Sooners Host Washington on Saturday

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OU Hosts Washington
Oklahoma plays its second straight home game when it hosts Washington. The game is slated for 2:35 kick at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (82,112). ABC has the regional telecast from Owen Field. It is the first of back-to-back games for the Sooners against the Pacific-10 Conference. Next week OU is at Oregon.

The Series
This marks the second meeting between the two. Washington won the first on Jan. 1, 1985, when the No. 4-ranked Huskies toppled the No. 2-ranked Sooners in the Orange Bowl, 28-17. Oklahoma is 21-13-1 all-time against the Pacific-10 Conference.

The Coaches
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa 83) is 76-16 in his eighth season with the Sooners. He is 4-3 in bowls, 3-2 in January Bowls, 2-2 in BCS games, 49-10 vs. the Big 12, 27-7 vs. the Big 12 South, 22-3 vs. the Big 12 North, 3-1 in the Big 12 title game, 27-6 vs. non-conference opponents, 42-2 at home, 21-8 on the road, 13-6 on neutral fields and 22-7 vs. ranked opponents.

Washington: Tyrone Willingham (Michigan State 77) is 68-60-1 in 12 seasons as a head coach, including a 3-9 mark at Washington.

Oklahoma Football History & Tradition | Quick Facts

The Program
Oklahoma's all-time record stands at 758-289-53.
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 514 victories.
Some 141 All-Americans and four Heisman Trophy winners have come from the Oklahoma program.

This Week's Opponent
Washington won its opener last week with a 35-29 triumph over San Jose State in Seattle. In addition to 64 points, the two team combined for 821 total yards. UW rolled up 468 yards including 300 on the ground. RB Louis Rankin (10-145, 2 TD) and QB Isaiah Stanback (17-102, 1 TD) were the top ground gainers. San Jose State managed just 50 yards on 29 rushing attempts, but 28-of-37 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
This team returns nine starters, five on offense, three on defense and one specialist.
The 2005 Huskies were 2-9 overall, 1-7 in conference play. Washington QB Isaiah Stanback ranked No. 6 in the Pac-10 in total offense with 226.3 yards per game.
Oklahoma returns this game on Sept. 20, 2008.

Printable Numeric Roster | Printable Depth Chart

Ties with Washington
UW special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Bob Simmons was Oklahoma State's head coach from 1995-2000. During that time he posted a record of 3-3 against the Sooners. n Washington running backs coach Trent Miles was a graduate assistant coach at OU in 1990.
There are no Oklahomans on the UW roster and no Washingtonians on the OU roster.

Pac-10 Pact
Oklahoma is playing a Pacific-10 Conference team for a fifth consecutive season. For the third straight year, OU plays two Pac-10 teams, although this is the first time during that span that the Sooners are playing two teams from that league during the regular season ...
Three of Oklahoma's last four bowl opponents were from the Pac-10. The Sooners defeated Washington State in the 2003 Rose Bowl and Oregon in the 2005 Holiday Bowl, while losing to USC in the 2004 Orange Bowl.
Last season, OU dropped a 41-24 decision in week three at UCLA before knocking off then No. 6-ranked Oregon in the Holiday Bowl, 17-14.
Oklahoma holds an all-time mark of 21-13-1 against the Pac-10 and has played at least one game against each of the 10 members. Only Conference USA, with 43 games, exceeds the Pac-10's 35 for most non-conference games for Oklahoma. The ACC is next at 32.
Former OU defensive coordinator (1999-2003) Mike Stoops, the brother of Sooner head coach Bob Stoops, is in his third season as the head coach at Arizona.

Non-Cons
Bob Stoops is 27-6 vs. non-league foes, 22-3 in regular season non-league games and 18-1 in non-conference home games.

Home Field Honchos
Oklahoma is 42-2 at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium under Bob Stoops and has won its last six in a row and 25 of its last 26 there. The two longest homefield winning streaks under Stoops were 19 and 17 games.

Time Won't Give Me Time
How much did the rules changes pertaining to time impact Oklahoma's opener? The game lasted just three hours, 16 minutes and the two teams combined for just 110 snaps. That's the fewest snaps over the last 50 years of OU football.
Prior to this season, OU averaged 63.4 plays during Bob Stoops's first 91 games as head coach.
Last season, the shortest OU game was the Kansas game, which lasted three hours, 13 minutes. The fewest offensive plays run by the Sooners last season was 58 against Tulsa. The shortest of the Stoops era was the 2004 Nebraska game, which lasted two hours, 49 minutes.

