Completed Event: Football versus Illinois State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 35, to, 3
Final
Football
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vs Illinois State
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
OU vs. Tech in Big 12 Showdown
November 22, 2008 | Football
NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma and Texas Tech meet in a game of huge post-season
consequences when the two collide Saturday night in
Norman.
ABC will broadcast the game to the nation with Brent Musberger calling the action and Kirk Herbstreit providing analysis. Lisa Salters will report from the sideline. ESPN's College Gameday will be on site, just east of the stadium at the John Jacobs Track & Field Complex. The program goes live Saturday morning at 9.
Visit Sooner Gameday Central to view complete information for fans attending the game in Norman plus TV, radio and internet options for fans following the Sooners across the nation.
SoonerSports.com will again bring fans the Sooner Gameday Blog live from Owen Field on Saturday night. The feature provides instantaneous reaction from the field as the game unfolds including observations from our staff, notes from the media relations staff in the press box and fan emails during the game.
• Under Stoops, OU produced its career leader in passing and receiving, while turning out the No. 3 and No. 4 career rushers and the school record holder for single-season rushing, passing and receiving yards.
• Of 81 basic offensive records at OU, 52 have been set under Stoops.
• OU scored at least one TD in every game dating to Nov. 7, 1998.
• OU rushed for 200 yards 39 times under Stoops, 33 in the last five years.
• Also under Stoops, OU has 135 touchdowns of 25+ yards and 270 scoring drives that took less than two minutes.
• OU is the highest scoring program in college football history. In 1,136 games, the Sooners scored 30,233 points, or 26.6 per game. Michigan has 29,525 points in 1,202 games and Nebraska 29,375 in 1,198.
Offense in 2008
• The Sooners have been over 500 yards of total offense seven times, over 600 twice. The best total was 674 yards against Kansas, the most total yardage by an OU team since 829 against Kansas State in 1988.
• Oklahoma set a school record for points scored in a first half with 55 at Kansas State. The 55 points tied the OU record for points in any half. In the modern era (since 1937), the Sooners have scored 50 or more first-half points four times -- twice this season.
• OU ran 97 plays vs. Kansas, the most by the Sooners since 1975.
• OU has 12 scoring drives of 60 seconds or less.
• Oklahoma scored on its first drive in nine games this season with eight touchdowns and one field goal. The one time OU failed to score on its first possession (Kansas), it scored on its second.
• OU scored 35 first-quarter points vs. Nebraska to equal its one-period best vs. Big 12 foes. For the first time in its history, OU has scored 28 or more points three times in a quarter this season (all in the first quarter).
• Four times this season six OU players have scored in the same game.
• Oklahoma had 36 first downs against Kansas, 30 against Cincinnati.
• With 55 points at Washington, 58 at Kansas State and 66 at Texas A&M, Oklahoma has eclipsed 50 on the road three times this season. That has not happened at OU since 1987.
• Two more rushers went over 1,000 yards for their career this season. Chris Brown was the 66th player at OU to do so, DeMarco Murray the 67th.
• OU got 438 total yards against a TCU defense that hasn't surrendered more than 297 to any other foe.
Sam Summation
• Sam Bradford threw for 3,121 yards, 36 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 14 games last season. So far this season, he has 3,086 yards with 38 touchdowns and six picks.
• Missed a total of 90 snaps (OU averages 78.4 per game) and 54:40 minutes of possession time (OU averages 29:39 per game) after OU built big leads. Has twice left game before the fourth quarter began.
• No. 1 nationally with 38 touchdown passes despite ranking No. 15 in pass attempts.
• No. 2 nationally in passing yards despite throwing 133 fewer passes than the national leader.
• No. 2 nationally (No. 1 in FBS) in passing efficiency.
• Ranks No. 4 nationally in total offense despite OU averaging 42.4 rushes and 194.3 rushing yards per game.
• Set OU record for passing yards in a game with 468 vs. Kansas (broke Josh Heupel's 429 vs. Louisville, 1999).
• Has broken NCAA record for TD passes during the frosh/soph seasons with 74. Rex Grossman held it at 55.
• OU quarterbacks have thrown a school-record five TDs in 11 games. Bradford has six of those, four in `08.
• Bradford has an OU record 32 career completions of 40 or more yards. That tops Jason White's 29.
• In `08, he averages one TD pass every 8.7 attempts; one INT every 55.0 attempts (less than one/game).
• Bradford has seven completions that exceeded 50 yards. All seven went for touchdowns.
• He threw two picks each against Cincinnati and Texas. He also threw five TDs in each of those games.
