Oklahoma Sooners

Roughly 90 percent of college football programs would be thrilled to win 10 games in a season. Oklahoma is not one of those programs.

Sharing a Big 12 title? That trophy is a whole lot less satisfying when there are seven others waiting in the trophy case since 2000 that weren't shared with anybody.

"Our expectations are different than everybody else. Everybody’s not Oklahoma," defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. "When you have Oklahoma across your chest, you expect to win championships, and that’s never going to change here."

He knows firsthand. Stoops helped his brother, coach Bob Stoops, win Oklahoma's seventh national title back in 2000, and the Sooners came up short two more times, once losing in the title game with Mike Stoops in 2003 and again a year later with Stoops coaching at Arizona. Without him coordinating the defense, the Sooners gave up 55 points to USC, more points than any team has ever scored in the BCS National Championship Game.

Arizona fired Mike Stoops six games into the 2011 season, and the Sooners' struggling defense needed an offseason jolt, despite winning 10 games that same season. Mike Stoops returned and brought assistant Tim Kish with him to coach linebackers and help coordinate the defense.

"Sometimes change is good, new ideas are good always, and change is good sometimes," Mike Stoops said. "That happens for whatever reason, and whether it’s complacency or just being stagnant, those things occur. Just trying to reinvent ourselves is something we need to do."

In 2012, there were more late-season defensive struggles after a strong start, but yet again, a 10-win season and a shared Big 12 title weren't enough. Losing three games isn't good enough, and nobody wants to hear that all three losses came to teams that spent time in the top five last season. The Sooners want to get back to competing for national titles, and Bob Stoops went the route of coaching changes to help get Oklahoma back there.

Assistant coaches Jackie Shipp and Bruce Kittle were shown the door, along with offensive line coach James Patton. The Sooners scooped up Bill Bedenbaugh from West Virginia to replace Patton and brought in Jerry Montgomery from Michigan to coach the defensive line. Jay Boulware filled Kittle's spot on the staff after coaching tight ends at Auburn. The Sooners' reboot was complete, and they're working toward results in the spring.

"[They bring] a new perspective in some areas, new ideas. They’re not drastic changes," Mike Stoops said. "Obviously, the coaches we had in here were involved and knew our systems well, but there’s always little changes in technique and little things schematically that can help you, so we’re always looking for fresh ideas."

Ten wins tastes bitter when you're used to winning 11 or 12, which can be the difference between proving yourself as a very good team and a great team. Oklahoma won at least 12 games six times since 2000 and 11 games on three more occasions. Ten wins isn't good enough, and a few former players and one famed coach were more than willing to speak up about it, echoing fan concerns.

Barry Switzer started it in September when he told one local paper that the Sooners "just don't have the talent."

"We’re not as good as we have been," Switzer said. "We don’t have the Tommie Harrises or Gerald McCoys squatting down there in the middle [of the defensive line]."

Offensive lineman Jammal Brown, an All-American who played in Norman from 2000 to '04, said he was "mad as hell" about the Sooners' 28-point Cotton Bowl loss to Texas A&M to cap the 10-win season, calling the Sooners "soft." CBS analyst Spencer Tillman, a Sooners running back in the '80s, said Oklahoma lost concentration on what made the program great in the first place.

Considering the Sooners let Shipp go at the end of the season, it's hard to believe Bob Stoops didn't agree in part with what Switzer had to say. As for the rest of it?

"We may not be as skilled at some of the positions as we want to be, but our toughness and pride is what made Oklahoma what it is, whether it was Bud Wilkinson or Barry Switzer or Bob Stoops, I think that’s the common thread that goes to being a great team," Mike Stoops said.

"Some of those, from the outside, may have felt like we didn’t have that common thread between us. I never felt that; I always thought our teams played hard and together. They’re certainly entitled to their opinions, you know. We’ve got to look at ourselves, and if it’s true, we need to change it. The things we needed to change, we’re working on changing, and nobody knows our program like we do.

"There’s areas we certainly need to get better at, and we’re aware of those. Some of those take time. Some of those take adjustments each day to get better."

The Sooners lose a four-year starter at quarterback in Landry Jones from last year's team, along with seven starters from Mike Stoops' defense. The task of winning more than 10 games seems difficult in a Big 12 that's deeper than it has ever been.