The Sooners Briefly
Oklahoma was tabbed to win the Big 12's South Division in a preseason polling of league media. Sooner players Adrian Peterson, a running back, and Rufus Alexander, a linebacker, were selected as the league's preseason offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively.
This Sooner team has just 11 seniors, the lowest number of Bob Stoops' tenure. The previous low was 12 by the 2001 squad.
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 was 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big 12 South. The Sooners played the most difficult schedule in NCAA Division I-A as the opponents were a combined 92-39. The 2005 season culminated with OU's win over then-No. 6 Oregon in the Holiday Bowl, 17-14.

Oklahoma's Most Recent Game
Oklahoma committed four turnovers, but survived UAB to win 24-17 in Norman. Like last season, the Sooners lost the ball four times in the opener, but unlike the 2005 loss to TCU (17-10), emerged with their record unblemished ...
Oklahoma trailed once, 17-14 in the third period, but scored on its first play after UAB had taken the lead. Paul Thompson looped a swing pass to Adrian Peterson who ran 69 yards for a touchdown. OU was never headed again. Oklahoma had 370 total yards to 304 by UAB. The return game was a big difference in the contest as the Sooners racked up 114 yards on four kickoff returns and 67 more on six punt returns.
Peterson had 208 all purpose yards, 139 and one touchdown on the ground and 69 with one touchdown through the air. He entered the season opener with 62 career receiving yards.
Thompson made his second career start at quarterback. He completed 14-of-24 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed four times for six yards.
The sellout crowd of 84,555 was a record high for a season opener at home and sixth highest all-time at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. OU was sold out for a 44th consecutive game.

Crowded house
With 84,555 in attendance for the 2006 opener, Oklahoma has now drawn 3,397,363 for Bob Stoops' 44 home games (started in 1999). All 44 have been sold out. OU has exceeded its listed capacity of 82,112 in 18 consecutive games. Since Stoops became the head coach, Oklahoma has increased the seating capacity of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium by 9,347 seats.

Taking a Different Approach
During Bob Stoops' tenure 14 players have moved from one position to earn a starting job at another. Eight of those moved from one side of the ball to the other. This team includes eight players who have switched positions since arriving at OU.

About the Offense
Under Stoops, Oklahoma 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.
Oklahoma has scored at least one touchdown in every game dating back to Nov. 7, 1998.
On Stoops' watch, OU has rushed for 200 yards 27 times, including 22 over the last four seasons.
Also under their current head coach, the Sooners have 94 touchdowns of 25-plus yards and 211 scoring drives that lasted less than two minutes.

Peterson Challenges Mark
RB Adrian Peterson has packed a lot into just two seasons 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 yards, the best two-year total in school history. He needs 947 to better Sims' mark. Though his first two seasons at OU, Peterson averaged 1,514 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 to USC's Matt Leinart. It was the highest finish ever for a freshman.
Last season, he gained 1,104 yards despite missing all or parts of four games with an ankle injury. During that stretch, he got just 16 carries for only 57 yards. By season's end, he finished second in the Big 12 rushing race and was ahead of every other running back in the league (Missouri QB Brad Smith was the leader).

Thompson Back at QB
Quarterback Paul Thompson is starting the season opener for the second straight season. In the 11 games between this one and that, he spent most of his time at wide receiver. After starting last year's opener against TCU (11-of-26 for 109 yards with one interception) he moved to receiver where he made two starts and hauled in 11 receptions for 106 yards and no touchdowns. He was the back-up QB to Jason White in 2002 and 2003. In 03, he hit on 19-of-27 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also was effective as a runner, carrying 25 times for 183 yards. He had a 50-yard rush against Fresno State and a 29-yard touchdown scamper against Texas A&M.

The Youngster's Caught On
Last season, three of Oklahoma's top seven receivers were true freshmen. That trio now rates as an experienced set of sophomores ...
Malcolm Kelly topped the team in receptions (33), receiving yards (471) and touchdown catches (2, tied). His receptions and yardage total ranked as the third-highest ever for an OU freshman.
Manuel Johnson had the longest reception of the year in 2005, a 55-yard touchdown against Oklahoma State.
Juaquin Iglesias caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime against Baylor and OU leader in catches (5) and receiving yards (85) in the Holiday Bowl win over Oregon.

Trench Talk
Oklahoma lost four seniors who gobbled up a combined 41 starts last season in the offensive line, but there are returnees who either started or saw extensive action.
Jon Cooper was the starting center for two games and would have continued in that role if not for an injury he incurred in game 10. He did not play in either the regular season finale or bowl game.
Branndon Braxton drew four starts at right tackle.
George “Duke” Robinson saw action in 10 of the 12 games last season.
The Sooners added a pair of junior college transfers during the off-season -- Sherrone Moore (Butler Co. CC, Kan.) and Brandon Walker (Coffeyville CC, Kan.)

