Oklahoma Sooners

Days before Oklahoma faced Kansas State with the Sooners looking to win their first Big 12 Conference game, guard Carl Blair didn’t mince words.

“I think people feel like they can come in here and it’s going to be easy for them,” Blair said. “Next game we have to make a statement.”

Statement made.

The Sooners defeated No. 18-ranked KSU, 82-73, at the Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday afternoon, improving to 11-5 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12.

For the first time since conference play began on Jan. 3, the Sooners looked like the squad that went 10-2 in non conference play. The Sooners shot 54.9 percent (28 of 51 from the field) for the game and 70 percent (14 of 20 from the field) in the second half.

OU had 12 steals and 30 points off turnovers as its defense was much more active than it was in conference losses to Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma State.

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As National Signing Day approaches on Feb. 1, Brandon Chatmon is breaking down every commitment and signee in the Sooners' 2012 recruiting class. View all of our profiles here.

Name: Eric Striker

Position: Safety/Linebacker

Height, Weight: 6-foot, 190 pounds

Hometown/School: Seffner, Fla./Armwood

Committed: June 4, 2011

Scout grade: 76. Three star prospect.

Scout rankings: No. 59 safety, No. 466 in Southeast Region, No. 203 in Florida

Picked OU over: Tennessee, South Florida, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Iowa, Vanderbilt,

State of the position: Safety is a need position for OU. Aaron Colvin is one of the best players on the Sooners defense but additional help is needed alongside Colvin. Tony Jefferson can play the safety spot at a high level but he also excels near the line of scrimmage, making it tough to slot him in at deep safety and leave him there. Plenty of playing time is available, particularly if Jefferson moves up to the hybrid linebacker/safety spot.

Pros: “Striker is basically an undersized linebacker in an attack 4-4 scheme. Has limited experience as a true back-end safety and high-point defender but has plenty of eye-popping production in the box. Will likely get recruited to play a hybrid safety position; ideally a Bandit or Rover role.” - ESPN analyst

Cons: “He does tend to pursue high and does not consistently use his hands when shedding; tries to overpower more with his shoulder. Displays a bit of stiffness breaking down in space but is a strong tackler and still makes a lot of solo stops.” - ESPN analyst

Similar to/potential role: Corey Nelson. While he is being recruited as a safety, Striker excels near the box and is a good pass rusher. It would be a waste to leave him at deep safety in OU’s attacking defense.

Expected impact: 2013. Striker could come in and provide help immediately on special teams but ideally he would redshirt. OU has several players (Jefferson, Nelson) who excel with similar skill sets so sitting Striker out 2012 would be ideal for the program.

The SoonerNation staff is wrapping up Oklahoma's 10-3 season by answering 10 questions, just like we did during the Sooners' bye week in November. Today:

Who is the Sooners' most improved player of the season?

DE R.J. Washington
This could have gone to wideout Jaz Reynolds, but he flamed out late in the year. Linebacker Tom Wort was improved, but still too inconsistent. So I’ll go with Washington. Before the season, Washington seemed destined to finish the rest of his career on the sideline. Instead, he became a solid backup to Ronnell Lewis and Frank Alexander, then exploded for two sacks in the Insight Bowl facing off against future NFL first round tackle Riley Reiff. With Alexander and Lewis both gone, OU will be counting on Washington to be its No. 1 pass rusher next season.
- Jake Trotter

S Aaron Colvin
Colvin went from impact freshman at cornerback to a core member of the defense at safety. One of the most consistent defenders, Colvin is good in coverage, a solid tackler and always around the football and proved to be durable. Imagine the Sooners secondary without No. 14 this season.
- Brandon Chatmon

NB Tony Jefferson
It wasn’t a season without a bump or two for Jefferson, but when healthy, he showed exactly what he can do. He had four interceptions in two games (three against Ball State, one against Texas). During the second half of the season he wasn’t 100 percent, but he was back to his old self in the bowl game. He had seven tackles and had that explosiveness again. Playing at his natural safety spot, 2012 should be a breakout season for the California native.
- Bob Przybylo

DE R.J. Washington
In his fourth year on campus, the No. 11 overall player in the 2008 ESPNU 150 finally found his way onto the field. And he made an impact in spot duty, too, with 5 sacks, including 2 in the Sooners' Insight Bowl win over Iowa. Washington told our Brandon Chatmon in October that coach Bobby Jack Wright helped him change his practice habits, which led to a breakout season. And his bowl performance makes him the favorite to start at defensive end in 2012.
- Dane Beavers

It’s official. Mike Stoops is coming back to Norman.

