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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners Set for Tilt with Texas A&M
November 03, 2006 | Football
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OKLAHOMA vs. TEXAS A&M
Bob Stoops coaches his 100th Oklahoma game when the Sooners go to Texas A&M this weekend. The Sooners carry a three-game winning streak into a game with an Aggie club that has won four straight.
The game kicks shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station. Oklahoma's 52nd consecutive TV game will be broadcast by ABC. ESPN's College GameDay will also broadcast live throughout the day from the game.
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THE SERIES
Oklahoma leads it, 14-10, and has won the last three meetings and six of the last seven between the two. Texas A&M holds a 5-2 advantage over the Sooners in games played at College Station.
THE COACHES
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa 83) is 81-18 in his eighth season with the Sooners. He is 4-3 in bowls, 3-2 in January Bowls, 2-2 in BCS games, 52-11 vs. the Big 12, 28-8 vs. the Big 12 South, 24-3 vs. the Big 12 North, 3-1 in the Big 12 title game, 29-7 vs. non-conference opponents, 46-2 at home, 22-9 on the road, 13-7 on neutral fields and 23-9 vs. ranked opponents. He is 6-1 vs. Texas A&M.
Texas A&M: Dennis Franchione (Pittsburg State 73) is 24-20 in his fourth season at A&M, 179-93-2 in his 24th season overall.
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THE PROGRAM
Oklahoma's all-time record is 763-291-53.
The Sooners own seven national championships (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000).
OU has 39 bowl appearances (No. 7 nationally) with 24 victories (No. 3 nationally).
Oklahoma has won 39 conference titles.
Since WWII, Oklahoma is the most success college football program with 517 victories.
Some 141 All-Americans and four Heisman Trophy winners have come from the Oklahoma program.
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ABOUT TEXAS A&M
Since dropping a 31-27 decision to then-No. 24 Texas Tech, Texas A&M has won four straight games. Included in that streak is three road triumphs.
The Aggies feature a balanced offensive attack with 213.7 rushing yards per game and 209.1 through the air. Similarly, Oklahoma is within 11 yards per game of perfect balance.
A&M opponents average just 117.7 yards per game, but have thrown for 197.3 while connecting on 53.6% of their passes.
Oklahoma and Texas A&M have only one common opponent -- Missouri. The Aggies turned back the Tigers on Oct. 14 at College Station, 25-19. OU won at Columbia last Saturday, 26-10.
TIES WITH TEXAS A&M
Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Kevin Sumlin was on the A&M staff from 2001-02.
Aggie assistant head coach Kenith Pope played at OU and was on the Sooner staff from 1995-97. He graduated from Oklahoma in 1976.
Texas A&M defensive coordinator Gary Darnell is a native of Moore, Okla.
TAMU director of football operations Charley North coached the offensive line at OU from 1979-94. He is a Wagoner, Okla., native and coached 19 years of high school football in the Sooner state before embarking on a college coaching career.
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OKLAHOMA'S MOST RECENT GAME
Oklahoma notched its 23rd win in 32 tries over a ranked opponent during the Bob Stoops era when it knocked off Missouri at Columbia last Saturday, 26-10 ...
MU entered the game as the 16th-best scoring team in the nation, but was held to a season-low total and some 23 points under its average.
The OU defense picked off Missouri QB Chase Daniel three times. Daniel had thrown just five interceptions in the previous seven games.
RB Allen Patrick eclipsed 100 yards in his second straight game as the OU starter. He carried 35 times for 157 yards. The Sooners rolled up a season-high 231 rushing yards.
WR Quentin Chaney made his first career reception, a 15-yard TD grab. It marked the second straight trip to Columbia in which a Sooner player made his first career touchdown reception. TE Chris Chester did the same thing in the 2002 game.
TURNOVER TALK
Oklahoma (17) and its opponents (19) have nearly the same number of turnovers, but what happens after those turnovers is markedly different. The Sooners have scored 68 points after their takeaways as opposed to the opponents' 20.
TRENDS
In three games since committing 11 penalties and five turnovers against Texas, the Sooners have committed a total of 13 penalties and three turnovers.
Oklahoma QB Paul Thompson has not thrown an interception in any of the last three games.
The Sooners have had a 100-yard rusher in every game this season. As a team, OU has exceeded 100 rushing yards in 14 consecutive games.
