Sooners Face Aggies in College Station

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma plays the second of two straight road games against ranked opponents when the Sooners travel to Texas A&M this Saturday. OU is coming off a 38-35 victory over then-No. 20 Oklahoma State. The Aggies were upset last Saturday when they dropped a 35-34 overtime decision at Baylor.

Oklahoma is the lone unbeaten team in the Big 12 South, but A&M and Texas are both within striking distance with just one loss each. Those two teams will meet on Nov. 26 in Austin.

After this one, OU returns home to host Big 12 North leader Nebraska before traveling to Baylor for the regular season finale.

Game Notes (PDF) | Depth Chart

THE POLLS
OU is No. 2 in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls. Texas A&M is No. 22 in both polls.

THE SERIES
Oklahoma holds a 12-10 lead in this series, including a 1-5 mark at College Station. The Sooners have won four of the last five meetings between the two. Last season, OU won in Norman, 77-0. Two years ago, Oklahoma took the No. 1 ranking to Kyle Field, but dropped a 30-26 decision to an unranked Aggie squad.

THE COACHES
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa 78), now in his sixth season with the Sooners, is 63-11 overall. He is 3-2 in bowls, 3-1 in January bowls, 2-1 in BCS games, 40-8 vs. the Big 12, 23-5 vs. the Big 12 South, 17-3 vs. the Big 12 North, 2-1 in the Big 12 title game, 24-3 vs. non-conference foes, 35-1 at home, 18-6 on the road, 10-4 on neutral fields and 20-4 vs. ranked opponents. Stoops is 4-1 vs. Texas A&M.
Texas A&M: Dennis Franchione (Pittsburg State 73) is 165-83-2 as a head coach, including a two-year A&M mark of 10-10. He is 0-2 vs. Oklahoma, including one game that took place during the time that he was the head coach at Alabama.

OKLAHOMA ... ONE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S ELITE PROGRAMS
Oklahoma's football program owns a remarkable list of accomplishments ...
Seven national championships (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000), 38 conference titles and 37 bowl appearances, 23 of which resulted in a Sooner victory.
Oklahoma ranks No. 8 in all-time victories (743-284-53), No. 1 in victories since WWII (498) and No. 1 in victories since 2000 (52).
Oklahoma's all-time winning percentage of .711 ranks No. 4 nationally. The Sooners' .888 percentage since 2000 ranks No. 2 during that period.
Oklahoma ranks No. 7 in bowl appearances with 37 and No. 3 in bowl victories with 23.
The Sooners have produced 138 All-Americans (average of more than one per season over a 109-year history) and 51 national award winners, including four Heisman Trophy recipients. No school has produced more Butkus Award (four), Thorpe Award (three) or Nagurski Award (two) winners. Only Notre Dame (7) and Ohio State (6) have produced more Heisman winners (OU is tied with USC at four).

TIES WITH THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
Oklahoma tight ends coach Kevin Sumlin was on the Texas A&M staff from 2001-02.
Aggie assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Kenith Pope lettered at Oklahoma from 1971-73, and was a Sooner assistant coach from 1995-97.
Texas A&M cornerbacks coach Chris Thurmond was OU's defensive backs coach from 1996-97.
TAMU director of football operations Charlie North was Oklahoma's offensive line coach from 1979-94.
Aggie director of on-campus recruiting Johnny Barr played wide receiver at OU before graduating in 1970 and was inside linebackers coach at OU from 1989-94.

OU's MOST RECENT GAME
Oklahoma gift-wrapped a couple early touchdowns, but was strong enough to prevail on the road over No. 20 Oklahoma State, 38-35 ...
RB Adrian Peterson rushed 33 times for a career-high 249 yards and one touchdown, an 80-yard sprint.
QB Jason White completed 14-of-26 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns, all to WR Mark Bradley. The scoring strikes covered 4, 72 and 23 yards.
Mark Clayton, after muffing a punt at his own 14 to set up OSU's first touchdown, later raced 50 yards for a TD on a punt return.
OSU also scored when OU punter Blake Ferguson fumbled a snap. The ball was recovered for a TD.
DE Jonathan Jackson logged two sacks.
The Sooner defense held Vernand Morency less than 100 rushing yards for the first time this season. The junior finished with 93 yards on 17 attempts.
After the two special teams miscues gave OSU a 14-7 lead, OU rallied to take a 21-14 halftime advantage and the Sooners never trailed again.
The Sooners increased their lead in the Bedlam Series to 76-17-7, the most lop-sided count in any intrastate rivalry in the nation. OU moved to 34-6-5 in Stillwater.

