Tulsa World: UPDATED: Stoops doesn't rule out using two QBs

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UPDATED: Stoops doesn't rule out using two QBs

Oklahoma quarterback Joey Halzle is in the mix. TY Russell/Tulsa World

By Staff Reports
Published: 8/3/2007 8:42 AM
Last Modified: 8/3/2007 6:21 PM

Related story: Stoops says names will return to OU's jerseys

Blog: Read John E. Hoover and Guerin Emig’s OU blog.

NORMAN – Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops seeks a starting quarterback for the 2007 season and hasn’t ruled out the idea of using two quarterbacks.

“There’s always that chance,” Stoops said Friday morning during the Sooners’ media day in Norman. “I'm not saying we will, but it's too early to say we wouldn't.”

The biggest question as Oklahoma opens August practice is who will be the starting QB. Paul Thompson was a senior last year, and now three players are in the race to become his successor – junior Joey Halzle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford and true freshman Keith Nichol. Halzle is the only one who has played a down for the Sooners. He attempted two passes last season.

Stoops said of the quarterback race, ''If it's close or isn't decided, you've got to give them their opportunities.''

The Sooners have had one day of practice as they prepare for a season-opening home game Sept. 1 against North Texas. Stoops said the quarterbacks are “right where they ought to be. . . . They're making all the throws, they're protecting the football, they're handling the offense.”

Sooner trio

Oklahoma's three starting quarterback candidates met with the media for the first time on Friday as the Sooners held their annual preseason media day. Joey Halzle, Sam Bradford and Keith Nichol, in that order, took turns at the podium in the Red Room at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Some highlights:

Halzle on his preparations:

"I've been working really hard making sure the mental part of the game, understanding defenses, read recognitions really quickly so you're not late with the football; all of a sudden the safeties breaking on a ball that you didn't see and you're getting intercepted."

Halzle on his edge in maturity:

"I feel far more comfortable now than I did last summer. I mean, I was nervous last summer. You take the field, and you see the defense moving and it's coming 100 miles an hour, and it's definitely slowed down from that point."

Bradford on his development while redshirting:

"I know last summer when I got here, the pace was just unbelievable. It seemed like everything was just flying by me. But over the past year, getting a chance to play against our defense every day in practice, the game has really slowed down. I feel like I'm really adjusting to the speed."

Bradford on giving up golf, basketball and other sports to concentrate on football:

"I think it's helped a lot because until I got here, I played many sports, and it was just kind of jumping from one sport to another. I didn't really put a whole lot of focus into one sport. I put a few months into it. And since I've been here, I've seen a big difference. I've learned a lot about football since I've been here. Before I got here, it was just kind of just go play on instincts, go do what you do, and now, being here, it's been a lot more learning defenses, coverages, learning our system. I think it's been big just focusing on football."

Nichol on being a true freshman:

"I feel like I've been here for two or three years just from that first semester. So I don't feel like a young guy. Everybody brings it up as a true freshman thing, but in my mind, I don't feel young. I feel very mature."

Nichol on his tendency to scramble during spring practice:

"A lot of that running was just an instinct from high school; if you didn't see what you wanted, you took off. That was a high school thing. But as I've matured a little more, I've realized you've got to sit in there and take your second pick, your third pick, do these little things. And that's just learning the playbook, too. When you're confused and you don't really know what's going on, you tend to do what comes as instinct to you, and for me that was to take off and try to do what I could. But now I feel much more confident with the playbook, and my confidence is much higher. Now my feet are just going to be used to get yards when I can and take off if I have to."

By Staff Reports

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	Report Comment Ernie Sheets, (8/3/2007 10:40:44 AM) Breaking News. :/
	Report Comment BJ, Tulsa (8/3/2007 11:54:27 AM) Stoops said of the quarterback race, ''If it's close or isn't decided, you've got to give them their opportunities.'' He gave Paul Thompson his opportunity in 2005 but still gave the starting job to Brat Boner who had the worst stats of the two.
	Report Comment Mike, (8/3/2007 1:09:04 PM) "Boner" seemed to have the most potential of the two. They just didn't consider the knuckelhead factor.
	Report Comment Pappa Pump Soonerr, Dallas (8/3/2007 2:31:48 PM) The defending Big 12 champs will come to Dallas undefeated with their QB situation all cleared up. They'll be hoping to eat a big ol bunch of BBQ Bevo burgers for the first time since 2004....

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