OU Hosts Mizzou for Homecoming

Oklahoma and Missouri, teams that share the top spot in their respective Big 12 Conference divisions, collide in the Sooners' homecoming tilt. Top-ranked OU, which is tied for first in the South with Texas Tech, hosts Missouri, which shares the lead in the North. Both prevailed last week.

Top-ranked Oklahoma routed No. 11 Texas, 65-13, in the annual Red River Shootout at Dallas, while Missouri rallied to upset No. 7 Nebraska, 41-24, at Columbia, Mo.

Like all OU games since Bob Stoops' arrival, this one is sold out.

Sooner Gameday Central | Press Conference

THE POLLS
Oklahoma is No. 1 in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls. Missouri is No. 24 in the AP poll. In the coaches poll, MU is listed first among 'others receiving votes.'

KEY STAT?
This game features two of the nation's best at taking care of the ball. Missouri is tied for No. 1 in the nation with just four turnovers, while Oklahoma is No. 3 with five.

SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma leads the series, 61-23-5, including a 30-8-5 advantage in Norman. OU has won two straight in the series, 14 of the last 15 and 15 in a row in Norman.

LAST MEETING
Oklahoma won in Columbia last season, 31-24. OU roared to a 23-7 lead, then fell behind 24-23. The Sooners scored the go-ahead touchdown on a faked field goal pass from holder Matt McCoy to tight end Chris Chester with 6:33 remaining. Missouri quarterback Brad Smith rushed 26 times for 213 yards and completed 19-of-39 passes for 178 yards with one TD pass and three interceptions. OU running back Quentin Griffin had the first of what would become 10 consecutive 100-yard rushing games with 16 carries for 105 yards. Sooner QB Nate Hybl completed 20-of-32 passes for 303 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

THE COACHES
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa 83), now in his fifth season with the Sooners, is 49-9 overall. He is 3-1 in bowls, 3-0 in January bowls, 2-0 in BCS games, 28-7 vs. the Big 12, 16-5 vs. the Big 12 South, 12-2 vs. the Big 12 North, 2-0 in the Big 12 Championship game, 21-2 vs. non-conference foes, 26-1 at home, 14-6 on the road, 9-2 on neutral fields, 16-2 against ranked foes and 2-0 vs. Missouri.
Missouri: Gary Pinkel (Kent State '75) is 14-15 in his third season at Missouri. He is 0-1 vs. Oklahoma.

ON THE AIR
Fox Sports Net has the national cablecast. The broadcast team is Joel Meyers (play-by-play), Gary Reasons (color) and John Rhadigan (sideline). The Sooner Network has the radio call with Bob Barry, Sr., (play-by-play), Merv Johnson (color) and Mark Rodgers (sideline).

HOMECOMING FESTIVITIES
The official web site is www.homecoming.ou.edu. That site includes a long list of activities. Highlights include a pep rally Thursday at 7 p.m. The location is still being determined. The homecoming parade is Saturday at 3 p.m. Coronation of homecoming king and queen is just prior to the Oklahoma-Missouri game on Owen Field.

OU Tops Big 12 Grad Rates
University of Oklahoma has announced that its students athletes achieved a record graduation rate of 74%, leading the Big 12 Conference. The graduation rate was announced as part of a national release by the NCAA. This report, which measures the class that entered in 1996, recognizes OU as one of 15 institutions that will receive a $20,000 achievement award sponsored by USA Today. The OU rate, which showed a 40% hike, experienced the greatest increase in I-A. OU also announced a record rate in football of 65%, which ranks No. 2 in the Big 12 behind Baylor's 75%. Eleven of 17 football players graduated. Four of the six who did not transferred in good academic standing.

OU-MU Ties
OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione worked at Missouri for 18 years and was the MU athletics director from 1993-1998.
Oklahoma has two players from the state of Missouri. DB Brandon Shelby is from Kansas City (Rockhurst HS) and LB Wayne Chambers is from Grandview (Grandview HS).
MU safety David Overstreet is the son of the late David Overstreet, a standout running back at Oklahoma from 1977-80. The elder Overstreet logged the No. 7 rushing game in school history with 258 yards on 18 carries against Colorado in 1980.
OU director of compliance Curtis Jones is the brother of former Mizzou QB Corby Jones.