WHITE ON A TEAR
Over the last three games, he has completed 61-of-101 passes (.604) for 866 yards with 11 touchdowns and one interception.
During that three-game span, White hit on 10 passes that covered at least 20 yards, five that covered at least 30, five that covered at least 40, three that covered at least 50, three that covered at least 60 and one that exceeded 70.
Passing comparison -- Jason White: 20 TDs, 4 INT, 1,838 passing yards. USC's Matt Leinart: 18 TDs, 4 INT, 1,863 passing yards. White is No. 9 nationally in pass efficiency, while Leinart is No. 12.
White now has 66 career TD passes and is making a shambles of the previous school record of 53 by Josh Heupel (Heupel played just two seasons). White owns nine of the 15 games in school history in which a Sooner quarterback fired four or more TD passes.
Heupel, now an OU graduate assistant, still holds records in career passing yards and total offense. He is the career leader in both of those categories, while White ranks No. 3 on both lists. The No. 2 occupant in each of those statistics? OU RB coach Cale Gundy.
Heupel started all 25 games in his career. White has played in 34 games with 26 starts (No. 7 in OU history). Heupel is OU's career leader in completions (654) and attempts (1,025). White ranks No. 2 at OU in completions (511) and attempts (822).
White is now 23-3 as an Oklahoma starter. Those 23 victories tie Cale Gundy (1990-93) and Thomas Lott (1976-78) for No. 5 on the OU career list. Steve Davis (1973-75) leads with 32. White also is No. 5 among OU's quarterbacks with a career winning percentage of .885. One of White's losses is the 2001 Nebraska game. He started that contest, but left early with a knee injury.

ADRIAN PETERSON ... 2004 A.D.
Adrian Peterson picked up the nickname A.D., from his father for his ability to go “all day” ...
Peterson ranks No. 3 nationally in rushing (159.0) and No. 12 in all purpose yards (159.8).   He has averaged 237.0 yards against the two ranked opponents OU has faced to date.
He has tied the NCAA record for most 100-yard rushing games by a freshman with eight thus far. He shares the mark with New Mexico State's Po James who accomplished the feat in 1968.
He tied the NCAA freshman record for reaching 1,000 yards in the fewest games (seven) with Emmitt Smith (Florida, 1987) and Marshall Faulk (San Diego State, 1991).
The NCAA record for most 100-yard games by a freshman is 10 by Wisconsin's Anthony Davis in 2001. A Badger also has the record for most rushing yards by a freshman. Ron Dayne had 1,863 in 1996.
Peterson has set an OU freshman rushing record with 1,272 yards. The previous mark was 1,184 by De'Mond Parker in 1996. The only other Sooner frosh to crack 1,000 yards were Marcus Dupree (1,144 in 1982) and Spencer Tillman (1,047 in 1983). The only other true Sooner frosh over 1,000 was Dupree.
Greg Pruitt reached 1,000 yards quicker than any other OU player when he got there in his sixth game in 1971. Aside from Peterson, the only other player to reach the figure in seven games was Steve Owens, who did it in both 1968 and 1969. He won the Heisman in 69. Joe Washington (1974) and Billy Sims (1978) made it in eight games.
With 1,272 yards, Peterson ranks No. 10 on OU's single season rushing chart. He trails No. 9 Jack Mildren (1971) by 17 yards, No. 8 Joe Washington (1974) by 49 and No. 7 Mike Gaddis (1991) by 72.
At his current pace of 159.0 rushing yards per game, Peterson would rack up 1,908 for the season. The Sooner single-season record is 1,896 by Billy Sims in 1978.
With eight 100-yard rushing games, he ranks No. 14 on OU's career list for 100-yard games (No. 5 for a season). The all-time leader is 1969 Heisman winner Steve Owens, who hit the century mark 23 times.
No other Sooner had ever gained 100 yards in even his first four games. Peterson is 8-for-8.
In 2002, Kejuan Jones set a school record for TD by a freshman with 14. Peterson has eight.
Peterson became just the second OU freshman to rush for 100 yards in his debut, and the first RB to do so. True freshman QB Kerry Jackson went for 109 yards on 10 carries against Utah State in 1972. Peterson is the fourth frosh running back to play under Stoops.

