Oklahoma hasn’t gone away

By Darrell Laurant  |   Wednesday, February 22, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Oklahoma Sooners
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Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Rhett Bomar wasn't bad in 2005, once he survived a rough patch early in the season. He wound up throwing for 2,018 yards and 10 touchdowns, soured a bit by 10 interceptions, and had perhaps his best game in a 42-14 regular season-ending Bedlam victory over Oklahoma State.

Nevertheless, OU coach Bob Stoops sent a clear message to Bomar on National Signing Day -- Rhett, you've got to get even better.

That message was conveyed with the signing of junior college QB Joey Halzle, a native Californian with quick feet and 2,000-plus JUCO passing yards last year. The Sooners also brought in Sam Bradford of Oklahoma City, the No. 17 QB in the country according to the two major scouting services, but that was just normal progression. The introduction of Halzle was a little more immediate.

By all indications, though, Bomar will be up to the challenge. Naturally, as a freshman, he made some bad on-field decisions early on. Nor did it help when he got busted for underage drinking before his first start. But he encouraged Stoops with a 20-29 passing performance in a loss to UCLA, and was impeccable against OSU.

Moreover, three of the wide receivers in the Sooners' main rotation were freshmen last year -- Junquin Inglesias, Manuel Johnson and Malcom Kelly -- which resulted in a few drops in the early going. The bad news is that the Sooners lost four-fifths of their starting offensive line to graduation.

So what will be the difference this year? Adrian Peterson. The Sooners' rising junior rushed for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2005 despite being hampered most of the season with a bad ankle. The ankle eventually healed, and Peterson bolted through the Oklahoma State defense for 237 and two touchdowns, including an 84-yarder.

"I just took off," is how the Palestine, TX product explained the latter run.

With Vince Young and Southern Cal's Trojan Triumvirate headed for the NFL, Peterson would have to be at least a co-favorite for the 2006 Heisman along with Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn. Sports Illustrated chose him No. 1 among its "20 College Players to Watch" this season, and he's undoubtedly the main reason ESPN is televising OU's Spring Game on April 8.

Rebuilding the offensive line could be problematic, along with some losses along the defensive front. But Oklahoma's early schedule (UAB for openers, then struggling Washington, a tougher test with Oregon, then Middle Tennessee) will allow Stoops to make some adjustments prior to the Red River Shootout with Texas on Oct. 7.

A lot of teams would have been reasonably pleased with Oklahoma's 7-4 record last season. For Oklahoma Sooners fans, it was agony. Norman is a place of high expectations, and it didn't help that Stoops lost to the Longhorns for the first time.

But Vince Young is gone, and Adrian Peterson is back, and Rhett Bomar will be better.

Or else.
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