Sooners in Lubbock vs. Tech Saturday

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OU at Texas Tech
Oklahoma, owner of a four-game winning streak, plays its final road game of the season when it travels to Texas Tech on Saturday, Nov. 19. Fox Sports Net has the broadcast with kickoff scheduled for 11:10 a.m.

The Sooners, whose recent string of victories included a pair of triumphs away from home, became bowl eligible last Saturday with a 36-30 win over Texas A&M. It will mark the seventh consecutive season in bowl action for OU, a time period that matches the tenure of head coach Bob Stoops.

Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11:10 a.m. | Lubbock, Texas
Stadium Seating Chart

Tech, No. 21 in the AP poll and No. 19 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, is looking to bounce back from a 24-17 loss at Oklahoma State last week. Saturday's game is the regular season finale for the Red Raiders.

This is a battle for second place in the Big 12 South. Oklahoma currently has a half-game lead.
Texas Tech's Mike Leach is one of three head coaches nationally who previously served as an assistant to Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. The other two are Mike Stoops at Arizona and Mark Mangino at Kansas. Leach and Mangino both served terms as offensive coordinator, while Mike Stoops was OU's associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator.

The Series
Overall: Oklahoma leads, 10-2
At Norman: 5-1
At Lubbock: Oklaoma leads, 4-1
At El Paso: Oklahoma leads, 1-0
Oklahoma's Widest Margin of Victory: 60-15 in 2002
Texas Tech's Widest Margin of Victory: 38-28 in 1999 and 22-12 in 1996
Oklahoma's Highest Point Total: 60 in 2002
Texas Tech's Highest Point Total: 38 in 1999
Shutouts by Oklahoma: none
Shutouts by Texas Tech: none
Oklahoma's Longest Series Winning Streak: Five games, 2000-present
Texas Tech's Longest Series Winning Streak: One game, twice.

Series Notes
The Sooners are trying for their sixth straight win over Texas Tech ... Oklahoma and Tech are playing for the 12th time in the last 13 years (only interruption was 1995) ... this is the 10th time in series history that these two schools have played in November ... this marks the sixth straight game between these two in which one of the teams was ranked among the top 25 ... Oklahoma's defense has done remarkably well against an impressive Tech offense, allowing an average of 15.8 points over the last five games ... for the second straight visit to Lubbock, Oklahoma is Tech's senior day opponent.

The Coaches
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa 83), now in his seventh season with the Sooners, is 73-15 overall. He is 3-3 in bowls, 3-2 in January bowls, 2-2 in BCS games, 49-9 vs. the Big 12, 26-6 vs. the Big 12 South, 23-3 vs. the Big 12 North, 3-1 in the Big 12 title game, 25-6 vs. non-conference opponents, 40-2 at home, 21-7 on the road, 12-6 on neutral fields, 21-6 vs. ranked opponents and 5-1 vs. Texas Tech.

Texas Tech: Mike Leach (BYU 83) is 47-27 in his sixth season at Texas Tech. The former Oklahoma assistant coach (offensive coordinator in 1999) is 0-5 against Oklahoma.

The Program
Oklahoma owns one of the most storied and accomplished traditions in all of college football ...
OU's all-time record is 755-288-53.
Seven national championships (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000).
Thirty-eight bowl appearances (No. 7 nationally) with 23 victories (No. 3 nationally).
Since WWII, Oklahoma is the most successful college football program with 509 victories.
OU's all-time winning percentage of .711 ranks No. 4 among Division I-A members.
From 2000 forward, OU leads the nation in victories with 66.

The Last Meeting
Oklahoma prevailed over Texas Tech, 28-13, last season in Norman ...
It was the Big 12 opener for both teams.
Adrian Peterson made his first career start as a collegian and ran 22 times for 146 yards and one touchdown.
After failing to intercept a pass in any of its first three games of the season, the Sooners picked off three, including two by Brodney Pool, who now plays with the Cleveland Browns.
Texas Tech did not get its first touchdown until the 4:50 mark of the fourth quarter.
OU QB Jason White was 15-of-24 for 151 yards and three touchdowns. He was not sacked.
Oklahoma scored one touchdown in each quarter of the game.
Tech had four turnovers to none by the Sooners.

