College Football Nation: Dominique Franks
McCoy added that the low number surprised him because he began at 25 reps, before he started working out specifically for the combine.
"Everybody said it was just nerves," McCoy said. "Because you don't start training and then go down. You don't do that. Especially when you're seeing yourself increase every week."
McCoy said he'll take some time off from training before returning to Norman for pro day, part deux.
Also of note, cornerback Dominique Franks improved his 40-yard dash time to 4.47, significantly faster than his disappointing time at the combine. Fellow cornerback Brian Jackson showed off a 38-inch vertical jump, the best of the day.
Former teammates and likely first-round picks offensive lineman Trent Williams and tight end Jermaine Greshamn opted out of most of the drills on Tuesday. Williams improved his 20-yard shuttle time to 4.40, but neither tried to improve his 40 time. Gresham measured at 6-foot-5 3/8 and 259 pounds. Williams measured 6-foot-4 1/2 and 314 pounds.
A few other notes:
- St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, whose team holds the No. 1 pick in next month's draft, was in attendance. He had a lengthy conversation with Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. Plenty of the conversation likely revolved around McCoy and Bradford, two players St. Louis could draft with the first pick.
- Lots of current and former Sooners came to Oklahoma's indoor facility for pro day. The Baltimore Ravens' Mark Clayton showed, as did fullback J.D. Runnels, who most last saw as a Bengal on the last season of the HBO show "Hard Knocks," which chronicles one NFL team's training camp each August. Current Sooners who were in attendance included quarterback Landry Jones, receiver Ryan Broyles and defensive end Jeremy Beal.
1. Texas (14 starters back: 6 offensive, 7 defensive, 1 special teams). Garrett Gilbert got a head start on replacing Colt McCoy with his considerable playing time in the national title game, an invaluable learning experience for a young player. The Longhorns return most of the defense that improved in its second season under Will Muschamp. The biggest chores will be for offensive coordinator Greg Davis, who has to boost running game production and find a replacement for record-breaking wide receiver Jordan Shipley.
2. Nebraska (18 starters back: 8 offensive, 8 defensive, 2 special teams). Bo Pelini has the Cornhuskers positioned for a potential top-10 preseason ranking. Most of the offensive weapons will be back from a unit that sputtered down the stretch before breaking out in the Holiday Bowl victory. Quarterback Zac Lee will miss some of spring practice as he recovers from postseason surgery. Cody Green and Kody Spano will get most of the work until Lee returns. Nebraska coaches think the defense can be better this season, even without the up-the-middle strength of Ndamukong Suh, Phillip Dillard, Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon.
3. Oklahoma (15 starters back: 9 offensive, 4 defensive, 2 special teams). The Sooners overcame a debilitating run of injuries last season to finish with a flourish, knocking Oklahoma State out of a BCS game and winning the Sun Bowl in their final two games. Landry Jones will be infinitely better in his second season as a starter and Ryan Broyles and DeMarco Murray may be the best one-two receiving/running back combination in the conference. Bob Stoops will be facing a big renovation on defense where key players like Gerald McCoy and Dominique Franks left early for the NFL draft. Look for Travis Lewis to be the key to a defense that will need to improve by the time Big 12 play begins if the Sooners are to have any hope of claiming a seventh Big 12 title this season.
4. Missouri (19 starters back: 9 offensive, 9 defensive, 1 special teams). The Tigers will miss Danario Alexander and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who were arguably the best players at their positions in the conference last season. But Blaine Gabbert is back for a second season as starting quarterback and some talented recruits are expected to emerge on defense. A key for the Tigers’ success will be a more productive running game and consistency from the offensive line. Improvement on both will be critical for coordinator David Yost during the spring.
5. Texas Tech (15 starters back: 7 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). New coach Tommy Tuberville immediately will have to sort through a potentially difficult decision at quarterback between Taylor Potts and fan favorite Steven Sheffield. New coordinator James Willis hopes to install a 3-4 defense that should be a haven for athletic linebackers. But the group’s success will hinge on replacing Jamar Wall at cornerback and finding some pass-rushing threats to replace Brandon Sharpe, Richard Jones and Daniel Howard along the front.
