Tulsa World: OU Notebook

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OU Notebook

By GUERIN EMIG, World sports writer
Published: 10/10/2008 2:08 AM
Last Modified: 10/10/2008 3:02 AM

Running on empty: While Oklahoma hopes for a return to form for running back DeMarco Murray on Saturday, Texas simply hopes for anything from its group of backs.

Quarterback Colt McCoy is the Longhorns' leading rusher, a testament to his athletic ability, his added strength and to the lack of a go-to back behind him. Vondrell McGee has averaged just 3.7 yards on his 50 carries. Fullback Cody Johnson has scored six touchdowns over his 50 carries but has averaged just 3.9.

Perhaps Texas found its guy last Saturday at Colorado, when Chris Ogbonnaya broke out for 187 total yards, including 71 on the ground on just nine carries.

"He made top 10 plays on ESPN," OU linebacker Keenan Clayton said of Ogbonnaya's 65-yard catch and run for a touchdown. "The guy's got some wheels on him, and he's a great-sized back (6-foot-1, 215 pounds)."

Getting involved: Sooner tight end Jermaine Gresham has caught just two passes since his 38-yard reception on the first drive of OU's victory over TCU on Sept. 27. He snagged a pair of touchdowns in last year's 28-21 victory over Texas.

Safe to say Sam Bradford will be looking for him a little more Saturday?

"First of all, I'm going to go out there and block well," Gresham said. "Hopefully we can get our run game started, and we can pass off of that."

Friendly rivals: OU offensive linemen Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson and Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo hooked up in Phoenix last May for a weekend honoring the 2008 Playboy Preseason All-America Team. The competition will be more fierce Saturday than it was last spring — activities included a sports challenge involving table tennis and putt-putt — but should be fought fairly.

"I've gotten to know Phil Loadholt and Robinson on a personal level, meeting those guys at that Playboy deal," Orakpo said. "Those guys are really good guys. I'm not surprised. These guys are human beings as well. It's not something where you're trying to kill each other when you see each other in the grocery store or something like that. Those guys are doing the best they can to make their team win, and they've been doing a great job so far."

Sign of the times: The Sooners will pull up to the Cotton Bowl on Saturday having already seen their share of "Hook 'Em Horns" signs.

"It was crazy. When we were driving into Baylor (last Saturday), the Baylor fans were even doing the Texas Longhorns sign," OU cornerback Dominique Franks said. "It's just the way they tried to talk trash to us, by throwing up the Texas sign. Even when they don't attend the school."

Sooner fans, of course, respond by flashing that sign upside down throughout the week. Then OU players do it throughout the game.

"It's one of those things that comes natural to us," running back Mossis Madu said. "It's the first thing that comes to your mind, you just throw it up and put it down." By GUERIN EMIG, World sports writer

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