Thursday, September 12, 2013

G A M E D AY TA B L O I D F O R S O O N E R F O O T B A L L | F R E E

INSIDE THE HUDDLE SEPT. 14

NO. 14

Oklahoma vs.

Tulsa

HOPE?

SERIES HISTORY

Ninety-nine years We take a look at the 25 meetings between OU and Tulsa P 6 FEATURE

From court to cleats Sophomore defensive end excites with upside

P8

ANALYSIS

Running backs, y’all OU’s ground attack has been spearheaded by a stable of seniors P 10

Will junior quarterback Blake Bell provide the spark to ignite the Sooners’ stalled offense? P2

ILLUSTRATION BY ORIANA LOVERA/THE DAILY

2

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• Thursday, September 12, 2013

PAGE 2 COLUMN

Sooners need to solve QB quagmire a Student Media publication in association with

160 Copeland Hall 860 Van Vleet Oval Norman, OK 73019-2052 phone: 405-325-3666 email: dailysports@ou.edu

CONTRIBUTORS Dillon Phillips Inside the Huddle editor twitter: @DillonPhillips_

Julia Nelson Sports editor twitter: @julianelson33

Joe Mussatto Assistant sports editor twitter: @Joe_Mussatto

Demetrius Kearney Sports reporter email: Demetrius.V.Kearney-1@ ou.edu

Sam Hoffman Sports columnist email: samhoffman@ou.edu Kyle Margerum The Oklahoma Daily editor Kearsten Howland Advertising manager

WIND

ONE

M

iss Landry INSIDE THE HUDDLE EDITOR yet?

Two games into the 2013 season, OU is a team without quarterback.

After two subpar performances, redshirt-freshman Dillon Phillips quarterback Trevor dillon.phillips@ou.edu Knight was benched in the fourth quarter of the Sooners’ 16-7 win against West Virginia on Saturday, much to the apparent pleasure of Sooner fans.

The loudest cheer of the night came when junior quarterback Blake Bell entered the game to replace Knight with 14:50 remaining. He proceeded to run the ball twice for 21 yards, throw his only pass of the game — an incompletion dropped by senior running back Brennan Clay — and hand the ball off six times during a drive that led to an OU field goal.

Not exactly awe-inspiring numbers.

While it’s not worth much on the stat sheet, that drive — and Knight’s recent knee injury, which will sideline him this week — was enough to thrust Bell back into the running for the starting job and introduce a quarterback controversy heading into game three against Tulsa — something the Sooners had hoped to avoid.

The old saying goes: If you have two quarterbacks, then you have none. And the Sooners quarterback situation will become even more complicated when sophomore quarterback Kendal Thompson returns from a broken foot injury in twoto-three weeks.

So far, nothing has been settled, and the quarterback carousel is showing no signs of slowing.

Through two games, Knight is 21-of-48 for 205 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions, and Bell is 3-of-6 for 38 yards. Both quarterbacks have been effective running the football, but with an offense that’s averaging more than 300 yards rushing per game, picking up yards on the ground hasn’t been an issue.

The Sooners don’t need a Heisman-caliber quarterback under center. But they do need something more than a “game manager” — coachspeak for a quarterback who isn’t trusted with much more than handing the ball off and throwing low-risk, high-percentage passes.

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inside the huddle

Quarterbacks: OU offense must avoid becoming one-dimensional Continued from page 2

OU needs a quarterback who can throw the ball down the field well enough to keep defenses honest.

Someone who can, at the very least, complete half of his passes.

Because if the first two games are any indication, teams are going to load the box against the Sooners and dare them to throw.

Now to this point, it hasn’t made much of a difference; OU has had its way in the trenches.

But Louisiana-Monroe’s

Offense

LG

C

RG

RT

WR

WR

WR

QB evin morrison/the daily

and West Virginia’s defenses aren’t exactly a group of gangbusters, and with the stout defenses of Notre Dame and TCU looming on the schedule, the Sooners need to develop some semblance of a vertical passing game and fast.