Since Sam
OU has played 24 games since Sam Bradford was named the starting QB, although he missed nearly all of the `07 Texas Tech game due to injury. Here is a look at OU's production in the other 23 games, in which the team has a record of 20-3, a Big 12 title and BCS Bowl appearance ...
• OU averaged 41.4 points per game and eclipsed 50 points 10 times.
• He averaged 3.4 touchdown passes/game, while completing 448-of-639 passes (.701) with 74 TDs and 14 INT.
• Oklahoma averaged 443.5 yards total yards per game.
• He threw for 300+ yards 10 times and 400+ twice in an offense that also averaged 190.4 rushing yards.
• Threw multiple TDs in 20 games with five each vs. Miami (Fla.), Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Washington, Texas and Nebraska.
Senior Receivers Putting Up Big Numbers
• Manuel Johnson had seven touchdown receptions over the TCU, Baylor and Texas games with at least one in each. Malcolm Kelly was the only other OU player to accomplish that feat.
• Juaquin Iglesias has a career total of 3,845 all purpose yards, which ranks No. 9 on the career list at Oklahoma.
• Iglesias has catches in 42 straight games (third-longest in nation, Jarrett Dillard, Rice, 46; Casey Flair, UNLV, 45).
• Iglesias' string of six straight games with a TD catch was snapped vs. Texas. Mark Clayton holds the OU best (8).
• Quentin Chaney has emerged with more than 100 receiving yards twice (105 vs. Kansas, 128 vs. Nebraska).
Gresham, Murray in the "Zone"
• Jermaine Gresham has more TD catches than any tight end in OU history. He has 21, including nine in `08. He also has more this season than any other Big 12 tight end.
• Gresham is striking from longer distance in 2008. Last season, he averaged 13.8 yards per touchdown catch, but that figure has ballooned to 25.0 this season.
• Demarco Murray has career 30 TDs, the most in the first two years of an OU career. Adrian Peterson previously held the mark at 29.
The Line on the Line
This offensive line two-deep averages 6-5 (77.1 inches) and 302.8 pounds. During the Stoops era this is the third-heaviest and third-tallest line. This line (two-deep) has combined for 185 starts, 266 games played.
Good Handles
Oklahoma lost its first fumble of the season in game eight at Kansas State. Chris Brown lost the handle with 5:08 remaining in the fourth quarter on a rushing play. That means the Sooners rushed 341 times before losing a fumble. Including receptions and kickoff, punt, interception and fumble returns, OU handed the ball 571 times before losing a fumble. There have been 856 touches.
Offensive Miscellany
• OU is No. 1 in the nation in Red Zone Scoring at 53-56 with 50 TD.
• Oklahoma's first half scoring average of 35.5 would rank No. 20 nationally for all teams for entire games.
• Sam Bradford is completing 63% of his passes on third down (53-of-84) with 37 first downs and 12 TDs.
• Five different receivers have at least six third-down receptions.
• Oklahoma's 35 TD passes have gone to nine different receivers.
• OU has completed passes to 17 receivers, which ranks No. 4 nationally.
• Matt Clapp's seven rushing attempts rank No. 2 for a FB under Stoops.
• DeMarco Murray, the starter at RB, has 146 carries for 804 yards and 11 TDs. Back-ups Chris Brown and Mossis Madu have a combined 214 tries for 1,094 yards and 15 TDs.
• OU forced at least one turnover in 113 of Bob Stoops' 129 games and has at least one interception in 83 of the last 112; multiple picks in 37 of the last 832 outings.
• Oklahoma has nine shutouts under its current head coach. Opponents scored less than seven points 30 times and less than 14 in 58 games.
No Easy Road for the Defense
Oklahoma has or will play six teams that are currently ranked among the top 20 nationally in total offense. Similarly, OU has or will play six teams that are currently ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring offense.
Defensive Miscellany
• Three of the 31 touchdowns scored against the OU defense were scored inside the last minute of comfortable victories (last play of game by Cincinnati, :58 by Kansas, :21 by Nebraska).
• Over the last two seasons, OU has 61 sacks (2.5/game) while allowing 22 0.9/game). In `08, the ratio is 34:9.
• Over the last four games, Oklahoma's defense has forced 15 turnovers while logging 13 sacks.
• OU ranks No. 10 nationally in third-down defense. Opponents have converted just 39-of-130.
• Oklahoma has 79 tackles for 348 yards in losses compared with just 46 for 141 by the opponents.
Weak Freak
Travis Lewis is having a banner season at weak side linebacker. The redshirt freshman leads the team with 105 tackles (ranks No. 8 nationally with 10.3/game), 19 of which came against Texas when he tied the freshman single-game set by Brian Bosworth in the 1984 Nebraska game.
