s murder, changed his story six times.

“Julius was targeted by self-proclaimed car thugs and a gang member,” Baich said. “Two separate prisoners while he was in jail said Chris set Julius up.”

Three suspects were interviewed by Edmond Police b efore Jones — Ker mit Lottie, a convicted felon and Oklahoma City Police informant, and Ladell King, a habitual offender facing a minimum of 20 years for check fraud, led the police to Jordan and, finally, Jones, according to the clemency report.

Baich said Jordan directed investigators into Jones’ path. Despite King’s past and Jordan’s changing story, police ignored inconsistencies.

The day before Jones’ arrest, police surrounded his parents’ home. With Jordan in police custody nearby, he told officers exactly where they would find the murder weapon.

Wrapped in a red bandana that was tested nearly two decades after the trial and found inconclusive to share a complete connection with Jones, officers found the gun used in the murder inside a see JONES page 4

Current, future educators hope for change ABBY TOW @abby_tow

On a Friday morning during the April 2018 Oklahoma teacher strike, OU student Miranda Koutahi woke up at 6:30 a.m., made a sign that read, “Classics Teacher for Modern Education Funding” and parked in the only remaining available spot half a mile from the crowded state Capitol in Oklahoma City.

Before the strike, there were nine educators in the education caucus of Oklahoma’s legislature. More than a year later, the number of educators in the legislature has increased to 27 and teacher pay has increased. But there is still more work to be done, said Alicia Priest, president of Oklahoma Education Association, which organized the strike.

“I think we were all really excited at first to see what would happen and were disappointed with the results,” Koutahi said.

Koutahi, a Latin education and elementary education senior, plans to teach in Oklahoma when she graduates from OU. Her student debt, like many education majors at OU, will be forgiven by the Lew Wentz Debt Free Teacher Initiative, so long as she commits to teaching in Oklahoma.

“My dad joked about being disappointed that I became a teacher. He was like, ‘I want you to not have to worry about the same things that I worry about,’” Koutahi said.

The Oklahoma Education Association organized the strike in 2018 after 18 months of talking to schools, students and teachers across the state, Priest said. Striking was the last-resort effort of the Oklahoma Education Association after months of pushing for legislative change.

The lack of financial support from the state for classroom supplies like books and curriculum strains teachers, but students also lack the

support staff and adequate classroom size they need to succeed.

“In education, we call them wraparound services: the social worker, the nurse, the counselor, that could work with them on their specific needs,” Priest said.

“

classroom at 8 a.m., spends her lunch with students instead of taking a break and goes home at night to grade and plan. She has a side-job at Loft, a chain clothing store in Norman. She picks up shifts after school and on the weekends when she needs to.

“My wish would be for leg-

My wish would be for legislators to actually spend time in a classroom. Not just talking to teachers, not just talking about their own experiences in school.

But actually in those rooms, in those packed classrooms.

-Kara Stoltenberg, Norman High School English teacher

The current minimum annual salary for teachers in Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree is $36,601, according to Oklahoma Watch.

Since the walkout, classroom funding in Oklahoma increased by $125 million, and the average teacher pay was increased by $7,000, Priest said. In Norman, teacher salaries were increased by an average of $2,044, said Brenda Burkett, chief financial officer for Norman Board of Education.

Ka ra St o l t e n b e r g , a n English teacher at Norman High School who graduated from OU in 2013, also went on strike during the walkout.

“When we were at the Capitol talking to the legislators … I didn’t get the sense that they viewed us as professionals,” Stoltenberg said.

Just before the strike, Stoltenberg’s AP English seniors finished their major 5-to10-page research paper for the year, she said.

Stoltenberg took the stack of 57 essays to Sen. Rob Standridge’s door at the Capitol, hoping to convey the amount of work she does as an educator.

Stoltenberg told Standridge, “This will take me over a month to grade in addition to planning and grading all of the other things that I do.”

On an average day, Stoltenberg arrives at her

“

Education majors learn how to cope with low wages

islators to actually spend time in a classroom,” Stoltenberg said. “Not just talking to teachers, not just talking about their own experiences in school, but actually in those rooms, in those packed classrooms.”

Education junior Lexi Hurley knew she wanted to be a teacher before she even set foot on OU’s campus.

“I might be a little bit naive.

But I think that, for the same reasons that a lot of people leave, (that’s) the reason that I want to stay,” Hurley said.

Despite the challenges Oklahoma teachers face, Hurley hopes to teach elementary math when she graduates. She knew teaching was her dream career when she worked at a summer camp before her first semester at OU. “I just kept thinking every day that I would be fine if I could do this for the rest of my life,” Hurley said. “It was just … fulfilling.”