OKLAHOMA'S LAST GAME
Oklahoma pummeled arch-rival Texas, 65-13, last Saturday at Dallas ...
Oklahoma won the Red River Shootout for a fourth straight year.
It was the most lop-sided outcome in the 98-game series. OU's point total was the most ever scored by either team in the annual battle. The previous records for victory margin and point total came in the 2000 game when the Sooners prevailed by a 63-14 count.
Sooner WR Mark Clayton set a school record for receiving yards in a game with 190 on eight catches. He also scored one touchdown.
Derrick Strait paced a stellar defensive effort that saw OU hold Texas, which entered the game as the nation's highest scoring team, 32.8 points under its scoring average. The senior CB from Austin, Texas, had a career-high 11 tackles to go with three pass break ups, a fumble recovery and an interception, which he returned 30 yards to the UT six. OU scored its first touchdown on the next play.
Jason White was sharp, completing 17-of-21 passes for 290 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He hit on his first eight throws before finally tossing an incompletion.
Renaldo Works rushed 15 times for a career-high 112 yards.
Oklahoma forced six Texas turnovers and converted five of those into points -- five touchdowns and one field goal.

A COLD SHOWER AND STRONG COFFEE
The Red River Hangover is that post OU-Texas game funk that threatens to distract from the next task at hand. During Bob Stoops' run at OU, the malady has been a myth ...
Red River outcome OU's next game
1999 Texas 38, OU 28 ... OU 51, Texas A&M 6
2000 OU 63, Texas 14 ... OU 41, at Kansas State 31
2001 OU 14, Texas 3 ... OU 38, at Kansas 10
2002 OU 35, Texas 24 ... OU 49, No. 9 Iowa State 3

SOONERS NO. 1
The Sooners are 64-6-0 when carrying the No. 1 ranking.
This is the 15th week that Oklahoma has held AP's No. 1 spot since Bob Stoops arrived.
Oklahoma has been ranked among the AP's top 10 in every week but one since Oct. 6, 2000. That one exception saw the Sooners dip to No. 11 prior to defeating Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2001 season.
Oklahoma was the preseason No. 1, too. It is the ninth time overall and the first time since 1987 that the Sooners entered a year atop the AP rankings. In four of those seasons, OU went on to win the national championship.
Oklahoma has the third-longest active streak in terms of consecutive weeks in the AP rankings. Michigan tops the list at 84, followed by Miami at 62 and OU at 60.

WHITE LEADS NATION IN PASS EFFICIENCY
Oklahoma's Jason White leads the nation in pass efficiency rating at 180.2. Among those players with at least 125 passing attempts, his 69.0% completion percentage ranks No. 2. White also ranks No. 2 in TD passes with 20. He is second to Texas Tech's B.J. Symons, who has seven more scoring tosses and 143 more passing attempts than White.
White's 1,762 pass yards rank No. 9 nationally. He's No. 5 in yards per attempt with 9.42. That's No. 2 in the Big 12 behind Kansas' Bill Whittemore.
White, who has 20 TD tosses and just three interceptions, throws a touchdown pass once every 9.35 pass attempts. Only Pitt's Rod Rutherford, at one TD every 8.3 attempts, exceeds White. The nation's leader in TD passes, Symons, throws one every 12.2 attempts. White throws an interception once every 62.3 attempts as compared to one in every 55 for Symons. Rutherford throws a pick once in every 50 attempts. NC State's Phillip Rivers has four fewer touchdowns and two more interceptions than White in 84 more attempts.

GOOD, AND IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME
Jason White has posted some impressive numbers, and in a relatively short period of time. Due to OU's lop-sided victories, he has gone the distance in only one game this season (Alabama). He threw just four second-half passes against Texas last week.

THE WHITE STUFF
QB Jason White tore his left ACL in the 2001 game at Nebraska. He then tore his right ACL in last season's game against Alabama. In neither case was he injured by contact.
He has drilled 129-of-187 passes (.690) for 1,762 yards with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions. He threw two of his picks against UCLA and was hit on the release both times.
White is now No. 7 on OU's career passing list with 2,624 career yards. He needs 52 to move ahead of Garrick McGee for No. 6. White has played in 17 games.
In his 10 career starts (OU is 9-1) combined, White is 186-of-278 (.669) for 2,336 yards and 22 TDs with six INT. He did not play past the mid-point of the second quarter in two of those starts.
The 64-yard TD from White to Brandon Jones (vs. North Texas) was a personal long for both. White's 56-yard pass to Mark Clayton (vs. Fresno St.) was the second-longest of his career.
Has at least one completion of 45 yards in every game this season.
Rates high in several NCAA stats: No. 1 in passing efficiency (180.22), No. 13 in total offense (290.83), No. 5 in points responsible for (20.00) and No. 17 in completions per game (21.50).