6. Texas A&M (19 starters back: 8 offensive, 9 defensive, 2 special teams). With Jerrod Johnson, Jeff Fuller, Uzoma Nwachukwu and Christine Michael back, the Aggies shouldn’t have trouble scoring points, although the line needs to do a better job of protecting Johnson. But the Aggies’ success will depend on the returning starters quickly taking to new coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s teachings. The group was blistered for at least 35 points in seven games last season and allowed at least 30 points in two other games. So needless to say that even with nine starters back, DeRuyter has his work cut out.
7. Kansas (16 starters back: 7 offensive, 7 defensive, 2 special teams). New coach Turner Gill inherits an uncertain quarterback situation, but has the framework for a strong running attack with all of his starting linemen back, along with Toben Opurum and heralded back Brandon Bourbon as running threats. The Jayhawks will need to fill in for the loss of Darrell Stuckey in the secondary, but new coordinator Carl Torbush should find the elements for a blitzing, attacking defense among the returnees. But the biggest reason the Jayhawks might be bound for a bowl game in Gill’s first season is swapping Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma for Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Baylor in their cross-divisional schedule.
8. Iowa State (13 starters back: 8 offensive, 4 defensive, 1 special teams). Paul Rhoads returns most of the offensive weapons that led the Cyclones to the Insight Bowl, most notably quarterback Austen Arnaud and running back Alexander Robinson. But the team loses all of its starting linebackers; veteran coordinator Wally Burnham will be challenged to cobble together a serviceable unit. The Cyclones could actually be a better team in 2010 but post a worse record. A tougher schedule featuring nonconference games against Utah, Iowa and Northern Illinois and the addition of South Division powers Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech will make last season’s bowl trip much tougher to duplicate.
9. Oklahoma State (10 starters back: 4 offensive, 4 defensive, 2 special teams). The Cowboys must find replacements for key players like Zac Robinson, Keith Tosten, four offensive linemen (including Outland finalist Russell Okung) and six of their back seven on defense. New offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen finds an uncertain quarterback situation but will lean heavily on a healthy Kendall Hunter. A manageable nonconference schedule should have them in bowl contention, but this should be a step back from Mike Gundy’s last two teams.
10. Kansas State (15 starters back: 7 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). The Wildcats missed out on a bowl trip last season only because they scheduled two FCS teams, but they surprisingly challenged for the Big 12 North title up to their last game of the season. It might be tougher to do that this season, although Daniel Thomas will provide the foundation on offense. Carson Coffman has the inside track at quarterback, but keep an eye out for Oregon transfer Chris Harper at either that position or wide receiver. Players like Jeffrey Fitzgerald and John Houlik will be missed on defense, but all four starters are back in the secondary.
11. Colorado (16 starters back: 8 offensive, 7 defensive, 1 special teams). Dan Hawkins’ seat is the hottest in the Big 12 and arguably in college football after missing a bowl for a second straight season last year. Tyler Hansen returns as the starting quarterback, but the Buffaloes need to find some help in the backfield with only three scholarship backs in spring practice. The defense was young last season and should be improved, but will miss the leadership provided by Jeff Smart and Cha’pelle Brown. A bowl trip likely will be necessary to save Hawkins’ job and a tough nonconference schedule featuring games at California and against Hawaii and Georgia will prove troublesome even before Big 12 play begins.
12. Baylor (14 starters back: 6 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). The Bears’ hopes of stopping the conference’s longest bowl drought will hinge largely on the health of Robert Griffin, who is recovering from knee surgery that forced him to miss the final nine games of the 2009 season. New offensive lineman “Big” Robert Griffin will have to protect his quarterback if coach Art Briles has any hope of making a bowl trip. Jay Finley and Kendall Wright are underrated offensive threats, but the Bears will miss key defensive leaders like Joe Pawelek and Jordan Lake who were stalwarts for several years.