So will it be Bell? Or will the coaches hand the reins back to Knight? Or will a healthy Thompson emerge as the Sooners’ top signalcaller?

Only time will tell.

I don’t expect the Tulsa

game to offer much insight into whom the guy will be going forward. But at the very least, it gives the Sooners another week to work out the kinks.

Come Sept. 28, they won’t have that luxury.

Dillon Phillips is a professional writing senior and Inside the Huddle editor at The Daily. You can follow him on Twitter at @DillonPhillips_

3

Oklahoma’s depth chart LT

Junior quarterback Blake Bell slides at the end of a run after keeping the ball on a read option play. Bell will start against Tulsa in place of redshirt-freshman quarterback Trevor Knight, who injured his knee.

Thursday, September 12, 2013 •

RB

FB

Defense

71 Tyrus Thompson

Jr.

55 Josiah St. John

Jr.

74 Adam Shead

Jr.

77 Dionte Savage

Jr.

64 Gabe Ikard

Sr.

56 Ty Darlington

So.

54 Nila Kasitati

So.

68 Bronson Irwin

Jr.

79 Daryl Williams

Jr.

72 Derek Farniok

So.

11 LaColtan Bester

Sr.

6 Dannon Cavil

Fr.

8 Jalen Saunders

Sr.

17 Trey Metoyer

So.

3 Sterling Shepard

So.

12 Derrick Woods

R-Fr.

10 Blake Bell

Jr.

1 Kendal Thompson

So.

24 Brennan Clay

Sr.

26 Damien Williams

Sr.

33 Trey Millard

Sr.

48 Aaron Ripkowski

Jr.

RE

RT

LT

LE

OLB

MLB

NICK

RCB

SS

FS

LCB

85 Geneo Grissom

Jr.

99 Chaz Nelson

Jr.

80 Jordan Phillips

So.

93 Jordan Wade

So.

98 Chuka Ndulue

Jr.

95 Quincy Russell

Jr.

91 Charles Tapper

So.

40 P.L. Lindley

So.

7 Corey Nelson

Sr.

25 Aaron Franklin

Jr.

20 Frank Shannon

So.

19 Eric Striker

So.

2 Julian Wilson

Jr.

23 Kass Everett

Sr.

15 Zack Sanchez

R-Fr.

22 Cortez Johnson

Jr.

10 Quentin Hayes

Jr.

13 Ahmad Thomas

Fr.

9 Gabe Lynn

Sr.

32 Trey Franks

Jr.

14 Aaron Colvin

Sr.

6 Stanvon Taylor

Fr.

4

inside the huddle

• Thursday, September 12, 2013

column

OU-Tulsa ‘rivalry’ is as one-sided as they come inside the huddle editor the years. That success

just hasn’t come against Oklahoma.

Although Tulsa ran the series during the 1930s and ’40s and stole a few during the 1910s, the Golden Hurrican have never entered a game against Dillon Phillips Oklahoma ranked in the dillon.phillipsl@ou.edu top 25 — hard to imagine considering the long histot’s science fact: You can’t have hurricanes ry of the series.

This season is no differin a landlocked state. ent. OU, which enters the Maybe that’s why the game ranked No. 14, will Golden Hurricane have take on an unranked Tulsa struggled so mightily against the mighty Sooners squad at 11 a.m. Saturday at Oklahoma-Memorial from the south.

Stadium in Norman.

During the 99 years the And unfortunately for rivalry has existed, OU the Golden Hurricane, the and Tulsa have met on the recent trend of Sooner shelgridiron 25 times, and the Sooners lead the near cen- lackings looks to continue.

As sloppily and unretury-long series, 17-7-1. markably as OU has begun With a record like that, it’s tough to call this a rival- its 2013 campaign, Tulsa has done them one better. ry since the word “rivalry” The Golden Hurricane suggests a high level of competition, a game that’s opened the season with an tightly contested each year. unexpected, if not embarrassing, 34-7 drubbing at And in recent seasons, the hands of Bowling Green when OU and Tulsa have met on the field it has been on Aug. 29 in Bowling Green, Ohio. anything but.

