Postgame Notes

Aug. 25, 2001

StatsQuotes

August 25, 2001

Memorial Stadium - Norman, Okla.

The temperature at kickoff was 99 degrees, not nearly as hot as OU's opener against UTEP in 2000, when the temperature was 106 degrees.

Tonight's attendance was 75,423, giving OU its 12th consecutive sellout. The streak dates back to the Indiana State season-opening game in 1999.

Tonight is the second-earliest calendar start of an OU football season, after 1997's Aug. 23 opener vs. Northwestern in the Pigskin Classic at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Tommie Harris became the first true freshman interior defensive lineman to start for Oklahoma since 1987, when Marcus Lowe started against North Texas State. Lowe started because of injuries to Dante Williams and Tony Woods.

Rocky Calmus recovered two fumbles in the first quarter, making tonight his second game in a row with a fumble recovery and his second consecutive season opener with a recovery. They were the fifth and sixth fumble recoveries of his Sooner career and he returned one of the fumbles for a touchdown, the second of his career.

Andre Woolfolk started at both wide receiver and cornerback in tonight's game.

In OU's first TD scoring drive in the first quarter (12:48), Quentin Griffin accounted for all 46 yards. He ran in the touchdown from 4 yards out, he had a 23-yard run and he caught a 19-yard pass from Nate Hybl.

The Sooners' first three scoring drives in the opening quarter took 0:48, 0:18 and 1:12, respectively, for a combined total of 2 minutes, 18 seconds.

Running back Quentin Griffin, with his seven receptions tonight, set a school record for most career receptions by a running back, with 63. The mark of 60 was previously held by James Allen (1993-96).

Oklahoma's 31 first-quarter points were the most in the Bob Stoops era in a single quarter. The previous high was 28 points, scored in the opening period of the 2000 Baylor game. OU also scored 28 points in the second quarter against Texas in 2000.

Antwone Savage's 88-yard first-quarter kickoff return for a touchdown was the second longest ever in a season opener for the Sooners. George "Junior" Thomas had a 95-yard return for TD vs. Boston College in 1949's season opener.

Julius Peppers' 29-yard interception return for a touchdown was the first against the Sooners since Odell James of Baylor did so in 2000.

Derrick Strait's 47-yard TD return of an interception in the second quarter was the second of his career. He returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown vs. Nebraska in 2000. Only two other Sooners have had 2 interception returns for TD, they are Bobby Stephenson (1965-67) and Joe Bowden (1989-91).

OU's 41-point effort in the first half was just off the 42 points scored in the first half of both the Baylor and Texas games of 2000. The school-record is 49, set in the first half vs. Missouri in 1986. OU went on to win the game 77-0.

Michael Waddell's 89-yard punt return for a touchdown was the second longest in UNC history. It was also the longest ever against Oklahoma, the previous high being an 84-yarder by Quinton Spotwood of Syracuse in 1997. The last punt return for a TD vs. OU was Aaron Lockett of Kansas State in the 2000 Big 12 Championship Game, a 58-yard return.

Linebacker Rocky Calmus registered two tackles-for-loss in tonight's game, bringing his career total to 44 TFLs. He is the all-time OU leader in the category for linebackers, and he's now tied for third in school history overall with Jimbo Elrod (1973-75). The leader is Kelly Gregg (1995-98) with 53 and in second is Cedric Jones (1992-95) with 46.5.

Nate Hybl's 20 completions tonight are the third highest total ever for an OU quarterback in a season opener. Josh Heupel holds the school record, as he completed 32 in 1999's season opener vs. Indiana State. Cale Gundy had 22 completions vs. Texas Tech in 1992's first game.

Oklahoma failed to score in the second half, making tonight the first game in the Bob Stoops era that OU failed to score in a half. The last time OU was shut out in a half was in the first half against Baylor in 1998. OU went on to win that game 28-16.

OU is now 22-2 all-time vs. teams currently in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Sooners' last loss to an ACC school was in 1989 vs. Clemson in the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Rocky Calmus was named MVP of the Hispanic College Fund Football Classic, with 13 tackles (10 solo, 3 assists). He had one sack, two tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries (one for a 14-yard touchdown).

OU is now a perfect 12-0 record in season opening night games. OU is 4-0 in such games at home.

OU's win tonight pushes the team's win steak 14 games, currently the longest in the nation.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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