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
Here's a look at my preseason All-Big 12 team:
Offense
QB Colt McCoy, Texas
RB Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
RB DeMarco Murray Oklahoma
WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
WR Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas
TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma
OL Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
OL Kurtis Gregory, Missouri
OL Trent Williams, Oklahoma
OL Adam Ulatoski, Texas
C Chris Hall, Texas
Defense
DL Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
DL Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
DL Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma
DL Sergio Kindle, Texas
LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
LB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri
LB Joe Pawelek, Baylor
DB Dominique Franks, Oklahoma
DB Darrell Stuckey, Kansas
DB Earl Thomas, Texas
DB Jordan Lake, Baylor
Special teams
K Alex Henery, Nebraska
P Derek Epperson, Baylor
KR Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State
PR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
I can't give out ESPYs for monumental spring performances. But I still have a few awards for outstanding achievement during spring practices around the Big 12.
Here are some of my more notable choices:
Best spring game performance by a quarterback: Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin picked up where he left off last season by passing for 310 yards and three TDs and rushing for 41 yards and another score in the Bears' spring scrimmage.
Best spring game performance by a non-quarterback: Texas A&M wide receiver Jeff Fuller produced nine catches for 154 yards and a touchdown and was the highest points producer in coach Mike Sherman's convoluted spring scrimmage that finished with a 117-107 final score. No, it wasn't an old ABA basketball game.
Best collective performance, offense: After finally getting healthy, Colorado's offensive line dominated throughout the spring. The Buffaloes culminated their development by producing 274 rushing yards and netting nearly 5.5 yards per carry, even when five sacks were factored into the statistics.
Best spring-game defensive performance: Kansas State's Brandon Harold was a pass-rushing beast, contributing three sacks along with a tackle for loss and nine tackles in the Wildcats' Purple-White game.
Best collective performance, defense: Texas' secondary showed two-deep talent throughout the camp, but saved their last for the Longhorns' spring game. They terrorized Heisman Trophy runner-up Colt McCoy, who completed only 11 of 24 passes for 95 yards. Most importantly, they produced two interceptions after notching only six during the entire 2008 season.
"Mr. April:" What is it about spring games and Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks? Franks produced two interceptions, including a 42-yard return for a touchdown, in the Sooners' Red-White game. Last year, Franks had three interceptions in the Sooners' spring game.
Best unlikely spring performance: Former Kansas State walk-on linebacker Alex Hrebec thrived in new coordinator Vic Koenning's new defense by notching 19 tackles in the Wildcats' spring game.
Best position change: Missouri redshirt freshman Brad Madison's move from offensive tackle to defensive end didn't catch many eyes early in spring practice. But Madison came on with a productive finish, capped by two sacks in a late scrimmage and development that pushed him into the mix for playing time in the fall.
Best performance by a freshman: Texas is looking for a boost in its pass rush after the departure of starters Brian Orakpo and Henry Melton from last season. Early enrollee Alex Okafor was stunning in his early work. Texas coach Mack Brown has always been hesitant to play freshmen, but Okafor's quick development in Will Muschamp's defense might cause him to change his opinion.
Best spring game atmosphere: What is it they say about there being no place like Nebraska? That certainly was the case for Bo Pelini's second spring game. Even with a $5 admission charged, a Big 12 high 77,670 turned out for the Cornhuskers' spring game. The total ranked third nationally, trailing only Ohio State and Alabama.
Best story of the spring: After struggling as he recovered from a career-threatening hip injury, Oklahoma State defensive end Richetti Jones finally started living up to the form that once earned him the nickname of the "Sack Master." Jones' development into a consistent threat will be important as new OSU coordinator Bill Young tries to cook up enough consistent defensive pressure to push the Cowboys into contention for their first South Division title.
Biggest spring non-story: The Robert Marve victory tour. The former Miami quarterback kept showing up around the Big 12 trying to find his next playing situation. He appeared for a few minutes at the Nebraska spring game and also met with Texas Tech coach Mike Leach about transferring there. Earlier, he unsuccessfully tried to convince Oklahoma and Oklahoma State coaches to join their programs.