In the season-opening Since OU’s last loss to loss, Tulsa was held to just Tulsa in 1996 — an em51 yards rushing and 273 barrassing 31-24 defeat at yards of total offense while home, one of Oklahoma’s allowing the Falcons to pick eight losses that season — up 401 yards, 238 of which the Sooners are 6-0 and have outscored the Golden came on the ground. Tulsa also fumbled twice in the Hurricane, 280-50.

That’s an average score of loss and was just 4-of-16 on third down conversions.

47-8 with an average marA rough start, to be sure. gin of victory of almost 39 But the Golden points.

Hurricane bounced back In a word, domination. in week two, downing Now that’s not to say Colorado State at home that Tulsa hasn’t had it’s thanks to a 34-yard field fair share of success over

I

KEY OPPONENT Cody Green Year: Senior Position: Quarterback Statistics: So far this season, Green has completed 38-of-73 passes for 384 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

He’s also carried the ball 13 times for 51 yards.

goal from senior kicker Carl Salazar as time expired to pick up a 30-27 win.

Against the Rams, Tulsa righted the ship offensively, outgaining Colorado State, 427 yards to 286.

Talk about a tale of two teams.

So when OU and Tulsa meet Saturday for the 26th time, which Golden Hurricane squad will take the field?

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Dillon Phillips is a professional writing senior and Inside the Huddle editor at The Daily. You can follow him on Twitter at @ DillonPhillips_

more on the series For a complete look at the rivalry between OU and Tulsa, check out the “Battle for I-44,” which includes the date and result of each meeting in the series’ 99-year history.

PAGE 6 & 7

Tulsa’s depth chart Offense LT

LG

C

RG

RT

WR

WR

WR

QB

RB

FB

Defense

76 Garrett Stafford

Sr.

75 Davis Walton

Jr.

77 Jake Alexander

Jr.

62 Alec Henry

Jr.

52 Billy Lafortune

So.

57 Dylan Foxworth

R-Fr.

65 Gabe Moyer

Sr.

74 Stetson Burnett

Sr.

74 Stetson Burnett

Sr.

68 Garrett Gladd

So.

26 Thomas Roberson

Jr.

6 Derek Patterson

So.

1 Keyarris Garrett

Jr.

2 Joshua Atkinson

R-Fr.

12 Jordan James

Sr.

2 Keevan Lucas

Fr.

7 Cody Green

Jr.

9 Dane Evans

R-Fr.

22 Trey Watts

Sr.

25 Ja’Terian Douglas

Sr.

41 Cody Wilson

Sr.

33 Michael Sorrells

So.

DE

DT

DT

DE

LB

LB

LB

CB

CB

FS

SS

46 Chris Hummingbird

Jr.

88 Cory Rahmings

R-Fr.

99 DerrickLuetjen

So.

75 Lionel Phillips

Fr.

8 Jesse Brubaker

Fr.

79 Jerry Uwaezouke

R-Fr.

54 Derrick Alexander

So.

97 Brentom Todd

Jr.

33 Mitchell Osborne

Jr.

27 DeWitt Jennings

Sr.

55 Shawn Jackson

Sr.

53 Jake Sizelove

Jr.

40 Trent Martin

So.

43 Donnell Hawkins

Sr.

24 Darnell Walker

R-Fr.

37 Austin McDaniel

Jr.

9 Dwight Dobbins

Jr.

1 Johnell Cellstan

Fr.

22 Michael Mudoh

So.

5 Jeremy Brady

R-Fr.

20 Marco Nelson

Sr.

21 Joe Bean

Fr.

inside the huddle

Thursday, September 12, 2013 •

5

injury update

Colvin in lineup against the Golden Hurricane sports columnist

“Split my back tooth... #painful” tweet from Aaron colvin, ou cornerback, after he cracked his tooth against west virginia

Sam Hoffman samhoffman@ou.edu

S

enior cornerback Aaron Colvin left Saturday’s game against West Virginia early in the third quarter after a collision and did not return.