About the Defense
Oklahoma has forced at least one turnover in 82 of Bob Stoops' 92 games and has at least one interception in 60 of the last 79. OU has multiple picks in 20 of its last 48 outings.
Opponents completed 50 percent or more of their passes in less than half of their games against Stoops-coached teams -- 443 times in 92 games.
Oklahoma has eight shutouts under its current head coach. During that time period, the opponents failed to score more than seven points 26 times. Foes have scored less than 14 points 48 times against OU in the Stoops era.
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.

End All, Be All
It is possible that Oklahoma has the best collection of defensive ends in the country ...
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 is thought to have huge upside. After redshirting in 2004, he had four tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery before injuring a knee in the 2005 opener vs, TCU. He missed the rest of the season.
Alonzo Dotson is the nephew of former Baylor and Green Bay Packers great Santana Dotson. He sat out last season but will see playing time in 2006.
Alan Davis was pressed into action last season and notched sacks vs. Tulsa and Nebraska

Rip and Run
Last year, Oklahoma returned its 13 interceptions for 220 yards, an average of 16.9 yards per return. Three of the 13 went for touchdowns. The return average was the third-highest in the Stoops era. The 2003 team set the standard with a 21.5-yard average on 24 picks.

Among the Nation's Best
Oklahoma's 2005 defense ranked No. 13 in total yards. 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 team was 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 against the rush under Stoops. The best outing came against Kansas when the Jayhawks got just 11 yards. Oklahoma State got 13, Nebraska 16 and Kansas State 22.

Point(s) Well Taken
In the five years before Bob Stoops arrived, Oklahoma gave up an average of 27.08 points per game. Over the last five seasons, the Sooners have surrendered on average just 16.06.

About the Special Teams
Oklahoma's special teams under Bob Stoops ...
There have been 22 special teams touchdowns, including 15 in the last 47 regular season games. Those 15 came via five different kinds of plays -- nine punt returns, two faked field goals, 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's watch (since 1999).
The Sooners have blocked 18 kicks.
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 -- 40 returns of 25 yards or more with five touchdowns.
Punt Returns -- 41 returns of 15 or more yards with 13 touchdowns.
Interceptions Returns -- 52 returns of 10 or more yards with 14 touchdowns.
Fumble Returns -- Three returns of 15 or more yards with three touchdowns.
Last season, the Sooners took back three of interceptions for touchdowns -- a 48-yarder by LB Clint Ingram vs. Tulsa, a 65-yarder by CB D.J. Wolfe vs. Kansas and a 63-yarder by CB Chijioke Onyenegecha vs. Nebraska.
In the opener of the 2006 season (UAB), Oklahoma averaged 28.5 yards on kickoff returns with three that exceeded 30 yards. The Sooners averaged 11.2 on punt returns with two that exceeded 15 yards.

The Long and Short of the Punting Game
Michael Cohen is handling the long punts for OU and Mike Knall the short. Both played in their first OU game last weekend. Cohen averaged 40.7 yards on three punts, while Knall got off one for 38 yards that went for a touchback.

McEachern Gets a Grip
Back-up QB Hays McEachern, whose father played QB at Texas and whose mother was a cheerleader for the Longhorns, is the holder for placements. He took over that role for the 2005 finale (Holiday Bowl) and held it through the spring and preseason. Believe it or not, McEachern is the first quarterback to serve in the holder's capacity since Patrick Fletcher in 2000.

Crimson Snapper
Oklahoma lost Jacob Rice to graduation. He was the long snapper for all 52 games of his Sooner career. Derek Shaw has taken over the duties. The true freshman was perfect in seven snaps during the opener.

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) ...
In this year's opener, Hartley made his only field goal attempt, a 30-yarder, and all three PATs. He averaged 64.0 yards on five kickoffs with two touchbacks.
Last season, Hartley had 67 kickoffs (including squibs) with 33 touchbacks for an average of 58.5 yards per kick. He had five touchbacks vs. Kansas State, three against Texas (on four kicks) and Texas A&M.
His 52-yard FG at Texas last year was the longest ever by a Sooner against the Longhorns. It also was his career best. He made 50-yarders against Nebraska and TCU.
Hartley made all three field goal attempts against Baylor, including a 39-yarder at the end of the first overtime to force the decisive second extra period when OU got the win.
Last season, Hartley made 14-of-22 field goals and 37-of-38 PATs.

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 the observers and experts of the game to define Stoops' impact. Rarely have the pundits had it so easy.

Under Stoops, Oklahoma has won 76 games (76-16), spent 69 consecutive weeks in the national rankings, played in seven bowl games, four of the BCS variety, and captured three Big 12 crowns. His 2000 team won the national championship. On a playing field leveled by scholarship limits and parity, this era stares down the Oklahoma standard and does not blink.

The achievement 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 mentioned 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, three 1,000-yard rushers, suffocating defense and special teams units that rank among the most dynamic in the land. Every facet has been impacted.