Quotes of the spring:
"Young is not in our vocabulary. There will be no excuses. We've got to go out there and we've got to play as good as any linebacker corps in the country." Nebraska linebacker coach Mike Ekeler, telling the Lincoln Journal-Star he's not satisfied with his unit's improvement during the spring.
"Have you ever seen anything as boring as that?" Kansas State coach Bill Snyder after not exactly being enthused with his team's performance at its spring game.
"This isn't a team that walks around like the Steel Curtain. They know they gave up a lot of points, they know they gave up a lot of yards and know they didn't tackle well. That's where you have to start." Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads on his team's need for defensive growth.
"It doesn't matter to me at all. I know there isn't one on ours. And I know where the trophy is." Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, commenting to the Norman Transcript about Texas' claiming of the 2008* Big 12 title. The Longhorns briefly included last season -- with an asterisk -- among a group of team championships at the Longhorns' football training facility.
"Ed didn't like showing up and studying at places I felt like he needed to and like the academic people asked him to, so he can go study out there on the 50-yard line." Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, who explained to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal why wide receiver Edward Britton was forced to study in the middle of the field at Jones AT&T Stadium after an early spring practice -- during the middle of a brief snowstorm.
"I challenged them. We have to do things that exceed what other people do because we need to get further faster." Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman, on his team's need for immediate improvement heading into the season.
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
Another season is over. It was a good one for the Big 12, even if it didn't end exactly like Oklahoma fans and Bob Stoops might have wanted.
I remember covering a World Series many years ago. One veteran seamhead who is one of the most respected members of my profession started sobbing uncontrollably after he turned in his final story of the season. The magnitude of the end of the season finally caught up with him.
I don't think I'll do that today, but Stoops and the Sooners might when they realize how close they were to snapping their BCS losing streak that now hangs like an albatross around the program.
Here are a few lunchtime links to provide a little perspective on last night's game and a spin forward to next season.
- After his fifth BCS bowl game loss in the last six seasons, Bob Stoops' nickname of "Big Game Bob" won't survive his team's loss to Florida in the FedEx BCS National Championship Game, according to the Dallas Morning News' Kevin Sherrington.
- John Shinn of the Norman Transcript writes that Oklahoma's performance in Thursday's national title game loss was nothing like like it had played earlier this season. The nation's most explosive offense and most consistent red-zone offensive team struggled, while a leaky defense came up with one of its best performances of the season.
- Jeffrey Martin of the Kansas City Star/Wichita Eagle reports that heralded recruit Bryce Brown of Wichita, Kan., will take an unofficial visit to Kansas State this weekend.
- Dave Curtis of the Sporting News writes that the big-game contrast between Florida's Urban Meyer and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops was never more obvious than after the Gators' victory in the national championship game.
- Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times includes three Big 12 events among his top 10 moments of the 2008 season. Included were Texas Tech's dramatic victory over Texas, the Big 12's South's three-way divisional tie and Sam Bradford's Heisman winning season.
- Veteran Atlanta Journal Constitution reporter/blogger Tony Barnhart ranks four Big 12 teams in his top 20 for the 2009 season with two others listed among his teams to watch. Texas is ranked second in Barnhart's early poll, behind Florida. Oklahoma is fifth, Oklahoma State seventh and Texas Tech 20th. Kansas and Nebraska were his both listed among his teams to watch next season.
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
Call me a soothsayer or just a predictor of events. Here's a look at five early 2009 predictions for the Big 12.
1. Sooners denied again. Oklahoma and coach Bob Stoops will lose another BCS game, dropping a 35-31 decision in the upcoming matchup with Florida later this week. But the Sooners win plaudits in the loss with a gritty performance in their best outing during a five-game BCS losing streak. The game is settled only when Tim Tebow directs the Gators on a dramatic game-winning drive settled when Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin beats loquacious Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks for the game-winning TD in the final minute.
2. Early NFL draft departures strip the league's talent. The balance of power in the league is profoundly shaped for 2009 after Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham, Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree and Oklahoma State offensive tackle Russell Okung all leave school to declare for the NFL draft. The net loss of talent keeps the Big 12 South from claiming its position as the nation's toughest division for a second-straight season.