Ties With This Week's Opponent
Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach was Oklahoma's offensive coordinator in 1999, Bob Stoops' first year with the Sooners.
Running backs coach Seth Littrell is a Muskogee native and a former player at Oklahoma. He graduated from OU in 2000 and played fullback on the 2000 national championship team.

Oklahoma's Most Recent Game
Oklahoma picked up its fourth straight victory when it prevailed over Texas A&M last Saturday at Norman, Okla.
Oklahoma jumped to leads of 21-0 and 28-7 then held off an Aggie rally to get the win. Offense ruled the day with OU picked of 509 total yards and A&M gaining 450. The two teams combined for 51 first downs, 27 for the Sooners and 24 for the Aggies. The total elapsed time for the game was 3:58, the longest for Oklahoma thus far in 2005.
QB Rhett Bomar had perhaps his best day as a collegian by completing 20-of-28 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown with one interception. He also rushed seven times for 28 yards and one TD.
RB Adrian Peterson registered his second straight 100-yard game when he carried 27 times for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
WR Malcolm Kelly became just the fourth true freshman in school history to eclipse 100 receiving yards in a game when he hauled in five grabs for 118 yards. That yardage total was the second-highest ever for an Oklahoma freshman.
DE Calvin Thibodeaux had a big day with three quarterback sacks. He collaborated with fellow DE C.J. Ah You on one of those for a safety.
P Cody Freeby notched the fourth-best punting average ever by an OU player with 54.8 yards on four kicks. None of the four were returned and one was downed at the four yard-line.

OU Has Nation's Toughest Schedule
Oklahoma has played the nation's most difficult schedule this season based on a pair of NCAA rating systems. OU's cumulative schedule, which includes past and future foes, is tops with a total mark of 61-33.
OU also ranks No. 1 based on past opponents. Those teams have a record of 52-26.
The three teams that have defeated Oklahoma (Texas, UCLA and TCU) have a combined record of 27-2 and all three are ranked.

Cardiac Kids
This team is young and good in a pinch. The 2005 Sooners became just the third club in school history to win three games in a row by seven or fewer points -- by seven over Baylor and Nebraska and by six over A&M. The previous teams to do that were the 1975 club, which downed Miami (Fla.) by three, Colorado by one and Texas by seven, and the 1961 squad, which clipped Missouri by seven, Army by six and Nebraska by seven. The next game in that string was an eight-point win over Oklahoma State in the season finale.

North Country
Oklahoma's win at Nebraska was its 12th straight regular season triumph over a member of the Big 12 North Division. That streak dates back to the Sooners' last trip to Nebraska in 2001 when the Huskers prevailed, 20-10.
The 12 straight does not include a loss to Kansas State in the 2003 Big 12 title game. Sandwiched around that setback, the Sooners won the Big 12 crown with a pair of victories against North Division champion Colorado in 2002 and 2004.

Injury Bug Bites
Oklahoma players have combined to miss 34 full games this season due to injury. There are another five who missed partial games (more than half of the game).

Sooner Youth Movement
Last February's recruiting class was lauded as one of the nation's best, and that talent has found its way to the field. With 12 true freshmen seeing game action so far this season, only Arkansas (18) and Duke (14) can boast more. And neither the Razorbacks or Blue Devils have won a conference game this season. The Sooners will finish no worse than .500 in the Big 12.

Fourth Down Fun
OU has converted 8-of-13 fourth-down this season (No. 21 nationally). Three came on faked kicks (punt vs. Texas, FG vs. Kansas, FG vs. Nebraska). Sooner opponents are 2-of-10 on fourth down. Under Stoops, OU is 67-of-116 (58%) on fourth down; the opponents are 49-of-134 (37%).

Sooners Eclipse Three Million in Attendance Under Stoops
Oklahoma has sold out all 42 home games of Bob Stoops' tenure and during the Tulsa game the total attendance for that period exceeded three million. The total stands at 3,312,808. OU has exceeded its listed capacity of 82,112 in 17 straight games.

