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OU back to basics in spring
Sooners to improve defense and replace some starters.
  
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 3/1/2009  2:33 AM
Last Modified: 3/1/2009  3:00 AM

 Since 2000, no college football team has played in more national championship games than Oklahoma (four).

And in that same span, no program has had more players finish either first or second in the Heisman Trophy balloting than the Sooners (four).

But OU players and coaches begin spring practice on Tuesday far from satisfied.

Sam Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner, said as much last month when he announced he was returning to Norman next season instead of pursuing NFL riches.

"It's frustrating to end on a loss," Bradford said. "I want to come back and finish my career the right way, on a win."

Losing 24-14 to Florida in the national title game in Miami doesn't sit well with Sooner Nation. It's OU's third runner-up prize since coach Bob Stoops won it all in 2000.

Stoops loves spring practice because it's all about teaching basics, and that's what the Sooners won with nine years ago a high-tech offense and a dominating defense, to be sure, but both built on basics like ball security, efficient blocking and sure tackling.

The Sooners have serious questions going into this spring. Who will replace Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson, two of the most underappreciated receivers in school history? And who will replace Jon Cooper, Phil Loadholt, Duke Robinson and Brandon Walker, the core of arguably the best Sooner line ever? And without them, is another title run possible?

The Sooner defense returns nine starters and should be a strength in 2009, but OU sees spring drills as a chance to improve the program's second-worst statistical season ever 367 yards per game allowed.

OU's offense set an NCAA record for scoring in 2008 (716 points, nine 50-point games), among other offensive highlights. But against Florida, the game's greatest offense managed 14 points. With six starters missing, OU shouldn't hope to repeat the productivity of '08, even if the no-huddle scheme remains in place, but the Sooners know they need to be better than they were on Jan. 8.

As Bradford said, "Spring ball's going to be probably more important this year than it has the past couple years."

SCHEDULES

Spring practice dates

March: 3 (no pads), 5 (no pads), 7, 10, 12 (scrimmage), 25, 27, 28 (scrimmage).

April: 2, 3, 6, 8, 10 (no pads), 11 (Red/White Game).

Note: all dates subject to change

Regular season schedule

Sept. 5: BYU (at Arlington, Texas)

Sept. 12: Idaho State

Sept. 19: Tulsa

Oct. 3: at Miami (Fla.)

Oct. 10: Baylor

Oct. 17: Texas (at Dallas)

Oct. 24: at Kansas

Oct. 31: Kansas State

Nov. 7: at Nebraska

Nov. 14: Texas A&M

Nov 21: at Texas Tech

Nov. 28: Oklahoma State



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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6 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Report Comment
Jimm, (3/2/2009 12:51:56 AM)
I didn't know the sooners were the runners up? I thought they were 5th in the final poll.. behind TEXAS!
Report Comment
KBarrow, (3/2/2009 9:56:31 AM)
Some idiots just never get it. The final polls have rankings....yes OU ended up 5th there. But if you play a Championship game, there is a champion and a runner-up. OU was the national championship runner-up. Texas was the Fiesta Bowl champion....that's it.
Report Comment
SoonerDJ, Lisbon, Portugal (3/2/2009 10:27:34 AM)
Maybe your Horns will get to a championship game this season Jimm. I mean Mack is bringing in an expert to explain the BCS to the team. How about they schedule a competitive OOC slate and not drop the games they should have won? OU 6 Big 12 Champs, UT 2. Nuff' said.
Report Comment
Deep In The Heart, (3/2/2009 4:57:11 PM)
Correction...OU was not the NC runner-up. They choked so badly that they ended up 5th not 2nd.
Report Comment
RealJustice, (3/3/2009 12:56:04 AM)
So in other words Deep In The Heart, your saying that OU choked, and barely lost, so OU was really the better team on NC day. I agree with you so much and I felt that say way when they played a so-so Texas team. (Which I used to enjoy watching until their whining incident this year, the way Mack begged for the NC game and the Heisman runner-up acted like a brat after some guy from OU won that trophy..I think it was SAMMY!)
Report Comment
Deep In The Heart, (3/3/2009 10:22:20 AM)
RealJustice, sorry you can't comprehend. Your Sooner education is showing!

BTW - 10 points is not barely losing.

Regarding "Sammy", do you guys still pay your players?
 

 
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