Oklahoma announced the hiring in a release Friday. Stoops will serve as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach along with Brent Venables. OU also announced that secondary coach Willie Martinez has resigned.

“Mike and Brent were out the door recruiting together within two hours of Mike’s hiring so we’re off to a good start,” coach Bob Stoops said in a statement. “Mike and Brent have a long history and comfort level working together, and have together led some great defenses.”

Clemson reportedly has made a push to hire Venables to be its defensive coordinator. The Tigers fired defensive coordinator Kevin Steele this week.

OU hasn’t announced yet whether Venables or Mike Stoops will call the plays.

If Venables stays, he and Mike Stoops will be co-coordinators for the second time in their careers. The two coordinated the OU defense from 1999-03 until Stoops took the head job at Arizona. Mike Stoops was fired from that job after the Wildcats got off to a 1-5 start this season.

“We feel very fortunate to have Mike on our staff. Over the past few months, because of the reputation he has built among his peers, he was a highly sought-after coach,” Bob Stoops said. “People across the country recognize his tremendous knowledge of the game and great energy. He will have a very positive impact on our program.”

Bob Stoops said that Martinez will pursue “attractive options” at other schools.

“I appreciate all of Willie’s work here,” Bob Stoops said. “He represented our program in the right way and will continue to do well in our profession.”

Steve Muench of Scouts Inc. took a look at the top pass-rushers in the NFL draft and included Oklahoma's Ronnell Lewis among the group. His blog post is for people with ESPN Insider subscriptions, but here are a few sentences about the Sooners' defensive end, who had 5.5 sacks in 2011.

There are some questions surrounding Lewis, who had problems staying healthy and was suspended for the final two games of the 2011 season. However, he has the skill set to develop into a productive NFL edge-rusher if he can stay healthy and prove his character.

Read the rest of the blog post here.

Oklahoma needs a win badly.

The Sooners began their season with a 10-2 non-conference record but enter Saturday’s game with No. 18 Kansas State on a three-game losing streak.

Losing its first three Big 12 Conference games was extremely disappointing as OU felt like it simply lost the physical battle in defeats at the hands of to Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma State. They let those teams push them off their spots and knock them out of their offensive flow with physical defense.

Against KSU, the Sooners can expect much of the same.

Key to OU win: The Sooners must compete and fight back. Or, better yet, initiate the battle by striking first. One of OU’s problems in its first three games has been they are reacting to the other team’s aggressiveness instead of making them react to them.

Key to KSU win: Physical play and balanced scoring. Four different Wildcats average at least 9.2 points per game, making it difficult to focus on stopping one particular offensive threat.

Stat line that will tell the tale: OU’s shooting percentage. After three straight games shooting under 40 percent, the Sooners have to get back on track shooting the ball. They need to get quality shots and make them.

Sooners X factor: Carl Blair. After playing arguably his best game of the season in OU’s Bedlam defeat, Blair plans to continue to be aggressive against the Wildcats. His 20 points and 10 rebounds was one of the few bright spots for OU against OSU. If he continues to play with passion, it should rub off on his teammates.

Wildcats X factor: Thomas Gipson. The first Wildcat freshman to record a double-double since Michael Beasley, Gipson has seen his minutes fall since mid-December. But he’s a threat to make an impact at 6-foot-7, 275 pounds. If he plays physical and rebounds the ball well, he could present problems for the Sooners.

Here's the All-Bowl team from the Big 12, recognizing the best single-game performances from this year's bowls.

QB: Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State: Weeden threw for 399 yards and three touchdowns (it could have been four if a game-winning TD pass to Colton Chelf hadn't been overturned) on 29-of-42 passing. His first pass was intercepted, but he had an otherwise solid night and ran for his first career touchdown in the 41-38 win against Stanford.