Oklahoma Picks Up Win. No. 750
The win over Tulsa was the 750th all-time for Oklahoma. The Sooners' all-time record now stands 755-288-53. OU is one of just eight schools with 750 victories. With 1,096 games played, the Sooners are just four away from 1,100. Nineteen other schools have played 1,100 games.

OU Brand Among the Nation's Most Popular
The Collegiate Licensing Co., announced its top-selling entities for the most recent fiscal year and the OU brand ranks a highest-ever No. 5. North Carolina is tops followed by Michigan, Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma. Some of the Sooner proceeds benefit Bizzell Library on the OU campus.

Changing of the Guard
A game-by-game look at the youth and change on this year's team ...

The TCU Game
Seven defensive players made their first career start.
Thirteen freshmen (eight true, five redshirt) played.
The starting offensive players in last season's finale had a combined 301 starts. The offensive starters in the 05 opener had a combined 130. The offensive line that started in the Orange Bowl last season at 188 career starts compared to just 68 for the group that started this year's opener.

The Tulsa Game
Eighteen first-year players saw action. Of those, 16 were freshmen, including 10 true.
Four of the five starting o-linemen were in their first game at that particular position. Only Chris Bush, who had two previous starts at RG (one in 03 and another in 04) was in a spot he had previously held. The line that started had a combined 41 career starts, down 27 from the opener.
Three freshman linemen played, including RT Branndon Braxton in his first career start.
CB D.J. Wolfe led OU with 12 tackles. At the same time last year he was a reserve RB.
OU's leading rusher and receiver was a sophomore (Adrian Peterson), the QB was a redshirt freshman (Rhett Bomar), the P was a sophomore (Cody Freeby), the K was a sophomore (Garrett Hartley), the leading tackle was a sophomore (D.J. Wolfe) and three of the four sacks were made by players who either weren't here last season or were playing offense in 2004.

The UCLA Game
Three true freshmen started in the game in RT Branndon Braxton, WR Malcolm Kelly and SS Reggie Smith. To put that in perspective, only four true freshmen even played for OU all of 2004.
Of the 15 players who had stats on offense or in returns, 10 have at least two years of eligibility remaining, as did the leading tacklers Demarrio Pleasant and Darien Williams (both had 10), both of whom are sophomores.

The Kansas State Game
Four true freshmen started, including both safeties -- Reggie Smith (FS) and Nic Harris (SS). Harris responded with seven tackles and one sack in his first career start. Smith had an interception and a 14-yard return.
In the third quarter, the Sooners faced a third-and-seven at their own 19. The offense came out in a three-receiver set and all three were true freshmen -- Malcolm Kelly, Manuel Johnson and Juaquin Iglesias. Rhett Bomar, a redshirt freshman himself, hit Iglesias for 18 yards.

The Texas Game
For the second straight game five freshmen were in the starting line-up, including three true. RG J.D. Quinn, a redshirt freshman, made his first career start after Chris Bush moved over to the center spot to spell ailing Chris Chester, a senior.
Quinn was one of three offensive players making a first career start, sort of. Paul Thompson, a junior, started this year's opener at quarterback, but made his first-ever start at WR against Texas. Sophomore RB Jacob Gutierrez lined up in the slot on the first play to earn his first start.

The Kansas Game
OU's lone offensive touchdown was scored by true freshman Malcolm Kelly on a 25-yard pass from RS freshman Rhett Bomar. The Sooners' other TD was scored by sophomore CB D.J. Wolfe, who played RB last season. WR Juaquin Iglesias became the eighth freshman to start a game this season, the fifth true freshman to do so.

The Baylor Game
Six players missed the game (five due to injury and one due to suspension). Of that six, five were seniors. The game-winner in the second overtime was a 21-yard pass from redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar to true freshman Juaquin Inglesias.
With its top three running backs sidelined, fourth-string back Jacob Gutierrez, a sophomore, rushed for 173 yards. His back-up was converted DB Allen Patrick, who gained 49 on 15 tries.
The Sooners matched a season high by playing 10 true freshmen.

