Sept. 9, 2002
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Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) vs. UTEP Miners (1-1)
Saturday, Sept. 14, 2002 * 6 p.m. * Memorial Stadium * Norman, Okla.
Quickly: Oklahoma plays the middle of three consecutive non-conference home games when the Sooners host Texas-El Paso. OU downed Alabama, 37-27, last week and will host South Florida on Sept. 28. The Miners are on the road for a second straight week after suffering a 77-17 loss at Kentucky last week.
Series History: Oklahoma is 1-0 against UTEP after posting a 55-14 win over the Miners on Sept. 2, 2000. That was the opener for a national championship season.
Last Meeting: In the above-mentioned game, Josh Heupel completed 18-of-36 passes for 274 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Sooners. Then-true freshman Renaldo Works came off the bench to score three fourth-quarter touchdowns. He established career highs with 19 rushes and the three TDs. His rushing attempts netted 98 yards, the second-highest total of his career. UTEP had 342 total yards, but was victimized by seven turnovers. The 106-degree weather rated as the highest game temperature in the history of both programs.
Polls: Oklahoma is ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and No. 3 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.
On the Air: Fox Sports is televising this game on a pay per view basis. The broadcasters are Bob Carpenter (play-by-play), Dean Blevins (color) and Zach Klein (sideline). In addition, the game is on radio via the Sooner Network. The broadcasters are Bob Barry, Sr., (play-by-play), Merv Johnson (color) and Mark Rodgers (sideline). Michael Dean is the producer.
Tickets: Oklahoma's home games are sold out for a fourth consecutive season. The OU Athletics Ticket Office, currently located on the east side of the Lloyd Noble Center, can be reached at 405-325-2424.
Coaches: Bob Stoops (Iowa ' 83), is 33-7 in his fourth year at Oklahoma and overall. Stoops is 1-0 against Texas-El Paso, 14-2 vs. non-conference foes, 18-5 vs. the Big 12, 18-1 at home, 10-4 on the road, 5-2 on neutral fields and 2-1 in bowl games. He is the only coach in Oklahoma history to lead his first three teams to bowl games. His .816 winning percentage after three seasons ranked No. 5 for the best head coaching start in NCAA history. A more in-depth look at Stoops can be found later in these notes. Gary Nord (Louisville '79) is 11-14 in his third season at UTEP. He is 0-1 against Oklahoma. The former OU offensive coordinator was the 2000 WAC Coach of the Year.
Team Comparison
OU UTEP
Scoring Offense 37.0 29.5
Scoring Defense 13.5 44.5
First Downs 18.5 21.5
Passing Yards 218.5 147.0
Passing Defense 151.5 184.0
Rushing Yards 177.5 260.0
Rushing Defense 99.0 225.5
Total Offense 396.0 407.0
Total Defense 250.5 409.5
TO Margin +1 even
Sacks By/Yards 4/20 4/31
Sacks Against/Yards 7/47 4/27
Fumbles-Lost 4-2 2-2
Punting Average 35.6 34.7
Punt Return Avg. 19.8 7.4
KO Return Avg. 10.5 21.8
Time of Possession 26:00 34:06
Third Down Conv. 10-26 15-33
Fourth Down Conv. 1-2 2-4
College Football's All-Time Best
1. Notre Dame .750 (783-247-42)
2. Michigan .746 (815-266-36)
3. Alabama .716 (745-282-43)
4. Nebraska .710 (767-301-40)
5. OKLAHOMA .708 (715-280-53)
6. Texas .707 (756-304-33)
7. Ohio State .705 (733-292-53)
8. Tennessee .700 (720-294-52)
9. Penn State .693 (745-318-41)
10. USC .689 (684-294-54)
The Sooners and the WAC
Oklahoma goes for a two-game season sweep of Western Athletic Conference foes when the Sooners host Texas-El Paso. OU opened the season with a 37-0 win at WAC member Tulsa.
OU is 34-11-2 against teams currently holding membership in the Western Athletic Conference -- 2-0 vs. Hawai'i, 7-0 vs. Rice, 5-1-1 vs. Southern Methodist, 6-3 vs. Texas Christian, 13-7-1 vs. Tulsa and 1-0 vs. Texas-El Paso.
