Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma fan base was disappointed when quarterback Tyrone Swoopes (Whitewright, Texas/Whitewright) chose Texas over the Sooners last week. However, it wasn’t as bad as one might think because OU is still in the running for its No. 1 target in Max Browne (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline).

The Sooners hosted their first junior day Feb. 4 and welcomed Swoopes and quarterback Brayden Scott (Tahlequah, Okla./Sequoyah) back to campus. However, a day earlier, OU already had extended its first quarterback offer to Browne.

Browne, 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, has picked up offers from OU, USC, Auburn and Alabama in the last month to go with the numerous offers he already had.

Projected to be the top pro-style quarterback for the 2013 class, Browne did a radio interview with Sports Talk 1400, KREF in Norman, Okla., on Tuesday.

Browne remained adamant that he doesn’t have a list of favorites and is soaking everything all in. But he did give some good news to OU fans.

“I’m very excited about [the Sooners],” Browne said. “Coach [Josh] Heupel and I have a good relationship. We talk once a week. I’m hoping to come down in March to watch spring practices.”

Browne said there are a few factors he is looking into when trying to decide on a school to attend. He said he needs to have a great relationship with the coaches, especially the offensive coaches. And he said he wants to run an offense that fits his skill set,, preferably a pro-style or spread offense.

And he said the best advice he has been given is to go to a college that if he got hurt on day one, that he would still enjoy going to class every single day.

One priority not on that list? Distance.

“It’s not a huge factor. I don’t need to stay close to home,” Browne said. “Washington offered me first, but it’s not a big deal. Like I said, I’m still gathering info, and I’m willing to go wherever.”

Browne said though he won’t list his current favorites, OU is near the top and will remain in the conversation until the end. Besides OU, Browne said he would like to visit Alabama in the spring. In the last year, he has made unofficial visits to USC, Michigan, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington.

SoonerNation writer Jake Trotter chatted with readers Monday. Here's the full transcript. If you didn't get your question answered, send it to Jake's mailbag to be published on Friday.

Here are a few highlights from the chat:

Braden (oklahoma city): Out of 5 wide receivers coming in who's the biggest deep threat? And who's gonna be in the slot? Brennan Clay?

Jake Trotter: He's not as polished, but Courtney Gardner has the most potential to become that kind of player. Daniel Brooks, who could play slot, is actually the fastest of the incoming receivers, but he's not an outside receiver. I see Clay, Trey Franks, Brooks and Sterling Shepard all getting looks in the slot. Eventually, I think Sterling wins the job there. Maybe not right away, though.

Tony (Richmond, CA): Is this a make or break year for Josh Heupel at offensive coordinator?

Jake Trotter: OU was top 10 in scoring last season, despite not having its best player for a third of the season. So no, this is not a make or break season for Heupel. He had one bad game plan, Oklahoma State, and it was bad. But Heupel had a nice season for a rookie coordinator. He'll only get better.

Mason (alabama): It looks like OU has one of the toughest 3 game stretches in the Big 12 with @WVU, vs OSU and @TCU! How does the 3 game stretch and their entire schedule fare for OU?

Jake Trotter: Texas has a pretty tough stretch with OSU, West Virginia and OU back-to-back-to-back, but OU's is about as tough, considering WV and TCU are on the road. That stretch will make or break OU's season. It could catapult OU into the national title game. It could also send the Sooners to the Insight Bowl again.

Aaron (Weatherford): Will Landry Jones ever learn how to avoid the pass rush? And if not will the sooner offensive line be any better in 2012?

Jake Trotter: If he wants to be a Top 10 pick, Landry needs to devote the next few months to his footwork. It's one of the glaring weaknesses in his game. As for the line, it has a chance to be the best OU's had since 2008. Gabe Ikard, Ben Habern,Tyler Evans are all 2- and 3-year starters, Adam Shead is an up-and-coming run blocking guard. Lane Johnson is a solid tackle. Among Will Latu, Daryl Williams and Tyrus Thompson, I expect someone to emerge as a solid counterpart at tackle.

Thomas (Bee Cave): Long term conjecture for the basketball program?

Jake Trotter: I like Kruger. I think he and his staff have done a reasonably good job making this team competitive. But the cupboard is bare. And until Kruger recruits better players (his forte is developing players, not recruiting), the Sooners are going to have a hard time making the NCAA tourney.

