February 28, 2010

Bradford's Medical Examinations Go Well

Bradford's medical examinations don't show anything out of the ordinary: Sam Bradford walked into the interview room at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday wearing a red jersey with the number "1" on it. Bradford, the former Heisman Trophy winner out of Oklahoma, is one of the four players the St. Louis Rams are considering for the No. 1 pick in April's NFL draft. To some experts, he is considered the top contender of the group. But health is the biggest issue surrounding Bradford, who injured his right shoulder in the 2009 opener against Brigham Young. He returned after missing three games, but re-injured his shoulder against Texas in October and had season-ending surgery. Bradford went through a series of medical examinations Friday, which tested his arm strength, mobility and range-of-motion, and said everything went really well. "No one found anything they weren't expecting to find," he said. "(My throws) are 20-to-40 yards, and I'm putting as much as I can on it," he said. "I feel like, if you want to get your arm stronger, that's what you've got to do. It's gotten stronger every time that I've thrown. It feels really good right now. No discomfort." (St. Louis Global-Democrat)

Rams Could Opt For Bradford With No. 1 Pick: Comcast SportsNet

DTs Suh, McCoy have ability to go No. 1 in draft: CBSSports.com

Risers/Sliders at the NFL Combine: Day 3 - NFL: SI.com

Bradford, McCoy tout their NFL Draft chances: Fort Worth Star Telegram

Top QBs are on Rams' radar: STLtoday.com

February 27, 2010

Gresham: Knee's great and I'm good to go

Gresham's knee appears good: Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham is pretty certain his knee -- which he injured in 2009, forcing him to miss his final season with the Sooners -- is now 100 percent and no longer an issue. "I've been yanked and tugged on, and not one doctor said anything bad about it," Gresham said. "They said the knee's great and I'm good to go." That's good news to NFL teams trying to decide whether to use a first-round pick on Gresham, a list that might include the Ravens. (Baltimore Sun)

Chris Brown’s NFL goal close to becoming a reality: Digital Sports Daily

February 24, 2010

OU Receives Several Verbal Commitments at Junior Day

So far - Five total commitments for class of 2011: The OU football team hosted its first junior day at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday and received several commits for the class of 2011. Arlington wide receiver Kameel Jackson and Moore quarterback Kendal Thompson were among the high school juniors at the event. Both committed in the fall of 2009 to kick off the class with two highly touted verbal commitments. Jackson and Moore were soon joined by Euless-Trinity tight end Chris Barnett. The 6-6 245 pound athlete was the first of three to give a verbal on Saturday and has been on many programs’ watch lists after recording running the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds. The next two verbals came shortly after the day was over from two high school teammates. Stony Brook linebacker P.L. Lindley and defensive tackle Jordan Wade rounded out the day, leaving the Sooners with five total for the future Sooner class. (OUDaily.com)

Related:
Oklahoma football recruiting

TE Gresham set to showcase healthy knee, worth at combine: CBSSports.com

Combine may steal the hoopla: Tulsa World

February 23, 2010

TE Gresham 'Anxious' to Showcase Skills at Combine

Gresham preparing for NFL Combine: Jermaine Gresham is 6-feet-6, 257 pounds and has been timed in the 40-yard dash in less than 4.8 seconds. Simply put, he's built in the mold of the seam-busting tight ends coveted by NFL teams. The former Oklahoma star is the top-rated tight end by NFLDraftScout.com, and is expected to be a first-round pick in April. Since his surgery in early September, Gresham has been waiting for his next opportunity to impress scouts. He remained with the Sooners throughout the season, but shortly after Oklahoma's victory over Stanford in the Sun Bowl, Gresham arrived at the renowned Athletes Performance Institute in Arizona. While the official API training docket ended a few days ago, giving athletes the time to spend with friends and family before the combine, Gresham has remained in Phoenix. Anticipating... "I am looking forward to going to the combine," Gresham said. "I'm anxious to do the medical and prove that I'm good; that I'm the same guy I was before. I'm looking forward to shedding any of those doubts about me." (CBSSports.com)

February 19, 2010

(2/19) OU Football Articles and Columns

Wilson recalls days with Payton: Tulsa World

Sooners All-Decade Team, And what a decade it’s been: Fox Sports Southwest

Owen Field Win Streak In Perspective: Crimson and Cream Machine

Oklahoma DT McFarland: I want to be a leader like McCoy: Sporting News

WIll USC Have To Give a Championship and Heisman To Oklahoma and Texas?: Bleacher Report