"We just need to get better, again, individually and schematically and play better across the board and come up with better ideas and a better scheme. We’re not far off when you look at the big picture," Mike Stoops said. "We had a chance to win 12 games, we lost them all late in the game and down the stretch and didn’t make the plays we needed to, but again, we’re not that far off."

In January, linebacker Tom Wort stunned everyone from the fans to the Oklahoma coaches when he revealed he was skipping his senior year of college to enter the NFL draft. Wort struggled to adjust to a new scheme and new position coach, as the Sooners de-emphasiszed the linebacker position the second half of the season to try and combat the spread offenses of the Big 12. After OU's pro day Wednesday, Wort spoke with SoonerNation in his first interview since deciding to declare for the draft:

SoonerNation: What went into the decision to leave, how did you make it?

Tom Wort: The fact I graduated was a huge part of it. I came to OU to get a degree and play football. I just thought it was my time to take my shot at the next level.

SN: I don’t think there’s any question last season was an adjustment for you with the new scheme, the new coaching staff defensively. Did that play into the decision at all?

Wort: Somewhat, but for the most part, I just wanted to get to that next level. It’s been my dream. I had the opportunity, I got my degree, so I decided to take it.

SN: When did you make your decision to come out?

Wort: Right after the Cotton Bowl. I took about a week, and then came and talked to coach [Tim] Kish and told him, and then got ready for training.

SN: How did he and coach [Bob] Stoops react?

Wort: I talked to coach Bob Stoops, Coach Kish first. He said he understood and wished me the best.

(Read full post)

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Norman (Okla.) North linebacker Jordan Evans made play after play as a high school senior. The Sooners weren't sure what position he might end up playing, but he was just too good to ignore and OU eventually offered and signed the local prospect.

"He’s just a great athlete," head coach Bob Stoops said. "He’s got a lot of range in size to him, and we’re like, 'Hey, we’ll find the right spot for him once we get him here.' "

Evans projects perfectly to be a hybrid defensive end/linebacker or he could end up playing either position for the Sooners. Regardless, he brings unique ability to the table as a 6-foot-3, 205-pound linebacker who returned multiple kicks for touchdowns during his senior year.

"He’s gifted athletically," linebackers coach Tim Kish said. "Anytime you have a linebacker that returns punts and kickoffs, it speaks volumes. He’s an excellent defender, so versatile. He has the speed, size and athleticism we are looking for at that position now."

Stoops likened him to former Sooner Dan Cody, who earned all-american honors at defensive end before being selected in the second round of the NFL draft.

"Dan Cody was absolutely the same way," Stoops said. "We kept watching Dan, and what’s he going to play? Once you work with guys daily you find what’s best for them and where they’re going to have the most success."

As the Sooners' defense strives to become more versatile, prospects like Evans become important pieces to the puzzle.

"He’s got the speed, the quickness, the agility to play outside linebacker," Stoops said. "He’s got the size where you’re unsure where he will end up growing to, but that’s good. The bottom line ... when we all looked at him and were watching him over and over is everybody likes him, so wherever he ends up kind of growing to, good."

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Defensive end signee Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (Houston/Alief Taylor) is one of the most intriguing signees in the class. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Okoronkwo doesn't really fit the prototypical description of a Sooners defensive end. But he's a perfect fit for a hybrid defensive end/linebacker/pass rush specialist, a spot that could be useful against the various offenses in the Big 12.

"He’s a a smaller guy," defensive ends coach Bobby Jack Wright said. "[An] edge rusher, drop linebacker type of guy. He has get off, very physical, very talented, fast and explosive."

Okoronkwo displays terrific pass rushing ability, making it quite possible that he finds his way onto the field this fall if he shows a consistent ability to get to the quarterback during preseason camp in August.

"[He has] great acceleration," defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. "This is what we need on our defensive front. Guys that can make plays, get off blocks and rush the quarterback. He’s a tremendous rusher that gives us a speed guy off the edge.”

