OU Notebook: Stills steals the show
BY GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Sunday, April 18, 2010
4/18/10 at 6:20 AM
Related stories: White team blanks Red.
OU: Three Questions.
OU: Three Questions.
No Oklahoma youngster took more advantage of the Red-White game stage than wide receiver Kenny Stills, a mid-semester arrival via La Costa Canyon High in Encinitas, Calif.
"I felt like if I was going to leave early, I'd better put my best foot forward, go out there and work hard every day and try to get on the field," Stills said.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder showed he belonged on the field Saturday. He joined Dejuan Miller and Cameron Kenney as the White team's primary wide receivers, and wound up with scrimmage highs of six catches and 84 yards.
Stills' highlights included a 31-yard touchdown catch in which he beat cornerback Lamar Harris for Landry Jones' pass, a leaping 11-yard catch of Jones' slant on third-and-8, and a 34-yard catch of Jones' underthrown third-and-12 bomb, in which he adjusted before Harris did.
"He's a young guy, and he's got a lot to learn," veteran wideout Ryan Broyles said. "But what he has right now shows tremendous upside. You guys saw what he can do out there. He's just gotta keep building on that. He's got an edge to him. He's got speed. He's one of those guys that once he gets the call, he's going to make something happen like he did today."
False alarm?: Starting guard Stephen Good was wheeled off Owen Field on a cart early in Saturday's second quarter. It was the only noticeable injury of the scrimmage, and it appeared to be problematic ... until head coach Bob Stoops' pronouncement afterward.
"Just had a sprained ankle," he said. "That'll heal up. No big deal."
Stoops protected oft-injured running back DeMarco Murray from anything but catching punts. That could have set up a busy day for Jermie Calhoun, but he was held out with a sprained ankle.
Stoops said he would be careful with Broyles (hamstring) and starting center Ben Habern (coming off a leg injury), but both played extensively.
"I didn't want to come out. I just wanted some more catches more than anything," said Broyles, the Red team's leader with four catches and 69 yards. It wasn't one of those things where I was wearing myself out. I'm healed up, I'm fine."
Wort returns: Tom Wort, a freshman who redshirted after suffering a knee injury last preseason, started as the Red middle linebacker. He even dyed his mohawk red to honor the occasion.
"'Boz' was here today," defensive coordinator Brent Venables said of Brian Bosworth, who played in the alumni flag football game before the scrimmage. "I think Brian saw him and said, 'This guy doesn't get it yet. He needs some work.' But Tom had a good spring. He had no lingering issues."
Wort said, "The knee feels fine, 100 percent. I'm real happy about the way it has come back strong."
Associated Images:
Kenny Stills catches a 31-yard touchdown pass over Lamar Harris on Saturday. Stills had scrimmage highs of six catches and 84 yards. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World
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