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Broyles catches on

Ryan Broyles (right) holds on to a pass while Cincinnati defensive back Brandon Underwood tries to pull him down. Broyles gave the Bearcat defense fits during that game. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World

 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 9/24/2008  2:05 AM
Last Modified: 9/24/2008  3:31 AM

Listen to a Q&A with OU coach Bob Stoops during his weekly media conference, read OU blogs and more



Return to football field thrills Sooner receiver



NORMAN — Ryan Broyles sat with his back against the wall, speaking softly, shyly, smiling through his responses, patiently answering question after question, and occasionally delivering insight that left everyone saying, "Hmm."

It was similar to what he had done on the football field just a few hours earlier.

When he had concluded his college football debut of slicing Cincinnati's laurelled defense into Bearcat fillets, Broyles finally debuted for a swarm of media and was nearly as good.

He discussed his back-and-forth-and-back-and-forth commitments to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. He spoke remorsefully about his August 2007 arrest for stealing gasoline from a Norman convenience store. He described how painful it was to be so close to playing, then throwing it all away. He talked about character and personal growth. And he did it all with genuine humility.

"Definitely, since my incident, I've turned things around," he said.

Definitely.

Broyles set records for most catches and yards by a University of Oklahoma freshman when he caught seven passes for 141 yards and a touchdown against Cincinnati. The next week, he caught three passes for 85 yards and two scores at Washington.

"It's definitely great playing football again after sitting out a year," Broyles said Tuesday.

Broyles was on the two-deep last August as a slot receiver before his yearlong suspension. Bob Stoops said, "We had already announced he would play."

Broyles bench-presses 310 pounds, tops among OU wide receivers, but at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, he is not physically imposing. He does own a rare, less tangible quality, though.

"He just has a great knack," Stoops said.

Broyles has innate instincts for how to play the game. His suddenness and shifty moves have drawn comparisons to senior Juaquin Iglesias and former Sooner All-American Mark Clayton.

"I told him he seemed like a lot farther (along) than I was when I started," Iglesias said. "He joked around like, 'No, no I wasn't.' It's exciting. He has a lot of talent, especially when he has his hands on the ball. You don't really want to compare him to MC, but that's kind of like the player he is."

Broyles is good with the ball in his hands. But, said wide receivers coach Jay Norvell, Broyles is good without the football, too.

"I've been impressed with the way he blocks," Norvell said.

With the ball, Stoops said, "he's competitive and makes plays and finds space to catch the ball, makes people miss him."

A lot of people missed him last year after his arrest. He wasn't even allowed to attend games.

"It was hard," he said.

Stoops never vacillated on whether to dismiss Broyles or just suspend him for the year. He had been through such choices before, and he gave Broyles another chance.

"You give them a chance to grow, and some of them grow," Stoops said. "Some of them realize, 'Hey, I'm not going to act like that.' Others do and are removed. We didn't keep him around just because we felt he was going to be a good football player. We felt it was justified if he was going to continue to grow and do the right things, and he's trying to."

Broyles said being an OU athlete means the man on the street now recognizes him, and he knows he will always carry with him the stigma of his arrest.

"I try to stay away from it, but it's always there. People know me for that," he said. "But if they get to know me and they see how I present myself, they'll know that's not who I am. That's not what characterizes me."

The Ryan Broyles who sat on Tuesday taking even more questions after a hot, sweaty, demanding practice, he said, is not the same Ryan Broyles who stood at that gas pump past midnight with a key and override codes. He said that shows even on the field.

"I've grown over a year's span," he said. "Doing things off the field the right way does show up on the field."



John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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19 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Report Comment
Jimm, (9/24/2008 3:47:43 AM)
But he will always be the "Gas Man" to us.
Report Comment
Marathonman, (9/24/2008 6:26:29 AM)
Jimm, That is too bad for you. If only you could mature as Broyles appears to have......
Report Comment
2curious, Tulsa, OK 74104 (9/24/2008 6:47:56 AM)
I'm pulling for him to leave the childish - selfish troubles behind him and become a real member of a championship team. If he'll realize to be patient (over the long haul of at least two more seasons)...he'll have millions waiting on him in the NFL. If he doesn't...we all know where he'll end up. Sam Houston State.