Over the last two games, Oklahoma has had a commanding advantage in time of possession. Against Colorado, OU had the ball 13:28 more than the Buffs and at Missouri the advantage stood at 12:46. That's a total of 26:14, or nearly one half, during that stretch.
STREAKING AGAINST THE NORTH
With its win over Missouri, Oklahoma notched its fifth straight regular season sweep of the three games against the Big 12 North Division. The regular season streak against the North stands at 15 games while the overall streak, including the Big 12 title game, stands at 10.
Under Bob Stoops, OU is 25-3 against the North.
Stoops' home mark against the North moved to 13-0 with the win over Missouri. Oklahoma scored more than 30 points in 11 of those and won 12 by double digits.
ROSTER WRITINGS
This Sooner team has just 11 seniors, the lowest number of Bob Stoops' tenure. The previous low was 12 by the 2001 squad. Only eight of the 11 are on scholarships.
There are 24 players on this team with previous experience as a starter for OU. That's up from seven over the same time last season.
Last season, OU ranked No. 7 nationally by playing 12 true freshmen. Through seven games this season, eight true freshmen have made it to the field. Those eight at C Chase Beeler, OL Cory Brandon, RB Chris Brown, WR Brandon Caleb, DB Quinton Carter, TE Jermaine Gresham, WR Adron Tennell and OT Trent Williams. The only two with starts are Beeler (vs. Middle Tennessee) and Williams (took over beginning with the Missouri game).
Eleven of the 22 players that started against Missouri have at least two years of eligibility remaining. That also is true of 31 of the 44 players that saw action.
TAKING A DIFFERENT POSITION
During Bob Stoops' tenure 14 players have moved from one position to earn a starting job at another ...
Perhaps most notable of those who changed was OT Jammal Brown who moved from the defensive line. He went on to win the 2004 Outland Trophy and was a first-round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints.
Like Brown, eight of those who have moved went from one side of the ball to the other. This team includes 10 players who have switched positions since arriving at Oklahoma.
OU TACKLES FULL SLATE OF I-A FOES ... AGAIN
For the seventh straight season Oklahoma is playing an all I-A schedule. The Sooners have played exclusive I-A since Bob Stoops' opener in 1999 (a 49-0 win over I-AA Indiana State). This season, OU is the only program in the Big 12 with a full I-A slate.
HOME FIELD HONCHOS
With the win over Colorado, Oklahoma moved to 46-2 at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium under Bob Stoops.
The Sooners have won their last 10 at home and 29 of the last 30. The two longest home field winning streaks under Stoops were 19 and 17 games.
STOOPS ERA ATTENDANCE
With 422,053 in attendance for home games thus far in 2006, Oklahoma has drawn 4,072,319 for Bob Stoops' 48 home games (started in 1999). The Sooners crossed the four-million mark in this year's contest against Colorado.
All 48 have been sold out and the most crimson-clad throng has seen the Sooners prevail 46 times.
OU has exceeded its listed capacity of 82,112 in 22 consecutive games.
Since Stoops became the head coach, expansion projects at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium have increased the capacity by 9,347 seats.
ABOUT THE OFFENSE
Under Stoops, OU produced its career leader in passing and receiving, while producing the fourth and fifth-ranked rusher in school history and the record-holder for single season rushing.
Oklahoma has scored at least one touchdown in every game dating back to Nov. 7, 1998.
On Stoops' watch, OU has 30, 200-yard rushing games with 24 over the last five years.
Also under their current head coach, the Sooners have 98 touchdowns of 25-plus yards and 215 scoring drives that lasted less than two minutes.
RUNNING GAME OPTIONS
With RB Adrian Peterson with a broken collarbone, OU looks elsewhere in the running game ...
Junior Allen Patrick made his first career start against Colorado. He established career highs with 35 attempts for 110 yards against a Buffalo defense ranked No. 9 nationally against the rush. It was the first 100-yard effort of the season against CU. Patrick then came back with another 35 rushes for 157 yards in the 26-10 win at Missouri.
Junior Jacob Gutierrez has two career starts, both last season. He started vs. Baylor last season and got 30 carries for 173 yards and two TD. He underwent knee surgery after an ACL injury sustained in the 2005 Holiday Bowl and missed spring ball. He saw his most extensive action of the season against Colorado when he logged five carries for 19 yards.
True frosh Chris Brown saw his first action vs. Colorado -- 4 att., for 12 yards and one TD.