Hurley graduated in 2017 from Oklahoma City Public Schools, where she witnessed the hardships of being an educator, as well as the impact a good teacher can make on a student’s life.

“I think people underestimate the amount of knowledge that teachers have in their field, and the ability that they have to make those positive impacts on students,” Hurley said.

Now as an OU student, Hurley learns from local teachers in her college classroom. Some of her professors are current teachers in Norman and Oklahoma City districts, and they don’t shy away from the financial realities of being an educator, Hurley said.

Part of the current curriculum for OU education students involves learning about digital equity — the idea of equal access for students to learn how to use digital technologies — and how to integrate technology into the classroom, said Theresa Cullen, associate professor of instructional psychology and technology, and John and Jane Kenney endowed faculty fellow.

One of Cullen’s roles is to teach education students about an online donation platform, DonorsChoose, a website which allows certified teachers to ask for donations from the public for classroom supplies like laptops and books.

“Teachers just end up paying for stuff for their classroom,” Cullen said.

“So learning how to write a DonorsChoose (campaign) and learning the parts of a DonorsChoose (page) allows you to advocate for yourself.”

Cullen said she sees an optimism in her students that hasn’t faded since in the walkout.

“They’re excited about their future classroom. They’re excited about reaching kids and helping them learn, and that is something that hasn’t gone

KATHRYN STACY/THE DAILY

Miranda Koutahi, an education senior, stands outside Collings Hall for a photo Nov. 15.

away,” Cullen said.

While being a teacher in Oklahoma is a financial challenge, Koutahi and Hurley agreed they are committed to the profession for their future students more than anything else.

“We’re all motivated by kids and their needs,” Koutahi said.

Hurley and Koutahi will both receive assistance with their student loans as OU education students, but they agreed it isn’t the driving factor in their decision to stay in Oklahoma to teach.

“Leaving the state doesn’t completely solve the problem. I might get paid better in Texas, but still not get paid what a teacher is worth,”

Hurley said. “And so it is scary, but I’m hoping that all this activism is going to result in positive change.”

Koutahi wants to teach in Oklahoma because there is a shortage here of world language teachers, she said. But she also feels an intense connection to the character of this state.

“I am an Oklahoman born and bred,” Koutahi said. “I think the spirit of Oklahoma is one of resilience.”

Abigail Hall contributed to this report.

Abby Tow

abby.tow1@ou.edu

$36,601

Current minimum annual salary for teachers in Oklahoma, according to Oklahoma Watch

$125M

Increase in classroom funding since 2018 teacher walkout, according to Alicia Priest, president of Oklahoma Education Association

$7,000

Increase in average teacher pay since 2018 teacher walkout, according to Alicia Priest, president of Oklahoma Education Association

$2,044

Increase in average teacher pay in Norman since 2018 teacher walkout, according to Brenda Burkett, CFO for Norman Board of Education

4

CULTURE

• Dec. 2-8, 2019

JONES: continued from page 3

VIA ABC’S “THE LAST DEFENSE� FEATURETTE

A screenshot from the ABC docuseries “The Last Defense� shows Julius Jones arrest in 1999.

case. “Judge Holmes had a duty to disqualify hims e l f u n d e r 2 8 U. S. C . § 455(a) and (b)(1), based on his extrajudicial opinions about this case,� the Appellant’s Petition for rehearing Jones’ case stated.

Despite this rule, Holmes remained on the panel of judges and created the possibility of influence over the remaining two judges’ final decisions.

On Dec. 7, two days after the panel reached a decision, David McKenzie, Jones’ trial attorney, sent an email to the undersigned counsel that revealed Holmes’ bias from 2002.

Despite Holmes’ ethical obligation to grant Jones a fair trial, Jones has not been granted a rehearing.

‘I AM INNOCENT’ The words written by Jones are stamped in bold Times New Roman font within the first opening lines of his reasons for seeking a commutation.

Jones was hardly 19 years old when he was forced awake and dragged by the police into a cop car. Jones wasn’t given the option to put on shoes or a shirt before he was handcuffed. “The officers were high-fiving one another and told me: ‘You know you’re gonna fry,’� Jones’ clemency report stated. “While being transferred from an Oklahoma City police car to an Edmond police car, an officer removed my handcuffs and said: ‘Run, n*****, I dare you.’ I stood frozen, knowing that if I moved, I would

be shot and killed.�

This would not be the last time Jones experienced racism in his trial.