• Bosworth also has the freshman season tackle record at 133 followed by Lewis, Darrell Reed with 90 and Kevin Murphy with 87. Reed and Murphy were defensive ends.
• Among linebackers, Lewis already has the No. 2 season by tackles for an OU freshman. Bosworth had 133 followed by Lewis then Rocky Calmus with 55, Chris Justice with 47 and then Dante Jones and Lewis with 41. Both Bosworth (twice) and Calmus won the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker.
Sooners Lose Reynolds to Injury
MLB Ryan Reynolds will miss the remainder of the season after incurring a right knee injury against Texas (game six). The junior concluded the campaign with 46 total tackles, five for loss with two pass deflections and one fumble forced. Reynolds was the only player on OU's team that came into the season with a previous Sooner starting assignment at linebacker.
Takeaways a Group Project
Oklahoma ranks No. 5 nationally in turnover margin (+1.33) with eight turnovers and 20 takeaways ...
• Over the last three games, OU has two turnovers against 11 takeaways. The Sooners had a season-high five takeaways at Kansas State then four more against Nebraska.
• Nine different players have forced a fumble.
• Seven players have fumble recoveries, although FS Lendy Holmes has three.
• The 13 INTs thus far have been made by six different players.
More Than Run Stoppers
Defensive ends and blitzers tend to be associated with the sack, but the Sooner interior has played a role in that statistic too. OU's four-man defensive tackle rotation has a combined career total of 21.5 career sacks, and a DT has been credited with a full or have sack in eight games this season.
Oklahoma's special teams under Bob Stoops (since 1999) ...
• There have been 26 special teams touchdowns, including 20 in the last 69 regular season games. Those 20 came via five different kinds of plays -- 11 punt returns, two faked field goals, two blocked punts, four kickoff returns and a faked punt. Special teams also own one safety in that span.
• Oklahoma has returned eight kickoffs and 15 punts for touchdowns.
• The Sooners have blocked 21 kicks.
Many Happy Returns
Information on returns during the Stoops era ...
• Kickoff Returns --86 returns of 25 yards or more with eight touchdowns.
• Punt Returns -- 52 returns of 15 or more yards with 15 touchdowns.
• Interception Returns -- 73 returns of 10 or more yards with 21 touchdowns.
• Fumble Returns -- five returns of 15 or more yards with six touchdowns.
The Season's Returns Are Good
• Oklahoma ranks No. 7 nationally at 25.85 per kickoff return. That figure leads the Big 12. The Sooners led the nation in kickoff returns last season.
• DeMarco Murray ranks No. 18 nationally at 27.40 yards per return. He had 119 kickoff return yards against Nebraska for the fifth-best one-game total in school history. He accomplished that feat on just two returns (one of 62 yards and another of 57).
• Ryan Broyles ranks No. 22 nationally in punt returns average at 12.17 yards and one touchdown, a 68-yarder at Kansas State.
Knall Emerges at Punter
Mike Knall won the starting job in the 10th game (vs. Baylor) of the 2007 season and held it for the remainder of the campaign. Prior to that time he had been used mostly in short-yardage situations as the pooch punter ...
• True to his pooch-punting past, Knall has put 14 of his 45 kicks this season inside the 20. He has only four touchbacks this season. For his career, 23 of 77 boots have been downed inside the 20.
• Knall got off his third 50-yard kick of the season last Saturday against Nebraska when he booted a 51-yarder.
The Kicking Game
Redshirt freshman Jimmy Stevens is the placekicker. He is the first freshman to tackle that chore since Garrett Hartley did so in the Baylor game of 2004 (Nov. 20). Stevens has been called upon for only four field goals this season. He is 2-of-4 with one that was partially blocked and a 47-yarder that missed wide. The record for fewest field goals in a season at Oklahoma is zero on multiple occasions, most recently in 1962. There have been 10 seasons with single digit attempts, most recently eight in 1988.
• Kicker Matthew Moreland, who handles kickoffs only, has 13 touchbacks in 87 attempts. Six of those touchbacks came in the last four games, including a season-high-equaling three against Kansas. He has at least one touchback in five of the last six games.
Hold It
WR Carter Whitson, a walk-on, is the team's holder for placements this season. The sophomore played most of his high school career at Shawnee, Okla., before spending his senior season at Broken Arrow High School. He was a quarterback during his prep days. Whitson was the holder at Shawnee during his sophomore season.
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.
Stoops, who is widely known for countless hours of charitable work, most of which is directed towards children, 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.