All Systems Go: Jermaine Gresham Will Be a Kansas City Chief in 2010: Bleacher Report

February 18, 2010

Report: Bradford Will Not Workout at NFL Combine

Former Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford to attend NFL Combine but will not workout: Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah at MoveTheSticks.com is reporting, representatives for Sam Bradford (Tom Condon and Ben Dogra of CAA Sports) sent an email to all 32 teams informing them that Bradford will fully participate in the medical examinations, interview process and wonderlic testing at the combine. Based on the advice of Dr. James Andrews, he will not participate in any football drills or physical activities in Indianapolis. Bradford will have his own pro day workout on March 25th at the University of Oklahoma. He will not be in attendance for the Sooners pro day on March 9th. (Movingthesticks.com)

February 16, 2010

Oklahoma Announces 2010 Schedule

After playing the nation's second-most difficult schedule last season, Oklahoma will again embark on a challenging slate for the upcoming campaign. Nine teams that played in bowls, including two that participated in BCS match-ups, comprise Oklahoma's 12-game football schedule for 2010.

Those 12 opponents combined for a record of 90-64 in 2009.

"We have assembled a schedule that is representative of our tradition," said OU Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione. "It features intriguing intersectional games as well as the always rigorous Big 12."

"We're also excited about the visit from the Air Force Academy. With Tinker Air Force Base located just a few miles north of our stadium, we anticipate heightened interest in that game. Certainly we are privileged to host the Cadets in Norman."

Oklahoma will play six games at home, five on the road and one, the annual match-up with Texas, on a neutral field.

OU enters the season with a record of 799-302-53 and will become just the eighth program to reach 800 wins when it wins its next game. Each of the schools ranked higher on that list have played at least 33 more games than Oklahoma.

The Sooners open with three straight home games. The first takes place Sept. 4 against Utah State prior to a Sept. 11 visit from Florida State and its new defensive coordinator Mark Stoops, the brother of OU Head Coach Bob Stoops.

It is the first of two meetings between Oklahoma and Florida State with the return game taking place in Tallahassee during the 2011 season.

That FSU game will be the 70th for Stoops at the OU helm and if Sooner fans sell out that game and the Utah State game before it, there will be a new school record for consecutive sellouts at 70.

Air Force will follow Florida State into Norman in the completion of a contract that began at Colorado Springs in 2001. The Falcons were 8-5 last season including a 47-20 win over Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Oklahoma's first road game of the season opens a stretch of back-to-back contests against 2009 BCS participants, both away from Norman. The Sept. 25 game is against Cincinnati in Paul Brown Stadium, home of the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals, to be followed by the annual Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Oct. 2.

The lone open week for OU falls on Oct. 9 before the Sooners alternate home and road games over the next six weeks. They open that stretch with Iowa State in Norman on Oct. 16, then travel to Missouri (Oct. 23), play at home to Colorado (Oct. 30), go to Texas A&M (Nov. 6), host Texas Tech (Nov. 13) then venture to Baylor (Nov. 20).

The regular season finale is Nov. 27 at Oklahoma State.

None of the starting times have been announced pending selections by television networks.

Source: Sooner Sports PR

Related: Oklahoma Sooners Football 2010 Schedule

February 15, 2010

Sooner LB Austin Box Arrested

Box arrested in Bricktown for disorderly conduct: Sophomore linebacker Austin Box was arrested for disorderly conduct this weekend in Oklahoma City. Police saw Box urinating outside Skky Bar at about 2 a.m. Saturday and he was taken into custody, according to a police report. The arrest marks the second incident in less than a year for Box, as the Enid native was cited last spring by Norman police for outraging public decency outside Fat Sandwich Company. (OUDaily.com)

Adrian Peterson to Host Charity Event

Adrian Peterson to host charity event at Riverwind: Former Sooners great and current Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will be back in Oklahoma Feb. 27 for his annual charity dinner at Riverwind Casino. "Dinner with Adrian Peterson” begins at 7 p.m. and will benefit Peterson’s All Day Foundation. Individual tickets are $350. Tables of eight can also be purchased for either $2,500 or $5,000. The $2,500 tables include a signed Vikings jersey for the table sponsor, while the $5,000 tables come with an autographed Vikings helmet for the sponsor, signed picture for each person at the table and a photo-op for the group. For more information, call Bill Horn at (405) 409-2223, or email him at bill@inspiremgmtco.com. (The Oklahoman)