Initially, I figured this had to be a concussion.

Colvin collides with a West Virginia player and leaves the game for good — had to be a concussion. A concussion would have meant Colvin’s status for the game against Tulsa on Sept. 14 would be a game-time decision.

But after the game Colvin took to Twitter. He tweeted, “Split my back tooth… #painful.”

The cracked tooth was confirmed on Monday in coach Bob Stoops’ weekly press conference. Colvin cracked his top molar on the play and was complaining about his jaw during the remainder of the game.

Stoops went on to address the issue, saying Colvin went to the dentist Monday and will be expected to play against Tulsa.

Sooner fans can now let out a sigh of relief knowing their defensive leader will be ready to go against an

in-state foe.

The injuries among the Sooners’ lineup are troubling enough with redshirt freshman Trevor Knight sitting out against Tulsa because of a knee injury. The last thing OU needed was its leader on the other side of the ball to sit out against the Golden Hurricane.

Defensive coordinator Mike Stoops stressed the difference Colvin makes for the Sooners’ defense. In the postgame press conference Saturday, Stoops said Colvin’s leadership and presence is what the team missed in the second half.

The fact that Colvin will play the Tulsa game with his nagging tooth injury is a nice consolation to the quarterback drama that engulfs the Sooners at this moment.

Plus, it gives Colvin a game under his belt with his new tooth so he can make any further adjustments against the Fighting Irish on Sept. 28, in South Bend, Ind. Anyway, during the West Virginia game redshirt sophomore Cortez Johnson filled in for Colvin.

This was Johnson’s first action after his suspension in the season-opener against

PLAYER PROFILE Aaron Colvin Year: Senior Position: Cornerback Statistics: Led the Sooners with four interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 2012

Louisiana-Monroe.

Johnson filled Colvin’s shoes relatively well. The Mountaineers took multiple shots Johnson’s way but never prevailed. The Sooners defense held their own without Colvin and probably could hold their own without him against Tulsa.

However, since Colvin is the defensive leader, it’s best he is present on the field this Saturday.

The Sooners defense has allowed seven points through two games this season, which is surprising seeing how last season ended giving up at least 40 points in three of the last four games.

Look for the Sooners defense to pick up where it left off on Saturday with Colvin leading the charge.

Sam Hoffman is a journalism junior and sports columnist at The Daily.

Western History Collections (3rd floor, Monnet Hall)

August & September

Souvenirs of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair Advertising in the West B.M. Bower: Female Pioneer of Western Fiction Good Miles of Hospitality: Traveling America with the Fred Harvey Company

October - December

From the Pueblos to the Northern Plains: American Indian Art

History of Science Collections (5th Floor, Bizzell)

On Exhibit September 2013: Crossing Cultures October 2013 - Feburary 2014: Tracings of Science: Stonehenge to Galileo

6

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• Thursday, September 12, 2013