3. The Red River Rivalry percolates. In one of the most anticipated games in Big 12 history, Texas beats Oklahoma, 34-17, to take control of the South Division early in the conference race. In an expectation almost as certain as the steady stream of fans eating corny dogs before the game outside the Cotton Bowl, Texas fans boo heralded Oklahoma freshman defensive tackle Jamarcus McFarland every time he takes the field.
4. Bo's first division title. After Nebraska coach Bo Pelini inserts Zac Lee into the starting lineup, the Cornhuskers catch fire and cruise to the North Division title in a tight race that features four teams that eventually make bowl trips -- Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. The Cornhuskers don't have enough firepower, however, to beat Texas. The Longhorns win their conference title since 2005 after a 38-24 triumph over the Cornhuskers to cruise to the BCS title game after a 12-1 season marred only by a loss at Oklahoma State.
5. McCoy's Heisman moment. Not only do the Longhorns claim the league championship, but Colt McCoy has a huge season to become the first quarterback from his school to ever claim the Heisman Trophy. His victory comes over runner-up Tebow, who faces the Big 12 champion again in the 2010 national championship game at the Rose Bowl.
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops attempted Sunday to play down inflammatory comments made by Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks about Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.
Franks said that Tebow, a Heisman finalist and the Heisman winner in 2007, would have been only the fourth-best quarterback in the NFL this season behind Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, Texas' Colt McCoy and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell.
Stoops blamed media members for making Franks' pronouncements such a big story.
"You guys lead young guys into a lot of questions," Stoops said.
The Oklahoma coach also said he thought that Tebow's leadership and athletic abilities make him one of the nation's best players.
"We know he's a great player," Stoops said. "We have great respect for him. There's not a lot of Heisman Trophy players running around. That speaks for himself. He's an exceptional guy and we know that."
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
 | |
| Ronald Martinez/Getty Images | |
| Sam Bradford threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns as No. 3 Oklahoma downed No. 11 Oklahoma State 61-41. Bradford took to the air in other ways, diving for more yards in a defining play in the third quarter. |
STILLWATER, Okla. -- Sometimes, one play remains ingrained in the psyche of Heisman voters.
Think of Charles Woodson's punt return. Or Anthony Davis' kick return for the old timers. Or Tim Tebow's charge into the end zone with several tacklers attached to him.
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford might have produced one of those memory-grabbing plays Saturday night that resonates with voters for several weeks.
Bradford's wild somersault in the third quarter didn't get him in the end zone. But his flip showed his toughness as he landed hard but still jumped up to score on the next play, directing another scoring drive that helped the Sooners claim a 61-41 victory over Oklahoma State.
"I wish I would have gotten in, but it did get us into position to score," Bradford said with a sheepish smile. "That's all that matters."
Not scoring on the play was one of the few things that didn't end up positively for Bradford, who led the Sooners on eight scoring drives to finish the game. Included in the binge were seven drives that culminated in touchdowns.
At one point, Bradford directed the Sooners to nine straight third-down conversions. The Sooners have scored at least 60 points in four straight games.
"Sam Bradford, the way he played was just out of this world," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "It's just incredible the way we played with him."
It didn't come easy for Bradford, who misfired on his first four passes in the slowest start of his career. His first three incompletions all were dropped passes.
A banged-up thumb kept him from adequately grasping the ball in direct center exchanges and forced the Sooners to play almost exclusively in shotgun formations during the second half.
But even with that injury, Bradford was willing to make the leap that had some fans chanting "Heisman" as he left the field.
"I thought that was the play of the game," Stoops said. "He was trying to get away from the rush and went out and did. He sucked it up and made a huge play for us."
Bradford responded to complete 30 of 44 passes for 370 yards and four touchdowns. That effort enabled him to up his single-season passing total to 4,082 yards, topping the previous mark of Oklahoma quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel, who passed for 3,850 yards in 1999.