According to his attorney, a racist juror named Jerry Brown remained on the case, even after being reported by another member of the jury. “ ( T h e j u ro r s a i d t h e case) was a waste of time and ‘they should just take the n***** out and shoot him behind the jail,’� the clemency report stated. “I was tried by a jury that included at least one racist, and I never had a chance.�

“

case. Jones-Davis was inspired by the ABC featurette “The Last Defense,� a three-part docuseries featuring Jones as an innocent man on death-row. “ B e i ng a t a x p aye r i n Oklahoma and then a person living here, and then pressing on as if I had not seen this,� JonesDavis said. “ There was just something about it I couldn’t shake. I just knew that, in my conscience, I wasn’t going to be able to move on as if this was not a major problem.�

Jones-Davis raised awareness for freeing

He was a Sooner — he still is. And if something were to happen to you, wouldn’t you want your community to help you? ... Bring that out and support Julius Jones.

“

crawlspace upstairs in Jones’ family home. “On Thursday evening, the night before Julius was taken into custody, Chris Jordan spent the night at Julius’ parents’ home,�

Baich said. “Julius (slept) in the living room on the c o u c h . . . C h r i s Jo rd a n went to the upstairs room where the gun was found ... He spent the night in that room.�

Jordan was given life with all but 30 years suspended. Because the men testified against Jones in the trial for lesser sentences, Jordan served only 15 years, and King was given 10 years of probation for the check fraud instead of two decades in prison.

Although there has never been conclusive evidence found to directly connect Jones to the case, he was given death and 40 years. “We have serious concerns by the way the evidence was collected, handled and stored,� Baich said.

Jones never testified his innocence in court, Baich said. His attorneys had no prior experience in capital punishment. “I have been haunted by those terrible decisions every day for the past 20 years,� Jones’ clemency report stated. “I know Ladell and Chris framed me to save themselves.�

Jerome Holmes, a judge assigned to Jones’ case, served as a deputy criminal chief in 2002. Today, he is a judge for the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Before he became the first African American to serve in the circuit court, he published an editorial in The Oklahoman on April 28, 2002, that revealed a bias created by media surrounding Jones’ case, according to page 20 of the appellate report. “Jones deserved to die for his actions,� Holmes wrote in the editorial.

In October 2014, after Ho l m e s p u b l i s h e d h i s opinion, Holmes was assigned through the circuit court as one of three judges to decide the future of Jones’ case. Although Holmes had a conflict of interest due to his published opinion of Jones, Holmes remained on the

-Marc Howard, Georgetown University law

professor leading the Prisons and Justice Initiative

By the time Jones’ trial came in 2002, Jones had been incarcerated for three years. He had no prior violent felony convictions. “During my trial, prosecutors took every opportunity to racialize me by appealing to the deeply entrenched and stereotypical association between blackness and dangerousness,� Jones’ clemency report stated.

Cece Jones-Davis is an a d v o c a t e w h o c re a t e d Justice for Julius, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness on Jones’

Jo n e s o n s o c i a l m e d i a p l a t f o r m s Fa c e b o o k , Instagram and Twitter, and she said Jones’ case changed her perspective on the criminal justice system. “Should we expect, from the outside, better from ourselves and of our own humanity?� Jones-Davis s a i d . “S h o u l d w e b e a more merciful people?�

Jones-Davis said Justice for Julius has grow n throughout the state with the help of her grassroots advocacy bringing awareness to Jones’ case. “There is a lot of luck

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg December 2, 2019 Editor in Chief News Editor Sports Editor Visual Editor Video Editor

Nick Hazelrigg Jordan Miller George Stoia Caitlyn Epes Will Conover

contact us

160 Copeland Hall, 860 Van Vleet Oval Norman, OK 73019-2052

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Previous Solution

Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

ACROSS 1 Inseparable buds 5 Cabo’s peninsula 9 Opinion pieces 14 Gwen’s role in “Damn Yankees�

15 Sulfur has a strong one 16 Tennis star Sharapova 17 LSD 18 Suds evaluation?

20 In a magnificent way 22 Double ___ (moles) 23 “Get outta here!�

PC key 24 Center of a storm 25 MBA holder, e.g.

26 Rainbow Falls’ Hawaiian town 28 Before, in an ode 29 Possessed 32 All the same 35 V-formation fliers 37 19th hole?

39 British John 40 Lead the way 41 Gibson ___ Paul guitar 42 Toothpaste form, often 43 British johns 44 New Balance competitor

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46 Laila or Muhammad 47 Vietnamese holiday 50 Back from the office 53 War fare?