RB: Terrance Ganaway, Baylor: The Big 12 rushing champion ran for 200 yards and five touchdowns in the Bears' 67-56 win against Washington in the Alamo Bowl.

RB: Ben Malena, Texas A&M: Malena stepped in for the injured Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael and had a solid game in the Aggies' 33-22 win against Northwestern in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. He finished with 77 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, showcasing his physical running style. He also caught six passes for 36 yards.

FB: Trey Millard, Oklahoma: Millard carried the ball four times for 21 yards but also helped pave the way for three Blake Bell touchdowns from the Belldozer formation.

WR: Ryan Swope, Texas A&M: Jeff Fuller had better numbers in the bowl, but it was aided by big catches late. Swope kept the Aggies offense humming for most of the game, with eight catches for 105 yards in the win against Northwestern.

WR: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State: Blackmon was the best offensive player in the Big 12 bowls, spearheading Oklahoma State's offense in the Fiesta Bowl win with eight catches for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

WR: Colton Chelf, Oklahoma State: Chelf made two huge catches over the middle early and a third nearly won the game, but his touchdown was overturned. Still, OSU doesn't win its first BCS bowl without Chelf's 97 yards on five catches.

TE: Michael Egnew, Missouri: By Egnew's standards, it was a quiet game, but he played well with a 25-yard grab and three catches for 39 yards in Mizzou's win.

OL: Grant Garner, Oklahoma State: Oklahoma State's offensive line is keyed by Garner, who helped the Cowboys handle Stanford's blitzes well and give Weeden plenty of time in the Fiesta Bowl win.

OL: Philip Blake, Baylor: Baylor ran for 482 yards and scored 67 points in its win against Washington in the Alamo Bowl. Blake's the man who keyed it all.

OL: Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State: Adcock's the best overall talent on OSU's line, and he showed it in the win against Stanford.

OL: Dan Hoch, Missouri: Missouri rolled over one of the nation's best rush defenses, North Carolina, for 337 yards on the ground.

OL: Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M: The Aggies' offense was potent for most of its win against Northwestern, and Joeckel was solid in run and pass blocking for the balanced attack.

DEFENSE

DL: Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas: Jeffcoat made five tackles, two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss in the Longhorns' 21-10 win against Cal. The Texas defense dominated, and the defensive line's play was the catalyst. He did it all with a torn pectoral muscle, too. He'll miss the spring after having it surgically repaired this week.

DL: Adam Davis, Kansas State: Davis sacked Arkansas' Tyler Wilson twice and had three tackles for loss with a forced fumble in the loss to the Razorbacks.

DL: R.J. Washington, Oklahoma: With Ronnell Lewis ineligible, Washington showed up big in the win against Iowa. He had two sacks and made three tackles.

DL: Tony Jerod-Eddie, Texas A&M: Jerod-Eddie made eight tackles and had a sack in the win against Northwestern.

LB: Damontre Moore, Texas A&M: Moore was a monster in the season finale for the Aggies, making nine tackles and forcing a fumble on his lone sack.

LB: A.J. Klein, Iowa State: Klein flew around for the Cyclones, making 15 tackles in a physical game against Rutgers, though the Cyclones lost.

LB: Jordan Hicks, Texas: Could this be a big piece of momentum heading into 2012? Hicks starred with seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup in the win against Cal.

CB: Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma: Fleming was the Big 12's best defensive player of the bowls and the best player on the field in the Insight Bowl, making seven tackles, intercepting a pass and returning it 21 yards. He also broke up three passes.

CB: David Garrett, Kansas State: Garrett made 10 tackles and had two tackles for loss in the loss to Arkansas.

S: Kenny Vaccaro, Texas: He hates the nickname Machete, but Vaccaro was hacking away at Cal. He made three tackles, including two for loss and a sack.

S: Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State: Even if it was illegal (it was), Martin had the hit of the bowl season with a huge blast on Stanford's Ty Montgomery that took Montgomery's helmet off on the opening drive. He finished with nine tackles and a tackle for loss, with a fumble recovery.