The Nebraska Game
True freshman Malcolm Kelly led Oklahoma with eight receptions. OU had nine sacks, one by a senior. The Sooners matched a season high by playing 18 first-year players and used more true freshmen, 11, than in any other game to date.

The Texas A&M Game
True freshman C Jon Coooper made his first career start. Bomar (RFr.) was the top passer, Peterson (soph.) the to rusher, Kelly (TFr.) the top receiver and Wolfe (soph.) the top tackler.

About the Sooner Offense
Under Bob Stoops, OU has produced its career leader in passing and receiving, while also turning out the fourth-leading rusher in school history and the school record holder for single season rushing yards.
Oklahoma has scored at least one touchdown in 89 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 7, 1998.
Under Stoops, OU has rushed for 200 yards 26 times, including 21 over the last four seasons.
Also under Stoops, OU has 90 TDs of 25+ yards and 207 scoring drives that lasted less than two minutes.

Peterson Goes Over 2,000 Yards
Soph RB Adrian Peterson now has 2,604 yards for his career ...
Peterson has been slowed by bad ankle in the last four games (did not play vs. Baylor). Three weeks ago against Kansas State he had 51 yards through one quarter and a half when he left the game with an ankle injury. He had a 22-yard TD run before retiring. Two weeks he had just three carries for 10 yards against Texas, the last week he had five totes for -4 yards while playing in the first half only against Kansas.
The Tulsa game was the fourth 200-yard game (his fourth-highest total) and his fourth three-touchdown game. His 32 carries tied for his third-highest total, but with two receptions, the 34 touches ranked second. He had 36 touches (all rushes) against Kansas State last season.
Last season, Peterson carried 339 times for 1,925 yards. His attempts ranked No. 1 in the nation, while his net yards was No. 3.
During the off-season he had surgery on his left shoulder, which precluded his participation in spring practice.
Peterson set a single season rushing record at OU in 2004, surpassing the previous best of 1,896 yards by Billy Sims in 1978.
Peterson eclipsed Ron Dayne's (1,863) NCAA single season mark for a freshman. Peterson set other NCAA freshman standards for consecutive 100-yard games (nine) and 100-yard games (11). He tied (Emmitt Smith, Florida, 1987 and Marshall Faulk, San Diego State, 1991) the record for reaching 1,000 yards the fastest by a frosh by doing so in the seventh game.
Peterson averaged 164.0 yards vs. the four ranked foes in 2004.
He gained 100 yards in 11 of 13 games as a frosh and has done so in 12 of 19 games during his career.
He had the highest finish in the Heisman voting ever by a freshman (second) and was the first freshman to be named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. He also was a finalist for the Maxwell.

Two X 2,000
With Kejuan Jones (2,246) and Adrian Peterson (2,604) both over 2,000 career rushing yards, it marks the first time since 1987 that two concurrent Sooners eclipsed the figure. Lydell Carr finished with 2,910 and Jamelle Holieway with 2,713 that year. It also happened in 1986 when Carr and Spencer Tillman both eclipsed 2,000.
Both continue ascensions up the career rushing touchdown list at OU. Jones is tied at No. 6 with Steve Davis with 35. Peterson has 25. He needs five to crack the top 15.

Rushing Game Revival
Against Kansas, Donta Hickson (18-59) and Kejuan Jones (16-51) both eclipsed 50 yards while splitting the reps. A case could be made that one back might have made it over the century mark.
The following week against Baylor, OU got 205 yards on the ground for its third 200-yard performance.
Jacob Gutierrez went for 173 on yards on 30 carries against Baylor. Prior to that game, the soph's career numbers (all this season) were 14 rushes for 73 yards.
Adrian Peterson carried 24 times for 146 yards at Nebraska and the Sooners had 45 for 180 as a team.
Against Texas A&M, Oklahoma racked up 211 yards and three touchdowns on 48 attempts. Peterson carried 27 times for 135 and two scores.