55 Well-being of a rude person?

57 Pianist Hess 58 “Pretty please?�

59 Rebel Alliance princess 60 It can be ajar 61 Very expensive 62 Hammer end 63 Hamburger parts, or this puzzle’s theme?

DOWN 1 World-weary 2 Tune out distractions 3 They take stands at meetings 4 “Smooth Operator� singer 5 Boston Bruins legend 6 “Rumour Has It� singer 7 Baby in a pouch 8 “Don’t touch my treasure!�

9 Last Greek letter 10 Did some roadwork 11 Brockovich played by Julia Roberts

12 Nutritionist’s regimen 13 “Old� sayings 19 Not seen every day 21 Put your trust in 25 Say hi to, say 27 Type of desk for visitors, briefly 28 “I Love Lucy� neighbor 29 Common toast 30 Part of NAACP: Abbr.

31 Ownership record 32 Cain’s victim 33 Tall ___ (yarn) 34 In the Black, or in the Red? 35 Tackle something with vigor 36 Cologne coin

38 Dirty Harry’s surname 42 ___ club (singing group) 44 Metaphorical cup of tea 45 Beatnik’s “Got it!�

46 Bandleader Shaw 48 Energy company in a 2001 scandal 49 Ivan the Terrible and others 50 Basic concepts 51 Perfectly 52 Sharpen, as skills 53 Kandinsky colleague 54 Site for film buffs 56 Austrian peak

PREVIOUS PREVIOUSPUZZLE PUZZLEANSWER ANSWER

12/1 Š 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal 11/25 Š 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com www.upuzzles.com

BP by Stu Ockman

in the cr iminal justice system,� Baich said. “It’s arbitrary.�

Baich said David Prater, the district attorney of Oklahoma County, initially refused to release the prosecution files that could address the injustices in Jones’ case. After two years of asking Prater for the files, Prater agreed to release the files to Baich.

Baich said Prater later went back on his word. “(Prater said) ‘I can’t let you see the file, I need to protect the integrity of the file for the people of Oklahoma,’� Baich said. “ He chang e d his mind after ignoring me for almost two years.�

In a report from NonDoc, Prater said everything Jones’ supporters claim has either been disproved or addressed. “(Jones’) advocates and lawyers are some of the most dishonest people I have dealt with in my professional career,� Prater said in the report.

On Oct. 24, Prater was accused of whistleblower claims for partaking in activities deemed unethical by a former U.S. Secret Service agent after wrongful termination.

The Daily contacted Prater’s office for a comment and did not receive a re s p o n s e i n t i m e f o r publication.

Despite Prater’s resistance to release the persecution files, Baich holds out for the files in hopes they will help Jones’ case. “The facts are the facts, and what we are tr ying to do is get information from his files and other sources,� Baich said. “You know, if he doesn’t have anything to hide, why is he keeping the file from us?�

THROUGH THE GLASS Wi t h a t h i ck p a n e o f glass between them, Howard and Jones met for the first time in the state penitentiary.

Howard, a man free enough to travel 200 miles from Tyler, Texas, to McAlester, bent down to speak through a grate at the bottom of the glass pane. Jones, a man whose identity is now a collection of numbers and letters, #270147OSP, leaned forward to listen to the other man.

This is the closest Jones has come into contact with other people for the last

20 years. On death row, inmates are isolated in solitary confinement and forbidden from touching anyone aside from their attorneys. “That’s the only human contact that he has, aside from when the guards put handcuffs on him or the leg shackles to move him from his cell to the visiting room,� Baich said.

As well as decades spent w i t h ou t hu ma n tou ch, Jones is shackled while he showers for five minutes three times a week. “He’s been locked away, essentially buried alive,�

Howard said. “And that’s a horrible, horrible mistake that absolutely needs to be corrected.�

Although Jones hasn’t seen the sun in 14 years, he remains connected to the outside world through his calls home and letters written to supporters across the countr y, despite the carpal tunnel in his right hand. “(Jones is) blown away by t h e f a c t t hat, w h i l e he’s sitting 23 hours a day alone in a cell, in the outside world, all of these people ... are talking about him and know his name and want to help him,�

Howard said.

Currently, Jones has no execution date due to the botched 2015 execution of Clayton Lockett. For now, Jones’ attorneys are fighting to get him off death row and to time served, which would allow him to live the remainder of his life as a free man.

A petition over Jones’ conviction is live on change.org and has over 47,000 signatures.

