By GUERIN EMIG Sports Writer on Nov 4, 2012, at 8:31 PM Updated on 11/04 at 8:31 PM
OU SPORTS
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Courtney Gardner's Sierra College coach once told the Tulsa World the kid had the body of Terrell Owens the feet of Devin Hester. Oklahoma fans were dying to see that kind of talent on Owen Field some day.
But it isn't going to happen.
The World confirmed Sunday night that the Sooners have parted ways with Gardner, the 6-3, 224-pounder who could catch 1,000 yards worth of passes, run the 100 meters in 10.67 seconds and win a couple state long jump championships. The problem is a familiar one when it comes to Gardner.
"He has not held up his end on his academic progress," a source close to the situation said.
It explains why the Sooners won't be bringing Gardner to Norman at the semester break, as they had hoped after signing him last February. And why they won't be recruiting him any longer.
That also helps explain why Gardner took to Twitter Sunday to declare: "SORRY TO INTERRUPT EVERYONES BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY BUT I WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA."
And: "Y'all MAYBE MAD BUT IM DECIDING TO ENTER (THIS) YEARS NFL DRAFT SORRY!!"
The Sooners might have had a notion this would eventually happen.
Gardner wound up at Sierra because he failed to pass a math proficiency test. He spent two years at the California college, and planned to be in Norman last summer to launch his FBS career.
Only, ESPN.com reported he didn't complete an English class on time. So he was back in Sierra, using his redshirt and hoping to make it in after OU's current season.
Now that won't happen, either.
The Sooners are in better position to absorb the blow than they were at the end of July. Their only senior wideout currently is Justin Brown. Everyone else in the corps is back next year, including promising freshmen Sterling Shepard, Trey Metoyer and Durron Neal. Kenny Stills, Jalen Saunders and Lacoltan Bester will be seniors. Derrick Woods has shown some flash while redshirting.
Gardner's future is cloudier.
As Sierra coach Jeff Tisdel told the World last March: "He's an NFL talent, no question. The only thing you worry about with him is, he needs to stay on task academically. What I mean by that is just take care of business on a daily basis, don't get behind academically. He's a bright kid, he just needs to take care of business."
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