February 12, 2010

Former Sooner Kelly Praises Bradford

Malcolm Kelly, former Sooner wide receiver (2005-07) and current Washington Redskin, gave his thoughts to WaPo on his former quarterback Sam Bradford. In the interview, Kelly praised Bradford's personality, skills and felt Bradford will 'adjust' to the NFL.
Bradford has good arm strength and plays with confidence, Kelly said, "but the biggest thing is that Sam makes good decisions, man. First and foremost, he's real accurate. His accuracy is well above average and he makes smart decisions. He's not going to force too many things.

"I think he will be able to adjust" to the higher NFL skill level, he said. "The better the players are that are around Sam, the better he will be able to do. You get a group of guys around him who are professionals, that will help him out a whole lot. Hopefully, whoever ends up drafting him, if they just give him time to get adjusted, it'll be the same thing for him."

Link: Washington Post

February 10, 2010

Sooners Ranked 3rd in Big 12 Pre-Spring Power Rankings

In one of many power rankings in spring football, Oklahoma Sooners are ranked 3rd in Big 12 pre-spring power rankings by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin.

Griffin, ESPN.com Big 12 blogger, says in formulating his Big 12 rankings he took into account returning players, transfers, arriving freshmen and a teams’ schedules.

Listed below... ESPN.com's Big 12 pre-spring power rankings.

  1. Texas
  2. Nebraska
  3. Oklahoma - Landry Jones will be infinitely better in his second season as a starter and Ryan Broyles and DeMarco Murray may be the best one-two receiving/running back combination in the conference. Bob Stoops will be facing a big renovation on defense where key players like Gerald McCoy and Dominique Franks left early for the NFL draft.
  4. Missouri
  5. Texas Tech
  6. Texas A&M
  7. Kansas
  8. Iowa State
  9. Oklahoma State
  10. Kansas State
  11. Colorado
  12. Baylor

February 4, 2010

(2/4) Post Signing Day Notes and Articles

Sooners lose Lake and gain Nelson: Jenks athlete Jarrett Lake orally committed to the Sooners in July and provided little evidence that his eligibility issues would prevent him from signing. Corey Nelson, one of the nation's top linebackers, reaffirmed his oral commitment to Texas A&M last week. But on signing day on Wednesday, it was Nelson who pledged a commitment to Oklahoma, while Lake looked elsewhere, landing at Arkansas. Tuesday evening, Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables received an oral commitment from Nelson. (The Oklahoman)

Class Ranking:
Rivals.com - No. 7
Scout.com - No. 2
ESPN - No. 5


Sooners sign high-profile athletes: OUDaily.com

New commit Bell has chance to make impact next season: OUDaily.com


Brennan Clay a key recruiter: The Oklahoman

Love at first sight for Blake Bell, OU: The Oklahoman

OU signing day roundup: Bronson Irwin makes time for ceremony; Aaron Colvin signs with OU: The Oklahoman

Best in Class: OU signee Brennan Clay is from running back capital San Diego: The Oklahoman

Quarterback gives Sooners some options: Tulsa World

Ultimately, intangibles make the difference: The Norman Transcript

Entire class signed ready to go by noon: The Norman Transcript

Sooners bet their future on 28 recruits who were all playing high school football last fall: The Norman Transcript

Sherman still smiling after Aggies lose prized recruit: Houston Chronicle

OU's haul straight out of high schools: MuskogeePhoenix.com

February 3, 2010

Sooners Sign 28 Prospects

On Wednesday, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops announced OU football's recruiting class of 2010. The class, which ranks among the nations best according to Scout.com and ESPN, signed five 5-star prospects according to Scout.com, including Blake Bell, Brennan Clay, Justin McCay, Corey Nelson and Kenny Stills.

Stoops felt confident on Wednesday, saying he believes the Sooners have addressed the needs on both sides of the ball with this year's class of signees.