BEST QB STARTS AT OKLAHOMA
Best six-game starts by Oklahoma quarterbacks ... Jason White's efficiency rating of 180.22 and his 69.0 completion percentage have never been exceeded at this point of the season ... his 20 touchdowns are No. 2 ... his three interceptions tie for No. 1, but are lowest among those with at least 10 TD tosses.

SOONERS RATE HIGH IN NCAA STATISTICS
Oklahoma's superlatives in the NCAA Team Statistics ...
Scoring offense -- No. 1 (47.67), Pass Efficiency Defense -- No. 1(82.08), Turnover Margin -- No. 2 (+2.0), Total Defense -- No. 3 (259.00), Pass Defense -- No. 4 (143.67), Passing Offense -- No. 9 (321.83), Total Offense -- No. 11 (470.17), Scoring Defense -- No. 11 (14.67), Punt Returns -- No. 14 (14.88)

MAKING THEIR POINT(S)
For the first time in school history, Oklahoma has scored 50 or more points in four consecutive games. With 229 points, this is the highest scoring four-game stretch for the Sooners in the modern era. Prior to 1919, when it was somewhat common for OU to surpass 100 points in a single game, the current four-game total was surpassed several times.
OU has scored on its first offensive possession in all six games -- four FG and two TD.

FLYING THE SOONER SKIES
Oklahoma 'worst' passing day (vs. UCLA) resulted in 243 yards. Last year's Sooner team exceeded 243 yards just four times ...
OU hasn't thrown more than 14 incompletions in a game this season. Sooner opponents have had more than 14 misfires in five of the six contests. OU averages one interception every 50.8 passing attempts, the foes average one every 17.1 attempts.
OU's 'worst' completion percentage this season was 61.1% at Alabama (22-of-36).
It's far too early to begin discussing records, but it's worth a mention that this team's completion percentage of .700 would obliterate the current school mark of .642 set in 2000. Four of the five top season completion percentage marks at OU have been set since Bob Stoops arrived. The record for interception avoidance was set in 1992 when 2.5% of the aerials were picked. This team is at 2.1%.

ONE HUNDRED IF BY LAND
Oklahoma's passing game has been potent. So much so that some questioned the effectiveness of the running game. That criticism has evaporated in light of the statistics ...
Over the last four contests, the Sooners have rushed for an average of 177.5 yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry.
OU has eclipsed 100 rushing yards in five of its six game games.
The Sooners truly have a two-pronged rushing attack. Renaldo Works has netted 378 yards through six games, while Kejuan Jones has picked up 376. Jones has nine pass receptions. Works has seven.

PERKING UP
Data on punt returner extraordinaire Antonio Perkins ...
He ranks No. 16 in the nation in average per return at 14.88. He has three returns for TDs.
His three TD returns against UCLA gave him six for his career, just one off the longest-standing NCAA record, which also happens to be a Sooner record. OU's Jack Mitchell was the first of several to set the NCAA mark of seven from 1946-48. All six of Perkins' career returns have covered more than 50 yards.
With 1,015 career punt return yards, Perkins ranks No. 2 at OU behind Jarrail Jackson, who had 1,238 from 1996-99.

TREY GOOD FOR THREE
K Trey DiCarlo is enjoying a strong season ...
He has made 12-of-13 field goals. Six (6-of-6) of his field goal makes came from 40 yards or longer. He had just three makes from at least 40 yards all of last season.
Equaled his career-long field goal with a 46-yarder in the opener against North Texas.
His miss at Alabama ended a string of six consecutive field goal makes dating back to the Rose Bowl. He has made 19 of his last 21 field goal attempts and now ranks No. 7 on the school's career list with 28.
He has 10 multiple field goal games including four this season.
He has 17 touchbacks on kickoffs. Last year, he had just nine all season.

