By JOHN E. HOOVER Sports Columnist on Oct 10, 2012, at 8:30 PM Updated on 10/10 at 9:02 PM
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Landry Jones just became a better quarterback.
The NCAA has cleared receiver Jalen Saunders, a transfer from Fresno State, to play this season at Oklahoma.
Bob Stoops said on Sept. 3 that Saunders’ appeal for immediate eligibility in 2012 was denied. Transfers from one Division I school to another must sit out a season per NCAA rules, and Stoops said then the plan for Saunders would be to redshirt this year.
But Wednesday, Stoops informed reporters in Norman that the NCAA said Saunders is now, four games into the season, eligible to play this week against Texas and beyond.
The basis for Saunders’ appeal is still unclear. Coach Pat Hill was fired after last season, and Saunders wanted out. He went to Fresno from Elk Grove, Calif.
But this much is certain: Saunders’ unique skill set as a receiver will make Jones’ job easier.
The Sooners had been using outside receiver Kenny Stills in the slot. They also had given opportunity to freshman Sterling Shepard to work as an inside receiver, and Shepard showed he can do it just fine.
But Saunders is different. He’s extraordinarily quick and sudden in his movements. His lateral moves are the best on the team. He’s a 5-foot-9, 160-pound slot guy who averaged 21.3 yards per catch last year at Fresno State.
Of his 12 touchdowns, six covered 50 yards or more. He had 10 plays of at least 44 yards.
Saunders led the Bulldogs with 50 receptions for 1,065 yards and 12 touchdowns and was accorded All-Western Athletic Conference.
“He’s quick, got a great sense of space and the ability to get open,” Stoops said.
Sounds a lot like Ryan Broyles. And everyone knows, Jones was never better than when Broyles was healthy.
Saunders, a junior, isn’t Broyles. Broyles set an NCAA career record for catches in part because he knew how to exploit weaknesses in a defense. He went where they ain’t, and Jones got it to him a lot. Truth is, Saunders is faster than Broyles, though he probably doesn’t yet have Broyles’ innate playmaking abilities.
But like Broyles, Saunders will catch some bubble screens — he’s way more elusive than Stills and probably moreso than even Shepard — and will expose some coverage mismatches against linebackers, safeties and nickel corners. Broyles was a Jones safety valve, a security blanket. Saunders can be that, too.
Jones was completing a career-best 67 percent of his passes last season before Broyles went out. Jones’ completion percentage dropped to 56 percent after Broyles’ injury, and Jones is connecting at a 63 percent rate so far this season. Saunders likely would help boost that immensely.
Saunders worked mainly with the first-string offense during training camp, but had been relegated to scout team since the NCAA’s original decision to deny his appeal. When the coaching staff got the news an hour into Wednesday’s practice, Saunders immediately walked across the field to join Jones and the rest of the first and second offense.
Stoops said he doesn’t know whether or not Saunders is ready to jump into the game plan for Texas.
But he certainly would be worth taking a look at. Give him two days’ work and a walk-through and send him down the tunnel. See what he can do.
Jones would appreciate it.
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