Thursday, September 12, 2013 •

BATTLE FOR

DATE

SCORE

WHO WON

SCORE

OU RANKING

SEPT. 3, 2011

47

SOONERS

14

1

SEPT. 19, 2009

45

SOONERS

0

12

SEPT. 21, 2007 SEPT. 10, 2005 AUG. 30, 2002 NOV. 3, 2001 SEPT. 28, 1996 SEPT. 25, 1993 SEPT. 22, 1990

62 31 37 58 24 41 52

SOONERS SOONERS SOONERS SOONERS GOLDEN HURRICANES SOONERS SOONERS

21 15 0 0 31 20 10

4 18 1 3 UNRANKED 10 11

SEPT. 26, 1987

65

SOONERS

0

1

SEPT. 24, 1983

28

SOONERS

18

8

SEPT. 22, 1979

49

SOONERS

13

3

OCT. 16, 1943

6

GOLDEN HURRICANES

20

UNRANKED

OCT. 3, 1942 OCT. 29, 1938 SEPT. 25, 1937 SEPT. 26, 1936

0 28 7 0

GOLDEN HURRICANES SOONERS GOLDEN HURRICANES TIE

23 6 19 0

10 UNRANKED UNRANKED UNRANKED

OCT. 7, 1933

6

GOLDEN HURRICANES

20

UNRANKED

OCT. 1, 1932

7

SOONERS

0

UNRANKED

DEC. 12, 1931 OCT. 11, 1919

20 0

SOONERS GOLDEN HURRICANES

7 27

UNRANKED UNRANKED

NOV. 24, 1917 OCT. 14, 1916 NOV. 6, 1915 NOV. 30, 1914

80 0 14 26

SOONERS GOLDEN HURRICANES SOONERS SOONERS

0 16 13 7

UNRANKED UNRANKED UNRANKED UNRANKED

7

8

inside the huddle

• Thursday, September 12, 2013

feature

Hooper makes transition from hardwood to gridiron Sophomore end relies upon superb athleticism Joe Mussatto

Assistant Sports Editor

It all started at McDonalds with a couple of cars.

It was a moment that destined sophomore defensive end Charles Tapper to hang up the high-tops and the reason why the Oklahoma football program should be grateful for the advice of Next Level Nation co-owner Cory Robinson.

The past two Saturdays, S o o n e r f a n s h av e s e e n Ta p p e r a s a r e l e n t l e s s rusher off the edge. The Ba l t i m o re nat i v e ha s a motor that never stops, the physical presence of a man far beyond his age and the personality of a guy you would want to have lunch with.

That’s just what Robinson did. And that lunch is the reason why Tapper calls a field — and not a court — home.

The two men had met through Robinson’s cousin, Carlton Carrington, the basketball coach of Nike Baltimore Elite, a high-profile area AAU squad. Tapper was a 6-foot-4 center on Carrington’s team. Sure, the big man had skills, but inadequate height to play the position was clearly working against him.

So, Carrington decided to place a call to his cousin.

He told Robinson of Tapper, a junior at the time, and his unheard of athleticism, his unmatched energy and his amiable personality.

These are all things Robinson looks for as the co-owner of Next Level

“... He said I could keep playing basketball and drive a Honda Accord, or I could play football and drive a Lamborghini.

I said, ‘Shoot, I want to drive a Lamborghini.’” charles tapper, ou defensive end

Nation. The company provides a roadmap to success for student athletes as they make their way from high school to college football.

And on Tapper’s map, the road began at the Golden Arches.

“We were sitting i n M c D o n a l d ’s , a n d [Robinson] told me, ‘You can either drive a Honda Accord or a Lamborghini,’” Tapper said. “I asked him what he meant, and he said I could keep playing basketball and drive a Honda Accord, or I could play football and dr ive a Lamborghini. I said, ‘Shoot, I wanna drive a Lamborghini.’”

The metaphor settled it for Tapper. And nearly three years removed from the conversation, Robinson remembers it just as well.

“Figuratively, I used the terms, but when you’re talking to a 17-year-old young man, you want to say things that are relevant to help him understand what you’re really trying to say,” Robinson said.

“If you’re driving a Honda Accord, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s a normal thing to do,” he went

evin morrison/the daily

OU defensive end Charles Tapper (91) pressures Louisiana-Monroe senior quarterback Kolton Browning during the Sooners’ 34-0 win against the Warhawks on Aug. 31 at Oklahoma-Memorial Stadium. Tapper has started both games this season at defensive end for the Sooners.

on to say. “It’s a normal sight to see on the street.

But if a Lamborghini drives up, that’s a phenomenal experience. That’s something that you’re going to talk about, that’s something you’re going to be amazed by.”

But Tapper wasn’t a football player. He played for the first time in his junior year of high school but only because friends and family convinced him too. He was still a basketball guy with cleats on his feet. And it was what Robinson saw on the court that convinced him to talk to Tapper.

“What I saw was a kid beating 5-foot-8,

PLAYER PROFILE Charles Tapper Year: Sophomore Position: Defensive end Statistics: In two games, Tapper has recorded eight solo tackels.