Which the Sooners were sorely lacking in 2012 as OU finished with 24 sacks in 13 games and no Sooner had more than 4.5 sacks. Okoronkwo will be overmatched by most offensive lineman but the Sooners are confident his quickness and relentlessness will overcome any physical disadvantage he faces in pass rush situations.

"Obo is a high motor guy, his motor never stops," linebackers coach Tim Kish said. "He’s going to give us that outside, off the edge pressure that we’re looking for."

After recruiting them for several months, Oklahoma's coaching staff was finally able to talk publicly about the players the Sooners added to the program on signing day. Over the next week or so, SoonerNation will review some of the key things coaches had to say about the players signed at each position group during their signing day webcast on Soonersports.com.

Defensive end D.J. Ward (Moore, Okla/Southmoore) could be the most overlooked signee for Oklahoma. He didn't play during his senior year of high school after he was ineligible to play due to transfer rules. Therefore all the buzz and hype he had garnered during his sophomore and junior seasons disappeared.

Yet, it didn't impact the Sooners coaches' excitement about landing Ward.

"D.J. is a guy that has been dying to play again," coach Bob Stoops said. "He has had a great attitude through it all and has continued to lift and run. You can tell that he looks like he is in excellent shape."

Ward is already on campus as an early enrollee which should help him shake off the rust after missing an entire season. Stoops is confident he can overcome it.

"I believe he will," he said. "He has continued to work out hard and looks great but I guess you do, you miss those snaps on the field.”

Once he does get back in the flow of playing football, Ward could make a difference during his career. He has good size, strength and quickness which gives him the ability to be a every down defensive end who can hold up against the run while developing into a solid pass-rusher.

"DJ is your prototypical defensive end," defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said.

And it could be sooner than expected with OU searching for pass-rushers this fall. The Sooners really struggled to rush the passer in 2012, opening the opportunity to make an immediate impact for newcomers like Ward.

"[He's] another guy who can factor in right away," linebacker coach Tim Kish said. "He’s got tremendous athletic ability, great size, great strength."

Three weeks ago, the name K.J. Young didn’t mean much in recruiting circles. That’s how quickly things can change.

Following a stellar senior season at Perris (Calif.) Citrus Hill High, Young, a three-star wide receiver, became a sought after commodity the last couple of weeks.

But one school was ahead of the pack -- Oklahoma. The Sooners reached out to Young on Dec. 27, and Young confirmed he has committed to the Sooners on Sunday. Initially Young was going to wait. But at the airport, Young called OU coach Bob Stoops and said he was ready to be a Sooner.

“I know this is where I want to go,” Young said. “I didn’t need to wait.”

A move to the slot position paid huge dividends for Young this season and his high school coach, Eric Zomalt, gave OU linebackers coach Tim Kish a call. Kish developed a relationship with Zomalt from Kish’s time at Arizona.

If Zomalt was wrong, then it was just a short period of time for Kish to relay his Sooners' level of interest. But if Zomalt was right, then Kish has just found one of the better under-the-radar prospects nationally.

Zomalt was right and OU believes it has found a gem.

Young had interest regionally and had taken official visits to UNLV and Boise State. But when OU entered the picture, every other school was in an uphill battle.

Schools such as Washington, Washington State, Iowa State and Texas Tech reached out to Young, but every time he was on the phone with Kish, he said he felt like committing.

Young is OU’s 19th commit and third at wide receiver, joining three-star prospects Austin Bennett (Manvel, Texas/Manvel) and Jordan Smallwood (Jenks, Okla./Jenks). He is the second of the weekend, joining three-star defensive tackle Charles Walker (Garland, Texas/South Garland).

Oklahoma assistant coach James Patton told three-star offensive tackle Christian Daimler (Houston/Stratford) to be patient.

Daimler made an unofficial visit to OU during the summer, and Patton told Daimler and his father that it might be a while until the Sooners got around to making their evaluation.

It did take a while, but it all worked out. OU offered Daimler on Tuesday night, and he flipped his commitment from Arizona State to OU on Wednesday night.

“I trusted Coach Patton and took him at his word,” Daimler said. “I couldn’t be happier that I did that.”

Daimler committed to the Sun Devils in the summer but said he fell in love with Norman, Okla., during his unofficial visit. He said the area exceeded his expectations.

(Read full post)