Spring practice start date: March 5
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• New faces on, off the field: Mike Stoops' arrival as the defensive coordinator was the biggest news this offseason in the Big 12, and Brent Venables, who had been at OU for all of Bob Stoops' tenure, left for Clemson rather than become co-defensive coordinator. Hopes are high that Stoops can revitalize Oklahoma's defense. He was in charge when the Sooners rode a dominant D to the 2000 national title, and the Sooners have the talent to win it all in 2012. Receiver Trey Metoyer joins the team this spring, and could be a major contributor immediately. Two of the team's four new tight ends are also enrolled early.
• QB Blake Bell's role: The Belldozer is back ... but so is full-time quarterback Landry Jones. How will the balance between the duo look this spring? And what new wrinkles will we see in Oklahoma's simple, yet near-unstoppable short-yardage formation that saw 13 touchdowns in the second half of 2011?
• The battle at defensive end: Oklahoma must fill two huge holes at defensive end. Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Frank Alexander is gone, as is possible first-round pick Ronnell Lewis. R.J. Washington contributed late and has potential, but David King filled in for Lewis in the final three games of the season. The duo could be great, but it could also be pretty pedestrian. We'll get an idea this spring, but Lewis and Alexander set a high, high bar.

The 2012 football roster has been updated on SoonerSports.com with the Sooners' early enrollees. Here are the numbers they've been given for spring practice:

Kass Everett: No. 16
Trey Metoyer: No. 17
Chaz Nelson: No. 37
Brannon Green: No. 82
Taylor McNamara: No. 88
Jordan Wade: No. 93

One percentage will explain the Sooners memories of playing Iowa State this season.

Fifty percent.

The Cyclones shot 50 percent from the three-point line to defeat Oklahoma, 80-69, at Hilton Coliseum on Saturday afternoon. ISU was 11 of 22 from the three point line and shot 28 of 54 from the field overall (51.9%).

In two wins over the Sooners, ISU shot 26 of 52 from beyond the arc (50%).

Player of the Game: Cameron Clark. The sophomore played with confidence and aggression, finishing with 16 points on 8 of 14 shooting. He added four rebounds and three steals.

Unsung Hero: Tyler Neal. Saturday’s performance makes back-to-back solid production from Neal. The sophomore had 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting with three rebounds and two blocked shots.

Key Stat: 18.1 percent. It was a tough shooting day for OU’s leading scorer Steven Pledger, who was 2 of 11 from the field including 0 of 4 from the three-point line. He scored seven points, 10 points less than his season average.

Up Next: The Sooners will host Bedlam against Oklahoma State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Oklahoma is hoping there is nowhere to go but up.

A five-game losing streak accompanies the Sooners to Ames, Iowa, on Saturday as OU battles Iowa State (18-8, 8-5) at 12:47 p.m. CT at Hilton Coliseum. The Sooners have lost 7 of 8 games and are 13-12 overall including 3-10 in Big 12 Conference play.

ISU defeated OU 77-70 on Feb. 4 at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Key to OU win: Getting Steven Pledger in the groove. In OU’s lone Big 12 road win at Kansas State, Pledger was the driving force with 30 points on 11 of 17 shooting. OU needs another strong shooting game from Pledger and a repeat performance of last year, when the junior scored 38 points in a win at ISU.

Key to ISU win: A strong game from Royce White. After his teammates shot 15 of 30 from the three-point line in the first meeting, expect White to have more space this time around. He’ll need to take advantage of the additional space to work.

Stat line that will tell the tale: Pledger’s free throw attempts. Generally speaking, when Pledger is playing well and into the flow of the offense, he is also getting to the free throw line and that has a direct impact on the Sooners chances to win. Pledger was 14 of 14 from the foul line in OU’s three Big 12 victories.

Sooners X factor: Tyler Neal. With 17 minutes against Texas, Neal logged double-digit minutes for the first time since Jan. 9. Coach Lon Kruger is hoping the increased playing time and eight points by Neal against the Longhorns will catapult him into a strong finish.

Cyclones X factor: Tyrus McGee. The Stringtown, Okla., native has seen his minutes increasing in recent games and he’s shooting 42.7 percent from the three-point line which helps limit the double-team opportunities on White.