Bomar Sooner
A look at RS QB Rhett Bomar, who came off the bench in the opener, but has since been the starter ...
All five of his TD passes have come in the last six games.
Since completing just 7-of-18 passes over his first two games, he has hit on 50% or better in six of the last seven.
He has positive rushing yards in six of nine games.
He had a string of 73 throws without an interception snapped against Texas when one of his tosses bounced off a Sooner receiver into the hands of a Longhorn defender.
In a two-game stretch vs. UCLA and Kansas St., he was 32-of-51 for 380 yards with one TD and no INT.
He has 11 rushes of more than 10 yards with a long of 42 vs. K-State. He had a 32 yards vs. Texas A&M and a 28 yarder vs. TCU.
Only twice during the last two seasons (2003, 2004) did a starting Sooner QB have rushes of 10 or more yards. Jason White picked up 10 yards against Texas in 2003 and then had a 12-yard jaunt against USC last season. White finished in positive rushing numbers just five times over those two seasons (once in 03 and four times in 04). Bomar has had a positive rushing number in six of nine games to date. That's impressive considering he has thrown 231 passes and been sacked 18 times. In White's defense, before being slowed by two knee surgeries, he was a dangerous runner.
That 2001 Kansas game stood as the most recent time that a Sooner quarterback had led the team in rushing (White 12-117) for a game until Bomar's 67 yards topped OU in this year's Kansas State tilt.
Bomar rushed for touchdowns in back-to-back games (UCLA and Kansas State), a first at OU since Nate Hybl did it against Air Force and North Texas in 2001.
Bomar has 112 rushing yards and four TD. Paul Thompson is the top rushing quarterback by yards during the Stoops era with 183 in 2003. Heupel is next with 144 in 2000, then Bomar. Heupel was the top TD scorer among Stoops' QBs with seven in 2000 and five in 1999. Bomar is next.

The Good Hands Backs
RB Kejuan Jones and FB J.D. Runnels rank as two of the most potent backfield receivers in Oklahoma history (see chart at right). Quentin Griffin is the leader in catches, yards and touchdowns. He had seven receiving TDs. Runnels has four and is tied for second among the back with James Allen. Jones has one.

Geez, Mr. Wilson
Travis Wilson now has 105 catches for his career and is two receptions away from OU's career top 10 and 38 yards away from OU's career top 10 ...
In the opener, Wilson led OU with five receptions for 52 yards. Seventeen of those yards after the catch.
He had seven catches for 103 yards at UCLA. He also rushed twice for 61 yards, including a 56-yard TD.
Against Kansas State, he caught five passes for 68 yards and returned one kickoff for 34.
Against Texas A&M he snagged his 17th career touchdown catch.

Young But Catching On
The receiving corps is another place where Oklahoma's youthfulness manifests itself. Nine of the 16 players with a catch this season have at least two years of eligibility remaining after this season.
The five touchdown throws have gone to a sophomore (two), a true freshman (two) and a senior (one).
Seven of those with a catch either weren't on the active roster in 04 or were playing a different position.

Versatility in the Trenches
The Oklahoma offensive linemen have played a number of positions during the respective careers ...
LG Davin Joseph has 28 starts at right guard, four at left tackle and one at left guard.
RG Chris Bush has five starts at left guard, five at right guard and three at center. Bush has three starts at right guard and three at center this season.
C Chris Chester has two starts at RG, three at C. He's the only offensive lineman on the team with a touchdown. That came on a fake field goal at Missouri in 2002 when he played TE and caught a pass.

About the Sooner Defense
OU has forced at least one turnover in 78 of Bob Stoops' 88 games and has at least one interception in 57 of the last 75 games. OU has multiple picks in 19 of its last 46 outings.
Opponents completed 50% or more of their passes in less than half of their games against Stoops-coached teams -- 41 times in 88 games.
Foes scored less than 14 points in 48 of the games.
OU has eight shutouts under its current coach. During that same period, the opponents failed to score more than seven points 26 times.
This season OU is No. 9 nationally in rushing defense (94.00) despite the fact that the Sooners have played four of the top 57 rushing teams, including No. 2 Texas.

