Hold that thought
Published: 9/21/2006 12:28 PM
Last Modified: 9/21/2006 12:28 PM
Oklahoma football fans see defensive tackle as a needy position. They see the rotation of Carl Pendleton, Steven Coleman, Cory Bennett and DeMarcus Granger getting gashed on inside running plays, while struggling to generate a pass-rush push into the pocket.
The answer to this hue and cry is simple.
Gerald McCoy.
He's the true freshman from Oklahoma City Southeast who was named the USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year in 2005. He sacked the quarterback 20 times as both a senior and a junior. He recovered nine fumbles. He returned an interception for a touchdown.
In other words, he made plays. And right now, the Sooners need plays from their defensive tackles.
Well, Jackie Shipp has heard the hue and cry. And OU's defensive tackles coach has a response:
"I'm gonna tell people something about Gerald McCoy. Let's get this understood. He's a true freshman. He's 18 years old. Everybody is asking, 'When's Gerald McCoy gonna play?' Gerald McCoy's gonna play when he's ready.
"I think it's way off base for people to say, A true freshman oughta come in here and be a starting defensive tackle. Two of the most difficult positions to start in college are offensive line and defensive line."
That Tommie Harris did so a few years back?
"Tommie Harris is a freak of nature," Shipp said. "Tommie Harris makes the Pro Bowl in his second year in the NFL. He is very blessed with great talent. He's a great football player. So let's don't compare him (to McCoy)."
Some of the same fans calling for McCoy were doing so for Granger a year ago. But Shipp held strong, redshirted Granger, gave him a year of seasoning and adjustment, and now he is arguably OU's most effective defensive tackle.
Perhaps the partisans at Owen Field will remember that Saturday night, the first time they cup their hands to their mouths and think about hollering to put in McCoy.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
