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Sooners add new recruit

Head coach Bob Stoops at the University of Oklahoma ( OU) spring football practice in Norman, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, March 3, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
 
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 7/23/2009  2:30 AM
Last Modified: 7/23/2009  8:45 AM

 NORMAN — Just two weeks before the start of practice, Oklahoma has added a quarterback.

Well, Lane Johnson was a quarterback. He was all-district at Texas Class 2A Groveton before quarterbacking at Kilgore College last fall. Now that Johnson has reportedly accepted OU's scholarship offer, the 6-6 250-pounder will be playing tight end.

He will have those two weeks to get acclimated to OU, then jump in with the likes of Jermaine Gresham and Brody Eldridge.

"I'm going to try and fit in right away," Johnson told SoonerScoop.com. "But if I have to redshirt, I'll redshirt."

There is little doubt he'll redshirt. Besides the All-American Gresham and the All-Big 12 Conference Eldridge, the Sooners list junior Eric Mensik, sophomores James Hanna and Trent Ratterree and freshman Gabe Ikard, a national top-15 tight end at Oklahoma City McGuinness, at the position.

For now, the story is more how Johnson wound up at OU in the first place. He completed 32 of his 61 passes for 510 yards and three touchdowns last year at Kilgore, then just 4-of-5 for 22 yards in the junior college's spring game last April while also playing tight end (he added 20 pounds in anticipation of making the move).

"The last few weeks is when (OU) saw me and got interested in me," Johnson informed SoonerScoop.com. "I went up there, showed them my film and stuff like that. They were wanting me to walk on at first, and it was the same thing at TCU. TCU eventually offered me and once they heard that TCU offered me, then (OU) did too."

Johnson, who after throwing for 1,750 yards as a Groveton junior reportedly drew interest from the likes of LSU, Texas Tech and Stanford, will have three years of eligibility with the Sooners.

Two commit for 2010: The Sooners dipped into Texas for two doses of speed Wednesday, when a pair of West Orange-Stark athletes verbally committed for 2010.

The Orange Leader newspaper reported Trey Franks and James Haynes, teammates on both the West Orange-Stark football and track squads, became OU's 17th and 18th recruits for 2010. Franks is listed primarily as a wide receiver and Haynes a defensive back, but it's hard to say at this point where they'll wind up in Norman.

ESPN.com has called Haynes a "jack of all trades prospect (who) will likely end up a safety or slot receiver/running back at the next level. He returns kicks, punts, plays running back, wide receiver and is a corner/safety hybrid on defense."

Haynes, according to ESPN, totaled 186 yards and three touchdowns rushing and 166 yards and a pair of scores receiving last year for district champion West Orange-Stark.

Franks, according to the Orange Leader, caught 34 passes for 605 yards and five touchdowns last fall, while adding five interceptions as a cornerback and three touchdowns as a punt returner. The newspaper made Franks its 2009 Athlete of the Year after he added a Texas Class 3A 100-meter track championship to his resume.

Franks and Haynes were both part of West Orange-Stark's state-winning 400-meter relay team, and the school's second-place 800-meter relay team as well.

According to Internet recruiting services, both teammates had football offers from Arkansas, Missouri, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Mississippi. Haynes attended football camps at Texas and LSU this summer, according to Rivals.com.

Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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10 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "OU football receives two more verbals," which was published on 7/22/2009.
Report Comment
pat, Kiefer (7/22/2009 10:49:47 AM)
BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/22/2009 2:44:14 PM)
Welcome men!!

BOOMER SOONER!!
Report Comment
bruinsooner, (7/22/2009 3:16:10 PM)
Boomer Sooner
Report Comment
shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (7/22/2009 4:24:55 PM)
Boomer Sooner!!! Welcome to the SoonerNation!
Report Comment
Iamwatchingu, Broken Arrow (7/22/2009 4:51:20 PM)
BOOMER
Report Comment
TexaSooner, Houston (7/22/2009 10:28:09 PM)
Welcome to Soonerland. "Thunder & Lighting".
Report Comment
KBarrow, (7/23/2009 8:52:19 AM)
Sounds like we'll have several QB's on the field when Johnson plays tight end. I could imagine some trick plays with him in there.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/23/2009 10:10:34 AM)
Shhhhhhh, KBarrow. I was thinking the same thing but let's surprise the others on the field.
Report Comment
SoonerDJ, Lisbon, Portugal (7/24/2009 8:47:00 AM)
Does that make 18 total commits for OU for the 2010 season now?
Report Comment
OUStudent3, Norman (7/24/2009 9:39:12 AM)
Welcome to Norman! Boomer...
 

 
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