This Corps Living Up to Standard at Linebacker U.
With four Butkus winners (Brian Bosworth - 1984-85, Rocky Calmus (2001) and Teddy Lehman (2003), no school has won the honor more than OU. This year, Clint Ingram (SLB), Zach Latimer (MLB) and Rufus Alexander (WLB) are living up to the tradition. Ingram and Alexander were on the Watch List for this year's Butkus award ...
Ingram, who missed the UCLA game with an injury, has three interceptions this season. Against TCU he returned a pick 23 yards and against Tulsa he went 48 yards for a touchdown.
In his career, he has three INT, two fumbles caused, two fumbles recovered (vs. Texas last season, he caused and recovered a fumble on the same play) and five PBU in 18 starts.
His two sacks came vs. Kansas State and Texas.
Latimer made his first career start against TCU. The junior responded with 15 tackles, including 11 that were solo. Latimer entered the game with 12 career tackles.
He got 12 stops against Texas and is the team's second-leading tackler with 65.
Alexander is the team's top tackler with 79.
He had seven TFL in his career heading into the Tulsa game then logged four vs. TU. He got three more against Kansas
He has 155 career tackles and eclipsed the century mark with six at UCLA.
He has eight pass break-ups, one interception, two fumbles forced and one fumble recovery.

Dvoracek On Pace to Eclipse His Previous Best
DT Dusty Dvoracek is back after being dismissed from the 2004 squad and is now a team captain. He is a former All-Big 12 performer and CoSIDA Academic All-District selection. In 2003, he was credited with 40 tackles, including seven sacks and 16 TFL. All three of those numbers were tops on an OU interior line that included Tommie Harris, the Lombardi Award winner and a first-round draft choice of the Chicago Bears.
Dvoracek is on pace to eclipse his 2003 numbers. With 33 tackles through nine games, he's on pace for 40.3 With 15 TFL, he's on pace for 18.
Ranks No. 9 nationally and No. 1 among defensive tackles with 15 tackles for loss.
He had four tackles at UCLA, three for loss. He logged a 10-yard sack despite the fact that the Bruin lineman was flagged for holding him on the play. He came back with three more TFL and another sack against Kansas.
Four tackles for loss, one sack and his first career interception (on any level) at Nebraska.
An All-District 6 Academic selection and a candidate for Academic All-America.

Sure Trivia Winner
Who is Oklahoma's leader in sacks? It's DE Calvin Thibodeaux with eight. The senior entered the season with a career total of two.
OU is minus half of its anticipated two-deep at DE for the season. Larry Birdine was lost during the August drills with a torn left biceps. John Williams suffered a torn left ACL vs. TCU.

Freshman Rarity Happened Just Once Before
Two true freshmen started at the safety spots in two games this season -- SS Reggie Smith and FS Nic Harris. The only other time two true freshmen started in the OU secondary was the 1981 Sun Bowl. S Keith Stanberry got his only start of the year and CB Elbert Watts got his seventh.

Special Teams Stuff
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 46 regular season games. Those 15 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.
In this year's opener, OU did not block a kick or return one for a TD, but did get a big play when Jason Carter tackled the TCU punter. The Sooners converted the play into a field goal.
Against Kansas State, Jacob Gutierrez tipped a punt that traveled just eight yards.
Against Texas, OU faked a punt with J.D. Runnels rushing to gain a first down.
Against Kansas, the Sooners faked an extra point with H Cody Freeby completing a pitch pass to Russell Dennison for a first down.
Against Nebraska, OU faked a field goal with H Cody Freeby pitching to K Garrett Hartley for a six-yard gain and a first down. OU scored on the next play on a 17-yard rush.

Many Happy Returns
OU special teams under Bob Stoops ...
Kickoff Returns -- There have been 37 returns of 25 yards or more with five TDs.
Punt Returns -- There have been 39 returns of 15 or more yards with 13 TDs.
Interceptions -- There have been 52 returns of 10 or more yards with 14 TDs.
Fumbles -- Three returns of 15 or more yards with three touchdowns.