His players have snagged 16 national awards, including the 2003 Heisman Trophy won by Jason White. There have been 54 academic honorees, 47 All-Big 12 players, 21 All-Americans and 29 NFL draft choices.

Stoops has won a total of 10 national coach of the year awards and has been Big 12 Coach of the year in three of his six campaigns in Norman.

This is one of the finest coaches in the history of one of college football's most storied traditions.

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.

Stoops, who was born Sept. 9, 1960, in Youngstown, Ohio, graduated from Iowa in 1983 with a degree in marketing. He and his wife, Carol, have three children: daughter, Mackenzie, and twin sons, Drake and Isaac.

Individual Player Notes
DE C.J. Ah You: Consensus Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and Defensive MVP of the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl last season ... seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss last season ...
his family prepared a Hawaiian BBQ following the spring game.

LB Rufus Alexander: Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year ... led OU with 10 tackles vs. UAB.

LB Lewis Baker: Started seven games at SS in 05, then moved back to LB in the spring.

DT Cory Bennett: Started the UAB game and logged a career-high six tackles.

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 ... started the UAB game.

OT Branndon Braxton: The starter at right tackle, he started three games at that position last year ... from the same hometown as Bob Stoops -- Youngstown, Ohio.

DB Jason Carter: Played extensively in 05 as a nickel back ... could see time in that role again.

WR Quentin Chaney: Had two receptions for 26 yards while playing in six games last season.

FB Matt Clapp: OU opened in double TEs for the opener, but Clapp got most of the reps at FB.

SS Keenan Clayton: First career start in the season opener against UAB.

DT Steven Coleman: Stellar off-season vaulted him well into the four-man rotation.

C Jon Cooper: Missed the last two games last season after suffering an injury at Texas Tech ... had won the starting center job before going down.

TE Joe Jon Finley: Has added 41 pounds since coming to OU ... career-high four receptions and one touchdown against UAB.

DT DeMarcus Granger: Two stops in the opener.

RB Jacob Gutierrez: Knee injury suffered in the Holiday Bowl kept him out of spring practice ... rushed for 173 yards against Baylor last season.

QB Joey Halzle: Mid-year transfer who has displayed an accurate throwing touch.

DB Nic Harris: Got two starts at FS last season. Plays as OU's nickel back.

K Garrett Hartley: Made his only FG attempt and booted two touchdbacks vs. UAB.

DB Lendy Holmes: Switched from WR to CB in the spring. Enjoyed a solid preseason and picked off two passes in the final public scrimmage.

WR Eric Huggins: Redshirted last season, but should see time at receiver.

WR Juaquin Iglesias: Averaged 33 yards on kickoff returns against UAB and caught two passes for 10 yards.

WR Manuel Johnson: Caught the longest pass thrown by OU last season, a 55-yarder against Oklahoma State ... missed the opener with an ankle injury

WR Malcolm Kelly: One of the top freshman receivers in the country last season when he led OU in catches, receiving yards and receiving TD ... three grabs in the opener.

P Mike Knall: OU's punter in short field situations.

LB Zach Latimer: Back for a second straight year as the starter at middle linebacker ... ranked No. 2 on the team last season with 84 tackles ... tied for team lead with 10 tackles in the opener.

LB Curtis Lofton: Played sparingly last season as a true frosh, but is bound for more significant playing time in 2006.

QB Hays McEachern: Holder on OU placements.

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.

OL Sherrone Moore: Transferred at mid-year from Butler County (Kan.) CC ... candidate to play at guard.

RB Allen Patrick: Back-up at running back, who is a good receiver and elusive runner ... will likely see action in a kickoff return role ... converted DB.

DT Carl Pendleton: Appears entrenched as one of the starters at defensive tackle.

RB Adrian Peterson: See information listed earlier in the release.

LB Demarrio Pleasant: The starter at strong side linebacker ... made one start last season in which he registered 10 tackles at UCLA.

FB Ian Pleasant: Got several snaps in the opener ... not related to Demarrio Pleasant ... a native Virginian, this HS senior season was canceled after two games due to the DC sniper.

OL George Robinson: Versatile sophomore who could play guard or tackle ... got his first career start in the opener.

CB Reggie Smith: Starting at CB, PR and possibly KR ... started 10 games at SS last season as a true freshman ... averaged 10.1 yards on six punt returns with a long of 27 in the opener.

WR Fred Strong: Made the first three catches of his career in the opener.

DE Calvin Thibodeaux: Led OU with 10 sacks last season after posting just two in his previous three years of work ... received a hardship ruling to play in 2006.

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.

FS Darien Williams: Emerged last season to start the last four games at free safety.

DE John Williams: Back after suffering a season-ending injury in last season's opener.

CB D.J. Wolfe: Had two interceptions last season, including one that he returned 65 yards for a touchdown against Kansas ... recovered a fumble vs. UAB.

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