Sooners Compete in Scrimmage, Inch Closer To Season Opener

Aug. 15, 2001

Audio
Bob Stoops
Renaldo Works
Dan Cody
Jason White
Nate Hybl

NORMAN, Okla. - The defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners are one step closer to the 2001 season opener now as they took part in the third and final open scrimmage of summer Wednesday evening at Memorial Stadium. The coaching staff felt the squad played quite well on the whole and it's becoming evident the team is ready to compete against someone other than their teammates.

"I thought both sides of the ball played well for the most part," said Stoops, "and overall, I thought it was a good workout. It was good and bad, kind of like what always happens when you play yourself. Someone does good and someone does bad on every play. But more than anything, we just had some mental mistakes and things we can get corrected by the time we get playing."

The battle between Nate Hybl and Jason White for the starting quarterback position continued and a decision on the starter should come from the coaching staff soon. Hybl was 24-for-29 for 179 yards, including a 35-yard scoring strike to Antwone Savage. White completed 11 of his 18 attempts for 141 yards and a 20-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Fagan.

"I thought they all looked good," said Stoops of his quarterbacks. "Nate and Jason had a lot of good plays and I think they executed well. We'll go through this tape very closely, as well as the practices we've been having, we'll go through everything as a staff and we'll probably make a decision here in the next few days."

Stoops has no such decision to make as to who his starting placekicker will be, as senior Tim Duncan was extremely impressive. The squad worked on game situations and Duncan showed he's capable of making clutch kicks. He connected on five kicks of more than 45 yards, including two field goals from 52 yards out, one from 59 yards and one from 64 yards away.

"Tim was again very strong," said Stoops. "The situations we worked on are the last play of a half or the game. He's got a real strong leg and with any kind of breeze behind him, he has a chance. I wanted him to feel the situation and see what he could do."

Quentin Griffin led all rushers with 41 yards on six carries while Renaldo Works gained 32 yards on eight carries, including an 11-yard touchdown run. Works also caught seven passes for 68 yards. Fagan led all receivers with eight catches, 84 yards and the 20-yard touchdown from White.

The squad will practice twice on Thursday and two-a-day workouts conclude on Saturday. OU will then follow a game-week schedule as the North Carolina Tarheels visit Memorial Stadium Aug. 25 to kick off the 2001 slate.

August 15 Scrimmage Stats

Passing Hybl 24-29, 179 yards, 1 TD (35) White 11-18, 141 yards, 1 TD (20) Wall 6-8, 39 yards, 1 INT Rawls 5-6, 27 yards

Rushing Griffin 6 carries/41 yards Works 8/32, 1 TD (11) Estus 8/29, 1 TD (1) Hickson 2/20 K. Jones 5/18 Connor 1/-1

Receiving Fagan 8 catches/84 yards, 1 TD (20) Works 7/68 Savage 3/46, 1 TD (35) Clayton 1/36 Griffin 2/24 B. Jones 3/21 Ford 2/16 Estus 6/15 Mackey 2/14 K. Jones 2/14 Chester 2/11 Norman 1/10 Woolfolk 1/9 Donley 2/8 T. Smith 1/6 Creath 1/3 Connor 1/2 Hickson 1/1

Interceptions G. Allen

Scoring Fagan 20-yard pass from White Estus 1-yard run Works 11-yard run Savage 35-yard pass from Hybl