OU Prepares for Boulder

Oklahoma looks to break a Rocky Mountain drought this Saturday when the Sooners take on Colorado. The Sooners, who are seeking their seventh straight win against a Big 12 North opponent, are 0-3-1 on their last four visits to Boulder. They meet a Colorado team that is hosting its homecoming game and seeking a third straight home field triumph.

This marks the third time in the last four games that Oklahoma has played away from Norman (at Iowa State and Texas at Dallas being the other two). After this game, OU plays three at home (Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Baylor) and one on the road (Texas Tech).

Sooner Gameday Central

THE POLLS
Oklahoma is No. 1 in the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls. Colorado is unranked. This is the 17th straight OU-CU game in which at least one of the teams has been ranked.

SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma leads the series, 36-16-2, including a 15-8-2 advantage in Boulder. OU's last win at Folsom Field came on Oct. 22, 1988, when the Sooners prevailed by a 17-14 count. Since then, the Sooners are 0-3-1 at Boulder with two straight losses. The two teams played twice last season with Oklahoma winning in Norman, 27-11, and in the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship game at Houston, 29-7.

LAST MEETING
Game One: Oklahoma turned three Colorado turnovers and a mishandled kickoff into 20 points en route to a methodical 27-11 victory (11/2/02) at Norman. Sooner RB Quentin Griffin rushed 21 times for 128 yards, while QB Nate Hybl fired three TD passes, two to Mark Clayton.
Game Two: Griffin piled up 188 yards on 29 carries, as Oklahoma secured its second Big 12 Championship with a convincing 29-7 decision at Houston's Reliant Stadium on (12/7/02). Hybl tossed a pair of TD strikes, one to Trent Smith and another to Clayton. The OU defense permitted Colorado just seven first downs, 193 yards of total offense and 47 snaps. The Buffs' lone score came on a punt return. OU possessed the ball for a whopping 38:03.

THE COACHES
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa 83), now in his fifth season with the Sooners, is 50-9 overall. He is 3-1 in bowls, 3-0 in January bowls, 2-0 in BCS games, 29-7 vs. the Big 12, 16-5 vs. the Big 12 South, 13-2 vs. the Big 12 North, 2-0 in the Big 12 Championship game, 21-2 vs. non-conference foes, 27-1 at home, 14-6 on the road, 9-2 on neutral fields, 17-2 against ranked foes and 2-1 vs. Colorado.
Colorado: Gary Barnett (Missouri 69) is 32-25 in his fifth season at Colorado. He is 75-81-2 in 14 seasons as a head coach. Barnett sports a 2-2 mark against Oklahoma.

ON THE AIR
TBS has the national cablecast. The broadcasters are Ron Thulin (play-by-play), Charles Davis (color), Craig Sager (sideline) and Eric Andrews (sideline). The Sooner Network has the radio call with Bob Barry, Sr., (play-by-play), Merv Johnson (color) and Mark Rodgers (sideline). Sports USA has the national radio broadcast with Larry Kahn, Gino Toretta (color) and Troy West (sideline).

STAT OF THE WEEK
CB Derrick Strait has 46 career starts at Oklahoma. The school record is 47 by OL Anthony Phillips and TE Keith Jackson.

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.

OKLAHOMA'S LAST GAME
Oklahoma cruised to a 34-13 victory over No. 24 Missouri last Saturday in Norman ...
OU built a 31-10 halftime lead by scoring 21 points during a seven-minute stretch in the second period. The scoring burst blew open a game that was once deadlocked at 10-10.
Jason White hit on 20-of-34 passes for 278 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
WR Mark Clayton was brilliant with eight receptions for 110 yards and a spectacular touchdown grab that saw him wrestle the ball away from an MU defender in the end zone. That play covered 39 yards.
The Sooner defense gave up some yards initially, but then choked off the Missouri offense. The Tigers got 202 of their 266 total yards and 10 of their 14 first downs in the first half.
OU's defense got five sacks and an interception. Derrick Strait's pick was just the fifth turnover of the year for Missouri.
SS Donte Nicholson and LB Teddy Lehman each had 10 tackles. DT Dusty Dvoracek had two sacks.
Antonio Perkins got his seventh career punt return for a touchdown and his fourth of this season with a 69-yard jaunt in the second quarter.

