Sooners start fresh with inexperienced receivers

BY GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
6/26/12 at 5:32 AM

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NORMAN - His human security blanket is gone, with Ryan Broyles now off to the Detroit Lions. He is left with three suspended veterans, a couple of transfers trying to gain eligibility, several freshmen trying to survive summer conditioning, and multiple other questions swirling about his position.

All of this, and yet Oklahoma receivers coach Jay Norvell was as upbeat as ever Monday afternoon.

This was partly because he had just finished the first day of his youth football camp at Norman's Whittier Middle School. There's nothing like blowing a whistle around super-coachable 8-to-14-year-olds for three hours.

Mostly, though, Norvell is hopeful because he senses the worst is over at his tumultuous position.

"We went through a period where some guys were a little selfish. They felt like things were owed to them," Norvell said, alluding to the early-May suspension of wide receivers Jaz Reynolds, Trey Franks and Kameel Jackson. "Guys have got to understand it's a privilege to be part of a team. It's not a right. You've got to follow the rules. If you don't do that, you don't get to be on the team with all of the advantages that come with that."

Coach Bob Stoops revoked Reynolds' and Franks' scholarships, leading many to speculate that neither would be back, and that Jackson would be lucky to return.

"We'll see. I know that'll be determined at the end of the summer with Coach Stoops," Norvell said. "It's unfortunate those guys are in the situation they're in. I know for a fact that they'd make different choices today if they could go back in time. But we have a responsibility to the guys that are doing the right thing."

Which brings Norvell to his optimism.

Broyles' departure and the turnover at wide receiver and tight end leaves the Sooners with one player who has caught a pass in Division I college football - junior Kenny Stills. OU is practically starting over on the perimeter.

"There is definitely going to be a transition. They're going through it now, and some will handle it better than others," Norvell said. "But the biggest thing we feel like is we've got everybody in the boat with some good, talented kids coming in. We have a bunch of guys with a lot of varied skills."

Trey Metoyer showed his skills off last spring. He should start alongside Stills as a result.

Fellow freshmen Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal arrived earlier this month, and while NCAA rules prohibit Norvell from monitoring their day-to-day progress, he has a good feeling.

"They both came here with a worker's mentality and good football knowledge," he said. "I'm sure that will carry over."

Derrick Woods, a fourth touted freshman wideout, will arrive next week. LaColton Bester, a late signee who totaled 980 yards for national junior college champion East Mississippi last fall, is due to arrive right after Woods. Junior college All-American Courtney Gardner will come in August, provided he takes care of some classwork.

"We're hopeful that he gets everything done," Norvell said. "We knew when we signed him what he had to do. We thought he was a talent and it was worth working with him on it."

A third transfer, 1,000-yard wide receiver Jalen Saunders from Fresno State, is already on campus. He has filed for an NCAA transfer waiver, which would allow him to play this season.

"He's got some health issues that contributed to him leaving (Fresno State). He kind of needed to get out of the Valley because of those," Norvell said. "We'll see if that goes through. We're hopeful that it does. Either way, he's a guy we like having in our program."

It is a statement Norvell makes often these days. He'll have a lot of new toys to tinker with come August. Just as important, he feels his new receivers possess breath-of-fresh-air character.

"A lot of talented, willing guys," Norvell called them. "We won't know what we have for sure until August, when you get them together and start working with them and start running your plays. But we're excited about them and where this is going."

Original Print Headline: OU starts fresh with receivers

Guerin Emig 918-581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Oklahoma Asst. Offensive Coordinator Receivers Coach Jay Norvell watches his receivers during a scrimmage Saturday, March 29, 2008 in Norman, Okla.

Norvell

With three receivers suspended, Kenny Stills is the only current Sooner who has caught a pass in Division I. STEPHEN PINGRY / Tulsa World file

OU's mascot greets fans during OU's Red-White Spring Game, at Gaylord Family Stadium, in Norman, on Saturday, April 16, 2011. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World