"I felt first, we met every one of our needs by position the way we needed to with the number of guys, the number of signees at each of those positions, and addressed some (needs), just with graduation and guys departing through the year. I felt we really got great talent at all those positions," Stoops said.

Class of 2010
BLAKE BELL
BRENNAN CLAY
AARON COLVIN
RASHOD FAVORS
ROY FINCH
AARON FRANKLIN
TREY FRANKS
GENEO GRISSOM
QUENTIN HAYES
JAMES HAYNES
AUSTIN HAYWOOD
ERIC HUMPHREY
BRONSON IRWIN
TONY JEFFERSON
JUSTIN MCCAY
SHELDON MCCLAIN
TREY MILLARD
COREY NELSON
CHUKA NDULUE
DANIEL NOBLE
TORREA PETERSON
JOE POWELL
ADAM SHEAD
KENNY STILLS (Note: Still waiting for NCAA approval)
TYRUS THOMPSON
DAMON WILLIAMS
DARYL WILLIAMS
JULIAN WILSON
AUSTIN WOODS

Martinez to Coach Defensive Secondary

Oklahoma hires Wiilie Martinez as secondary coach: Willie Martinez has been named the new defensive backs coach at Oklahoma. OU Head Coach Bob Stoops made the announcement today and the move is pending approval of the university's board of regents.

As part of the move, assistant head coach Bobby Jack Wright, who has been on the Sooner staff since 1999, will move from the secondary to coaching OU's defensive ends. He previously coached the defensive ends from 1999-2004 when the program produced five All-Big 12 players at the position.

Martinez was defensive backs coach at Georgia from 2000-09, and was the defensive coordinator from 2005-09.

"Willie is an outstanding coach and someone with a tremendous background in our profession," Stoops said. "His experience is very impressive and he will contribute a lot of very good things to our program. And not only is he fine secondary coach, he's a good recruiter with ties in Florida and a number of other places."

Stoops said past visits with Georgia's staff familiarized him with Martinez.

"Our staffs had been together exchanging ideas and I was impressed with Willie," Stoops said. "In those meetings you not only get a feel for how well someone knows the game, but their ability to communicate and interact with other people, and Willie was a guy that represented himself and his school very well."

The admiration is mutual from Martinez.

"Bob has won so many games and so many championships there that I am just very humbled to be part of that staff," Martinez said. "I was there in 1985 with Miami so I've experienced it myself. I love history and tradition and I go back to my childhood and that Oklahoma name was just always the tops. And it still is thanks to what Bob and his staff have done.

"I've known Bob back to his K-State days and I've known all of those guys on the defensive side of the ball. It's an outstanding group of men and that's what makes this such an attractive job."

The big-play potential and the responsibility of the secondary are the aspects of secondary coaching that most appeal to Martinez.

"We're the last line of defense and you've got to have a good group of athletes who can handle that pressure," he said. "You're going to have a direct impact on every play. You have to have some swagger and the ability to shake off the bad play. I know that a game is almost always going to come down to who plays the best in the secondary and I like that."

Martinez doesn't mind either that the head coach, Stoops, has a background of coaching defensive backs.

"Bob's experience with defensive backs is something that I really like and I want him being around us in practice," he said. "His input is invaluable, but his presence also is a sign to our players that there is a good emphasis on our position."

Before going to Georgia, Martinez served three years as secondary coach and one as assistant head coach at Central Michigan.

During his nine years at UGA, he was part of a staff that led Georgia to 90 victories, two SEC championships, three SEC Eastern Division titles, seven bowl victories, and six top ten finishes in the final national polls including No. 2 in 2007 and No. 3 in 2002. (SoonerSports.com)

Related:
OU Hires Martinez as Defensive Assistant

February 1, 2010

OU Hires Martinez as Defensive Assistant

Sooners hire former Georgia coordinator Martinez: Former Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez will fill the vacant assistant coaching spot at OU, Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com is reporting. Martinez, who was fired by Georgia coach Mark Richt in December after the Bulldog defense struggled in back-to-back seasons, reportedly was hired over the weekend to be Jim Harbaugh's defensive backs coach at Stanford. But Dienhart is now saying, according to a Stanford source, that Martinez is taking the assistant's job at OU, which came open when former Sooner defensive ends coach Chris Wilson left to become the co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach at Mississippi State. (The Oklahoman)

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