Spring Preview: Running Backs And Receivers

March 5, 2003

Norman, Okla. - As Oklahoma's football team prepares for spring practice, it is obvious that a fair amount of attention will be focused on the offense's skill positions. OU lost the top four receivers in school history and its top ground gainer from last season. Here is a closer look at the Sooner backs and receivers.

* Running Backs

Players with starting experience at the position: Renaldo Works.

Short yardage back. Goal line personnel. Backup. Kejuan Jones was all those last season. But unlike the implied status of the labels, Jones rushed for more than 600 yards while scoring 14 touchdowns. Not only that, but he managed to squeeze out those numbers while another player on the team, Quentin Griffin, rushed for 1,884 yards and 15 TDs of his own.

Aside from Jones, the Sooners can look to Renaldo Works, the hero of last season's win over Alabama; Jerad Estus, a talented player still seeking his first big break and Donta Hickson, whose stock rose with several strong practice efforts last season.

At fullback, J.D. Runnels returns after a stellar true freshman campaign. Much of Jones' success could be attributed to Runnels' work as the lead blocker.

Griffin's departure can hardly be ignored. After all, he rushed for more yards as a senior than he did in his first three seasons combined. He also finished as OU's all-time leading receiver. And those are just the tangibles.

* Receivers

Players with starting experience at the position: Mark Clayton, Will Peoples.

Oklahoma still has a lot of quality. What it might concern itself with is quantity, or more specifically, length.

The two departed seniors, Curtis Fagan and Antwone Savage, distinguished themselves by going the distance. The former had OU's two longest receptions last season, the latter averaged more than 30 yards on his 14 career touchdowns.

That said, the Sooners bring back three wideouts who averaged more yards per reception than either Fagan or Savage. Will Peoples ranked second on the team with 39 receptions last season, Mark Clayton pulled in 26 passes and five touchdowns and Brandon Jones caught just seven balls, but three of those were for touchdowns and his average per catch was a lofty 16.7 yards.

Others who could figure prominently are sophomores Travis Wilson and Jejuan Rankins, redshirt freshman DaBryan Blanton and perhaps one or two from a much-heralded recruiting class.

To spend so much time on the wideouts is to almost neglect another significant loss in the receiving corps, tight end Trent Smith. Smith set a school record with 66 receptions in 2001 and stands No. 2 on OU's all-time receptions list.

Three candidates - Lance Donley, James "Bubba' Moses and Chris Chester - are already in the program, while junior college transfer Willie Roberts, will join the team in August.

Smith was unique as a pass catcher among tight ends and developed into a good blocker, but OU likes its list of candidates for the 2003 season.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Spring Preview: Running Backs And Receivers

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