Tulsa World: Practice Report Oklahoma

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Practice Report Oklahoma

By JOHN E. HOOVER AND GUERIN EMIG, World sports writers
Published: 8/21/2008 2:14 AM
Last Modified: 8/21/2008 3:58 AM

Position update

Defensive tackle

It was an encouraging sign that DeMarcus Granger took some snaps at nose guard next to first-team defensive tackle Gerald McCoy at OU's open practice last week. Granger didn't report to preseason camp in the kind of condition position coach Jackie Shipp expected, and he has battled back issues since.

If Granger works himself back into the shape that made him an All-Big 12 Conference performer a year ago, he will get plenty of playing time with McCoy, Cory Bennett and Adrian Taylor in the Sooners' four-man defensive interior rotation. Listening to guard Duke Robinson after a recent practice, it is a group that should give opposing offensive linemen fits this season.

"Those guys give me a lot of trouble all the time," said Robinson, coming off an All-American season. "They're quick, they're fast and they're strong. They're going to do great. Those guys are phenomenal athletes. They come off the ball hard."

News and notes

Norvell impressed: New wide receivers coach Jay Norvell inherits a solid corps of returning players, but he has been eager to work with two incoming freshmen, Dejuan Miller and Jameel Owens.

"The biggest thing is those guys have got to get used to the speed of the game," Norvell said. "I mean, the game is so much faster than in high school. The athletes are faster. And we're very good defensively, so it's a challenge for those guys to understand everything we're trying to do and execute it against good people.

"It'll make them better. They'll have some tough days. The biggest thing is they can't take steps back. I want to make sure they keep moving forward and keep pressing and keep learning. Before you know it, they'll get better and their athletic ability will take over."

Starting cornerback Dominique Franks has seen some of Miller's ability in particular.

"He's a great athlete with size and everything," Franks said of the 6-foot-5 prospect from Metuchen, N.J. "I think he really sticks out, the way he goes up for the ball, how physical he is."

Keep in mind: With five seniors and their top seven players back on the offensive line, the Sooner offense seems to be in good hands. But, according to offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, there is a caveat.

"The challenge as a coach is to keep them where they don't take (anything) for granted," Wilson said. "You think you're good and you just show up and start going through the motions."

It is a task Wilson foresees for his entire offense.

"The expectation is this offense should be as good or better (than last year's)," he said. "The concern is with so many players back, will they still buy in? Will they still be coachable? Will they buy what we're selling? Sometimes with a younger, hungrier team, that's a little easier than with a team that's had success. That's my challenge. Quite honestly, that is a huge challenge."

Losing attitude: In Bob Stoops' first nine seasons at OU, his teams lost 22 games. In his first four seasons as a Kansas State assistant (1989-92), the Wildcats lost 26 games, including a 1-10 mark in Bill Snyder's miserable first season. When Snyder, Stoops & Co. arrived, the program had gone 27 consecutive games without a victory and had posted just one winning season (6-5-1) in 17 seasons.

How did Stoops deal with those early losses?

"Well, you're angry," he said, "but you're very analytical and realize what are the reasons, what are some of the things we could have prevented, what are things we couldn't prevent. A certain amount of that is in the players' hands. So you just assess all of that and what's realistic to expect of your players and expect of you, and what your opportunities are."

Stoops takes losses hard now, but back then, when it was expected, did he ever get used to defeat?

"No, it still stunk. They're all about the same," he said. "But at that point you're assessing also what you're doing well. We felt at that point though we weren't winning much, we were making progress in certain areas. We were getting somewhere."

Opponent watch

Washington

Huskies quarterback Jake Locker, sidelined for almost two weeks by a strained left hamstring, said he has not experienced pain since returning to practice. But he remains limited and says he is not in a hurry to get moving full speed.

"I don't want to do anything that's going to possibly reinjure it or push me back any," he told Seattle media. "So when I feel comfortable with it, I will (go full-speed). If that's Saturday the 30th, then that's when it will be."

The Huskies open the season next Saturday at Oregon. UW has a scrimmage scheduled today.

Key dates

Aug. 22: Last two-a-day practice session

Aug. 26: Bob Stoops' first press conference of the season

Aug. 30: Season opener against Chattanooga

2008 schedule

Aug. 30: vs. Chattanooga, 6 p.m.

Sept. 6: vs. Cincinnati, 2:30 p.m.

Sept. 13: at Washington, 6:45 p.m.

Sept. 27: vs. TCU, TBA

Oct. 4: at Baylor, TBA

Oct. 11: vs. Texas, Dallas, 11 a.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Kansas, TBA

Oct. 25: at Kansas State, TBA

Nov. 1: vs. Nebraska, TBA

Nov. 8: at Texas A&M, TBA

Nov. 22: vs. Texas Tech, TBA

Nov. 29: at Oklahoma State, TBA By JOHN E. HOOVER AND GUERIN EMIG, World sports writers

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