The last time Oklahoma played two non-conference games against teams from the same league was in 2000, and those game also were against WAC foes -- UTEP and Rice.
About the Opponent
Texas-El Paso has seen both ends of the spectrum in the first two weeks of the season. The Miners opened with a 42-12 blistering of Sacramento State, then suffered through a 77-17 loss at Kentucky last Saturday. Ten different Wildcats scored in UK's victory. The Wildcats piled up 591 yards and averaged 9.4 yards per play. UTEP gained 371 yards on the day, but simply had no answer for Kentucky's offense, which amassed 364 yards on the ground and 227 yards through the air on only 12 pass completions.
RB Howard Jackson is off to a great start with 31 carries for 236 yards and four touchdowns. He's averaging 7.6 yards per carry. RB Matt Austin is averaging 6.6 per tote with 25 tries for 165 yards.
Jon Schaper has completed 24-of-52 passes for 252 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. His favorite target is Terrance Minor. He has eight grabs for 122 yards and three TDs.
Texas-El Paso's top two tacklers on defensive backs. Tim Woodard has 16 stops, while D.J. Walker has 14.
UTEP has lost nine consecutive road games.
The Miners will be facing a ranked team for the first time since 2000, when UTEP dropped decisions at [19] Oklahoma and [15] TCU. UTEP is 3-39 all-time versus ranked opponents, including 1-26 on the road. The Miners triumphed at [14] Arizona State, 31-27, on Nov. 2, 1974, and have since dropped 21 consecutive road games to ranked opponents.
UTEP was picked for ninth in the preseason WAC media poll. Last year's pick for ninth was Louisiana Tech, which then won the league title. UTEP was picked for sixth in 2000, but tied for the championship.
UTEP Athletics Director Bob Stull, a Kansas State graduate, was a head football coach for the Miners from 1986-1988. He then left for Missouri, where he coached the Tigers from 1989-93. During that time, Stull was 0-5 against OU.
Oklahoma-UTEP Ties
Texas-El Paso head coach Gary Nord was Oklahoma's offensive coordinator in 1995.
UTEP offensive line coach Brian Callahan was a graduate assistant on the Oklahoma staff in 1995.
The only Miner player from Oklahoma is true freshman defensive lineman Dane Gilbert, a product of Oklahoma City and Crooked Oak HS.
Oklahoma's Most Recent Game
Oklahoma won a 37-27 thriller over Alabama last Saturday at Norman ...
The crowd of 75,564 was the largest for an OU season opener in the current stadium configuration. The current capacity is listed at 72,765.
Oklahoma roared to a 23-3 halftime lead, then had to rally from a 27-23 deficit when the Crimson Tide scored 24 straight tallies. Kejuan Jones ran eight yards with 2:11 left, then Eric Bassey returned a fumble 45 yards with 24 second remaining to ice the win. The last time the Sooners had a 20-point halftime lead, lost the lead and came back for a win was a Nov. 15, 1975, game against Missouri. Joe Washington ran 71 yards for a touchdown, then bolted in with the two-point conversion and OU won 28-27.
Renaldo Works set up the go-ahead touchdown with a pair of shovel pass receptions that resulted in 62 yards.
A mishandled punt snap by Alabama gave OU a safety. It was the first safety against the Crimson Tide since Nov. 11, 1995.
Mark Clayton caught four passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 37-yard grab to the Alabama one set up another Sooner TD.
OU went more than six quarters to open the season without allowing a touchdown before Alabama punched in one during the third quarter. The span covered 95 minutes, 46 seconds.
White Out for Season
QB Jason White was lost for the season when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the first quarter of the Alabama game. He missed the last five games of the 2001 season after tearing the ACL in his left knee. Against Alabama, he was making just his fourth career start.
Points of Coincidence
Oklahoma scored 37 points in each of its first two games.
For the second straight year, OU's opponent in the home opener scored 27 points ... and lost. North Carolina dropped a 41-27 decision at Norman last season.