Head Coach Bob Stoops | OU Coaching Staff
LB Jeremy Beal: Ten tackles against Cincinnati ... two sacks at Texas A&M
ABC will broadcast the game to the nation with Brent Musberger calling the action and Kirk Herbstreit providing analysis. Lisa Salters will report from the sideline. ESPN's College Gameday will be on site, just east of the stadium at the John Jacobs Track & Field Complex. The program goes live Saturday morning at 9.
Visit Sooner Gameday Central to view complete information for fans attending the game in Norman plus TV, radio and internet options for fans following the Sooners across the nation.
SoonerSports.com will again bring fans the Sooner Gameday Blog live from Owen Field on Saturday night. The feature provides instantaneous reaction from the field as the game unfolds including observations from our staff, notes from the media relations staff in the press box and fan emails during the game.
 OU & Big
12 Game Notes (PDF) | OU
Depth Chart | 2008
OU Football Guide |  Video
Library
|
The Series
Oklahoma leads it 11-4 including a 6-1 advantage in
Norman. Last season at Lubbock Sam Bradford went out
early with a concussion and Tech prevailed, 34-27.
OU won the 2006 meeting in Norman by a 34-24 count
.
The Coaches
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa `83) is 106-23 in
his 10th season with the Sooners. He is 70-14 vs. the
Big 12, 37-10 vs. the Big 12 South, 31-4 vs. the Big
12 North, 5-1 in the Big 12 title game, 36-9 vs. non-conference
opponents, 60-2 at home, 31-11 on the road, 16-10 on
neutral fields, 30-12 vs. ranked opponents, 4-5 in
bowls, 3-4 in January Bowls and 2-4 in BCS games. He
is 6-3 against Texas Tech.
Texas Tech: Mike Leach (BYU `83) is 75-37 in
his ninth season with the Red Raiders.
The Program
• Oklahoma's all-time
record stands at 788-296-53.
• The Sooners own seven
national championships (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975,
1985, 2000).
• OU
has 41 bowl appearances (No. 7 nationally) with 24
victories (No. 4 nationally).
• Oklahoma has won 41 conference titles.
• Since
WWII, Oklahoma is the most successful college football
program with 552 victories.
• Some 144 All-Americans
and four Heisman Trophy winners have come from the
Oklahoma program.
• OU leads the nation in 10-win seasons with 30 overall.
• Oklahoma's best decade for total victories
came in the 1970s when the Sooners were 102-13-3
(.877). In the 2000s, OU is 99-18-0 (.845).
• Oklahoma
Football History & Tradition
Ties With This Week's Opponent
• Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach was Oklahoma's
Offensive Coordinator in 1999, Bob Stoops's first
season with the Sooners. Leach's quarterback
on that team was Josh Heupel, who now coaches the QB's
at OU.
• Tech RB coach Seth Littrell was a four-year lettermen
at OU culminating with the 2000 season when he captained
the Sooners to the national title.
• Charlie Sadler, the defensive ends coach for the
Red Raiders, was an assistant at Oklahoma three times
-- 1978,1984-88 and again from 1989-90.
More on this Series
• Texas Tech jumped to 27-10 lead last season before
Oklahoma's rally fell short in a 34-27 loss at
Lubbock. Sam Bradford was injured on the Sooners' first
possession and left after attempting just three passes.
His replacement, Joey Halzle, started slowly, but then
threw for 291 yards, including 230 in the fourth quarter,
the most ever by a Sooner in the final frame.
• Tech's last and only win in Norman came in
1996 by a 22-12 score. The Sooners have reeled off
five in a row over the Red Raiders on Owen Field.
The Sooners Against Higher Ranked Foes
Oklahoma's
own lofty rankings have kept the Sooners from playing
higher-ranked foes in home games very often ...
• Eighteen times a higher ranked team played Oklahoma
in Norman. The Sooners are 9-9 in those games, 7-4
when both teams are ranked.
• The only other No. 5 Oklahoma team vs. a No. 2-ranked
opponent game in Norman took place in 1985 when the
Sooners defeated Nebraska, 27-7.
Oklahoma's Most Recent Game | Oklahoma
66, Texas A&M 28
Blog | 
Pics | Video
Oklahoma rolled over Texas A&M at College Station
on Nov. 8, 66-28 ...
• The Sooners logged the highest scoring total ever
by an opponent at Kyle Field. The previous best was
57 by Texas in 1957.
• Oklahoma rushed for a season-high 328 yards and was
just three yards from perfect balance with another
325 through the air. Both DeMarco Murray (123 yards)
and Chris Brown (117) were over 100 rushing yards in
the same game for a third time this season.
• Sam Bradford was 22-of-33 for 320 yards with four
TDs -- to four different receivers -- and no interceptions.
• The Sooner defense picked off two passes and recovered
two fumbles, one of which was returned 39 yards for
a touchdown by Dominique Franks. The Aggies mustered
just 26 rushing yards on 29 attempts while completing
only 22-of-51 passes.