As the case for Jones’ innocence grows, JonesDavis believes every step can help uncover the truth of Jones’ conviction. On JusticeforJulius.com, supporters can send an e-letter to Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board or download and print a letter to send to Gov. Kevin Stitt. “He was a Sooner — he still is,� Howard said. “And if something were to happen to you, wouldn’t you want your community to help you? ... Bring that out and support Julius Jones.�

Editor’s note: Cece JonesDavis has no relation to Julius Jones.

Sydney Schwichtenberg

sydneyschwich@ou.edu

HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

involved in someone else’s business.

The time wasted doing things for others will end up costing you or cause you to miss out on something you Spend more time nurturing the relationships that matter to you. Focus should do. on home, family and making your life more manageable. Consider what GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Keep your spirits high, your thoughts posiyou have, what you need and what tive and your plans doable. Don’t give makes you happy. Limit excess and in to someone trying to pressure or build a strong base on which to rest, enjoy time with loved ones and satisfy tempt you into something indulgent, risky or objectionable. your soul.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Rethink your objective. Consider if what you are currently doing will bring you the satisfaction you are searching for.

Aim to take better care of your health, wealth and loved ones.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Stay calm and enjoy what you have instead of making comparisons to neighbors, relatives or peers. Life isn’t a contest; the only one you should compete with is yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Take care of business. Stand up, be a leader and achieve your goal. A passionate attitude will draw attention and give you a chance to weed out what’s holding you back.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Plan to have some fun. Distance yourself from people who are angry or pushy. Make an adjustment because you want to, not because someone is pressuring you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Take a flexible approach when dealing with people who aren’t compliant. Offer space and time for others to think matters through. Your time will be better spent on achieving personal goals.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Seize an opportunity. Gather information and facts, and don’t be shy when it comes to presenting what you have to offer.

Focus on personal gain, growth and happiness. Romance is encouraged.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Turn possibilities into something tangible.

It’s up to you to go after what you want and to explore the best route to take. Distance yourself from emotional manipulators.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Observe what others do and say. Don’t respond if you aren’t satisfied with the information you’re given. Keep your emotions tucked away somewhere safe. Take care of your emotional well-being.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- An emotional situation will escalate if you let someone trap you into something you don’t want to do. Don’t lead someone on; be up-front, say no and do your own thing.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Concentrate on your life, not on getting

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Not everyone will be pleased with your accomplishments. Refuse to let someone’s jealousy stand between you and the success you deserve.

Let your instincts overrule emotional manipulation.

SPORTS

Dec. 2-8, 2019 •

5

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Senior cornerback Parnell Motley recovers the fumble during the Bedlam game against Oklahoma State Nov. 30.

Motley, crew hold up defense Grinch’s ‘Speed D’ excels in victory over Cowboys VIC REYNOLDS @vicareynolds

STILLWATER — As No. 7 Oklahoma’s defense trotted into the tunnel on the northeast side of Boone Pickens Stadium after a dominant 34-16 win over No. 21 Oklahoma State, the Sooners radiated focus and determination.

The Sooners (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) weren’t reveling in a way that would be expected from a team that just beat its instate rival for the fifth-straight year, held the nation’s leading rusher to more than 60 yards below his season average and emerged one win away from a potential third consecutive College Football Playoff appearance.

Outside of a joyous hug shared between junior linebacker Kenneth Murray and

Clarke Stroud, director of football operations, hardly any Sooners did more than high-five the remaining Oklahoma fans as they went to the locker room.

Perhaps no player embodied the mindset and performance of Oklahoma’s resurgent defense more than senior cornerback Parnell Motley, who bookended the Sooners’ performance with a forced and recovered fumble on the Cowboys’ second drive and intercepted a pass on their final drive.

“It was a great win, but we have a lot of things ahead of us if we want to accomplish the things we want,” said Motley, who has forced four turnovers this year. “It was great for this team to stay locked in and kept in focus because there’s a lot of opportunities out there, and we’re reaching for something much bigger.”

Motley and the Sooners’ defensive performance in 2017’s Bedlam showed no resemblance to Saturday’s

game. In that game, which ended in a 62-52 Oklahoma win, the Sooners gave up 448 yards and five touchdowns in the air, and Motley ended up being benched due to his poor performance.

Two years later, Motley and the defense have carried the Sooners in recent weeks — from a shutout in the second half of Oklahoma’s 34-31 win over Baylor, to dragging a struggling offense in a 28-24 win against TCU and allowing only one touchdown against Oklahoma State. “(Motley) was awesome,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. “He tackled well, he covered well, they went at him with a lot of double moves, and he was in great position. I thought he really trusted his technique really throughout the entire game.