Sooners Get a Freeby
Sophomore Cody Freeby, is in his first season at Oklahoma's punter. He ranks No. 23 nationally with an average of 42.54. OU is No. 9 in net punting at 38.04.
The left-footer also is the holder for Garrett Hartley's placements.
In his first game, Freeby averaged 38.3 yards on eight punts with three downed inside the 20 and no touchbacks. Only one of his punts was returned and that one went for 10 yards.
Tulsa: Averaged 50.0 yards on five kicks, his 70-yarder was the first by a Sooner to cover that distance since Jeff Ferguson got off 71-yarder at Air Force in 2001.
UCLA: Averaged 45.6 yards on five punts and allowed the then-nation's leading returner, Maurice Drew, just one attempt for five yards.
Kansas State: Only two of his six boots were returned for a total of two yards.
Texas: Scooped up a bad snap and unleashed a 55-yard punt. It was one of two 50-yarders he had in the game.
Baylor: Averaged 41.7 yards on six punts with one downed at the three and one at the one.
He averaged 54.8 yards on four punts against Texas A&M for the third-best day in school history. None of the kicks was returned and one was downed at the A&M four.

Sooners Have Hart-ley
Garrett Hartley, Oklahoma's kicker, has been especially impressive with his kickoffs ...
Hartley has 50 full kickoffs (including squibs) with 23 touchbacks. He had five touchbacks against KSU, three more against Texas (on four kicks) and Texas A&M.
His 52-yard field goal against Texas was the longest ever by a Sooner against the Longhorns and was a career-best for Hartley. He made 50-yarders against Nebraska and TCU.
He made all three field goal attempts against Baylor include a 39-yarder at the end of the first OT to force the decisive second extra period when OU got the win.

Rice Trumps all the Streaks
Jacob Rice, the long-snapper and a former standout TE and DE at Norman High, trumps all the starts and games played streaks. The senior has been a starter in all 49 career games.

Dennison a Special Teams Stud
Russell Dennison, a senior FB, has 37 career special teams tackles (18 in 2003, seven in 2003, eight in 2004 and one in 2005). Dennison also has played LB during his career at Oklahoma.

DE C.J. Ah You
Five tackles, one sack, one fumble forced and two pass break ups, one of which was intercepted, against Kansas ... against Baylor he had five tackles, one sack and two FF ... also in that game he got a sack on a two-point try (doesn't count in stats) ... credited with a sack assist for a safety against Texas A&M.

LB Rufus Alexander
Double digit tackles in five games -- 13 vs. Nebraska, 11 vs. Tulsa, 10 vs. TCU, Texas and Kansas ... three sacks at Nebraska ... four tackles for loss and a sack against Tulsa ... fumble recovery vs. Kansas State ... interception vs. Kansas when he was named the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Week.

DT Remi Ayodele
Started the first three games of the season.

SS Lewis Baker
Spent his first two seasons trying to gain weight, then converted from linebacker to strong safety last spring ... career-high eight tackles against Tulsa.

CB Eric Bassey
Also played SS during his career ... missed the Kansas and Baylor games with an injury.

QB Rhett Bomar
Worked in a back-up role in the opener, then took over as the starter prior to the second game.

DE Larry Birdine
Lost for the season with a torn left biceps muscle suffered during preseason camp.

C Chris Bush
Started every game -- was the center vs. TCU and Texas and the right guard in all the other games.

OL Kelvin Chaisson
One of the most experienced players on the team, he starts at left guard.

DT Steven Coleman
Working in a back-up role, but is part of a four-man rotation ... three tackles vs. Tulsa.

FB Russell Dennison
Has 37 career special teams tackles ... picked up a first down on a four-yard reception off a faked field goal against Kansas.

DT Dusty Dvoracek
Has at least on tackle for loss in all but three games this season.

TE Joe Jon Finley
Added 21 pounds in the off-season ... got first career start against Tulsa when OU opened in double TEs ... three receptions for 41 yards at UCLA ... eight catches over the last four games ... four-yard TD grab vs. Kansas State ... 15-yard TD vs. Texas ... had at least one catch in each of the first seven games.