Washington Victory No. 100 for Coach Stoops
Oklahoma's 55-14 victory at Washington on Sept.
13, represented an historic milestone of 100 victories
for Sooner head coach Bob Stoops ...
• Stoops became the eighth-fastest coach to 100
victories in NCAA history by doing so in 122 games,
the same number it took for former OU head coach Barry
Switzer to hit the mark. Another OU great, Bud Wilkinson,
picked up his 100th victory in game 111. He is No.
3 on the list.
• Oklahoma is the only school in NCAA history
to produce four, 100-win coaches. The others are Bennie
Owen (122-54-165 from 1905-26), Wilkinson (145-29-4
from 1947-63) and Switzer (157-29-4 from 1973-88).
• Stoops is only the second coach in NCAA history,
and the first in the modern era, to win 100 games in
his first 10 seasons. His victory total, regardless
of what it is at season's end, will rank No.
2 in NCAA history for 10 seasons. Penn's George
Woodruff holds the mark at 124 wins. His 10th season
was 1901. Switzer is third on that list at 98.
• Stoops is one of three coaches with an average
of 10 victories per season with at least 10 seasons
of coaching. The others were Tom Osborne (255 in 25
seasons at Nebraska) and George Woodruff (142 in 12
seasons, mostly at Penn).
• Stoops' teams are 102-22 with one national
title and five league crowns in 10 seasons (9+). In
the 10 years before he arrived in Norman, the OU football
fortunes had taken a rare dip. The program was 61-50-3
with no championships and only three bowl trips.
Sooner Seniors
The 19 seniors who will be participating in their final
home game: DT Cory Bennett, DB Brett Bowers, OL
Branndon Braxton, DB Cortney Carter, WR Quentin Chaney,
C Jon Cooper, DE Alan Davis, RB Derek Gove, QB Joey
Halzle, S Nic Harris, S Lendy Holmes, WR Juaquin Iglesias,
C Kyle Johnson, WR Manuel Johnson, P Mike Knall, OT
Phil Loadholt, OG Duke Robinson, TE
Kolby Smith, OG Brandon Walker.
• Over the last four seasons during which most of this
group played the Sooners are 39-11 overall, 24-8 in
the Big 12 with two Big 12 titles and three bowl appearances.
This group of four-year players lost its first home
game but has since reeled off 23 straight.
The Sooners Briefly
• OU was No. 4 in both of preseason polls. It marked
the 10th straight season that was ranked in the first
AP poll.
• Oklahoma was tabbed for a first-place finish in the
Big 12's South Division in a preseason polling
of league media. Defensive end Auston English was named
the league's preseason defensive player of the year.
• Last season, Oklahoma was 11-3 overall, 6-2 in the
Big 12. The Sooners won their fifth Big 12 crown (second
straight) and 41st league title overall before advancing
to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
• Three players from the `07 team left early
for the NFL: WR Malcolm Kelly (Redskins), LB Curtis
Lofton (Falcons) and DB Reggie Smith (49ers).
Oklahoma and the Big 12
• Oklahoma's all-time Big 12 regular season record
is 71-29, 76-30 if counting title games. Stoops is
63-13 in the regular season, 68-14 counting all. Before
he arrived, OU's Big 12 mark was 8-16.
• Oklahoma has won five Big 12 titles. That's
more than double any other league member. Texas and
Nebraska both have two. No other school has more than
one.
Marquee Matchups Await OU on Future Schedules | Future
Schedules
Non-conference games on future schedules include at
Miami (Fla.) in 2009, at Florida State (2011), Notre
Dame (2012), at Notre Dame (2013), Tennessee (2014),
at Tennessee (2015), Ohio State (2016), at Ohio State
(2017) and LSU in 2018 and 2019. Under Stoops, Oklahoma
already played Louisville, Notre Dame, North Carolina,
Alabama (twice), UCLA (twice), Oregon (twice), Washington
(twice), South Florida and Miami (Fla.) in regular
season contests.
New Video Board in Debut Season
• The board measures 113.5 feet wide by 32.5 feet
tall (3,689 square feet). The previous video board
space on the south end board was 36X21 (756 square
feet). It is thought that the new board is the fourth-largest
in the nation.
• The board is 16mm High Definition.
• Cost of the new board was $4.5 million.
• The project included a new sound system, the
extension of the ribbon boards on the upper decks and
a new Sooner Vision high definition control room, which
carried a price tag of $2 million.
Stoops Era Yielding Record Attendance
Oklahoma has drawn 4,838,595 fans for Bob Stops' 61
home games (started in 1999) ...
