Upcoming Event: Football versus UTEP on September 4, 2026 at 7 p.m. CT
7 p.m. CT
Football
vs UTEP
.png&width=40&height=40&type=webp)
.png&width=40&height=40&type=webp)
University of Oklahoma Athletics
The 2006 Sooner Offense & Defense
March 15, 2006 | Football
NORMAN, Okla. -- The advent of spring in Oklahoma brings longer days, warmer temperatures and thunderstorms. March also returns the Sooners to the football practice fields.
OU begins spring practice on Monday, March 20. Over the next week, SoonerSports.com will review the 2005 campaign, break down the 2006 squad by position and offer a preview of the upcoming season.
Visit 2006 OU Spring Football Central for complete coverage including the daily practice schedule, updated roster and spring guide.
|
THE SOONER OFFENSE
Under Bob Stoops, OU has produced its career leader in passing and receiving, while turning out the fourth-ranked rusher in school history and the school record holder for single season rushing.
OU has scored at least one touchdown in 92 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 7, 1998.
Under Stoops, OU has rushed for 200 yards 27 times, including 22 over the last four seasons.
Also under Stoops, OU has 93 touchdowns of 25-plus yards and 211 scoring drives that took less than two minutes.
PETERSON CHALLENGES MARK
Adrian Peterson has packed a lot into just two years at Oklahoma. Now squarely in his sights is one of the most coveted OU records, the career rushing mark. That honor now resides with Billy Sims, who ran for 4,118 yards from 1975-79. Peterson enters the 2006 campaign with 3,033 total yards, the best two-year total in school history. He needs 1,086 to better Sims' mark. Through his first two seasons at OU, Peterson has averaged 1,516 yards. His per game average is 126.4.
Peterson set the Sooner single season record of 1,925 yards in his freshman year of 2004. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting that season.
Last season, he gained 1,108 yards despite missing all or more than half of four games with an ankle injury. During that stretch, he got just 16 carries for only 57 yards.
THE YOUNGSTERS CAUGHT ON
Last season, three of Oklahoma's top seven receivers were true freshmen, including Malcolm Kelly, who topped the team in receptions (33), yards (471) and touchdowns (2, tied). Kelly's receptions and yardage totals ranked as the third-highest ever by an OU freshman.
True freshman Manuel Johnson had the longest reception of the year, a 55-yarder for a touchdown against Oklahoma State.
Another true freshman, Juaquin Iglesias, caught the game-winning touchdown pass in a double-overtime triumph against Baylor.
BOMAR SOONER
Last season, QB Rhett Bomar tied the school record for most starts at quarterback by a freshman with 11 (Eric Moore, 1995).
Bomar posted OU freshman bests for completions (167), passing attempts (308), completion percentage (54.2 percent) and touchdown passes (10).
Over the last five games of the season, he completed 57 percent of his passes, threw for 1,008 yards and fired six touchdowns with just three interceptions.
Bomar was named the offensive MVP of the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl after he completed 17-of-30 passes for 229 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed nine times for 14 yards.
TRENCH TALK
Oklahoma lost four players who drew a total of 41 starts (out of a possible 60) in the offensive line last season, but there are returnees who either started games or saw extensive action.
True freshman Jon Cooper was the starting center for two games and would have continued in that role had he not been injured in game 10. He did not play in either the season finale or the bowl game.
True freshman Branndon Braxton drew four starts at right tackle.
Redshirt freshman J.D. Quinn drew four straights at right guard.
Last season's teams surrendered 21 sacks, the fourth-lowest total during Bob Stoops' tenure. But that figure is misleading. Representative of the way the line survived a rash of injuries and meshed late, the Sooners did not give up a single sack in any of their last three games and allowed only three in their last five outings.
PERFECT BALANCE...ALMOST
By just one yard, Oklahoma missed perfect offensive balance last season. The Sooners threw for 2,131 yards and rushed for 2,130. It represented the best balance of the Stoops era, edging the 2002 season in which the OU figures were 2,668 in rushing and 2,828 in passing.
THE SOONER DEFENSE
Oklahoma has forced at least one turnover in 81 of Bob Stoops' 91 games and has at least one interception in 60 of the last 78 games. OU has multiple picks in 20 of its last 47 outings.
Opponents completed 50 percent or more of their passes in less than half of their games against Stoops-coached OU teams -- 43 times in 91 games.
Foes scored less than 14 points in 48 of the games.
OU has eight shutouts under its current head coach. During that same period, the opponents failed to score more than seven points 26 times.
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.
COULD RUFUS BE No. 5?
Oklahoma has produced four Butkus Award winners in Brian Bosworth (twice), Rocky Calmus and Teddy Lehman. No school as produced as many. Now there may be player ready to make a bid at No. 5. Rufus Alexander, the weak side backer, led last year's OU team with 102 tackles, including 17 for loss and five sacks. He also intercepted a pass, broke up nine others, recovered one fumble and forced two more. With just 22 tackles, Alexander will reach 200 for his career and, if he duplicates last year's figure, he will rank among the top 15 linebackers of all-time at OU, and that is no easy feat.
RIP AND RUN
Last year, Oklahoma returned its 13 interceptions for 220 yards, an average of 16.9 yards, with three touchdowns. That return average was the second highest of the Stoops era. The 2003 team scored the highest average with 21.5 yards on 24 picks.
THE THIB OF THE ICEBERG
Apparently that's all DE Calvin Thibodeaux showed over the first two seasons of his career. He entered his junior campaign of 2005 with two career sacks. Then he proceeded to record a team-leading 10 during the 2005 season.
AHA, AH YOU
Oklahoma uncovered a pretty good defensive end last season in C.J. Ah You, who was the consensus Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and the defensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl. He finished the season with 45 tackles with 12 for loss, seven sacks and one fumble recovery. In the 17-14 bowl win over Oregon, Ah You had six tackles and two sacks.
OU IN THE NCAA STATS
Oklahoma ranked No. 13 in total defense (306.7) last season. The Sooners have been among the nation's top 20 in total defense in each of Bob Stoops' seven seasons in Norman.
Last year's OU team ranked No. 4 nationally against the rush (90.6). That was the best ranking by a Sooner defense in Stoops' tenure. The 2005 team had four of the 12 best performances during Stoops' time in Norman. The best outing for that team came against Kansas when the Jayhawks mustered just 11 yards on the ground. Oklahoma State got 13, Nebraska 16 and Kansas State 22.
ALL TOO TRUE
Two true freshmen started at the safety spots in two games last season -- SS Reggie Smith and FS Nic Harris. The only other time two true freshmen started simultaneously in the Oklahoma secondary was in the 1981 Sun Bowl. S Keith Stanberry got his only start of the year and CB Elbert Watts got his seventh.
|
2006 OU Spring Football Specifics
The Sooners begin spring practice on Monday, March 20. A complete schedule is available online. Unless otherwise noted, Oklahoma's spring practices are open to the public. Most will be held on the practice fields immediately south of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and will begin around 3:30 p.m.
It should be noted that all of the times and dates are subject to change. Fans are encouraged to follow SoonerSports.com in the event that alterations are made to the schedule. For the latest information, please visit 2006 OU Spring Football Central.
The annual spring game is slated for Saturday, April 8, and will be televised live to the nation by ESPN. Advance tickets are available now from the OU Athletics Ticket Office.
Thursday, July 23
Tuesday, July 21
Thursday, July 16
Tuesday, July 14
