Without any ado whatsoever, here is the latest and greatest from the world of Sooner football:
- Jumping ship: As an opponent in the near future, the Miami Hurricanes are a team of interest for the Sooners. Therefore, it should be interesting to everyone here that Miami's #2 and #3 quarterbacks announced their intentions to transfer. This means that Jacory Harris will be backed up by a true freshman...and that's it.
- Ben Habern At Full Strength: Everyone has been concerned about the center position. Good news! As the man said himself: "I’m full go," he said. "The back feels fine."
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Gabe Ikard is expected to redshirt this season. He was one of the top recruits in the incoming freshman class. He will eventually play tight end.
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Tyler Evans is not going to redshirt (offensive lineman) and he is a true freshman. According to the Oklahoman, he has been outplaying both JUCO offensive line transfers. Evans may see the field.
- More Freshman Positives: It seems we had a good recruiting class because a lot of freshmen are going to be competing for playing time and seeing the field. Coaches are high on Demontre Hurst and Marcus Trice. Hurst would probably operate as the primary backup corner and Trice as a nickel/dime back. Apparently both have a knack for the interception.
Quotable: There were quite a few quotable things in the Tulsa World blog piece. Here goes:
Position coach Cale Gundy pronounces DeMarco Murray "100 percent" following a hamstring injury suffered during summer workouts. That's promising news for Oklahoma, considering Murray has been a gamebreaker the past two years when healthy. Chris Brown, the Sooners' second 1,000-yard rusher from a year ago is even more fit.
"There's no doubt he's faster," Gundy said. "His 40 times show it. And I think you will see a difference on game day."
That's because Ryan Reynolds continues to respond well to his third knee surgery in three years.
"He's doing well, real well," OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "He hasn't had any limitations. Finds the ball every snap, is always in great position. He had 25-plus plays (in OU's recent scrimmage) and had seven or eight tackles. That's about par for the course for him."
"He's still the same Ryan," weakside linebacker Travis Lewis said. "He's making the checks. He's in the right place. He's covering up for my mistakes... Like yesterday (at the scrimmage), I was supposed to be inside and I was outside, and he just covered up for me. He's the Ryan of old."
And this last one refers to how Sam Bradford can help the wide receivers settle in:
"It makes a big difference in how to work and what he expects," coach Bob Stoops said. "It doesn't hurt, either, that the ball is right between your eyes every time and all you've got to do is put your hands up and it'll stay there usually."
Less than two weeks, Boomer Sooner!