Good luck Ryan. Play hard...stay clean
Report Comment
lovethemsooners, Fayetteville (9/24/2008 7:42:25 AM)
How does it go? 'let ye without sin cast the first stone', or something like that. Anyways, enough already about the gas thing....it's old news and this should not be what this kid is remembered most for. I'd love to see him and Sammy hook up for the next couple of years, and rewrite all the OU record books.......and be remembered for that!!
Report Comment
Dash Riprock, Edmond (9/24/2008 8:38:02 AM)
Ryan Broyles has had a few issues since enrolling at the University of Oklahoma. He sat out the first game of THIS season for another snafu not related to the incident that caused him to not be a part of OU's team last year. Phil Loadholt and DeMarcus Granger also missed the first game of this season for their 'misdeeds'. One thing to remember, just because you are an athlete with the ability to play D-1 football, doesn't mean you have matured into a man just yet. I truly believe these guys have learned a life lesson that should stay with them and help mold their character now and in the future. Loadholt and Granger are outstanding players, and we've just begun to see what Broyles abilities can bring to Stoopsville. Best of luck to all of them.
Report Comment
Colokie, (9/24/2008 9:05:11 AM)
I agree. enough with the Gas Man thing, but on the other hand I don't want to hear about Gundy's famous birthday speech again either.
Report Comment
snoop, (9/24/2008 9:18:52 AM)
glad he's not on the womens basketball team, they don't put up with acts like this, no matter how good an athlete they are. Keep up the integrity Sherri
Report Comment
Dash Riprock, Edmond (9/24/2008 9:42:04 AM)
Snoop,

I do like Sherry Coale, but were you aware that her point guard had already been given two other opportunities to 'improve' her off the court demeanor? This wasn't a 'one and done' incident for her.
Report Comment
snoop, (9/24/2008 10:57:56 AM)
Sounds like Ryan got suspended the first game for a difference offense, so this Gas Man offense wasn't his first.

There will be more to come
Report Comment
snoop, (9/24/2008 11:03:59 AM)
Dash
Did Stoops truly suspend him and take a year of his eligibility? Or did Stoops hide behind the suspension and red shirt him as he already had a stable full of receivers
Report Comment
Dash Riprock, Edmond (9/24/2008 11:18:16 AM)
Snoop,

Coach Coale did NOT kick Jenna Plumlee off the team, she just suspended her for the year, with hopes that she would get herself back to the level that Coale has for every player she coaches. Plumlee decided to transfer to Lamar. If she had gotten things in order, she would have been able to come back next season with no restrictions.
Report Comment
T Bone, (9/24/2008 1:10:37 PM)
While Broyles may be a good wide receiver, guess maybe Hoover has not had time to check out Georgia's wr named Green who is outsstanding as a freshman or Bryant of OSU who not only is an outstanding wr but also a superlative ko and punt returner. Don't know if Green or Bryant carry any extra baggage with them. Surely he can write about some outstanding student/athletic UO players.
Report Comment
Getting Better, (9/24/2008 1:24:28 PM)
Young man trying to stay on the right path. I wish him the best.
Report Comment
CaliforniaOkie, Burbank (9/24/2008 10:58:22 PM)
So many sour grapes. Sad really. "Gas Man"? Call him whatever you want as he dekes past you and runs into the endzone for six.
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (9/25/2008 12:09:30 AM)
T-Bone, I doubt he's going to be writing about Georgia football here in OK. Also I'd be willing to bet he's heard of Bryant and a lot of other athletes who are great students at UO (?), but what's that got to do with this article? Why don't you check with snoop and get a list of suitable candidates for Klein to do articles on. OSwho probably has a few since they kick off so many criminals each year in football and basketball. Recruiting incompetence or lack of morals? Probably a little of both. I'll take a gas thief over the recruit from Houston last year that was facing, was it sexual assault charges or rape? It's called a background check Gumby.
Report Comment
2curious, Tulsa, OK 74104 (9/25/2008 1:43:41 AM)
T-Bone:

Perhaps you missed the feature story on Dez Bryant about a week ago (Up Close: Dez Bryant 9/17/08).

TW is pretty even handed when it comes to coverage of the big three.
Report Comment
snoop, (9/25/2008 9:00:22 AM)
Steff-you're the typical gooner

It horrible how you rank crimes and justify some as they are not as bad as others.

Stoops suspension is smoke and mirrors, if he wanted to REALLY suspend this thief he would have taken away a years eligibility, but he allowed Gas Man to use a red shirt year.

Seems like there were alot of Car Men also there in Norman, those guys collecting a pay check without actually doing the work

Steff you're an idiot
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (9/25/2008 2:10:59 PM)
Well snoop I think most people would rather have a guy around who took a little gas as opposed to a sexual predator/rapist/physical abuser of females or whatever charges T Bone got him out of. Apparently not you. Shocker. He'll be in the league before graduation anyway so it doesn't even matter. At least at OU he had to sit out a year. If Gundy could have kept him he'd have been a starter and model citizen for the Cowgirls. I guess I'm assuming too much by inferring that you're an OSwho homer since you don't actually admit to it in your drivel, er, postings. I don't blame you. Go Gooners!
Report Comment
snoop, (9/25/2008 3:49:25 PM)
Steff
Thank you for proving my point, I never, and I repeat never said the rapist should have ever seen on day at OSU, but I would never justify any crime by saying one is better than another. The Gas Mas is a thief and Stoops keep him on the team only do to the fact he is a great athlete

On you next post please rank crime in the mannor you see being best to worse and please note at what level of crime would justify a player remaining on the team....................
 

 
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