SOONERS NO. 1
The Sooners are 65-6-0 when carrying the No. 1 ranking.
This is the 16th 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. That win vaulted them back into the top 10.
Oklahoma was the preseason No. 1. It marked 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 85, followed by Miami at 63 and OU at 61.

HALF-A-HUNDRED FOR STOOPS
Bob Stoops got the 50th win of his coaching career, all at Oklahoma, when the Sooners defeated Missouri last Saturday. Stoops reached the 50-win plateau in his 59th game. Barry Switzer got his 50th OU win in 56 games, while Bud Wilkinson did it in 58. The only other Sooner coach to reach that milestone in the post WWII era was Chuck Fairbanks, who got win No. 50 in his 66th game. Fairbanks later coached at Colorado.

AP ALL-AMERICAN
OU's version of AP, Antonio Perkins, is certainly bucking for that honor in the role of return specialist. The junior tied a pair of NCAA records last Saturday with a 69-yard punt return touchdown against Missouri. It was the seventh of his career and his fourth this season ...
The NCAA single season mark for punt return touchdowns is held by 11 players, including Perkins. The NCAA career record of seven is held by Perkins,OU legend Jack Mitchell, Wes Welker, who currently plays for Texas Tech, Johnny Rogers of Nebraska and David Allen from Kansas State.
Perkins, with 1,136 yards in career punt returns, trails OU career punt return yardage leader Jarrail Jackson (1996-99) by 102 yards. Jackson tallied 1,238.

SOONERS RATE HIGH IN NCAA STATISTICS
Oklahoma's superlatives in the NCAA Team Statistics ...
Pass Efficiency -- No. 1 (174.50), Scoring offense -- No. 2 (45.71), Pass Efficiency Defense -- No. 2 (82.57), Total Defense -- No. 3 (260.00), Turnover Margin -- No. 4 (+1.71), Pass Defense -- No. 4 (150.14), Punt Returns -- No. 5 (16.43), Scoring Defense -- No. 8 (14.43), Passing Offense -- No. 9 (315.57), Total Offense -- No. 15 (463.57).

AREA OF GREATEST IMPROVEMENT?
It could be in the OU pass rush. Last year's team had 37 sacks through 14 games (2.6/game). The 2003 Sooners, who got to Missouri's elusive Brad Smith five times last Saturday, have 24 sacks in seven games (3.4/game). Last year's team had 111 QB hurries (not an official NCAA stat) or 7.9 per game. This year's team already has 88, which is 12.6 per game.
The defensive line (two ends and two tackles) already owns 20 sacks this season. Last year, those same positions accounted for just 19 through the entire 14-game schedule.
This team has a shot at the school record for sacks in a season. The 1997 club owns that distinction with 41. The 97 team played 12 games (3.4 sacks per game).
On the flip side, Oklahoma has gone back to pass 245 times this season, but has suffered just eight sacks. The Sooner defense has 24 sacks in 249 drop backs by the opponents.
Ten times under Bob Stoops OU's offense has not allowed a sack.

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.
Rates high in several NCAA stats: No. 1 in passing efficiency (174.19), No. 1 in yards per completion (9.23), No. 2 in touchdown passes (22), No. 5 in completion percentage (.674), No. 7 in yards per attempt (13.69), No. 15 in total offense (288.43), No. 6 in points responsible for (18.86) and No. 19 in completions per game (21.29).
He has drilled 149-of-221 passes (.674) for 2,40 yards with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. He threw two of his picks against UCLA and was hit on the release both times.
White is now No. 6 on OU's career passing list with 2,624 career yards. He needs 191 to move ahead of Jack Mildren for No. 5. White has played in 18 games.
In his 11 career starts (OU is 10-1) combined, White is 206-of-312 (.660) for 2,614 yards and 24 TDs with seven INT. He did not play past the mid-point of the second quarter in two 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.

PRORATION CONSIDERATION
Jason White leads the nation in passing efficiency on at team with a fairly balanced offense. Big 12 passing leader B.J. Symons of Texas Tech has 397 passing attempts, or 176 more than White. Symons has 3,506 yards, 32 TDs and eight interceptions. Based on his current rates, if White had as many attempts as Symons, his yards would jump from 2,040 to 3,664, his TDs from 22 to 40 and his interceptions from four to seven.