The 1988 team opened the season with 28 points each in its first two outings.
The last time OU scored the same number of points in back-to-back games was late in the 1997 season when the Sooners scored just seven each in four straight losses.
Very Little 'AP' Coverage
Oklahoma's AP, Antonio Perkins, is off to a marvelous start in his first season as the Sooners punt returner.
Through two games, he has 158 yards on just eight attempts (19.8-yard average). The sophomore is already more than halfway to cracking the OU's top 10 for a season. Joe Washington (1973) and Basil Banks (1979) are tied for the No. 10 spot with 260. Ironically, both were sophomores at the time.
The Oklahoma season record was set by J.T. Thatcher in 2000 with 599 yards on 38 returns (15.8-yard average).
Perkins already has three returns of more than 20 yards, including a 91-yarder for a touchdown at Tulsa. That tied for the third-longest punt return in school history.
Non-Conference Success
In Bob Stoops' four seasons, Oklahoma is 11-1 in regular season non-conference games. Throw in the three bowl tilts and the Sooners are 14-2 vs. non-Big 12 teams.
OU has won 12 straight non-conference games. That streak includes five games that were not played in Norman -- the bowl games against Arkansas and Florida State, last year's contest at Air Force and this year's opener at Tulsa.
OU's last loss to a non-league opponent came on Dec. 31, 1999, when Mississippi downed the Sooners, 27-25, in the Independence Bowl. The last regular season setback to a non-conference foe came on Oct. 2, 1999, when Notre Dame clipped OU, 34-30.
Numbers That Define a Defense
The OU defense has forced at least one turnover in 38 of the last 40 games and at least one interception in 26 of the last 29.
OU has scored a defensive touchdown in eight of the last 17 regular season games. Sooner opponents have completed 50% of their passes just 14 times in the 40 games coached by Bob Stoops. During that same span, OU foes have scored 14+ points just 13 times.
Streaks
Oklahoma has not allowed 300 yards rushing since Nebraska eclipsed that figure in 1997 (53 consecutive games). The Sooners have not allowed 200 or more rushing yards in 35 straight games.
RB Quentin Griffin has at least one reception in a school-record 29 straight games.
Griffin also enters the season with the longest string of consecutive starts on the team at 32. The next longest string belongs to CB Derrick Strait at 28.
OU has scored at least one touchdown in 42 consecutive games. During that same span, the Sooners held the opponent out of the end zone eight times.
OU has sold out its last 19 home games, every game of Bob Stoops' tenure.
Four for the Receiving Record
Records are made to be broken ... but by four players in one season? Eddie Hinton's OU record for receptions in a career (114) stood from 1968 until this year's opener when FL Antwone Savage bettered the mark. He's now at 119. RB Quentin Griffin eclipsed Hinton in the Alabama game and now has 116. Two others are very close with WR Curtis Fagan at 111 and TE Trent Smith at 109. Before this barrage, only two OU players had logged 100 receptions in a career -- Hinton and current San Diego Chargers tight end Stephen Alexander, who had 104.
By Land, By Air, By Punt or Fumble Return ...
Last year, Oklahoma found seven different routes to the end zone -- rushing, passing, kickoff return, interception return, fumble return, faked punt and faked field goal. Already through two games this season, the Sooners have found four different ways to cross the goals line ... rushing (vs. Tulsa and Alabama), passing (vs. Tulsa and Alabama), punt return (vs. Tulsa) and fumble return (vs. Alabama).
Milestones
Teddy Lehman now has 16 career tackles for loss (55 yards) to rank No. 10 at OU.
Derrick Strait now ranks No. 4 for career PBU at Oklahoma with 27. Roy Williams is No. 1 with 42, followed by Mike Woods at 37 and Darrius Johnson at 30.
Special Teams Superlatives
Here is a look at special teams notes from Bob Stoops' era as OU's head coach ...
There have been nine special teams touchdowns, four in the last 14 regular season games. Interestingly, those four came via four different plays -- a punt return, a kickoff return, a faked punt and a faked field goal.