And Bradford's scoring barrage gave him 82 career touchdown passes, one ahead of Jason White's total of 81 from 1999-2004.
Those numbers are significant but Bradford's dive meant as much to his team as any of his touchdowns or big plays.
"That play was just incredible," Oklahoma cornerback Dominque Franks said. "There's a guy who could be the No.1 pick in the draft and make lots of money and he's giving himself up like that for us. It just made us all want to play harder, seeing what he was doing for us. It was really an inspirational play."
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
NORMAN, Okla. -- Good afternoon from Owen Field, where the talk-show fodder coming into the stadium concerned the demise of the Sooner dynasty.
Oklahoma twice blew double-digit leads last week before falling to Texas. And the remnants of that collapse are still resonating -- and smoldering -- more than seven days later.
Truthfully, the 5-1 Sooners haven't fallen that far. They are still No. 4 nationally -- the highest ranking of any one-loss team -- and are in good position to make a BCS charge if the national run of upsets continues.
All of that makes today's game against No. 16 Kansas critical for coach Bob Stoops and the Sooners. He's never lost the contest following a Texas game in his previous nine seasons and, he is heavily favored to extend his streak to double digits today.
But he'll be facing a significant challenge in Kansas, which has quietly crept into first place of the North Division after two wins to the start the season. The Jayhawks have won 17 of their last 19 games and will control their own destiny in the North race even if they lose today.
Coach Mark Mangino was an assistant head coach earlier in his coaching career with Stoops. It's always a special day when he returns to his old stomping grounds.
But he likely shouldn't expect much mercy from the Sooners because of his past association here -- especially considering what happened last week.
Here are some things I'll be watching as the game progresses:
Who fills in for Ryan Reynolds at middle linebacker for Oklahoma? Reynolds was the most capable linebacker the Sooners had, a heady playmaker who made the rest of his team better because of his acumen. The defense fell apart last week when he was lost. The easiest solution would be the insert Brandon Crow into the position, but he struggled badly last week. Redshirt freshman Austin Box also might get some snaps, but don't be surprised to see the Sooners spin 230-pound nickelback Nic Harris into the position. It might be the Sooners' best move trying to combat Kansas' air-heavy attack keyed by quarterback Todd Reesing.
Can Jake Sharp continue to run effectively? After barely playing in the first four games, Sharp has blossomed with two big efforts to help spark Kansas' quick start in conference play. Mangino still had to be convinced that the 190-pound Sharp can be more than a complimentary player, but his last two weeks were a pretty good indicator.
What gives in the pillow fight between Oklahoma's kick coverage and Kansas' return game? The Sooners have struggled all year, allowing 25.3 yards per return and two touchdowns. Stoops has promised more starters playing on special teams in order to boost speed and tackling ability.
The Sooners, however, likely won't be challenged by Kansas' sputtering kick return game. The Jayhawks are averaging only 12.38 yards per return to rank last nationally. That average, even with preseason All-Big 12 kick returner Marcus Herford in the mix, is nearly three yards below the next-lowest team in the rankings -- Kent State.
Is Kansas really ready for the big boys? The Jayhawks get their first crack against a ranked South Division foe today. Later in the season, the Jayhawks will host Texas Tech and Texas. Kansas avoided all three teams in a school-record 12-1 season last year that was capped by an Orange Bowl victory. We'll see how the Jayhawks match up with a traditional power from the other division in Saturday's game.
Kansas wide receiver Kerry Meier vs. the young Oklahoma cornerbacks. First-year Oklahoma starters Dominique Franks and Brian Jackson have played well to this point of the season, but will face a big test against Meier, a versatile and experienced player who is still listed as Kansas' backup quarterback. Meier runs exquisite routes and will challenge both players even though he's been hobbled recently.
INJURIES: The biggest for Oklahoma is Reynolds, who was already rehabbing earlier in the week. DeMarco Murray hasn't been the same back as last season, although Sooner coaches say he's in good shape. Defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger was back for the game last week, although he hasn't cracked the two-deep yet.