SANS AD
Because of injury, Adrian Peterson (No. 2 in the nation in rushing and all purpose yards and No. 4 in scoring at the time of his injury) was out for all of last year's Baylor game and more than half of games against Kansas State, Texas and Kansas. OU rushed for 232 vs. K-State (Peterson had 51 before spraining an ankle), 77 vs. Texas (Peterson had 10), 95 vs. Kansas (Peterson had -4) and 205 vs. Baylor (Peterson DNP). Peterson missed no games in 2004.
When playing without Peterson, OU is 5-1 and out-rushed each opponent. The Sooners had a 100-yard rusher in three of those six games.
PT CRUISIN'
Paul Thompson, who moved to WR last season, did not return to the QB role until Aug. 3 ...
His completion rate is 60.9% with 13 TD and five INT. His average/completion is 13.2 yards.
Over the last 45 years, most of which were run-dominated, there have been only four in which a Sooner QB completed 60% of his passes -- two by Jason White and two by Josh Heupel.
He has at least one TD pass in seven of the eight games and multiple scoring throws in five.
Since Peterson's injury, Thompson has rushed 11 times for 54 yards and one touchdown. Prior to the injury, he had 26 rushes for 14 yards.
He has not thrown a pick in five of the last six games, including the last three in a row.
SUPER SOPHS CATCHING ON
Malcolm Kelly became the fastest OU receiver to 1,000 yards when he did so during the Missouri game, the 19th of his career. The mark was previously held by Antwone Savage, who eclipsed 1,000 yards in his 21st game. He has TD receptions in all but three games. Kelly had his best game for receptions this season against Colorado with seven, one off his career best.
Juaquin Iglesias has 25 catches with four or more grabs in four of the last six games.
Manuel Johnson got his first career start in the game against Colorado and responded with two catches for 11 yards and one touchdown.
TRENCH TALK
Oklahoma lost four seniors (two were drafted) who gobbled up 41 starts last season in the offensive line, but there are returnees who either started or saw extensive action ...
The offensive line is young by any standard with three sophomore starters and one true freshman, but that is magnified by the fact that none of the four redshirted. Of the nine players who have seen action on the line this year, all but one have at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Two true frosh have started -- C Chase Beeler (Middle Tennessee) and RT Trent Williams (Missouri).
ABOUT THE DEFENSE
Oklahoma has forced at least one turnover in 88 of Bob Stoops' 99 games and has at least one interception in 65 of the last 86. OU has multiple picks in 24 of its last 55 outings.
Opponents completed 50 percent of their passes in less than half of the Stoops-coached games -- 46 times in 98 games.
Oklahoma has nine shutouts under its current head coach. Opponents failed to score more than seven points 27 times and scored less than 14 points 51 times against OU.
With 11 starters in 12 games last season there were 132 combined starting assignments. Ninety-six of those return among the personnel on hand for the 2006 season.
RAISING THE RUF
Linebacker Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma's leading tackler for a second straight season, is etching his name on a prestigious list ... the career tackles chart for OU linebackers. With 244, Alexander is No. 18 on a list that includes four Butkus Award winners. OU has produced more Butkus winners than any other program. Alexander needs two more tackles to move ahead of Mark Driscoll for the No. 17 position.
Alexander is trying to become the first player to lead the Sooners in tackles in consecutive seasons since Rocky Calmus did it three in three straight from 1999-2001.
HANDS-ON DEFENSE
Oklahoma defenders have touched the ball a total of 49 times in the form of 31 pass deflections, 10 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. Of those 49, 16 (33%) have occurred over the last two games. In those two games, OU has 10 PBU, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
END ALL, BE ALL
A look at one of OU's deepest positions, defensive end ...
C.J. Ah You was the consensus Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2005. He also captured Defensive MVP honors at the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl.
Calvin Thibodeaux started every game last season and led the team with 10 sacks.
Larry Birdine missed the first 11 games in '05 with a biceps injury, but is still on the Hendricks Watch List. In 2004, he did not start a game while working behind Dan Cody and Jonathan Jackson, yet finished No. 3 in the Big 12 with seven sacks.
John Williams redshirted in 2004. He had four tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 2005 opener vs. TCU.
Alonzo Dotson is the nephew of former Baylor and Green Bay Packers great Santana Dotson.
RIP AND RUN
Oklahoma has 10 interceptions with a return average of 7.3 yards and one touchdown. Last year, Oklahoma returned its 13 interceptions for 220 yards, an average of 16.9 yards, and three TD. The return average was third-highest in the Stoops era. The 2003 team set the standard with a 21.5-yard average on 24 picks.
ABOUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS
Oklahoma's special teams under Bob Stoops ...
There have been 23 special teams TD, including 16 in the last 50 regular season games. Those 16 came via five different kinds of plays -- 10 punt returns, two faked FG, two blocked punts, a kickoff return and a faked punt. The special teams also own one safety in that span.
In total, OU has returned five kickoffs and 13 punts for TD on Stoops' watch (since 1999).
The Sooners have blocked 20 kicks, including two punts this season by Jason Carter. His block at Missouri resulted in a safety.
Last season OU ran a trick play, blocked a kick or tackled a punter in five of the 12 games.
MANY HAPPY RETURNS
Information on returns during the Stoops era ...
Kickoff Returns -- 43 returns of 25 yards or more with five touchdowns.
Punt Returns -- 43 returns of 15 or more yards with 14 touchdowns.
Interceptions Returns -- 55 returns of 10 or more yards with 15 touchdowns.
Fumble Returns -- Three returns of 15 or more yards with three touchdowns.
THE 2006 RETURN GAME
Oklahoma is averaging 23.0 yards on kickoff returns and 10.2 on punt returns. Last season, the Sooners averaged 18.2 yards on kickoff returns and 7.4 on punt returns.
Reggie Smith has 22 punt returns for a 10.2-yard average. In the Washington game, he picked up an 82-yard punt and returned it 62 yards. He has two of 25 yards or longer. At Oregon, he had a 55-yard kickoff return. He had a 61-yard return for a touchdown against Middle Tennessee.
Juaquin Iglesias has been an effective kickoff returner with six for a 25.2-yard average. Four of his returns exceeded 30 yards.
The coverage teams allow just 5.4 yards on punt returns, 17.9 on kickoff returns.
LONG & SHORT OF PUNT GAME
Michael Cohen is handling the long punts for OU and Mike Knall the short ...
Cohen has 26 of OU's 34 on the season. He is averaging 39.9 yards with six downed inside the 20 (one at the 1).
Knall has seven punts downed inside the 20 for the season. Used only in short field situations, he has only one touchback in eight kicks.
MCEACHERN GETS A GRIP
Back-up QB Hays McEachern, whose father played at Texas and whose mother was a cheerleader for the Longhorns, is the holder. He is the first QB to hold since Patrick Fletcher in 2000.
CRIMSON SNAPPER
OU lost Jacob Rice to graduation. He was the long snapper for all 52 games of his career. Derek Shaw has taken over the duties. The true freshman is perfect in 67 snaps this season.
SOONERS HAVE HART-LEY
K Garrett Hartley is in his third season in the starter's role. He won the job in the regular season finale of his true freshman season (2004) ...
Hartley is 14-of-15 on field goals and 29-of-29 on PATs this season. His lone miss was a blocked kick. He has kicked off 52 times with 24 touchbacks.
His field goals made percentage of .933 leads the nation among kickers with more than 10 attempts.
The junior ranks No. 4 nationally with 1.75 field goals made per game and No. 14 in scoring with 8.88 points per game.
He made a career-high four field goals at Oregon.
Hartley has three career makes of 50 yards or longer. His long for this season is 46, which he has done twice.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
DE C.J. Ah You: Season high six tackles vs. Texas ... his family prepared a Hawaiian BBQ following the spring game.
LB Rufus Alexander: Tops Oklahoma with 66 total tackles and was in double digits in the first two games ... tied school record five TFL vs. Middle Tennessee ... interception vs. Iowa State.
LB Lewis Baker: Recovered a fumble at Oregon ... career-high nine stops at Missouri.
C Chase Beeler: Started for an injured Jon Cooper vs. Middle Tennessee
DT Cory Bennett: Logged a career-high six tackles against UAB.
DE Larry Birdine: Missed the first 11 games last season with a torn left biceps muscle, but came back to play in the Holiday Bowl ... got the first sack Oregon allowed this season.
OT Branndon Braxton: The starter at right tackle before suffering a season-ending broken leg against Colorado ... from the same hometown as Bob Stoops -- Youngstown, Ohio.
DB Jason Carter: Got his third career blocked punt (and second this season) against Missouri ... started at Oregon and recorded a career-best 10 tackles.
SS Keenan Clayton: Started the first two games at strong safety.