CATCHING ON
Oklahoma entered this season minus the top four pass catchers in school history (by receptions). RB Quentin Griffin, WR Curtis Fagan, WR Antwone Savage and TE Trent Smith all finished their eligibility last season. Here's some quick information on this year's corps ...
Mark Clayton, a junior, is fashioning some impressive career numbers. In 31 games, he has 101 receptions for 1,514 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has six career 100-yard receiving games, a school record. Clayton's 56-yard reception against Fresno State was the longest of his career and his third of 50 or more yards. Clayton is leading the club in receptions (30), receiving yards (579), yards per catch (19.3) and touchdowns (5).
Through his first two seasons of eligibility, Brandon Jones had nine receptions for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Through six games this season, he has 29 catches for 330 yards and three touchdowns. In the opener against North Texas, Jones caught 10 passes for 121 yards and one touchdown. He also had a career-long grab of 64 yards in that game.
Jejuan Rankins ranks second on the team with four touchdown, including one in each of the last two games. His three-yard touchdown reception from Jason White in the first quarter of the opener against North Texas was the first reception and touchdown of his career. The last player to score a touchdown on his first career pass reception was Arthur Guess in 1987 against Tulsa on a 21-yard play. Rankins later caught another TD in the game.
Mark Bradley had his first career reception at Alabama. He actually caught two passes in the game -- one for 35 yards and another for 44.
Will Peoples missed the first two games due to injury, but has rebounded with 10 catches for 142 yards and two TDs.

TURNOVERS TURNED OFF
Oklahoma has just one fumble lost this season (vs. Texas). Between 433 total plays and 47 returns, the Sooners have had 480 ball-handling opportunities.
OU has had fewer turnovers than its opponent in 15 of 20 games over the last two seasons.
OU ranks No. 2 nationally in turnover margin at +2.0.
OU has 17 takeaways to just five turnovers lost.

JAMAUL
Oklahoma right tackle Jammal Brown is having an All-America type season. So far, he has 55 knockdowns and one sack allowed.

WILL THAT BE PAPER OR PLASTIC?
Oklahoma has gone back to pass 209 times this season, but has suffered just six sacks. The Sooner defense has 21 sacks in the same number of drop backs by the opponents.
Ten times under Bob Stoops OU's offense has not allowed a sack (including Alabama and Iowa State this season).

MANY HAPPY RETURNS
A look at the OU special teams under Bob Stoops ...
Kickoff Returns -- There have been 24 returns of 25 yards or more with five touchdowns.
Punt Returns -- There have been 29 returns of 15 or more yards with 10 touchdowns.
Interceptions -- There have been 40 returns of 10 or more yards with 11 touchdowns.
Fumbles -- Two returns of 15 or more yards with two touchdowns.

ABOUT THE SOONER DEFENSE
The defense has two touchdowns this year -- both on interceptions return. A 34-yarder by Eric Bassey against UCLA and a 21-yarder by Jonathan Jackson against Texas.
From 1999-02, no college team had more interceptions than Oklahoma's 88. The Sooners also gave up just 88 touchdowns in that time, second only to Southern Miss' 78.
Oklahoma has forced at least one turnover in 52 of the 58 games (Stoops' tenure) and has at least one interception in 40 of the last 46 contests. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that OU has had multiple interceptions in 13 of the last 18 contests.
Sooner opponents have completed 50% of their passes just 23 times in the last 58 games.
OU foes have scored 14 or more points just 22 times in the last 58 games.
Under Stoops, the Sooners have five shutouts. Opponents failed to score more than seven points in 20 of the 58 games.
Last season, OU led the nation with 24 interceptions. It was the third straight season the team posted 20, a first at OU.
Over its last three bowl games, all in January and two as part of the BCS, OU has given up a grand total of 19 points. Only two touchdowns have been scored against the OU defense.

ABOUT THE SOONER OFFENSE
With 212 yards against Fresno State, Oklahoma has now exceeded the 200-yard rushing mark in eight games over the last two seasons (fell one yard shy at Iowa State).
OU ranked among the top 30 in the nation in scoring in each of Bob Stoops' four years.
Last season, the Sooners rushed for 190.6 yards per game, an increase of 71.2 yards over the previous season.
Under Bob Stoops, OU's offense has produced the career passing leader, the top four career receivers and the No. 4 career rusher in school history.
Over the last five seasons, the Sooners have scored 58 TDs that covered 25 or more yards.
The quick-striking offense has 159 scoring drives of two minutes or less under Bob Stoops.

ABOUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS
A look at special teams notes from Bob Stoops' era as OU's head coach ...
There have been 19 special teams touchdowns, including 12 in the last 29 regular season games. Those 12 came via four different plays -- five punt returns, two faked field goals, a blocked punt, a kickoff return and a faked punt. The special teams also own one safety.
OU has returned five kickoffs and 10 punts for touchdowns.
The Sooners have blocked 14 kicks.
The current special teams rank No. 14 in the nation in punt returns (14.88).