BEST QB STARTS AT OKLAHOMA
Best seven-game starts by OU quarterbacks ... Jason White's efficiency rating of 174.19 and his 67.43 completion percentage have never been exceeded at this point of the season ... his 22 TDs are No. 2 ... his four interceptions are lowest among those with at least 10 TD tosses.

THAT'S THE YAC, JACK
One of White's greatest attributes is his ability to hit receivers in stride. And the OU receivers are dangerous in that setting.
Here are other totals for Sooner players this season ... TE Lance Donley 3-17/10, RB Donta Hickson 2-67/55, RB Kejuan Jones 6-55/23, TE James Moses 3-33/18, FB J.D. Runnels 3-8, FB Dan Townsend 1-7, RB Renaldo Works 9-64/15.
Jason White has 931 yards of YAC yardage this season. Paul Thompson has 66.

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 six of the seven contests. OU averages one interception every 47.4 passing attempts, the foes average one every 18.6 attempts.
OU's “worst” completion percentage this season was 58.8% vs. Missouri (20-of-34).
It's far too early to begin discussing records, but it's worth a mention that this team's completion percentage of .684 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 five contests, the Sooners have rushed for an average of 171.4 yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry.
OU has eclipsed 100 rushing yards in six of its seven game this season.

A REALLY STRONG SAFETY
SS Donte Nicholson, a junior in his first season at OU, is emerging as one of the top DBs in the Big 12. Twenty-one (11 vs. Texas, 10 vs. Missouri) of his 48 tackles (ranks No. 2 on the team to Teddy Lehman) have come over the last two games. Holds his lofty team ranking despite posting zero tackles in the opener. He has one sack in each of the last four games.

TREY GOOD FOR THREE
K Trey DiCarlo is enjoying a strong season ...
He has made 14-of-15 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.
Has made nine straight field goals, the longest string of his career. He has made 21 of his last 23 field goal attempts and now ranks No. 7 on the school's career list with 30.
He has 11 multiple field goal games including five this season.
He has 19 touchbacks on kickoffs after posting just nine all of last season.

TURNOVERS TURNED OFF
Oklahoma has just one fumble lost this season (vs. Texas). Between 502 total plays and 57 returns, the Sooners have had 559 ball-handling opportunities.
OU has had fewer turnovers than its opponent in 15 of 21 games over the last two seasons.
OU ranks No. 4 nationally in turnover margin at +1.7.
OU has 19 takeaways to just six turnovers lost.

JAMAUL
Oklahoma right tackle Jammal Brown is having an All-America type season. So far, he has 70 knockdowns and one sack allowed.

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 32 games, he has 109 receptions for 1,624 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has seven 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 (38), receiving yards (689), yards per catch (18.1) and touchdowns (6). Clayton ranks No. 11 nationally in receiving yards per game at 98.4.
Through his first two seasons of eligibility, Brandon Jones had 10 receptions for 178 yards and three touchdowns. Through seven 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 five touchdowns, including one in each of the last three 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 12 catches for 162 yards and two TDs.

ABOUT THE SOONER DEFENSE
The defense has two touchdowns this year -- both on interception returns. 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 53 of the 59 games (Stoops' tenure) and has at least one interception in 41 of the last 47 contests. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that OU has had multiple interceptions in 13 of the last 19 contests.
Sooner opponents have completed 50% of their passes just 23 times in the last 59 games.
OU foes have scored 14 or more points just 22 times in the last 59 games.
Under Stoops, the Sooners have five shutouts. Opponents failed to score more than seven points in 20 of the 59 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 60 TDs that covered 25+ yards.
The quick-striking offense has 161 scoring drives of two minutes or less under Bob Stoops.
OU has scored on its first offensive possession in all seven games -- four FG and three TD.

ABOUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS
A look at special teams notes from Bob Stoops' era as OU's head coach ...
There have been 20 special teams touchdowns, including 13 in the last 30 regular season games. Those 13 came via five 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 11 punts for touchdowns.
The Sooners have blocked 14 kicks.
The current special teams rank No. 5 in the nation in punt returns (16.43).

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.