DT Steven Coleman: Stellar off-season vaulted him well into the four-man rotation ... got first career sack (15 yards) and career-high four tackles against Texas.
P Michael Cohen: The long-range punter, he had no attempts vs. Middle Tennessee ... has at least one 50-yard boot in four games.
C Jon Cooper: Started first three games then missed the Middle Tennessee game due to injury ... regained starting role for Texas game.
TE Joe Jon Finley: Has added 41 pounds since coming to OU ... two or more receptions in four straight games.
DT DeMarcus Granger: Two stops in each of the first three games.
TE Jermaine Gresham: Had a 22-yard TD reception against Middle Tennessee ... a 41-yard reception against Texas.
RB Jacob Gutierrez: Knee injury suffered in the Holiday Bowl kept him out of spring practice ... rushed for 173 yards against Baylor last season ... 11 carries for 46 yards at Missouri.
QB Joey Halzle: Mid-year transfer who has displayed an accurate throwing touch.
DB Nic Harris: Two interceptions at Oregon, the first of the season for the Ducks ... also got a pick against Middle Tennessee ... hit the QB on a pass that was intercepted by OU vs. Colorado.
K Garrett Hartley: See notes elsewhere in this release.
DB Lendy Holmes: Switched from WR to CB in the spring ... got first CB start at Oregon ... career high two tackles for loss against Iowa State ... started the last three games ... three break-ups, an interception and fumble recovery at Missouri.
WR Juaquin Iglesias: Five grabs against Washington for 44 yards ... averaged 33 yards on kickoff returns against UAB and caught two passes for 10 yards ... five catches for 78 yards at Oregon ... four catches for 56 yards and one TD vs. Middle Tennessee ... five for 69 vs. Texas.
WR Manuel Johnson: Missed opener with an ankle injury, then had one grab for six yards vs. Washington ... two catches vs. Middle Tennessee ... career high five catches (69 yards) and first career rush against Texas (9 yards) ... TD grab against Colorado.
WR Malcolm Kelly: Had six grabs for 121 yards vs. Washington ... three for 66 at Oregon with a 31-yard TD ... five receptions for 164 yards and one TD vs. Middle Tennessee -- set an OU quarter record with 134 receiving yards (on three catches) in the first ... two TD catches against Iowa State.
LB Zach Latimer: Second on team with 46 tackles ... forced fumble vs. Washington ... had a 22-yard interception return for a TD vs. Middle Tennessee (also had picks against Colorado and Missouri) ... also had two sacks vs. the Blue Raiders.
LB Curtis Lofton: Challenging on the strong side ... first career start vs. Colorado.
OL Chris Messner: Starter at left tackle ... he started at right tackle most of last season when he pulled down the line's highest grade ... played some center vs. Middle Tennessee.
RB Allen Patrick: Became the starter when Peterson was injured ... 35 carries for 110 yards and one touchdown ... another 35 carries for 157 yards at Missouri.
DT Carl Pendleton: Career-high two TFL vs. Iowa State.
RB Adrian Peterson: See information listed earlier in the release.
LB Demarrio Pleasant: The starter at strong side linebacker ... recovered a fumble against Washington ... missed Colorado game with injury.
FB Ian Pleasant: Not related to Demarrio Pleasant ... first career reception at Oregon when he had two for 13 yards.
OL George Robinson: Soph who could play guard or tackle ... made first start in opener.
CB Reggie Smith: Has started for OU at CB, SS, PR and KR ... started 10 games at SS last season as a true freshman ... had a 62-yard punt return against Washington on a punt that traveled 82 yards ... 55-yard KO return and two PBU at Oregon ... 61-yard punt return for TD vs. Middle Tennessee ... has one reception for 12 yards.
WR Fred Strong: First three catches of career in the opener ... four in first start (Washington).
DE Calvin Thibodeaux: Season-high five tackles vs. Washington and Texas.
QB Paul Thompson: See notes earlier in the release.
CB Marcus Walker: Has battled back from two shoulder surgeries and will be a factor at CB ... he has four career starts there ... career-high four PBU at Oregon ... interception at Missouri.
FS Darien Williams: Career-high 13 tackles vs. Washington ... two sacks vs. Iowa State and one interceptions for 35 yards ... forced fumble at Missouri.
CB D.J. Wolfe: Recovered a fumble vs. UAB ... started the first two games, then lost his job only to regain it against Texas.
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