THAT'S A COMBINED 602 POUNDS ON THE PROWL
Two of OU's bigger linemen covered some serious ground in making plays this season ...
Jammal Brown (6-6, 313), OU's right tackle, ran down and tackled UCLA LB Spencer Havner at the end of a 72-yard interception return.
DT Tommie Harris (6-3, 289) covered 21 yards to tackle Iowa State receiver Jack Whitver from behind and force a fumble that OU's Derrick Strait recovered. When ISU QB Austin Flynn released the pass, Harris was four yards deep in the Cyclone backfield at the ISU 22. The tackle occurred at the ISU 43.

6 AND OH
The Sooners succeeded at reaching 6-0 17 times. OU hasn't lost a game prior to Oct. 27 since 1999.

SOONER STUFF
Under Bob Stoops, Oklahoma has held a double-digit lead in 50 of the 58 games ... the Sooners have not suffered back-to-back losses under Stoops ... OU is 35-23 in Big 12 play since the conference formed for the 1996 season, 27-7 since Bob Stoops arrived in 1999 ... twenty of the players listed on Oklahoma's depth chart are freshmen or sophomores ... the offensive line contains no seniors, but has a combined 113 starts ... Oklahoma has 88 third-down attempts, the opponents have 86 -- the Sooners converted 39, the opponents just 22 ... Oklahoma has outscored its opponents in the second period of games this season by a whopping count of 105-9.

LB Gayron Allen
OU's shortest linebacker at 5-10 ... had first career sack in season opener against North Texas.

DB Eric Bassey
Started every game at SS in 02, but moved to CB, in spring ... returned an interception 34 yards for a TD vs. UCLA (his second career TD -- 45-yard fumble return against Alabama last season) ... also forced a fumble against the Bruins.

DE Larry Birdine
Redshirt freshman has a sack in three of the last five games ... six total tackles for loss.

WR Mark Bradley
Moved from CB to WR late in preseason drills ... two receptions for 83 yards at Alabama and a tackle in punt coverage ... made his first career kickoff return at Iowa State and took it 100 yards for a touchdown (tied school record for distance) ... also caught a 39-yard TD pass in that game.

LT Jammal Brown
A starter in 18 consecutive games ... has graded the highest of all the OU offensive lineman thus far ... 55 knockdowns and one sack allowed ... ran down UCLA linebacker Spencer Havner to make the tackle on a 72-yard interception return.
Jammal Brown's Awards Site

C Chris Bush
Started game one at center ... may be OU's most versatile lineman ... could also see action at guard.

C Vince Carter
On preseason watch list for Rimington Award ... slowed by a sore knee in preseason, he got his first start at Alabama ... has 26 career starts.

OG Kelvin Chaisson
Has started 11 straight games at left guard.

LB Wayne Chambers
Soph became the starter in the middle when Lance Mitchell went down ... had 10 tackles against UCLA in his first start.

WR Mark Clayton
Just the ninth player in school history with 10 career TD receptions, he got No. 10 against Fresno State (now has 12) ... became the 18th player in school history to log 1,000 career receiving yards during the game at Alabama ... has at least one reception of 40 or more yards in four games this season ... 190 receiving yards (school record) against Texas, 118 against UCLA, 110 vs. Fresno State.

DE Dan Cody
Tied for team lead with four sacks ... entered season with three career sacks ... six QB hurries vs. Alabama and UCLA.

K Trey DiCarlo
On preseason watch list for Groza Award ... had made 12-fo-13 field goals ... has 17 touchbacks on kickoffs ... made at least one field goal of 40 yards in five games (6-of-6 from 40 or more yards).

TE Lance Donley
Blue collar worker who is the most experienced of OU's large tight end corp ... had no TD receptions through the first 37 games of his career and has two this season.

DT Dusty Dvoracek
Always solid, he has become dominant ... tied for team lead with four sacks ... batted a pass against Texas that Jonathan Jackson intercepted and returned 21 yards for a TD ... started every game.

FS Brandon Everage
On the preseason watch list for the Thorpe Award after being a semifinalist for that award last season ... sat out the first game for disciplinary reasons, then logged 10 tackles, including one for loss at Alabama.

P Blake Ferguson
Off to a fabulous start with a 43.0-yard average on 22 punts ... four have been downed inside the 20 (one at the four and another at the one) ... has five boots of 50 or more yards (that's one more than he had last season).

DT Tommie Harris
On watch lists for the Lombardi, Nagurski and Outland ... recovered from groin pull that slowed him in 02 ... got his first sack of the season at Alabama ... returned a fumble 14 yards against UCLA ... one sack and a fumble forced at Iowa State (on the FF, he ran 21 yards to hit a receiver from behind).
Tommie Harris' Awards Site

DE Jonathan Jackson
OU's most experienced defensive end with 17 career starts ... led the team with 18 hurries last season and is leading again this year with 16 ... returned an INT 21 yards against Texas for his only career TD.