130-pound guards up and down the court,” Robinson said. “Hustling, getting put backs, getting rebounds — he had a motor on the court that was really unseen. I

knew right then and there it would translate to being a football player.”

Thus, the work began to transform an undersized, hoop-playing center into a pigskin pass rusher that would have coaches salivating at the prospect of coaching him.

The 2011 U.S. Army AllAmerican combine in San Antonio was where Tapper made a name for himself.

He was a sight to see. He was a Lamborghini. “ H e j u s t b l e w u p ,” Robinson said. “He went from nobody to overnight every scout in the country knew he was. What I loved about Charles was he still

didn’t know what he was doing, but he was having fun and relying on his athleticism.”

Assistant head and cornerback coach Bobby Jack Wright, who was OU’s defensive end coach at the time, noticed Tapper. After that, the Baltimore baller was on Oklahoma’s football radar. A scholarship offer quickly followed.

The offer from Oklahoma surprised Robinson and Tapper, Robinson said, but why wouldn’t it? No matter how good Tapper had looked, he was raw and inexperienced.

see tapper page 9

inside the huddle

tapper: Despite inexperience, d-end has limitless potential Continued from page 1 Two games into the Sooners 2013 campaign, 85,000 fill the seats at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, and not one could be surprised that No. 91 was offered that coveted scholarship.

Tapper has started both games at defensive end for the Sooners and recorded eight tackles. The motor is still running as fast as ever, and all say Tapper isn’t close to realizing his potential. Heck, he’s still learning the game of football.

“Charles has a chance to be one of the guys that we are used to having around here,” coach Bob Stoops said of his young star. “We have had a lot of good ones, and he is on par as a young guy. He’s as good as any of them. We just have to keep bringing him along as he works hard.”

Robinson, who says Ta p p e r i s l i k e a b ro t h er to him, doesn’t know how good the sophomore could end up being. One day he might actually end up driving a Lamborghini, Robinson said with a laugh.

“For Charles Tapper, I believe that the sky is the limit,” Robinson said. “But Charles is like a baby, just beginning, and that’s a scary thing to say about a kid playing for a historic program like Oklahoma.

He’s just at the tip of his potential.”

That doesn’t keep Tapper from thinking big: 15 sacks on the season is his goal — not bad for a basketball

BY THE NUMBERS Tapper at the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Combine

6-3

Tapper measured a height of 6-foot-3.

227

Tapper weighed in at 227 pounds, 34 pounds less than his current weight.

31.5

Tapper’s vertical jump in inches.

Source: Rivals.com

player.

But now Tapper is just as comfortable with grass under him as he was on the hardwood, and don’t think for a second he’s lost his game.

“Of course, I still play basketball,” he said. “Well, not right now. I probably won’t unti the end of the season, around January. It’s not a rule, I just want to take it upon myself that I have a lot to learn on the football field.

“I miss it a lot, but if I can’t play basketball, I might as well take that anger out on somebody.”

It sounds as though he’s catching on.

Joe Mussatto jmussatto@ou.edu

Thursday, September 12, 2013 •

9

analysis

Sooners’ receivers affected by sub-par quarterback play OU wideouts hamstrung by poor passing Julia Nelson Sports Editor

The quarterbacks aren’t the only ones affected by the lack of passing game in Norman.

In fact, senior wide receiver Jalen Saunders might be missing the airraid attack more than anyone.

He’s established himself as the team’s best receiver — there’s no debating that. But if a team is only passing 21 times in a game, he’s not going to get very many touches.

So far, his production has suffered as a result this season. Last season, he averaged 16.6 yards per catch. Through the Sooners first two games, Saunders is averaging just under 13 yards per catch.

That’s a pretty significant drop.

Redshirt freshman-quarterback Trevor Knight’s knee injury isn’t doing Saunders any favors. Knight and Saunders have great on-field chemistry, but we don’t know how the dynamic will change once junior Blake Bell takes the starting position this week.

The quarterback dilemma can’t be a good environment for a receiver.