• All 61 have been sold out and the Sooners have
prevailed 57 times.
• Last year's average home attendance of
84,858 was the largest in school history. The top eight
seasons for OU home attendance have come on Stoops' watch.
• The crowd of 85,357 for the `07 Miami
game was the largest to see a sporting event in the
state of Oklahoma.
• OU has exceeded its listed capacity of 82,112
in 34 consecutive games.
• Oklahoma has played before sellout crowds in
106 of Stoops' 129 games. A total of 9,453,103,
or an average of 73,279, has seen those games.
• Oklahoma
Sets Attendance Records at Memorial Stadium
Home Field Honchos
Bob Stoops' teams are 59-2 at Gaylord Family
- Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and have won their last
23 in a row there (longest current home field winning
streak in the nation), and 43 of their last 44. The
current streak is the longest under Stoops, who has
twice coached the Sooners to 19 straight wins at home,
and is tied for second-longest in school history. The
top mark at Oklahoma was 25, a string that ended in
1953. A streak of 21 ended in 1975 and another of 20
ended in 1957.
 |
About the Offense |
• Under Stoops, OU produced its career leader in passing and receiving, while turning out the No. 3 and No. 4 career rushers and the school record holder for single-season rushing, passing and receiving yards.
• Of 81 basic offensive records at OU, 52 have been set under Stoops.
• OU scored at least one TD in every game dating to Nov. 7, 1998.
• OU rushed for 200 yards 39 times under Stoops, 33 in the last five years.
• Also under Stoops, OU has 135 touchdowns of 25+ yards and 270 scoring drives that took less than two minutes.
• OU is the highest scoring program in college football history. In 1,136 games, the Sooners scored 30,233 points, or 26.6 per game. Michigan has 29,525 points in 1,202 games and Nebraska 29,375 in 1,198.
Offense in 2008
• The Sooners have been over 500 yards of total offense seven times, over 600 twice. The best total was 674 yards against Kansas, the most total yardage by an OU team since 829 against Kansas State in 1988.
• Oklahoma set a school record for points scored in a first half with 55 at Kansas State. The 55 points tied the OU record for points in any half. In the modern era (since 1937), the Sooners have scored 50 or more first-half points four times -- twice this season.
• OU ran 97 plays vs. Kansas, the most by the Sooners since 1975.
• OU has 12 scoring drives of 60 seconds or less.
• Oklahoma scored on its first drive in nine games this season with eight touchdowns and one field goal. The one time OU failed to score on its first possession (Kansas), it scored on its second.
• OU scored 35 first-quarter points vs. Nebraska to equal its one-period best vs. Big 12 foes. For the first time in its history, OU has scored 28 or more points three times in a quarter this season (all in the first quarter).
• Four times this season six OU players have scored in the same game.
• Oklahoma had 36 first downs against Kansas, 30 against Cincinnati.
• With 55 points at Washington, 58 at Kansas State and 66 at Texas A&M, Oklahoma has eclipsed 50 on the road three times this season. That has not happened at OU since 1987.
• Two more rushers went over 1,000 yards for their career this season. Chris Brown was the 66th player at OU to do so, DeMarco Murray the 67th.
• OU got 438 total yards against a TCU defense that hasn't surrendered more than 297 to any other foe.
Sam Summation
• Sam Bradford threw for 3,121 yards, 36 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 14 games last season. So far this season, he has 3,086 yards with 38 touchdowns and six picks.
• Missed a total of 90 snaps (OU averages 78.4 per game) and 54:40 minutes of possession time (OU averages 29:39 per game) after OU built big leads. Has twice left game before the fourth quarter began.
• No. 1 nationally with 38 touchdown passes despite ranking No. 15 in pass attempts.
• No. 2 nationally in passing yards despite throwing 133 fewer passes than the national leader.
• No. 2 nationally (No. 1 in FBS) in passing efficiency.
• Ranks No. 4 nationally in total offense despite OU averaging 42.4 rushes and 194.3 rushing yards per game.
• Set OU record for passing yards in a game with 468 vs. Kansas (broke Josh Heupel's 429 vs. Louisville, 1999).
• Has broken NCAA record for TD passes during the frosh/soph seasons with 74. Rex Grossman held it at 55.
• OU quarterbacks have thrown a school-record five TDs in 11 games. Bradford has six of those, four in `08.
• Bradford has an OU record 32 career completions of 40 or more yards. That tops Jason White's 29.
• In `08, he averages one TD pass every 8.7 attempts; one INT every 55.0 attempts (less than one/game).
• Bradford has seven completions that exceeded 50 yards. All seven went for touchdowns.
• He threw two picks each against Cincinnati and Texas. He also threw five TDs in each of those games.