LB Pasha Jackson
Plays on strong side ... gives the Sooners a physical presence ... missed Iowa State and Texas games with a sprained knee.

WR Brandon Jones
Plays in the outfield for OU baseball team ... highest per catch average last season ... career highs with 10 grabs for 121 yards vs. North Texas (had 64-yard TD grab, longest reception of his career) ... 47-yard TD catch at Alabama.
RB Kejuan Jones
Got his first career start at Alabama ... 20 carries for 63 yards at Alabama ... season-high 64 yards on 11 attempts at Iowa State ... has at least one reception in every game.

OG Davin Joseph
A true sophomore, he is already talked about as one of the most talented players OU has ever had at his position ... moved into a starting role for the Big 12 Championship and Rose Bowl games last season.

DT Kory Klein
Has 35 starts at Oklahoma ... string of 28 consecutive starts ended at Alabama.

LB Teddy Lehman
One of three finalists for the Butkus Award last season ... team leader with 44 tackles ... one of the fastest LBs in the country ... three pass break ups ... 17 tackles and an interception against UCLA.
Teddy Lehman's Awards Site

S Matt McCoy
Will play mostly in nickel and dime situations ... has seven career takeaways (five INT, two FR), including a pick in the North Texas game ... the holder for placements, he ran in a two-point conversion on a faked PAT against Fresno State.

DT Lynn McGruder
Along with Mark Clayton, pulled several injured passengers from an automobile accident on I-35 over the summer ... in the strong four-man rotation at defensive tackle ... illness kept him from making Iowa State trip.

LB Lance Mitchell
OU's top tackler last season with 124, he is out for the season after tearing his left ACL vs. Fresno State. Had surgery 9/22/03.

TE James Moses
Three catches for 30 yards in his first career start (vs. North Texas) ... started first two games ... 28-yard grab vs. UCLA.

SS Donte Nicholson
JUCO transfer who was on campus for spring football ... TD-saving interception at Alabama ... also had eight tackles in that game ... first career sack came against UCLA ... seven tackles, one sack and a fumble forced at Iowa State.

WR Will Peoples
Slowed in camp by a knee ailment suffered in the first scrimmage ... missed first two games, then had three grabs for 29 yards against Fresno State ... five grabs for 80 yards and a 45-yard TD at Iowa State ... 20-yard TD grab against Texas.

CB Antonio Perkins
One of the top return men in college football also draws the start at CB this season ... intercepted a pass at Alabama.

FS Brodney Pool
Started the opener at free safety and had a career-best 11 tackles ... first career interception against Fresno State ... two picks at Iowa State ... leads team with four INT .. ranks No. 7 in the nation with 0.67 interceptions per game.

WR Jejuan Rankins
Two touchdown receptions vs. North Texas in first career start ... got another (15 yards) at Iowa State and one from 15 yards against Texas.

FB J.D. Runnels
Starter at H-back ... excellent blocker and deceptively good receiver ... 17-yard reception at Alabama ... caught a TD pass against Fresno State and Texas.

DB Brandon Shelby
Used in extra DB sets ... HM All-Big 12 last season with no starts ... one INT, four sacks and two blocks in 2002.

OT Wes Sims
Has 26 career starts, including 21 at left tackle ... came off the bench against North Texas, but has started since then.

CB Derrick Strait
On Thorpe and Nagurski Watch Lists ... Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week with seven tackles, 1 PBU and 1 FF vs. North Texas ... has the career leader for games started and consecutive starts by a defensive back, saw his streak end at 43 when he was sidelined for the UCLA game ... entered season with one fumble recovery, but has three this season ... career-high 11 tackles with two FR, 1 INT and 3 PBU vs. Texas.
Derrick Strait's Awards Site

QB Paul Thompson
Rangy QB with a quick release and good running ability ... Hit 5-of-6 for 38 yards and one TD in opener ... had a 50-yard rush against Fresno State, the longest by a Sooner quarterback since 1998.

QB Jason White
See notes earlier in this release.
Jason White's Awards Site

WR Travis Wilson
Most physical player in the receiving corps, he had TD catches against North Texas and Iowa State.

RB Renaldo Works
Rushed for a career high 112 yards against Texas ... had 95 at Iowa State and 88 against Fresno State.