OU has returned four kickoffs and three punts for TDs during Stoops' tenure.
The Sooners have blocked nine kicks.
Note ... including the kicker, punter and long snapper, OU's kickoff, kickoff return, punt and punt return units include seven players who also start on either offense or defense.
Weekend Warriors
WR Antwone Savage and TE Trent Smith lead this team in total games played at 40. Others with more than 30 games played include WR Curtis Fagan with 39, OL Mike Skinner (35), DB Andre Woolfolk (34) and RB Quentin Griffin (33).
2001 in Review
Oklahoma went 11-2 overall, 6-2 in the Big 12 South.
The Sooners enjoyed their 12th 11-win season. OU has averaged one 11-win season every 3.8 seasons dating back to 1955.
Oklahoma posted double-digit victories in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1986 and 1987.
OU got its second straight bowl win, defeating Arkansas, 10-3 in the SBC Cotton Bowl.
OU was No. 6 in both final polls (AP and ESPN/USA Today). It marked the 29th time in the last 63 years that the Sooners have finished among the AP's top 10.
Oklahoma set or tied 36 school records.
$12 Million Gift Pushes OU Athletics Beyond Goal
The largest gift in the history of the University of Oklahoma athletics - a $12 million gift from Edward L. Gaylord on behalf of the Gaylord family of Oklahoma City - has been presented to OU to complete the $75 million expansion and restoration of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The gift pushed OU's Great Expectations Campaign, which began in January of 1999, beyond its $100 million goal to $102 million.
Sooner Summation
Oklahoma has 91 scoring drives of two minutes or less over the last four seasons.
Special teams and/or defense have at least one TD in 16 of Bob Stoops' 40 games.
As part of the OU's $100 million Great Expectations: The Campaign for Sooner Sports, Memorial Stadium will be upgraded. The $65 million project will renovate facility structures and amenities, replace current seating, and add new seating - including 2,200 club seats and 27 sky suites to bring capacity to more than 80,000. Work began after the 2001 season and be complete in time for the 2003 season.
The Sooners appeared on national covers or preseason preview editions with Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News and on a regional cover with ESPN The Magazine.
LB Gayron Allen -- OU's top tackler in two of the three preseason scrimmages. Has move to No. 2 at WLB.
SS Eric Bassey -- Consistently tests as the fastest player on the team. Tied with Antonio Perkins for the fastest 40 time in the preseason drills at 4.32. Returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown to ice the Alabama win.
OT Jammal Brown -- One of OU's top pass protectors, he starts at right tackle.
C Vince Carter -- Started the last nine games last year as a true freshman and gets the nod again as a soph.
WR Mark Clayton -- Brilliant against Alabama with four catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns -- 51 and 32 yards. Also had a 37-yard reception to the Crimson Tide one to set up another TD.
DE Dan Cody -- Played in the 2001 opener, then sat out the remainder of the season for medical reasons.
OG Brad Davis -- Made a strong preseason push to nail down the starting job at left guard.
K Trey DiCarlo -- Was at the Naval Academy, but left before practice began and joined the Sooners shortly after the newcomers reported in early August. DiCarlo was a four-year starter as the placekicker at Carrollton's Creekview High School, where he split the punting chores with another Sooner freshman, wide receiver Travis Wilson. His career long field goal was a 55-yarder. He made nine field goals and 45 point after touchdown kicks as a senior. DiCarlo's 44 yarder was the second longest in a debut role. John Carroll kicked a 45-yarder against SMU in 1971. Carroll was a sophomore, so DiCarlo's was the longest ever by an OU freshman in his first game. Had two FGA blocked by Alabama.
DT Dusty Dvoracek -- Missed much of the preseason with a toe ailment, but played extensively in the season opener.
FS Brandon Everage -- Slowed some by a shoulder injury in the preseason, but started at Tulsa.. Hard hitter who forced three fumbles last season.
WR Curtis Fagan -- One of the four receivers over 100 career receptions on this team. Handled the punt return duties last season. Topped OU with 50 receiving yards (on three catches) at Tulsa.