He made a lot of big plays, they gave him a lot of opportunities, and he certainly responded.

“You could tell he wanted the ball thrown his way tonight.”

The biggest challenge presented to first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch this week was Cowboy running back Chuba Hubbard, who entered the game with 1,832 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, which ranked first and second in the nation, respectively.

Hubbard finished Saturday with 24 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown, an impressive stat line for most running backs. But for the Heisman dark horse, it was a far cry from his 166.5 yard and 1.8 touchdown per game average.

“In our defense, we don’t really game plan for one person,” sophomore defensive end Ronnie Perkins said.

“We’re always going to run what we run in our defense.

It was definitely good to keep him under control. He had a few plays where he got loose on us, but we mostly had good control and that helped us a lot. If they got him going, their whole team would have gotten going.”

But the game didn’t start with a dominant performance. On the Cowboys’ first drive, they marched 76 yards on eight plays, with the drive resulting in a 3-yard Hubbard touchdown run.

For the rest of the game, Oklahoma State failed to get the ball back in the end zone, turn the ball over twice, suffer a turnover on downs and settle for three field goals.

“We have the ultimate respect for him and that offense,” Grinch said. “I thought we weathered it early, and (that) was critical.

Give them credit for out-executing us early. Finding a way to make them count in threes was a critical element because we didn’t have our feet underneath us ... we played better ball as the game went on.”

The resilience that the Sooners displayed has been the main difference between this year’s team and recent woeful Oklahoma defenses. In the past, when an opponent had early success,

the Sooners floundered and failed to recover.

But when the Cowboys kept pounding after the first touchdown, the Sooners held up and persevered.

On three different drives — two in the second quarter and one in the third — the Cowboys made it deep inside Sooner territory but had to settle for 3 points each time. Those moments won Oklahoma the game, and the Sooners will need to continue to excel in those moments if they want to reach their lofty goals.

“What this game comes down to is, you can’t kick field goals and beat a good football team,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. “We got down inside the 15-yard line several times and kicked field goals.

“We put ourselves in a jam and could never get over the hump.”

Vic Reynolds

victor.reynolds@ou.edu

Brooks leads OU offensive efforts in Bedlam Redshirt running back shines against Oklahoma State CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21

STILLWATER — Head coach Lincoln Riley traded the air raid for the ground game Saturday night.

Senior quarterback Jalen Hurts threw the ball just 16 times in No. 7 Oklahoma’s (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) 34-16 win over No. 21 Oklahoma State (8-4, 5-4 Big 12). It was his lowest number of passes all season, and the result was the Sooners controlling the ground and the clock.

In a season where OU’s offensive line is dealing with filling in the gaps of four senior linemen who left for the NFL while making ends meet with injuries, the unit has recently been able to cling to a consistent starting lineup. It’s showing up in the stats — as seen by the team’s 366 yards rushing against TCU the week before — and Riley’s rising amount of rushing calls.

That’s why in the third quarter, up 20-16 while staring 93 yards to the end zone, the Sooners ran the ball nine times out of 11 snaps. The drive ended with a 3-yard

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Redshirt sophomore running back Kennedy Brooks runs the ball during the Bedlam game against Oklahoma State Nov. 30.

touchdown from Brooks to put OU up 27-16, after 6:19 was taken off the clock. Of the nine rushes, Brooks accounted for eight. Hurts threw the ball only twice.

“I’d say it’s one of the top games we’ve played,” redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Adrian Ealy said. “It really starts up front. I’d say we’re showing that mentality that we can run the ball.”

Brooks rushed for 160 yards — a season high — and a touchdown on 22 attempts, his second-highest amount of attempts this season behind his performance against the Horned Frogs. The team finished with 283 rushing yards on 44 attempts and controlled the clock, holding the ball for 34:03 to the Cowboys’ 25:57 possession time.

OU’s offensive line had four penalties on the night, but all four came in garbage time during the last two OU drives. But during the snaps that mattered, the offensive line was a rock for Riley, and the increased amount of rushing attempts reflects what Riley describes as growing trust.

“I think (choosing to run more has) been just the way

his three rushing attempts in OU’s 48-41 loss at Kansas State, his next four games have tallied 15, 18, 25 and 22 attempts.

“I just feel like my role has kind of changed a little bit, from earlier in the season to now,” Brooks said. “At the end of the day, I just want to help this team win, no matter what it is.”

