ESPN.com Continues To Recognize Oklahoma Program

After picking the Sooners No. 1 in its preseason poll, ESPN.com continued to highlight the Oklahoma program in several sections of its college football preview articles this past week. Top college football writers and analysts for the web site chose OU players and coaches as some of its top talent in the country while the team was picked No. 1 in the site's preseason Power 16 Poll which determines which teams have the best shot to play in one of the eight major January bowl games.

Kirk Herbstreit, one of ESPN's top college football analysts, selected several Sooners as part of his third annual Herbie Awards which is a list of his personal selections of the best college football players, coaches and teams in the nation. Herbstreit chose OU as his favorite to win the Big 12 South title for the second year in a row and the third time in the last four years in his conference predictions section.

Senior linebacker Lance Mitchell, senior free safety Brandon Everage and junior defensive tackle Tommie Harris received multiple mentions from Herbstreit. Mitchell was rated as the No. 2 linebacker in the country in the "Gangstas" category which ranked the most ferocious linebackers who make plays all over the field. Harris was Herbstreit's top "Enforcer (DT's)" on the "Dominating Defenders" chart, while Everage appeared in the "Centerfielders (FS)" category for those players who make things happen in the secondary. The trio received their final appearance on the "Best Dressed" list which selected the top defenders in the nation who look the best in their uniform.

Other OU players that received Herbie Awards were highly-touted newcomer Donte Nicholson, who was No. 1 on the "Assassins (SS)" chart, and senior linebacker Teddy Lehman, who tied for the fifth spot in the "On The Edge (OLBs)" category.

Head coach Bob Stoops and his brother, Mike (associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator), both topped the "Sergeant Carters" (master motivators) and "Defensive Wizards" charts, respectively.

Lehman, Harris, Everage and Mitchell again appeared, along with senior defensive back Derrick Strait, on another college football list as a part of college football writer Bruce Feldman's preseason Hot 100 players list. Lehman was the highest ranked Sooner on the list as he came in at No. 7. Further down the list at No. 24 was Harris, the second highest rated defensive tackle. At No. 29 and No. 31, respectively, were Everage and Mitchell, while Strait rounded out the list of Sooners at No. 36.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

ESPN.com Continues To Recognize Oklahoma Program

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