BARRY SWITZER MUST BE SMILING
Former OU coach Barry Switzer, the architect of one of the most potent rushing attacks in college football history, must be particularly fond of the Sooner ground game this season ...
Oklahoma has rushed for 200 yards in six of eight games this season, and 21 times under Bob Stoops.
This team has 359 rushing attempts. The previous season high for OU under Stoops was 314 in 1999.
This team's 5.0 yards per carry average is the best since the 1990 team also averaged 5.0
This team's 235.5 rushing yards per game is the best mark by an OU team since 251.1 in 1991.
OU ranks No. 16 in the nation in rushing offense at 225.5 yards per game. In 2002, the best rushing season under Bob Stoops to date, the Sooners ranked No. 24 nationally. Their average that year, spearheaded by Quentin Griffin's 1,884 net yards, was 190.6 yards per game.
Last season OU ranked No. 65 nationally in rushing offense with 146.7 rushing yards per game. The Sooners averaged 3.8 yards per carry in 2003 as compared with 5.0 this year.
For the 59th time, two Oklahoma players exceeded 100 rushing yards in the same game when both Kejuan Jones and Adrian Peterson did so in the opener against Bowling Green. It was the third time it happened in Bob Stoops' six seasons.
There have been 17 games under Stoops in which OU had more rushing than passing yards. It has happened five times this season.

POSSESSION PROGRESSION
Still capable of the quick strike (OU has 11 scoring drives of less than two minutes this season), the Sooners have shown an ability to go on more sustained marches. This season's team has six drives of five-plus minutes. Last year's team had only five drives of that length over 14 games. The 2002 squad, which also played 14 games, had nine, and the 2001 team, which played 13 games, had six. The 2000 team had two and the 1999 squad had three.
This team's average possession time of 32:23 exceeds last year's 32:15, which stands as the best of the Stoops era. With the exception of 2002, which fell an average of just six seconds per game shy of the previous campaign, OU's possession time has increased each year under its current head coach.

DEFENSE CARVING NICHE' SANS AWARD WINNERS
Oklahoma lost the Bednarik (LB Teddy Lehman), Butkus (Lehman), Lombardi (DT Tommie Harris), Nagurski (CB Derrick Strait) and Thorpe (Strait) award winners from last year, but is performing well ...
Texas Tech, which sandwiched 70-point outings before and after its trip to Norman, and was averaging 38.0 ppg., when it ventured to Owen Field, managed just 13 tallies against OU and did not get its lone TD until the 4:50 mark of the fourth quarter. The Red Raiders did manage 369 passing yards, but that was 67.5 yards under their average.
Texas had scored in an NCAA-best 281 consecutive games until being blanked by Oklahoma, 12-0. UT came into its game with Oklahoma as the No. 6 scoring team in the nation at 41.5 yards per game. Longhorn RB Cedric Benson was the nation's leading rusher at 186.5 yards per game, but got just 92 against the Sooners.
Kansas State's Darren Sproles was had just 34 yards on 13 rushing tries and the Wildcats mustered just one net rushing yard as a team.
Against Kansas, the Sooners permitted just 72 rushing yards, while getting three takeaways, including a 28-yard fumble return for a touchdown -- OU's first defensive score of the year -- by Lance Mitchell.
OU ended the seven-game 100-yard rushing streak of OSU's Vernand Morency, who was limited to 93 against the Sooners, and held the Cowboys to 8-of-20 passing.
Thirteen of OU's 16 takeaways (81%) came over the last five games, all of which were against Big 12 foes.

CLAYTON CLOSING IN ON 200, 3000
Mark Clayton used the Oregon game to establish his eighth school record. He moved to 173 career receptions to eclipse the previous mark of 169 held by Quentin Griffin (Clayton is now at 195). In addition, the senior needs just 84 receiving yards to reach 3,000 for this career. He is the only 2003 Biletnikoff finalist returning in 04 ...
Clayton has eight career multi-touchdown reception games.
He averages one touchdown every 7.0 receptions.
This season, 278 of his 551 receiving yards have come after the catch.
The OU leader with 13, 100-yard receiving games, he obliterated the previous mark of four by Eddie Hinton (1966-68).
Twenty of Clayton's 40 receptions this season have resulted in first downs for the Sooners.
Clayton, in his first career game as OU's full-time punt returner, ran 50 yards for a touchdown at Oklahoma State. The play came on just his fourth career punt return attempt.