7 AND OH
Oklahoma is 7-0 for the fourth consecutive season and for the 18th time overall. OU hasn't lost a game prior to Oct. 27 since 1999.

SOONER STUFF
Under Bob Stoops, OU has held a double-digit lead in 51 of the 59 games ... the Sooners have not suffered back-to-back losses under Stoops ... OU is 36-23 in Big 12 play since the conference formed for the 1996 season, 28-7 since Bob Stoops arrived in 1999 ... earlier this season, OU scored more than 50 points in three straight games, a first in school history ...
Oklahoma's depth chart includes 20 freshmen or sophomores ... the offensive line contains no seniors, but has a combined 118 starts ... Oklahoma has 105 third-down attempts, the opponents have 102 -- the Sooners converted 42, the opponents just 27 ... Oklahoma has outscored its opponents in the second period of games this season by a whopping count of 129-16.

PLAYER NOTES
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
RS frosh has a sack in three of the last six games ... seven total TFL ... no starts, but a TFL in six different outings.

WR Mark Bradley
Moved from CB to WR in preseason ... two receptions for 83 yards at Alabama and a tackle in punt coverage ... first career KO return at Iowa State went 100 yards for a TD ... caught 39-yard TD pass at Iowa State.

LT Jammal Brown
A starter in 19 consecutive games ... has graded the highest of all the OU offensive lineman thus far ... 70 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 Page

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 watch list for Rimington Award ... slowed by a sore knee in preseason, he got his first start at Alabama ... has 27 career starts ... has 38 knockdowns and just one sack allowed this season.

OG Kelvin Chaisson
Has started 12 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
No. 3 at OU with 14 career TD receptions ... 18th player in school history to log 1,000 career receiving yards ... at least one reception of 40 or more yards in four games this season ... 190 receiving yards (OU record) vs. Texas, 118 vs. UCLA, 110 vs. Fresno State, Missouri ... first KOR of the season vs. MU went for 29 yards ... four special teams tackles.

DE Dan Cody
Has five sacks ... entered season with three career sacks ... six QB hurries vs. Alabama and UCLA ... three tackles for loss against Missouri, including one sack for -11.

K Trey DiCarlo
On preseason watch list for Groza Award ... had made 14-of-15 field goals ... has 19 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
Leads team with six sacks ... two sacks each vs. Iowa State and Missouri ... batted a pass against Texas that Jonathan Jackson intercepted and returned 21 yards for a TD ... started every game this season.

FS Brandon Everage
On watch list for the Thorpe Award after being a semifinalist for that award last season ... sat out the first game, then logged 10 tackles, including one for loss at Alabama ... third on the team in total tackles (39) despite missing one game.

P Blake Ferguson
Has a 42.9-yard average on 27 punts ... six have been downed inside the 20 (one at the four and another at the one) ... has seven boots of 50 or more yards (two more than last season) ... season-best 59-yarder vs. Alabama and Missouri.

DT Tommie Harris
On Lombardi, Nagurski and Outland watch lists... 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) ... four QB hurries against Missouri.
Tommie Harris' Awards Page

RB Donta Hickson
Had 18 rushes for 57 through the first five games, but has 23 for 62 in the last two ... 55-yard reception against Texas.

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

LB Pasha Jackson
Plays on strong side ... missed Iowa State, Texas and Missouri 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 and remained ever since.

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 57 tackles ... one of the fastest LBs in the country ... three pass break ups ... 17 tackles and an interception against UCLA ... 10 tackles vs. Missouri.
Teddy Lehman's Awards Page

S Matt McCoy
Plays 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 in 02 with 124, he is out for the year 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
Double digit tackles in two straight games (11 vs. Texas, 10 vs. Missouri) ... has a sack in four straight games ... TD-saving interception at Alabama ... also had eight tackles in that game.

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. 8 in the nation with 0.6 interceptions per game.

WR Jejuan Rankins
Two touchdown receptions vs. North Texas in first career start ... scored on 15-yard receptions against Iowa State and Texas, then got a 30-yard TD catch vs. Missouri.

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 27 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 ... the career leader for games started and consecutive starts by a DB, 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 ... has an interception in two straight games.
Derrick Strait's Awards Page

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 Page

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, 88 against Fresno State and 87 vs. Missouri.