The relationship between quarterbacks and receivers is one of the most important ones on the entire

evin morrison/the daily

Senior receiver Jalen Saunders hurdles a pair of West Virginia defenders before crashing to the turf during the Sooners’ 16-7 win against the Mountaineers on Saturday at Oklahoma-Memorial Stadium.

team. With the inconsistency under center, it’s hard to stay stable.

Even further, Knight has yet to put his receivers in the best positions to make plays. Off-the-mark throws, turnovers and inconsistency have plagued Knight and left the coaches reluctant to put the ball in the air at all.

The introduction of the read option already meant receivers would be blocking more, but when the Sooners run the ball 60 times a game, it leads to even more blocking by the receiving corps.

This isn’t the land of the air-raid offense anymore, I get that. Times change,

trends change, football changes. It’s becoming a mobile quarterbacks world.

Just don’t let your lead receiver fall by the wayside as your team pursues greener pastures.

After all, this is Saunders’ senior season. Listed at 5-foot-9, he’s going to need a solid year in production to have any chance at getting drafted.

Saunders said his goal for the season was to have a touchdown catch every game. Two games and that goal already is unrealized.

He went without a touchdown against West Virginia.

That’s no fault of his own,

there wasn’t a quarterback available to throw him the ball once he got in the inzone. He’s there, ready to make plays, but he can’t do it on his own.

Maybe a new quarterback will emerge and give Saunders the passing game he deserves. And maybe one won’t.

A true test of Saunders’ capabilities will be what happens if the air game doesn’t get going.

Julia Nelson, julia.nelson@ou.edu

10

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• Thursday, September 12, 2013

The Sooners’ potent ground game has been accomplished with the help of ...

RUNNING BACK BY COMMITTEE SPORTS EDITOR

Julia Nelson julia.nelson@ou.edu

I

t’s been awhile since Oklahoma’s had this kind of dominance in the run game.

The Sooners have rushed for over 300 yards in each of their first two games. If they have another successful day on the

ground, it will be the first time since 1988 Oklahoma has rushed for 300 yards three times in a row.

Just think about that for a second.

Three consecutive 300yard games for the first time in 25 years. That’s before the days of former Sooners Demarco Murray, Adrian Peterson or Quentin Griffin. All have played well in the NFL, but their alma mater is topping their run production.

Senior running backs Brennan Clay, Damien Williams and Roy Finch are doing more for the

Sooners’ ground game than some of Oklahoma’s greats.

Granted, they’re running a committee-style approach and have the benefit of a mobile quarterback, but still, Clay amounted for almost half of the Sooners’ rush yards against West Virginia.

It’s pretty impressive for a guy who didn’t make a significant impact for OU until late last season.

Part of the run game’s success stems from necessity. The quarterbacks simply aren’t getting it done through the air. But it also

stems from the hot hand.

Clay was having a lot of success against West Virginia running off-tackle, so why mess with a good thing? If he’s going to pop off a 10-plus yard run every couple of snaps, it only makes sense to put the ball in his hands.

Clay might have had the hot hand, but Williams also shared the wealth.

He rushed for almost 100 yards against West Virginia.

Williams and Clay are currently both listed as starters on the depth chart.

Clay started the first two

games, but Williams saw action soon after the first snap.

Finch has seen playing time, but it’s been significantly less than that of Williams or Clay. He promised to make a bigger impact this season, but the jury’s still out on Finch. It’s unclear whether coaches have just been playing the hot hand or if bad practice habits die hard for the senior.

The running back trio is aided by the mobile quarterbacks too.

Against LouisianaMonroe redshirt freshman

quarterback Trevor Knight was the team’s leading rusher. Knight added another 42 against West Virginia.

The run game is alive and well in Norman, that’s for sure. How long it can thrive if the passing game continues to suffer though, is a different story.

Julia Nelson is a journalism senior and sports editor at The Daily. You can follow her on Twitter at @ julianelson33

inside the huddle

Thursday, September 12, 2013 •

11

column

Big 12’s struggles bode well for Sooners assistant sports editor forced five turnovers on the

season.

