Oklahoma Sooners

The recruiting momentum Oklahoma was building in October is starting to appear like it has gone away, but the Sooners are still in pretty good standing heading into the final two months before 2012 signing day.

The Sooners, who have hovered between No. 10 and No. 12 the last six months, are ranked No. 11 for the 2012 class in the latest list released by ESPN on Tuesday.

OU was ranked No. 10 in the previous ranking. The Sooners didn’t necessarily drop as much as Georgia vaulted from No. 15 to No. 8. Fresh off of getting five-star running back Keith Marshall (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook), the Bulldogs have put themselves in good position.

OU’s top two ranked verbal commits remain in-state products running back Alex Ross (Jenks, Okla./Jenks) and wide receiver Sterling Shepard (Oklahoma City/Heritage Hall). Ross is ranked No. 38 in the ESPNU 150, while Shepard is No. 56.

The Sooners have three Under Armour All-Americans in Ross, Shepard and cornerback De’Vante Harris (Mesquite, Texas/Horn). OU also has three players participating in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in offensive linemen Ty Darlington (Apopka, Fla./Apopka) and John Michael McGee (Texarkana, Texas/Texas) and wide receiver Durron Neal (St. Louis/De Smet Jesuit).

Oklahoma remains in the hunt for some of the nation’s top uncommitted prospects, but the Sooners have been unable to land a big-time target since September. OU has 15 verbal commits, with 10 on offense and five on defense.

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 his chat:

Matt (Texas): Any word on if Landry Jones is returning next year?

Jake Trotter: No word yet. I've gotten hints the past few weeks that he's returning. But that's a decision he'll make after getting his film back from the NFL advisory committee. You have to believe, though, that at the moment his stock is as low as it's been all year.

Redneck Sooner (Tulsa): How hard of a look does the coaching staff need to take at themselves this offseason?

Jake Trotter: A long and hard look. I think the leadership and chemistry and attitude with this team stunk the second half of the season. That is reflection on the coaches, and the players they have recruited. If you have starters getting suspended late in the season, it's a major reflection of the attitude within the program. Not good.

Eric C. (Norman): Who will emerge as our clutch playmaker? Stills has yet to show clutch since FSU, Jaz Reynolds is just as inconsistent as Stills with only handful of big catches. We cannot expect championships without having a clutch receiver as Broyles is leaving. So who will take that spot?

Jake Trotter: Stills has to be the guy. After the Florida State game, I thought he had a chance to have the kind of sophomore year that Broyles had in '09. I was wrong. But keep in mind, Stills has been dealing with a hamstring injury most of the season. That might be why his progress leveled off this year.

Dion (Hollywood, California): Next year, it seems that Covin, Jefferson, Hurst will play in the secondary, who is the other corner? Also, who will play the ROY Pos if Jefferson is moved to safety? Lastly, why can't we have more blitz packages ala LSU? The DT are not getting any pressure on the QB any changes coming there?

Jake Trotter: Brandon Chatmon and I were talking about this on the way home from Stillwater Sat. night. It's a big problem. As of now, I don't how they can afford to not move Colvin to CB. But then you have a hole at safety. Right now, the Sooners have three dependable DBs, and five spots to fill in 2012. Maybe someone emerges from the class of '12 (De'Vante Harris?). Otherwise, OU will have to do some serious tinkering.

Sadieogrady (Del City): Can you give any insight into why Stoops did not pull Landry Jones when he was playing so badly?

Jake Trotter: Like it or not, Landry is OU's QB. He's not getting benched. That said, I couldn't believe OU ran Blake Bell just one time against OSU. They should have figured out a way to make Bell a bigger part of the attack. He would have made a difference.

Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (9-3)

Dec. 30, 1o p.m. ET (ESPN)

Iowa take by Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg: Iowa football hasn’t had much go its way in the past 11 months aside from a dramatic victory against Missouri in the 2010 Insight Bowl. The Hawkeyes will return to Tempe, Ariz., later this month looking for another boost after an up-and-down 2011 campaign.

Kirk Ferentz’s teams typically save their best for the postseason, as Iowa is 6-3 in bowls during his tenure as coach, including victories in each of the past three years (2010 Insight, 2010 Orange, 2009 Outback). But extending the win streak will be tough against Oklahoma, the preseason No. 1 team. Both teams struggled down the stretch, each dropping two of the final three games.

Iowa is led by its big three on offense: receiver Marvin McNutt, running back Marcus Coker and quarterback James Vandenberg. Coker burst on the scene as a freshman at the 2010 Insight Bowl, setting an Iowa bowl record with 219 rushing yards. McNutt also has been fabulous, while Vandenberg struggled away from Kinnick Stadium but can put up big numbers.

The Hawkeyes' defense was in rebuilding mode for most of the season, as the NFL losses along the defensive line and at safety stung. Oklahoma isn’t nearly as dangerous on offense without star receiver Ryan Broyles, who is out for the season with a knee injury. But Iowa can’t let Landry Jones settle into a rhythm and must pressure the Sooners junior quarterback.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops faces his alma mater in Iowa, which goes up against the Sooners for just the second time after dropping a 1979 game in Norman.

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Oklahoma State take from Big 12 blogger David Ubben: The "Chase For Eight" quickly went awry for the Sooners, who lost a 41-38 game at home to five-win Texas Tech. The Red Raiders didn't win again the rest of the season. The Sooners' defense fell to powerful offenses late in the season, too. Baylor bested the Sooners on a last-second touchdown from Robert Griffin III, and Oklahoma State receivers ran free in a Cowboys blowout.

Injuries played a huge role. That's undeniable, but this season, with the expectations that came with it, is nothing but a disappointment. The Sooners suffered two losses after losing Broyles and Dominique Whaley. Blake Bell's Tebow-esque "BellDozer" formation was pretty effective late in the season, but Oklahoma is bested only by Texas A&M as the Big 12's most disappointing team.