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Mixed reviews: Defense shines against a young, patchwork offense

Oklahoma running back Mossis Madu tries to avoid Travis Lewis during the Red/White Game on Saturday in Norman. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World

 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 4/12/2009  2:27 AM
Last Modified: 4/12/2009  5:31 AM

 NORMAN — As good as Frank Alexander felt about Oklahoma's defense on Saturday, he couldn't help feel a tad bit sorry for the Sooner offense.

"I don't think nobody should judge them off of today," said Alexander, the Sooner defensive end who terrorized his offensive teammates all day in the annual Red/White Game.

OU's final practice — and only major scrimmage — of the spring was largely a success thanks to no devastating injuries and a bustling crowd of 28,592 enjoying a sunny afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Alexander had three of the Sooner defense's six sacks on the afternoon. Defensive end Jeremy Beal had two. The offense managed just 27 rushing yards on 52 attempts, including 23 on 33 carries by stand-in running backs Jermie Calhoun and Justin Johnson.

It was a harsh lesson for a young, inexperienced and completely overhauled offensive line.

But that wasn't all. As expected, the offense was limited by the absence of five starters — running back Chris Brown, tight ends Brody Eldridge and Jermaine Gresham and fullback Matt Clapp all had the day off, and running back DeMarco Murray is still recovering from offseason hamstring surgery.

"We've just got so many guys that a probable starters that aren't in there right now. So that part's frustrating," said head coach Bob Stoops. "But in the end, you do see a lot of guys that are getting closer to being ready to play, so they got a lot of good snaps today and a lot of good experience out there on the field."

Add
to that the fact that a retooled wide receiver corps is still figuring things out and that Heisman winner Sam Bradford got the day off after just three series, and the advantage was clear.

"Selfishly, to look good, you wish they were out there," said offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. "But we don't need Sam to look good. We need to get some of those younger guys out there."

Bradford finished 11-of-13 for 97 yards and directed one of just three touchdown drives, a 23-yard pass to Adron Tennell.

"Well, obviously you'd like to play a little bit more," Bradford said, "but they're trying to get the young guys some work, so I can understand that."

"The young guys" are redshirt freshman Landry Jones and freshman Drew Allen. They combined for 9-of-26 passes for 131 yards with one TD and two interceptions.

"I thought those guys did awesome," Bradford said. "I thought their reads, for the most part, were right on. Obviously, they've still got a long way to go, but I think those guys played really well today, especially for being young."

The scoring system — points for first downs and defensive stops, turnovers and touchdowns — left most observers confused, and officially resulted in a 63-36 victory for the Red team (No. 1 defense, No. 2 offense over the White (No. 1 offense, No. 2 defense).

But for a late TD hookup between walk-ons John Nimmo and Carter Whitson, the defense scored as many touchdowns as the offense (two apiece, including J.R. Bryant's 24-yard fumble return off an Alexander sack). OU's other offensive score came from Jones on a nifty scramble-and-throw to Jameel Owens.

How good the Sooner offense might have looked even with a full complement of players is unsure. The OU defense has one of college football's most talented defensive lines and is strong at cornerback.

"We played well today, but our offense was handicapped," said defensive coordinator Brent Venables. "But we should do what we did today."

Cornerback Dominique Franks followed his three interceptions in last year's Red/White Game with two more this year. He ran back an interception for a touchdown for the second straight spring scrimmage, this time from 42 yards.

"Really, for right now, it's set up for the defense to win," Franks said. "The offense has got to be real basic right now. They're working a lot of new players. And a lot of offensive players are hurt. Our offense is going be great."

Eventually, as the frontline players return to the lineup. And when the offensive line gets settled. And when the inexperienced receivers get more snaps. But that time won't come until August scrimmages as the Sooners return to a rugged summer workout regimen as they prepare to open the season in Arlington, Texas, against BYU.

Until then?

"We're going to work 'em and work 'em and work 'em," said defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, "until they get it."


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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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 "Defense dominates Red-White Game," which was published on 4/11/2009.
Report Comment
best4tulsa, (4/11/2009 6:43:16 PM)
Can the Sooners play Ohio State Buckeyes in the BCS Championship game So one of my Teams Win their 2nd National Championship this Decade. Iam tired of SEC teams beating us
Report Comment
sooner fun girl, (4/11/2009 7:13:54 PM)
can't wait for football season to start.
GO SOONERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (4/11/2009 7:45:38 PM)
DEFENSE DEFENSE!!!

BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!
Report Comment
Lance-a-lot, Tulsa (4/11/2009 8:42:04 PM)
Isn't it too early to be gearing up for yet another BCS choke job?
Report Comment
concernedOKIE, Tulsa (4/11/2009 11:28:44 PM)
Lance-a-lot sounds like an OSU fan.
Report Comment
SoonerDJ, Lisbon, Portugal (4/12/2009 5:33:31 AM)
I would like to know who Lance-a-lots' team is. At least OU can get to the BCS games and win their conference....
Report Comment
seymore1965, Tulsa (4/12/2009 7:14:46 AM)
Lance-a-lot's favorite team is the Sooners. See, people like him can only write about how much the Sooners choke and how awful they are. So if this is all he does then, in a way, OU is his favorite team by way of picking on them all the time.
Report Comment
Getting Better, (4/12/2009 3:20:26 PM)
Defense wins championships.
Report Comment
5055567475852000, Euless (4/13/2009 6:24:46 AM)
Unfortunately, Stoops has ruined a weekend that I have looked forward to and participated in for over ten years. He holds out players, and labels others "injured", and you basically get an exhibition with the third-team and walk-ons with an occasional starter in there for a quarter. I drove from Dallas and spent $$$ in Okla. restaurants, hotels, shops, etc. over a long weekend but opted out this year and mostly likely will for the foreseeable...
Report Comment
SoonerDJ, Lisbon, Portugal (4/13/2009 6:57:50 AM)
Well Stoops, as the head coach, has the right to do what he feels best for the success of the team. If he used subterfuge to label people injured then what do we care. Spring game is just an exhibition anyways. He has most of the starters back and i'm sure they guys that needed to be out there(O-line, WR, and Safeties) were playing and getting the snaps. Who are we to question what Bob does as long as he is bringing home Big 12 titles and competeing on the national stage year in and year out?
 

 
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