P Blake Ferguson -- Brother of Jeff Ferguson, who punted for OU over the previous four seasons. Sat out last season after transferring from North Carolina. Averaged 41.5 yards in the opener. Had two blocked by Alabama, but did manage a 56-yarder.
OL Jerod Fields -- A starter for part of last season, he's in a back-up role after taking a helmet to the back during preseason drills.
RB Quentin Griffin -- Huge effort at Tulsa that included 17 rushes for 237 yards. Needs just 45 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for his career. No. 10 receiver in Big 12 history. Griffin and James Allen (1993-96) are the only two players in OU history to rank among the top 20 in rushing yardage and career receptions
DT Tommie Harris -- Candidate for all-America and for some of college football's most prestigious awards. Of his 32 tackles last season, 17 were behind the line of scrimmage.
QB Nate Hybl -- Started each of OU's 11 victories last season. No. 6 on the school's career passing list. Came off the bench against Alabama to replace an injured Jason White and completed 16-of-30 passes for 251 yards and one touchdown. Also rushed for one TD.
DE Jonathan Jackson -- Made his first career start at Tulsa and responded with seven tackles, three for loss, one fumble forced and one sack.
LB Pasha Jackson -- Starting strong side linebacker when OU is in a three linebacker set.
WR Brandon Jones -- Big-play receiver who worked primarily on special teams last season. Starting center fielder for OU's baseball team last spring.
WR Kejuan Jones -- At Tulsa, he rushed 11 times for 74 yards and two TDs in his college debut. Came back with an 8-yard TD burst to give OU its go-ahead score late against Alabama.
OL Davin Joseph -- Spent the first two weeks of camp on the defensive line, before moving to offensive guard.
DL Kory Klein -- One of the Sooners' most consistent players. He tied for the team lead in QB hurries last season with 14.
LB Teddy Lehman -- Speedster who moves from the middle to the weak side this season. Career-high 14 tackles, including 11 solos, in the opener at Tulsa. Against Alabama, he forced one fumble and recovered another.
DB Matt McCoy -- Sometimes overlooked, he can be key in nickel and dime packages. Had four interceptions last season including one in the SBC Cotton Bowl. Holder for placements.
DL Lynn McGruder -- Transferred to OU from Tennessee. Has slimmed down from the spring and has been impressive in the August workouts.
LB Lance Mitchell -- Rated the No. 1 junior college linebacker in the nation last year, he steps into the middle of OU's defense. Eligibility glitch at Florida landed him at Oklahoma where he joins former JUCO teammate Pasha Jackson. With 13 tackles at Tulsa he tied Torrance Marshall for the most tackle ever in a Sooner debut.
WR Will Peoples -- Gifted athlete who played mostly on special teams last season.
DB/PR Antonio Perkins -- Impressive in the preseason testing. Returned four punts for 112 yards, including a 91-yard TD sprint, at Tulsa in his first game as OU's punt returner. That ties for the third-longest return in school history.
QB Brent Rawls -- Injured thumb ligaments in his right thumb during first scrimmage.
WR Antwone Savage -- No. 8 all-time receiver in Big 12.
OT Wes Sims -- Moved from right to left tackle this season.
OG Mike Skinner -- The most experienced of OU's offensive linemen with 35 games played.
TE Trent Smith -- Led the nation's tight ends with 61 catches last season. Only one of the three 2001 Mackey finalists back for the 2002 season. OU's offensive MVP last season.
CB Derrick Strait -- His six career interceptions are tops among active Sooners.
DB Michael Thompson -- Missed last season while recovering from injuries suffered in an off-season automobile accident. Key cog on 2000 national championship team.
QB Jason White -- Won the starting job in a preseason competition with Nate Hybl. Played in seven games last season with starts against Baylor and Nebraska.
DE Jimmy Wilkerson -- Led OU in TFL last season with 18 and tied for the sacks lead with five. Outstanding in the opener with seven tackles, three for -7, one sack for -1 and one fumble forced.
CB Andre Woolfolk -- Split time between offense and defense last season. Will go full-time defense this season. Only senior starter on defense..png&width=40&height=40&type=webp)
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