Kansas doesn't release injuries, although it's been clear in the last several games and during warm-ups that Meier has been hobbled. He missed several plays last week, but still produced nine receptions. Nose tackle Caleb Billingsley left the Colorado game with a leg injury and is questionable. Jamal Green and Darius Parish would fill in if he can't go. And starting guard Adrian Mayes missed the second half with an undisclosed injury, but should be ready to go today, Mangino said.
WEATHER: It's an ideal day for football here with nary a cloud in the sky. Temperatures should be in the mid-70s at kickoff and remain in the 70s during the rest of the afternoon.
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
Nicknames used to dot the college football landscape, giving a splash of additional color to an already colorful game.
There was "The Galloping Ghost," "The Kansas Comet," "Earthquake," "The Mad Stork" and "The Italian Stallion." For you old-schoolers out there like me, you'll immediately remember Red Grange, Gale Sayers, Bill Enyart, Ted Hendricks and Johnny Musso.
It was good stuff.
But in today's changing times, nicknames don't seem to be given as readily as in the past. That's why a couple of recent stories delighted me so much when I read them this morning.
Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter is in a tight battle to replace Dantrell Savage as the Cowboys' featured back.
More notable to me than Hunter's 696 yards last season was an anecdote from last season. The 5-foot-8 Hunter was in a team meeting when Oklahoma State running backs coach Curtis Luper inexplicably started referring to him as "Spud."
"I have no idea why that was," Hunter told the Tulsa World. "On the practice field that day, all I was hearing was Spud. Everywhere I went, it was Spud. Not Kendall, but Spud. I can't shake it."
And at Missouri, redshirt freshman wide receiver Jerrell Jackson has also picked up a similarly colorful moniker. Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon has taken to calling him "Young Grasshopper" because of his pass-catching abilities. It sounds to me like something straight out of the old "Kung Fu" show that I used to love when I was a teenager back in the 1970s, but Jackson says Weatherspoon's descriptive nickname is a badge of honor.
"When I first got here, I caught a ball out of the air from one of the defensive backs, and he started calling me that." Jackson told the Columbia Daily Tribune.
Both nicknames seem to fit the players and are a throwback to the good ol' days of college football. I like them.
I'd be interested if any readers know about nicknames for other Big 12 players, or have suggestions for nicknames. If anybody has some, I'll share them in an upcoming post.
And after a problem with a crashed computer, which I called several nicknames I know weren't suitable for a family Web site, here are some mid-morning links.
Better late than never, I guess. Hope you enjoy.
- Former Penn State DT Phil Taylor is planning to transfer to Baylor. Former Penn State assistant coach Brian Norwood is Baylor's new defensive coordinator.
- Vince Young's jersey will be retired by Texas at the Longhorns' Aug. 30 opener against Florida International.
- Houston Chronicle beat writer Joseph Duarte has an interesting video interview with Texas QB Colt McCoy about his plans to rebound from a disappointing 2007 season.
- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is confident that WR Khiry Cooper will remain with the team. Friday is the deadline for Cooper, a fifth-round choice of the Los Angeles Angels, to accept his baseball contract.
- The Oklahoma secondary's personnel has been shaken up after Lendy Holmes was moved to free safety and Dominique Franks earned first-team status at cornerback.
- Florida Atlantic coach Howard Schnellenberger claims he was misquoted by a student newspaper when he called Texas' defense soft. University Press sports editor Jay Warman, who originally posted Schnellenberger's quote on his blog earlier this week, said the quotes are accurate.
- Iowa State coach Gene Chizik is bullish about his team's development halfway through summer training camp.
- Despite his team suffering three season-ending knee injuries in a nine-day period, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins isn't changing his practice methods."It's kind of a freak deal," Hawkins told the Rocky Mountain News, adding that the only preventive measure would be to "stop running because, basically, that's when they happened. It's not because guys are hitting you, or cutting. I mean, they're all noncontact."
- Walk-on Kansas State RB Keithen Valentine has emerged as the team's likely starter.
- Fort Worth Star-Telegram national college football writer Trae Thompson lists Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin among his 10 "can't miss" players for 2008.
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