Since Sam
OU has played 24 games since Sam Bradford was named the starting QB, although he missed nearly all of the `07 Texas Tech game due to injury. Here is a look at OU's production in the other 23 games, in which the team has a record of 20-3, a Big 12 title and BCS Bowl appearance ...
• OU averaged 41.4 points per game and eclipsed 50 points 10 times.
• He averaged 3.4 touchdown passes/game, while completing 448-of-639 passes (.701) with 74 TDs and 14 INT.
• Oklahoma averaged 443.5 yards total yards per game.
• He threw for 300+ yards 10 times and 400+ twice in an offense that also averaged 190.4 rushing yards.
• Threw multiple TDs in 20 games with five each vs. Miami (Fla.), Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Washington, Texas and Nebraska.
Senior Receivers Putting Up Big Numbers
• Manuel Johnson had seven touchdown receptions over the TCU, Baylor and Texas games with at least one in each. Malcolm Kelly was the only other OU player to accomplish that feat.
• Juaquin Iglesias has a career total of 3,845 all purpose yards, which ranks No. 9 on the career list at Oklahoma.
• Iglesias has catches in 42 straight games (third-longest in nation, Jarrett Dillard, Rice, 46; Casey Flair, UNLV, 45).
• Iglesias' string of six straight games with a TD catch was snapped vs. Texas. Mark Clayton holds the OU best (8).
• Quentin Chaney has emerged with more than 100 receiving yards twice (105 vs. Kansas, 128 vs. Nebraska).
Gresham, Murray in the "Zone"
• Jermaine Gresham has more TD catches than any tight end in OU history. He has 21, including nine in `08. He also has more this season than any other Big 12 tight end.
• Gresham is striking from longer distance in 2008. Last season, he averaged 13.8 yards per touchdown catch, but that figure has ballooned to 25.0 this season.
• Demarco Murray has career 30 TDs, the most in the first two years of an OU career. Adrian Peterson previously held the mark at 29.
The Line on the Line
This offensive line two-deep averages 6-5 (77.1 inches) and 302.8 pounds. During the Stoops era this is the third-heaviest and third-tallest line. This line (two-deep) has combined for 185 starts, 266 games played.
Good Handles
Oklahoma lost its first fumble of the season in game eight at Kansas State. Chris Brown lost the handle with 5:08 remaining in the fourth quarter on a rushing play. That means the Sooners rushed 341 times before losing a fumble. Including receptions and kickoff, punt, interception and fumble returns, OU handed the ball 571 times before losing a fumble. There have been 856 touches.
Offensive Miscellany
• OU is No. 1 in the nation in Red Zone Scoring at 53-56 with 50 TD.
• Oklahoma's first half scoring average of 35.5 would rank No. 20 nationally for all teams for entire games.
• Sam Bradford is completing 63% of his passes on third down (53-of-84) with 37 first downs and 12 TDs.
• Five different receivers have at least six third-down receptions.
• Oklahoma's 35 TD passes have gone to nine different receivers.
• OU has completed passes to 17 receivers, which ranks No. 4 nationally.
• Matt Clapp's seven rushing attempts rank No. 2 for a FB under Stoops.
• DeMarco Murray, the starter at RB, has 146 carries for 804 yards and 11 TDs. Back-ups Chris Brown and Mossis Madu have a combined 214 tries for 1,094 yards and 15 TDs.
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About the Defense |
• OU forced at least one turnover in 113 of Bob Stoops' 129 games and has at least one interception in 83 of the last 112; multiple picks in 37 of the last 832 outings.
• Oklahoma has nine shutouts under its current head coach. Opponents scored less than seven points 30 times and less than 14 in 58 games.
No Easy Road for the Defense
Oklahoma has or will play six teams that are currently ranked among the top 20 nationally in total offense. Similarly, OU has or will play six teams that are currently ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring offense.
Defensive Miscellany
• Three of the 31 touchdowns scored against the OU defense were scored inside the last minute of comfortable victories (last play of game by Cincinnati, :58 by Kansas, :21 by Nebraska).
• Over the last two seasons, OU has 61 sacks (2.5/game) while allowing 22 0.9/game). In `08, the ratio is 34:9.
• Over the last four games, Oklahoma's defense has forced 15 turnovers while logging 13 sacks.
• OU ranks No. 10 nationally in third-down defense. Opponents have converted just 39-of-130.
• Oklahoma has 79 tackles for 348 yards in losses compared with just 46 for 141 by the opponents.
Weak Freak
Travis Lewis is having a banner season at weak side linebacker. The redshirt freshman leads the team with 105 tackles (ranks No. 8 nationally with 10.3/game), 19 of which came against Texas when he tied the freshman single-game set by Brian Bosworth in the 1984 Nebraska game.