After injuries from experienced linemen such as Ealy, redshirt junior Erik Swenson and redshirt sophomore Marquis Hayes, the timing of this unit coming together is critical. OU is still within shouting distance of cracking the four teams selected for the College Football Playoff, and with a rematch against No. 9 Baylor in the Big 12 Championship game, Riley and the run game will rely heavily on the trenches.

“It’s important,” Riley said of getting timely momentum from his offensive line. “It’s what we’ve kind of counted on the whole way — that if we could survive early there a little bit, especially with all the injuries and different lineups we’ve had ... we might be prepared to play pretty good here at the end.”

the games have gone here as of late,” Riley said. “I think some of it is what was a new, inexperienced offensive line is starting to come together and do some really, really good things. And then I think settling in on Kennedy on the feature back has been part of it.”

In his past two games, Brooks has had season highs Caleb McCourry in yardage and carries. Since caleb.a.mccourry-1@ou.edu

6

SPORTS

• Dec. 2-8, 2019

Riley perfects playcalling ability Zero turnovers, offensive prowess define Bedlam GEORGE STOIA @GeorgeStoia

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

OU head coach Lincoln Riley waves to fans after winning the Bedlam game against Oklahoma State Nov. 30.

“We really strongly emphasized the turnovers this week, knew we had to have a game where we’re not just hanging onto it offensively and getting them defensively but doing that in sync in one game,” Riley said on a night the defense had two takeaways. “Let’s have a game where we can dominate the turnover battle completely. It was a huge challenge to our guys, they certainly responded there.”

After its first 11-play drive in the third quarter, Oklahoma would go on another in the fourth. This one was 11 plays, 73 yards and 5:45, giving Oklahoma a commanding 34-16 lead with only 10 minutes remaining.

“Usually when you win on third down, you have a good chance of being successful in the game,” said Jalen Hurts, who totaled 228 yards and three touchdowns. “In the

end, we talk about us coming out and playing up to our standards like always but just taking advantage of every opportunity we have, that’s the most important thing for us. A better game as far as how complete we played in November, but there’s still more.

“We’re not satisfied by any means, and got good momentum going into this big game this week.”

Oklahoma State had no answer in the second half.

“It’s tough to keep up with an offense like them, and they were effective rushing the football,” Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said. “That’s the way it comes out. Offhand, that’s kind of what I think happened.”

Riley even brought back what most call the “Philly Special” — a double reverse pass back to the quarterback for a touchdown. He ran the exact same play with Baker

Mayfield two years ago in the Rose Bowl against Georgia.

Riley was masterful Saturday. In his recent past, he’s had the tendency to steer away from what’s working — but not Saturday. He wore the Cowboys down until they had nothing left.

I t ’s w h a t h e a n d t h e Sooners do best this time of year.

“

have those, and we’ve had several of those later in the seasons,” Riley said. “I can think of all four of the championship years and games where we’ve had to do that ,and we’ve been able to do it and tonight’s another one.

You always get to that point.

I don’t care how good you are throwing the ball. There’s always going to be points where, for your team, and es-

“

STILLWATER — Eleven plays, 93 yards, 6:19 and a touchdown. It was a season-defining drive for Oklahoma in the third quarter of Bedlam Saturday night.

Those 11 plays?

A 15-yard run, 2-yard run, 5-yard run, 4-yard run, 6-yard run, 30-yard pass, 8-yard pass, 12-yard run, 2-yard run, 6-yard run and 3-yard touchdown run to cap it off.

“Do you want me to recite all 11?” coach Lincoln Riley joked after the game. “I maybe could.”

Riley put together one of his best playcalling performances Saturday night in No. 7 Oklahoma’s (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) 34-16 Bedlam win over No. 21 Oklahoma State (8-4, 5-4 Big 12). That 93yard drive was the perfect representation of what OU has become and wants to continue to be.

“It was big,” Riley said.

“Those drives that just tend to define games this time of year, where we had got some stops, got some momentum and if you were just kind of sitting there, ‘What would be the perfect scenario there?’

That’s what you would say.

“Go on a long drive. Chew up some clock. Wear them down.”

O k l a h o m a’s o f f e n s e looked like the juggernaut it’s used to being Saturday night.

But it was a different type of juggernaut.

Of their 63 plays Saturday, 44 were on the ground. They rushed 283 yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Through the air, they were an efficient 14-of-17, averaging 9.8 yards per pass.

But the Sooners’ biggest stat of the night? Zero turnovers — something that has hindered the Sooners in recent games, as they’ve turned the ball over 10 times in the previous four games.

We’re not satisfied by any means, and got good momentum going into this big game this week.