SPECIALISTS

P: Tress Way, Oklahoma: Way averaged 50 yards on his six punts, including a 67-yarder.

PK: Randy Bullock, Texas A&M: Bullock made all four of his field goal attempts, including two from beyond 40 yards.

PR: Dustin Harris, Texas A&M: Harris looked the part of the Big 12's best, returning a punt 35 yards and finishing with 54 yards on his four returns.

KR: Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State: Gilbert had a 50-yard return and returned his four kicks for a total of 136 yards.

Jake Trotter answers readers' questions about Oklahoma football in his mailbag every Friday. Got a question for Jake? Submit it here.

Matt in Soonerville, U.S.A., writes: Would [defensive backs coach Willie] Martinez have been cut even if he didn't accept another job? Were they unhappy with his job performance? Am I right in thinking he did a much better job in 2010 than 2011?

Jake Trotter: Probably. Once Bob Stoops made the decision to bring his brother back that was it for Martinez. I agree that Martinez was solid in ’10. But his unit was nowhere good enough in ’11 to persuade Stoops from hiring Mike back.

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Tosh in Dallas writes: Could the Mike Stoops hiring cause big-time defensive recruits to second guess their original commitments and put OU on the radar?

Jake Trotter: This late in the process I doubt it. OU fans hold Mike Stoops in much higher regard than 17-year-old kids do. Mike could make an impact on uncommitted recruits. And he certainly will make an impact in 2013. But I would be surprised if he got a big-time committed prospect to flip this close to signing day.

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The disappointment of Oklahoma’s winless start in Big 12 play was magnified in the Sooners' 72-65 loss to Oklahoma State on Monday. Losses to Kansas and Missouri -- a pair of top ten teams -- weren’t a huge surprise, but the Cowboys’ Bedlam triumph sent the Sooners to an 0-3 conference start.

Making sure his team doesn’t lose faith or confidence has become a key for first-year OU coach Lon Kruger.

“That’s a priority,” he said. “The enthusiasm, the confidence, the work ethic... we have to maintain all of that and it’s a lot easier to do when you’re winning than when you’re not.”

During OU’s practices this week, the Sooners have focused on being more physical while playing and competing harder in preparation for their fourth conference game against Kansas State on Saturday.

“The goal continues to be the same, make progress each day,” Kruger said. “When you lose ball games it takes a little longer to recover to the same level. But you have to regroup, refocus and recover.”

As National Signing Day approaches on Feb. 1, Brandon Chatmon is breaking down every commitment and signee in the Sooners' 2012 recruiting class. View all of our profiles here.

Name: Daniel Brooks

Position: Athlete

Height, Weight: 5-foot-9, 170 pounds

Hometown/School: Port Laveca, Texas/Calhoun

Committed: March 10, 2011

Scout grade: 75. Three star prospect.

Scout rankings: No. 128 athlete, No. 255 in Midlands region, No. 203 in Texas

Picked OU over: Texas, Texas Tech, California, New Mexico

State of the position: It remains unclear what position Brooks will end up playing at Oklahoma, though he has been told he will get his first shot at running back. Regardless, Brooks is a dynamic playmaker who has the explosiveness to be a good return man and would be terrific in the backfield or the slot.

Pros: “Brooks is a diminutive, shifty scatback type with upside as a return specialist. He is short and wiry, but tougher as an in-line runner than you might think. He has a great first step and explosiveness, shows good vision and can make good decisions in the hole.” - ESPN analyst

Cons: “Overall quickness outweighs his top end speed. The intriguing thing about Brooks is that he doesn't always show sudden stop/start ability given his size and footwork.” - ESPN analyst

Similar to/potential role: Roy Finch. A dynamic playmaker who will need the ball in his hands.

Expected impact: 2012. If the Sooners give Brooks the opportunity to return kickoffs and punts, he could have an immediate impact. If not, a redshirt season may be in the cards for Brooks.

Michele Steele and ESPN Regional Coordinators Jaime Newberg, Dave Hooker, Damon Sayles, Jared Shanker and Mitch Sherman take you through the latest news on the college football recruiting scene.