Tulsa World: Practice Report: Oklahoma

TULSA WORLD HOMEPAGE | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 | WIRELESS

OU | OSU | TU | ORU | HIGH SCHOOLS | COLLEGE FOOTBALL | COLLEGE BASKETBALL | NFL | FANTASY | OUTDOORS | GOLF | PROS | ALL

HOMEPAGES

SPORTS EXTRA BLOGS

		Sports Editor Mike Strain
		Sports Columnist Dave Sittler
		The Picker Entertaining & Infuriating

LOCAL PROS

ALL SPORTS

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

OUTDOORS

FIND A STORY

Search the World's archives

EMAIL ALERTS

SOCIAL MEDIA

RSS FEEDS

CONTACT US

BUY PHOTOS & PAGES

Buy a published photo by clicking the "Order this Picture" link on the photo. For a full-color page reprint, call 732-8198 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday or order online.

TULSA WORLD

ADVERTISE ON SPORTS EXTRA

Learn more about the site.

Newspaper View Print this story

Bookmark

Practice Report: Oklahoma

Juaquin Iglesias

By JOHN E. HOOVER, World sports writer
Published: 8/16/2008 2:05 AM
Last Modified: 8/16/2008 3:35 AM

Position update

Long snapper

One-time Sand Springs walk-on Derek Shaw has had two remarkably accurate seasons as the starter and even received a scholarship. But he's been nursing a partially torn Achilles tendon and only this week returned to practice.

In his absence, walk-ons Ben Hampton, Kyle Johnson and James Winchester have been competing for time. Johnson was Shaw's backup last year. Head coach Bob Stoops said both newcomers "were impressive" after a recent practice.

Sophomore tight end Eric Mensik was an accomplished snapper in high school but has turned his focus full-time to offense.

News and notes

Better days: Head coach Bob Stoops is a throwback. He played and coached at Iowa under Hayden Fry — few more old-school than that. So Stoops has a deep appreciation for those grueling, no-water, three-a-day practices of yore. But Stoops says these lighter, more cautious days of training camp are far better for the players.

"Yeah, no question," he said. "They're really not two-a-days anymore. They're really just summer camp. I don't know, we have maybe five or six total two-a-days. But it's much healthier for the players."

In the old days, players woke before dawn and had their first practice finished before the grass was dry. Then came a mid-afternoon practice. Then, sometimes, a long test in the heat of the day.

"You don't feel as crammed," Stoops said. "Coaches, you get more time for meetings. When you are on the field, you spend all the time talking through everything, so when you get out there you're not having to stop and teach as much, though you are teaching."

The most unforgiving coaches Sooner fans are all too familiar with the ways of Howard Schnellenberger sometimes conducted hours of drills without so much as a sip.

"I just think it's much healthier overall for the players when you're avoiding the opportunity for heat stress and all that," Stoops said.

Family matters: Players and coaches build a bond in training camp because of all the time they're together. Sometimes families become almost secondary. Not at OU. Stoops continues to invite the assistant coaches' wives and children in for occasional visits.

"I just feel it's important," Stoops said. "I feel it keeps guys fresher. I think it keeps them more positive. It allows families to be happier longer. And I like my young kids to know why I'm gone so much. When they're over here and they see the players I work with every day, they understand it.

"The more they're around our players, they see why it's important why we're here and what we do. And if you include them in it, they feel a part of it. I think it's good for everybody. And I think, too, that we're all smart and sharp enough that we can concentrate through a child just trying to distract you. I've had many in meetings and whatnot, and it's not a big deal."

Get to know...

Juaquin Iglesias

Juaquin Iglesias arrived at OU without much fanfare. But when he caught the game-winning touchdown in the second overtime against Baylor as a freshman, Sooner fans started to take notice.

Now he's a senior, and he inherits the go-to receiver role that Malcolm Kelly had last year.

How did you get into football?

That's all me and my brother did was just play sports, from baseball to football. And then football just kind of stayed with us the whole time. As a little brother, I tried to do everything my brother did and tried to follow everything in his footsteps. When he first started playing football, he was pretty good at it, in like little league. I was kind of scared to play, because I was littler than he was and I didn't want to get hit. When I finally started playing, I was playing quarterback. Then I went to receiver.

You've got a unique name among the men in your family?

Yeah, my brother is Bobby. I have a stepbrother, Robby. My dad is Bobby. And I'm Juaquin. Odd man out.

That touchdown against Baylor three years ago was kind of your breakthrough moment, wasn't it?

I think that gave me a lot of confidence, kind of get that first one out of the way. Because you're always wondering, 'Man, when am I going to score? When am I going to score?' And you get that first one out of the way you're like, 'All right, that's how it's done; now I'm going to try to do this next one.'

Malcolm started last year as the primary receiver, but as defenses changed up to double-cover him, that role went to you. Did you ever sense that Sam Bradford was only looking at you?

Nah. That's funny, because at times I think he was only looking at Malcolm.

Your fourth year and you finally have the same quarterback you had last year. What'll that be like?

Me and Manny (Johnson) and Malcolm used to talk about that all the time. We never thought we were going to go through this many quarterbacks. But you've got to play the cards you're dealt. I'm glad he's here, and he's a great player."

Opponent watch

TCU

The Horned Frogs are bringing another stellar defense to Memorial Stadium on Sept. 27. The last time they did that, they stoned the Sooners 17-10 in the 2005 season opener.

TCU linebackers Jason Phillips and Robert Henson were named to the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, which goes to the top collegiate linebacker.

Phillips ranks No. 1 in school history with 231 career tackles, while Henson ranks No. 2 with 199. Both are three-time All-Mountain West Conference picks, and Phillips is the league's preseason defensive player of the year. By JOHN E. HOOVER, World sports writer

Newspaper View Print this story

Bookmark

COMMENTS

Add your comment

Show: Most Recent Comment First

1 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Report Comment

Jt4OU, mohnton (8/16/2008 2:49:42 PM)

TCU as a rule gives OU fits and sounds like they might again, just hope the offense can get it going that day and not get embarassed ...

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.