PLENTY OF FOOTBALLS TO GO AROUND
A look at OU's receiving corps ...
Sixteen different Sooners have a reception this season and seven have at least one TD grab.
Eight Sooners have a reception of at least 20 yards and five average at least 20 yards per game.
Three players -- Mark Bradley, Clayton and Wilson -- have led OU in receiving yards this season.
Clayton tops OU with 40 receptions, but had the outright lead in catches in just four of eight games.
Will Peoples crossed over the 1,000-yard mark for career receiving yards in the game against Kansas. He now has 1,043. Earlier this season, Brandon Jones hit 1,000-yards. Jones now has 1,143 yards. There have been 19, 1,000-yard receivers at OU, eight on Bob Stoops' watch.
Including Mark Clayton's career total of 2,916 receiving yards, OU now has three 1,000-yard receivers on this team. In 2002, the Sooners had four 1,000-yard receivers on the same team (WR Antwone Savage, WR Curtis Fagan, TE Trent Smith and RB Quentin Griffin). This, however, does represent the first time that OU has had three 1,000-yard pass catchers that all line up at receiver positions. A fourth could join the group if Travis Wilson can put together a strong finish. He's currently at 650.

TD PER TOUCH
Over his career, Mark Bradley has one touchdown every 4.3 times he touches the ball (34 touches and eight TDs, not including holds for placements). Travis Wilson is next at one touchdown every 4.5 times he touches the ball (11 TDs in 50 touches). Others who have a high scoring ratio are Brandon Jones with 74 touches and 13 TD (5.7), then Mark Clayton with 210 touches and 29 scores (7.2).

FIRST THINGS FIRST FOR BRADLEY
WR Mark Bradley scored a touchdown on his first career rushing attempt (51-yard reverse) in the win over Houston this season. Earlier in his career, he scored a TD on his first career KOR (100 yards at Iowa State, 2003) and on his first career passing attempt (17 yards to Mark Clayton vs. Oklahoma State, 2003). Bradley did not score a TD on his first career reception, but did on his fifth (39 yards at Iowa State, 2003). The senior is the son of former Sooner QB Danny Bradley, who lettered at from 1981-84.

BOOMING BALANCE
Oklahoma had 214 rushing yards and 213 passing yards against Oregon. That's fairly typical of the season. OU has 1,888 (51%) passing yards and 1,804 (49%) rushing yards. Those figures are somewhat mindful of the 2002 season when the Sooners finished the 14-game slate with 2,828 passing yards and 2,668 rushing yards.
This team has flip-flopped a couple times in having more passing or more rushing yards. The last time OU had more rushing yards than passing for a season was in 1998, the year before Bob Stoops arrived.
Despite the improved rushing game, Oklahoma still averages 29.1 passing attempts per game.

LAUDING THE LINE
Oklahoma's offensive line has drawn praise for the improved running game, and rightfully so, but it's also worth noting that Sooner quarterbacks have been sacked just six times.
Sooner QBs have gone back to pass 253 times. They have gotten the pass off 233 times, run out of the pocket 14 times and been sacked six times.
To date, C Vince Carter has the highest mark on OU's tough grading scale. His performances have graded out at 82%. The knockdown leader is Jammal Brown with 87. Wes Sims and Carter both have 72.

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY
Oklahoma is 8-of-10 on fourth down this season. Sooner opponents are 4-of-11.

THIRD DOWN THUNDER
Oklahoma has converted 56% (60-of-108) on third down this season due in large part to the passing of Jason White. The Sooner quarterback is 42-of-70 on third down this season. His third-down throws by game look like this ...
Bowling Green -- 7-12, 99 yds., 2 TDs, 1 Int.; Houston -- 7-7-0, 140 yds., 0 TD.; Oregon -- 7-9-0, 119 yards, 0 TD; Texas Tech -- 5-9-0, 54 yds., 2 TD; Texas -- 5-10-1, 30 yds., 0 TD; Kansas State -- 4-9-0, 77 yds., 1 TD; Kansas -- 8-15-0, 95 yds., 1 TD; OSU -- 4-9, 107 yds., 2 TD.
On third-and-5 or less, White is 14-of-23 for 168 yards with 3 TD and 1 Int.
On third-and-6 or more, White is 28-of-47 for 553 yards with 1 TD and 0 Int.

THIS FERGIE GETTING PHAT
Oklahoma P Blake Ferguson ranks No. 20 nationally with a 43.4-yard average, but those figures fail to tell his story completely ...
Fifteen of his 32 punts have been downed inside the 20.
All but 10 traveled 40+ yards, and of the 10 that did not, eight were caught or downed inside the 20.
He has 10 boots that covered at least 50 yards including one of 54, four of 55 and three of 58.
Only 13 of his 32 punts have been returned, and those 13 averaged just 4.0 yards.

PERK TIES NCAA RECORD
Antonio Perkins tied the NCAA record for punt returns for TD when he registered No. 8 against Houston. Perkins already is the NCAA record holder for punt returns for touchdowns in a game (3 vs. UCLA in 2003) and season (4 in 2003), and he set the punt return yardage record with 277 vs. UCLA last season. The Lawton, Okla., native shares the career mark former Texas Tech player Wes Welker. Perkins also tied another NCAA record for combined kicks (kickoffs and punts) returned for touchdowns even though all of his are of the punting variety.

DiCARLO'S GOT YOUR “BACK”
To date, Trey DiCarlo has boomed 29 of 53 kickoffs for touchbacks. Over the last two seasons, the junior has 75 touchbacks after logging only nine as a freshman.

POLL TOLL
Oklahoma is 59-12 when carrying the No. 2 ranking, including a 23-3 mark at home.
This marks the fifth time in 23 meetings that both OU and A&M are ranked at the time of their game.
Oklahoma has the third-longest active streak in the Associated Press' rankings. Michigan tops that list at 102 weeks followed by Miami at 80 and Oklahoma at 78. OU is No. 4 all-time in total weeks in the poll with 615. Michigan leads with 704, followed by Notre Dame 686, then Ohio State 669.
The AP poll debuted in 1936. OU and Notre Dame are tied for the most weeks spent at No. 1 with 95 each. Ohio State is next at 74 followed by Miami at 69 and Florida State at 61.
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.

HOME FIELD HONCHOS
Oklahoma is 35-1 at home under Bob Stoops. The Sooners have won their last 18 home games, including five over ranked opponents. That's the longest home streak under Stoops exceeding the previous best of 17. During the current streak, OU has ...
averaged 46.0 points per game to just 11.8 for the opponents.
won every game by double digits.
eclipsed 50 points seven times, 60 points four times and 70 points once.
notched two shutouts and another three games in which the opponent did not score a TD.

SOONERS CONCLUDE ANOTHER PERFECT NON-CONFERENCE SEASON
Since Bob Stoops arrived in 1999, no Big 12 team has had a better winning percentage in regular season non-conference games than Oklahoma. The Sooners are 21-1. That number of victories and winning percentage (.955) are tops during that stretch in the Big 12.
OU has won its last 18 regular season games vs. non-league foes.
Including post-season games, Stoops is 24-3 vs. non-league foes, 17-0 at home.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S MOST PROLIFIC SCORING PROGRAM
No college program has scored more points than Oklahoma's 28,315. In addition, OU's margin of victory, 15,255, ranks No. 2 behind Michigan. Oklahoma is 102nd (out of 117) in points surrendered at 13,026. Not bad for a team that ranks No. 26 in games played at 1,082.

THE OFFENSE IN BRIEF
Oklahoma scored a school record 601 points last season. It also accomplished an OU first by exceeding 50 points in four straight games. School bests also were established in passing yards (4,109), first downs (314), interception avoidance (0.22), turnovers (17/tied), turnovers per game (1.2/tied) and touchdown passes (43).
Other spots claimed by the 2003 team on school record lists ... No. 2 in completions (349), No. 2 in plays (1,018), No. 9 in yards/play (6.0), No. 2 in total yards (6,152), No. 8 in yards per game (439.4), No. 4 in points/game (42.9), No. 4 in completions/game (21.3), No. 4 in passing attempts (480), No. 4 in pass attempts/game (34.3), No. 4 in passing yards/game (293.5) and No. 3 in comp., percentage (62.3).
Under Stoops, OU has produced its career leader in passing and receiving, while also turning out the fourth-leading rusher in school history.
OU has scored at least one TD in 76 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 7, 1998.
Under Stoops, OU has rushed for 200 yards 21 times, including 16 over the last four years.
Under Stoops, Oklahoma has 82 touchdowns of 25 yards or longer and 192 scoring drives that lasted less than two minutes.

THE DEFENSE IN BRIEF
Oklahoma has forced at least one turnover in 66 of the last 74 games (Stoops' tenure) and has at least one interception in 48 of the last 62 contests. OU has had multiple interceptions in 17 of the last 34 games.
Opponents have a 50% completion rate just 33 times in the last 74 tilts.
Foes have scored less than 14 points in 44 of Stoops' 74 games.
Under Stoops, the Sooners have seven shutouts. Opponents failed to score more than seven points in 22 of the 74 games.
The NCAA charts five major defensive categories -- scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, passing defense and pass efficiency defense. OU has been top 25 in all five for four consecutive seasons.
Oklahoma had at least 20 interceptions in four straight years (2000-03). Never before had OU strung together three seasons with 20 picks.

THE SPECIAL TEAMS IN BRIEF
A look at special teams notes from Bob Stoops' era as OU's head coach ...
There have been 22 special teams TDs, including 15 in the last 41 regular season games. Those 14 came via five different kinds of plays -- nine 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 13 punts for touchdowns.
The Sooners have blocked 18 kicks.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS
During the Stoops era ...
Kickoff Returns -- There have been 30 returns of 25 yards or more with five touchdowns.
Punt Returns -- There have been 36 returns of 15 or more yards with 13 touchdowns.
Interceptions -- There have been 46 returns of 10 or more yards with 11 touchdowns.
Fumbles -- Three returns of 15 or more yards with three touchdowns.

STADIUM STUFF
Phase II was completed in the off-season. The $7 million project has centered in three areas -- fan amenities on the upper levels of the west side, remodeling of the Santee Lounge and bricking the north, south and center portions of the west side. Also, the facing of the press box was re-designed with new images and a listing of the program's accomplishments.
The capacity of the stadium is up from 81,207 last season to 82,112 this season.
The stadium seats 2.3% of the state's population. Of the 27 states with at least 3 million residents, none houses a greater percentage of the state's population for college football.
The playing surface was replaced over the off-season ... grass type: Tiff-Sport (Bermuda sod grown in San Antonio, Texas), square footage: 79,000, quantity of sand: 2,500 tons.

TEXAS VICTORY PUTS STOOPS AT 60
Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops picked up his 60th victory with the Sooners' win over Texas. That win came in his 71st game at OU. Bud Wilkinson also reached his 60th Sooner triumph in his 71st game. The only Oklahoma coach to reach that milestone faster was Barry Switzer, who got his 60th win in his 67th outing.
Stoops had his team at 5-0 for a fifth consecutive season. No other coach in OU history has managed that feat. Wilkinson reached that record in four straight years.
Stoops dislikes the comparison due to the disparity in total games played, but it is worth mentioning that his .851 winning percentage is tops at OU. Switzer won at an .837 clip (190 games), while Wilkinson's rate was .826 (178 games).

DID YOU KNOW?
Oklahoma had the highest graduation rate among the eight schools that played in last year's BCS games (65%).

HEAD COACH BOB STOOPS
History is one tough customer at Oklahoma. The tradition, so rich and so long-standing, is as daunting as it is impressive. To be among the best at Oklahoma is to be among the best in college football.

Such dramatics are lost on Bob Stoops. The Sooner head coach befriended the would-be albatross of OU's successful past from his first day on campus and remains steadfastly focused on tomorrow and the championship it holds.

It falls then to long-time observers and experts of the game to define Stoops' impact. Rarely have the pundits had it so easy.

Under Stoops, Oklahoma has won 63 games, spent 63 consecutive weeks in the national rankings, played in five bowl games, three of the BCS variety, and captured two Big 12 crowns. On a playing field leveled by scholarship limits and parity, this era stares down the Oklahoma standard and does not blink.

The achievement is so brilliant that it dulls the memory of what Stoops inherited. When he arrived in Norman, the proud Sooner program was five years removed from a winning record; four from bowl play. Those atypical days of angst are so forgotten now that they might as well be categorized with the land rush and dust bowl.

Stoops has been characterized as a grounded family man, brilliant big-game coach, relentless recruiter, disciplined leader and a person with uncommon perspective. His success emanates from a disciplined style true to his roots in the Steel Valley of Ohio, but he is far from inflexible. The principles to which he holds are the tried and true axioms of the sport ... mixed with cutting edge strategy and an appreciation for the calculated risk.

During his time, OU has produced recordsetting passers and receivers, a 1,000-yard rusher, suffocating defense and special teams units that rank among the most dynamic in the land. The Sooners have been nothing if not versatile.

The son of a coach, Stoops was a four-year starter at Iowa. He began his coaching career in 1983 as a volunteer in the Hawkeye program under Hayden Fry. He worked through the ranks until he became co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State (1991-95).

With the Wildcats, he played a key role in their impressive turnaround. During his final four seasons there, K-State was 35-12 with three bowl appearances.

Eventually, he left for Florida and a three-year stint as Steve Spurrier's defensive coordinator. In 1996, he was part of a national championship team. It was with the Gators that the spotlight found Stoops and made him one of the hottest names in the profession. His hiring at Oklahoma was one for the ages.

THE STOOPS ERA IN BRIEF
A look at Bob Stoops' first five seasons ...
OU won the 2000 national championship, three Big 12 South crowns and two Big 12 titles.
Oklahoma has spent 22 weeks at No. 1.
Two of the longest winning streaks in OU history - a 20-game streak from 2000-01 and a 14-game streak from 2002-03.
OU has set or tied 63 school records.
Oklahoma has played in five bowls. Never had an OU coach taken even his first three teams to bowls. Prior to Stoops' arrival, OU had gone four straight years without a bowl, and had not played in one of what is now a BCS game since the 1988 Orange Bowl (1987 season). Stoops, in his second season, led OU to the 2001 Orange Bowl (2000 season).
OU has had a double-digit lead in 64 of 74 games.
OU has 38 of its 46 Big 12 victories under Stoops and just seven of its 23 losses.
An OU player has finished among the top seven in the Heisman voting three times -- Jason White No. 1 in 2003, Roy Williams No. 7 in 2001 and Josh Heupel No. 2 in 2000.
Sixteen All-Americans, two AP Players of the Year (Heupel, White), two Nagurski Award winners (Williams, Derrick Strait), two Thorpe Award winners (Williams, Strait), two Butkus Award winners (Rocky Calmus, Teddy Lehman), one Bednarik Award winner (Lehman), one Lombardi Award winner (Tommie Harris) and one Tatupu Award winner (J.T. Thatcher). OU has had a Butkus finalist in each of the last four years and a Lombardi finalist in the last three.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
LB Rufus Alexander: Started the last five games ... No. 2 on the team with 47 tackles ... career-high 10 stops vs. Texas ... nine tackles at Kansas State ... six stops, all solo, at OSU.

LB Gayron Allen: Returning starter on the weakside.

DT Remi Ayodele: Got his first OU start vs. Kansas.

CB Eric Bassey: Started as the team's SS in 2002, then was a back-up corner last season ... one of the team's fastest players, he had a 34-yard interception for touchdown against UCLA last season and a 45-yard fumble return for TD vs. Alabama in 2002.

DE Larry Birdine: Tied for second on the team with five quarterback hurries ... playing extensively as the third defensive end.

WR Mark Bradley: Big, dangerous athlete, who is in his first year as the holder for placements ... son of former OU QB Danny Bradley, he threw a touchdown pass last season ... ran 51 yards for a touchdown on a reverse against Houston ... three TD grabs, one shy of school record, for 128 yards at Oklahoma State.

OT Jammal Brown: The right tackle had the top grade on the line last season ... a bright pro prospect ... ranks fourth on the team with 36 career starts.

OL Chris Bush: One of the team's most versatile linemen, he could see significant snaps at
center and guard ... has six career starts, including four this season, one at right guard and the other three at left.

C Vince Carter: Was a finalist for the Rimington Award last season.

WR Mark Clayton: Of the three finalists for last year's Biletnikoff Award, he is the only one returning (other two were Larry Fitzgerald and Mike Williams) ... has 28 career touchdown catches and 30 career starts ... 61-yard TD grab vs. Kansas ... needs 10 receptions to reach 200 for his career.

DE Dan Cody: Was one of six finalists for last season's Hendricks Award ... said Bowling Green QB Omar Jacobs, “That No. 80 is a monster” ... leads the team in sacks with four and in hurries with six ... three sacks at Kansas State ... six of his seven sacks came over the last three games.

DT Lawrence Dampeer: Recovered a fumble at Kansas State ... picked off a pass and returned it 31 yards against Kansas.

K Trey DiCarlo: Set NCAA record with 74 PAT last season ... had a string of 59 consecutive PAT makes snapped in win over Bowling Green ... made 7-of-12 field goals this season (one of his misses was a 47-yarder that bounced off the upright)... made 42-of-56 in his career ... one of three finalists for last year's Groza Award.

P Blake Ferguson: Enjoying his best season as a Sooner... brother of former OU punter Jeff Ferguson.

RB Donta Hickson: Posted a 25-yard touchdown run against Oregon ... missed the Texas Tech game with an injury.

LB Clint Ingram: One of the team's most physical players, something he proved on special teams over the last couple seasons ... made his first career start against Bowling Green ... recovered two fumbles and forced one against Texas.

DE Jonathan Jackson: Tied for the team lead with six sacks, including two vs. Houston and OSU.

WR Brandon Jones: Leads team with 15.4 yards per reception ... eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for career receiving yards in the win over Texas Tech ... 69-yard TD grab vs. Kansas.

RB Kejuan Jones: Led OU with 925 rushing yards last season ... played behind Quentin Griffin in 02 and was the team's short yardage back ... set career highs with 32 carries and 148 yards in the opener ... string of eight straight games with at least one TD ended against Oregon ... missed the Texas Tech game with an injury ... 49 yards vs. OSU was his best in the last three weeks.

OG Davin Joseph: Gifted and experienced lineman who was one of the nation's top wrestlers back in his high school days ... missed the Houston game with an injury ... played a few snaps at right tackle at Kansas State.

LB Zach Latimer: A defensive end earlier in his career, he is emerging as a strong candidate for playing time at linebacker.

DT Lynn McGruder: Co-Big 12 Sportsman of the Year with Mark Clayton for his role in assisting victims in a serious automobile accident in the summer of 03 ... season-high four tackles, including two for loss, against Texas ... nine of his 16 stops came over the last three games.

MLB Lance Mitchell: Played in three games last season before going down with a season-ending knee injury ... was the team's top tackler in 2002 with 124 ... led the Sooners in the opener with nine tackles ... two sacks against Houston ... knocked down a pair of passes against Texas Tech ... 28-yard fumble return for TD and game-high 11 tackles vs. Kansas.

TE Bubba Moses: Touchdown reception against Oregon was the first of his career.

SS Donte Nicholson: Top returning tackler after posting 90 last season as the Big 12's Defensive Newcomer of the Year ... season-high 11 tackles vs. Oregon ... his two sacks have resulted in 19 yards in losses.

CB Chijioke Onyenegecha: All five of his break-ups have come over the last three games.

DT Carl Pendleton: Started three of the last four games -- missed the Kansas game with an injury ... season-high four tackles vs. Texas.

WR Will Peoples: Has 15 career starts at receiver ... became the 19th 1,000-yard career receiver at OU when he crossed that mark against Kansas.

CB/RS: Antonio Perkins: Has eight career punt returns for touchdowns ... has 12 punt returns of 40 yards or longer in his career ... graduated in May with a degree in criminology/sociology and is presently attending graduate school ... missed the last two games with an injury.

RB Adrian Peterson: Rushed for 100 yards in every game this season ... a workhorse, he's averaging 25.3 rushing attempts per game.

FS Brodney Pool: Led the team in interceptions last year with seven ... currently the team's leading tackler with 53 ... broke up two passes against Kansas ... two interceptions against Texas Tech.

WR Jejuan Rankins: Reminds many of teammate Mark Clayton ... caught 33 balls last season in his first year on the field for OU ... 56-yard KOR set up OU's first touchdown vs. Houston.

LS Jacob Rice: No errant snaps in 371 career tries.

TE Willie Roberts: At 6-7, he and Tommy Grady are the team's tallest players.

FB J.D. Runnels: Rock steady player who is assignment strong ... also a good receiver as evidenced by the fact that he has at least one reception in five straight games ... touchdown grab against Texas Tech ... career-long 28-yard reception at Kansas State.

DB Brandon Shelby: Per snaps played, he is one of the most effective players on the team ... Made All-Big 12 HM in 2002 with no starts ... has three career blocked kicks ... had an interception and a career-high nine tackles in the win over Texas Tech, his lone start of the season.

OT Wes Sims: A fixture on the left side with 43 career starts.

QB Paul Thompson: Ran a 4.4 40 in fall testing and brings multiplicity to the quarterback position.

QB Jason White: 2003 winner of the Heisman and O'Brien Awards ... will graduate in December with a degree in sociology.

WR Travis Wilson: Leads the team in touchdown receptions with seven, which ties for third in OU history ... had two scoring grabs against Texas Tech and Kansas State ... leads team with 15.2 yards per catch ... streak of 12 straight games with a reception ended at OSU.

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