P Cody Freeby
Left-footer is in his first season as OU's punter ... holds for placements ... averaged 50 yards on five punts vs. Tulsa including the first 70-yarder by a Sooner since 2001 ... only 11 of his 52 kicks have been returned.

RB Jacob Gutierrez
Won United Way and the Junior League award for community service ... gained 11 yards on this first career rush (vs. TCU) ... tipped a punt vs. Kansas St., and had 9 carries for 32 yards ... 30 rushes for 173 yards and two TD vs. Baylor ... suffered elbow injury early in the Nebraska game and missed most of the contest.

FS Nic Harris
Got his first career start (FS) against KSU and responded with a team-high seven tackles and one sack.

K Garrett Hartley
Shed redshirt in the 04 regular season finale ... made 29-yard FG in the BCS title game ... switched from No. 32 to No. 10 ... Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after making all three of his FGs vs. Baylor.

RB Donta Hickson
Four rushes for 30 yards vs. Kansas State ... had 10 rushes on the season before getting 18 for 59 yards vs. Kansas in his first career start ... missed the Baylor and Nebraska games with an injury.

LB Clint Ingram
Three interceptions ties for No. 11 in a season among OU linebackers ... returned pick vs. Tulsa 48 yards for a touchdown ... eight tackles and an interception (23 yards) vs. TCU ... missed UCLA game with injury.

RB Kejuan Jones
Might be the most accomplished back-up back in the country with 2,246 career rushing yards on just 12 starts ... started vs. UCLA, Texas... two rushing TD vs. Kansas State ... 17-yard TD run at Nebraska.

OL Davin Joseph
Started the opener at left tackle then moved to left guard for game two and was back at left tackle for game three ... spent the first three years of his career at right guard.

LB Zach Latimer
Had 15 tackles in his first career start (vs. TCU) ... 12 stops against Texas.

TE James Moses
Goes by the nickname “Bubba” ... two of his four receptions came at UCLA.

DT Carl Pendleton
Started eight games last season as a redshirt freshman then drew his first start this year vs. Kansas State.

LB Demarrio Pleasant
Started at SLB in place of the injured Clint Ingram at UCLA ... can play multiple spots in the LB corps.

WR Jejuan Rankins
Had a 26-yard return vs. Kansas State ... season high four receptions vs. Kansas.

LS Jacob Rice
Reliable long snapper now in his fourth season in that role.

FB J.D. Runnels
Devastating blocker ... got second career rush on a faked punt vs. Texas (gained a first down) ... career high six receptions against Baylor.

DB Reggie Smith
SS got his first career start at UCLA and also had four kickoff returns for 97 yards, including a long of 43 ... first career interception came against Kansas State (14 yards) ... also had a 37-yard KO return in that game ... had a 34-yard kickoff return vs. Baylor ... picked off a pass against Texas A&M.

DE Calvin Thibodeaux
Missed most of last season after suffering a knee injury at KSU ... fumble recovery and sack vs. Kansas ... one sack in each of the last two games ... three sacks against Texas A&M.

QB Paul Thompson
Redshirted last season ... Jason White's back-up in 2003 ... now splitting time at receiver ... two catches for 21 yards against Kansas State in his first game at WR ... got first start at WR against Texas.

DB Marcus Walker
Had off-season shoulder surgery ... missed spring ball, then dislocated his opposite shoulder (left) in August.

DB Darien Williams
Excelled in the spring and started first three games at free safety.

DE John Williams
Had a sack vs. TCU, but then was lost for the season in the same game with a torn left ACL.

WR Travis Wilson
Seven grabs for 103 yards at UCLA ... also in that game, he carried twice for 61 yards including a 56-yard TD ... five catches for 68 yards vs. Kansas State and one KO return for 34 yards ... one of two players (the other is Joe Jon Finley) with a reception in every game this season ... missed Kansas and Baylor games with injury, but came back at Nebraska with three receptions for 42 yards ... TD grab against Texas A&M.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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