And on offense, when the passing game has failed to produce, the OU run game is averaging more than 300 per contest. Senior Brennan Clay rushed for a career high, 188 yards, Joe Mussatto last Saturday against the jmussatto@ou.edu Mountaineers. he quarterback sitIt hasn’t been smooth for uation in Norman the Sooners so far, but in is more unstable the wide-open Big 12 connow than it has been at any ference, five teams have alpoint in the Bob Stoops era. ready been dealt a loss. And Neither redshirt freshman for some of those squads, quarterback Trevor Knight the loss isn’t the worst thing nor junior Blake Bell has to happen. looked comfortable airHere are a few tales ing it out, and as a result, of travails so far in the Oklahoma sits at 110th in conference: the nation in passing yards.

Mack Brown’s seat But that’s about all OU isn’t getting any cooler at (2-0, 1-0 Big 12) can comTexas, and following the plain about.

Longhorn’s lopsided loss at Compared to the strugBYU on Saturday, the coach gles several Big 12 teams fired defensive coordinator have endured early this Manny Diaz. season, Sooner fans should TCU, one of the preseabe far from disappointed in son favorites to win the their team. league, dropped it’s opener Against Louisianain a tough game against Monroe and West Virginia, LSU, and on Saturday, the defense’s early play has starting quarterback Casey been superb compared to Pachall had surgery on his what the unit did a year ago. non-throwing arm and The Sooners have allowed is expected to miss eight just one score and have weeks.

T

Justin Hayworth/the associated press

Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads yells at an official about a Northern Iowa player whose helmet had came off on the previous play during the first half of Iowa State’s season-opening loss to Northern Iowa on Aug. 31 in Ames. Only five undefeated teams remain in the Big 12.

Kansas State won a share of the Big 12 title last season, but the Wildcats couldn’t beat FCS power North Dakota State in its opening game of the season. Coach Bill Snyder’s quarterback situation isn’t any better than OU’s.

The FCS struck again when Northern Iowa outlasted in-state foe, Iowa State in week one. After not playing last week, the

Cyclones will be looking for a win against Iowa on Saturday.

Other news around the Big 12 even for a couple of squads that haven’t lost isn’t any better.

Kansas is still Kansas, but hopes this year it can avoid coach Charlie Weis’ “pile of crap” label.

And Oklahoma State is the subject of a new multi-layer story Sports

Illustrated broke titled, “Dirty Game”. The report will be broken down into five segments: The Money, which came out on Tuesday, The Academics, The Drugs, The Sex and The Fallout. Not good news for coach Mike Gundy’s Cowboys.

But in Norman, no losses, no major injuries and no coaching casualties have helped the Sooners

avoid negative limelight.

No, as of now the Sooners don’t have a proven quarterback, but things could be worse, a lot worse.

Just ask the rest of the Big 12.

Joe Mussatto is a journalism sophomore and assistant sports editor at The Daily.

You can follow him on Twitter at @Joe_Mussatto

12

Inside the huddle

• Thursday, September 12, 2013

The Daily’s Sports Desk 2013 Pick ’em Challenge

WEEK THREE SEASON RECORD

No. 1 Alabama at No. 6 Texas A&M Vanderbilt at No. 13 South Carolina No. 25 Ole Miss at Texas No. 24 TCU at Texas Tech Tulsa at No. 14 Oklahoma

sports editor

assistant sports editor

Sports Reporter

sports columnist

inside the huddle editor

Julia Nelson

Joe Mussatto

Demetrius Kearney

Joey Stipek

Dillon Phillips

julia.nelson@ou.edu

jmussatto@ou.edu

Demetrius.V.Kearney-1@ou.edu

joey.stipek@ou.edu

dillon.phillips@ou.edu

5-5

7-3

8-2

6-4

8-2

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Texas A&M

Alabama

South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina

Ole Miss

Texas

Ole Miss

Ole Miss

Texas

TCU

Texas Tech

TCU

TCU

TCU

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

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