-Jalen Hurts, senior quarterback

“I’d say the last few years it’s been a key part of us being able to play well at the end of the year and ultimately win this league, is being able to

pecially it seems to be late in the season, where you gotta have drives like that, and you have to be able to do it.

“And to be able to do it — we’ve been able to do it the last couple of weeks, and that’s been really big, and to do it in this environment tonight was huge.”

On Monday of this week, Gundy said Riley’s offense was a “one-man show.”

That it was practically the “wishbone.”

Riley laughed off the comments Saturday night, saying he took it as a compliment.

And he should.

Former legendary coach and wishbone aficionado Barry Switzer would be proud of the way Riley ran his “wishbone” offense Saturday night.

“However we get defined,” Riley said, “as long as we’re winning and offensively we’re scoring enough points to win, that’s all I care.”

George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu

‘Should Sooners be ranked ahead of Utah?’

Editor answers reader questions after Bedlam win

BEDLAM Oklahoma versus Oklahoma State is the fourth-longest continuously played rivalry in Division I football.

GEORGE STOIA @GeorgeStoia

No. 7 Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) won its fifth-straight Bedlam game Saturday night, defeating No. 21 Oklahoma State (8-4, 5-4 Big 12), 34-16.

After the game, sports editor George Stoia answered all of your questions: Is this defense still a disaster?

It never was this season, Jim Mora.

Was there a 10-second runoff due to the injured player?

Got a lot of questions about this. From my understanding, the officials had a complete game clock runoff for an injured player with 48 seconds left. I believe both coaches agreed to this as an Oklahoma State player was hurt.

But, to be honest, I was trying to get to the field when the official made the announcement.

What is the future for OU when the defense gets Grinch’s players get in the system? When was the last time we saw a complete win like that from Oklahoma?

Should we be ranked ahead of Utah on Tuesday?

It’s a consistent top 25 defense when Grinch has his guys. But I’m one that believes he’s just a master motivator. I think whoever his players are, he’s going to have a tough defense to beat.

OU overall record: 89-17-8 OU current win streak: 5 OU longest win streak: 19 (1946-64) OSU longest win streak: 2 (1932-33; 1944-45; 1965-66; 1997-98; 2001-02) Largest OU victory: 75-0 (1904) Largest OSU victory: 47-0 (1945) CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Senior quarterback Jalen Hurts prepares to throw the ball during the Bedlam game against Oklahoma State Nov. 30.

The last time OU played a complete game like that was West Virginia. But the last time OU played a complete game against a really good football team? Well, Saturday night is it.

I d o t h i n k O k l a h o ma should be ahead of Utah.

The Sooners have the better resume and earned a much better win Saturday.

What’s up with Jalen Redmond?

Not exactly sure. All I know is he didn’t travel to Stillwater.

Which regular season game had the best press food offerings?

Oklahoma State was really good. So was Kansas State.

But every year my favorite is Rudy’s BBQ at OU-Texas.

Can’t go wrong with unlimited potato salad and brisket at 9 a.m.

Did Nick Basquine in his career score TDs all three ways? (Run, catch, throw.)

Is the new Sooner offensive identity going to cost Lamb the Biletnikoff?

Basquine has never rushed for a touchdown. But an interesting stat: Jalen Hurts joined Tommy McDonald as the only Sooner to run, receive and pass for a touchdown in a single game.

And it might. But I still like Lamb’s chances. People know he’s not getting as many

chances and what he could do if he had more.

Why is the series called a rivalry (if the record is) 89-18-7?

Because Oklahoma State is in the same state as Oklahoma.

Would Alabama QB Jalen Hurts have won against Auburn today, assuming he started with Tua Tagovailoa out?

Yes, because Hurts would have thrown only one pick-six instead of two like Mac Jones.

Did Parnell Motley get a game ball?

I would assume so. He was phenomenal.

Did their efficiency

running the ball tonight establish our identity on the offense?

Yes. This is who they’ve wanted to be the last few weeks, but a couple bad turnovers have forced them into tighter games. They want to control the clock and wear you down until you have nothing left in the fourth quarter. And I think it’s been extremely beneficial to the defensive side of the ball.

Do you think Hopper is still alive in Stranger Things?

I don’t. Even though they never showed him die, you can’t build up a character’s death like that and then bring

him back to life.

Who’s your top 5? Will Oklahoma beat Baylor again? Will it be close or a big win?

I would rank the top five like this: 1. Ohio State 2. LSU 3. Clemson 4. Georgia 5. Oklahoma I think the Sooners do beat Baylor, but I think it’s another close one. The Bears have been impressive since the last time they met.

George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu