The Oklahoma Sooners are going to kick the season off against Chattanooga this Saturday the 4th in Norman, OK
The team is coming into the season rated 4th in the AP and the USA today poll. As I was reading the articles in a the most recent playboy yesterday with Anna Faris on the cover (the chick from Scary Movie) which by the way it is very misleading when they put someone on the cover and they don't get naked inside. See the Mariah Carey issue for another example. What was I talking about? Oh yeah. Playboy the credible source that it is has us rated Number one. Which is cool but I have mixed feelings about it. Personally I like to start lower and work our way up.
But either way Bob Stoops lent some words to the media today;
Opening Statement:
| “It’s good to be back here again and I am really excited to start the season here in Oklahoma and around the nation on Thursday. Like everyone this time of year, after a long pre-season, our players are anxious to start the season. They just get tired of going up against each other every day and now we finally get to face another team here at home this weekend. Hopefully we can start the season in a positive, sharp way. Eliminate penalties and turnovers, and just play smart. I am excited to be starting at home this weekend and we are looking forward to starting the year.” |  |
On what the special teams will look like:
“Well, we lost a few guys, but Mike Knall is back punting the ball for us. Derek Shaw has had an Achilles injury, and we have had a couple of young guys, Ben Hampton and James Winchester, come in and snap the ball well. Jimmy Stevens has been kicking the ball well. He has been really good and consistent and solid and I have really been pleased with his play. Then there are others guys in Matt Moreland and Tress Way that have a little bit bigger legs than Jimmy, but Jimmy is really good from 50 yards in. Carter Whitson is going to be replacing Hays McEachern holding for kicks, and he has been very solid through camp as well.”
On the secondary:
“There is always competition, beginning with Sam Proctor at safety. If he keeps coming on like he has been, he has a chance to get up there with Lendy Holmes. Some other guys have been looking good and solid, but they way they play on Saturday will dictate a lot.”
On the defensive line:
“We expect a lot from them. We expect them to be very physical and pressure the quarterback without having to blitz the whole time. We will definitely challenge those guys to play to the level we know they are capable of.”
On Ryan Reynolds:
“He is healthy. He made it through all of our practices and I think for him and for everyone, the weekend off allowed them to come back ready to go for game week.”
On the new rules:
“Some of the rules will be interesting to see how everything works. For example, when the ball goes out of bounds and the second the ball is spotted, they will start the clock; I think that will speed things up. I think more than anything though that you will see a more consistent pace of play. I think the ball will be spotted quicker too, which will allow the offense to dictate when they want to snap the ball. It’s going to be a little different, but I think you will just see a more consistent pace of play more than anything.”
On this weekend’s game against UTC:
“Offensively, they are a team that tries to get you off balance with both the run and the pass. They run a lot of two-back, two-tight end sets where they run the ball, but then they also have play action off of that to throw the defense off guard a bit. Defensively, they changed from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense with a lot of four deep and three deep zone blitzes. We have watched tape on both them and their new coordinator.”
Here is how the season is starting out according to the Associated Press.
What is your prediction for the game?
Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2008
by Dylan Johnson
filed under