• Bosworth also has the freshman season tackle record at 133 followed by Lewis, Darrell Reed with 90 and Kevin Murphy with 87. Reed and Murphy were defensive ends.
• Among linebackers, Lewis already has the No. 2 season by tackles for an OU freshman. Bosworth had 133 followed by Lewis then Rocky Calmus with 55, Chris Justice with 47 and then Dante Jones and Lewis with 41. Both Bosworth (twice) and Calmus won the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker.
Sooners Lose Reynolds to Injury
MLB Ryan Reynolds will miss the remainder of the season after incurring a right knee injury against Texas (game six). The junior concluded the campaign with 46 total tackles, five for loss with two pass deflections and one fumble forced. Reynolds was the only player on OU's team that came into the season with a previous Sooner starting assignment at linebacker.
Takeaways a Group Project
Oklahoma ranks No. 5 nationally in turnover margin (+1.33) with eight turnovers and 20 takeaways ...
• Over the last three games, OU has two turnovers against 11 takeaways. The Sooners had a season-high five takeaways at Kansas State then four more against Nebraska.
• Nine different players have forced a fumble.
• Seven players have fumble recoveries, although FS Lendy Holmes has three.
• The 13 INTs thus far have been made by six different players.
More Than Run Stoppers
Defensive ends and blitzers tend to be associated with the sack, but the Sooner interior has played a role in that statistic too. OU's four-man defensive tackle rotation has a combined career total of 21.5 career sacks, and a DT has been credited with a full or have sack in eight games this season.
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About the Special Teams |
Oklahoma's special teams under Bob Stoops (since 1999) ...
• There have been 26 special teams touchdowns, including 20 in the last 69 regular season games. Those 20 came via five different kinds of plays -- 11 punt returns, two faked field goals, two blocked punts, four kickoff returns and a faked punt. Special teams also own one safety in that span.
• Oklahoma has returned eight kickoffs and 15 punts for touchdowns.
• The Sooners have blocked 21 kicks.
Many Happy Returns
Information on returns during the Stoops era ...
• Kickoff Returns --86 returns of 25 yards or more with eight touchdowns.
• Punt Returns -- 52 returns of 15 or more yards with 15 touchdowns.
• Interception Returns -- 73 returns of 10 or more yards with 21 touchdowns.
• Fumble Returns -- five returns of 15 or more yards with six touchdowns.
The Season's Returns Are Good
• Oklahoma ranks No. 7 nationally at 25.85 per kickoff return. That figure leads the Big 12. The Sooners led the nation in kickoff returns last season.
• DeMarco Murray ranks No. 18 nationally at 27.40 yards per return. He had 119 kickoff return yards against Nebraska for the fifth-best one-game total in school history. He accomplished that feat on just two returns (one of 62 yards and another of 57).
• Ryan Broyles ranks No. 22 nationally in punt returns average at 12.17 yards and one touchdown, a 68-yarder at Kansas State.
Knall Emerges at Punter
Mike Knall won the starting job in the 10th game (vs. Baylor) of the 2007 season and held it for the remainder of the campaign. Prior to that time he had been used mostly in short-yardage situations as the pooch punter ...
• True to his pooch-punting past, Knall has put 14 of his 45 kicks this season inside the 20. He has only four touchbacks this season. For his career, 23 of 77 boots have been downed inside the 20.
• Knall got off his third 50-yard kick of the season last Saturday against Nebraska when he booted a 51-yarder.
The Kicking Game
Redshirt freshman Jimmy Stevens is the placekicker. He is the first freshman to tackle that chore since Garrett Hartley did so in the Baylor game of 2004 (Nov. 20). Stevens has been called upon for only four field goals this season. He is 2-of-4 with one that was partially blocked and a 47-yarder that missed wide. The record for fewest field goals in a season at Oklahoma is zero on multiple occasions, most recently in 1962. There have been 10 seasons with single digit attempts, most recently eight in 1988.
• Kicker Matthew Moreland, who handles kickoffs only, has 13 touchbacks in 87 attempts. Six of those touchbacks came in the last four games, including a season-high-equaling three against Kansas. He has at least one touchback in five of the last six games.
Hold It
WR Carter Whitson, a walk-on, is the team's holder for placements this season. The sophomore played most of his high school career at Shawnee, Okla., before spending his senior season at Broken Arrow High School. He was a quarterback during his prep days. Whitson was the holder at Shawnee during his sophomore season.
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Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops |
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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 106 games (106-23), nine bowl games, six of the BCS variety, had one string of 88 consecutive appearances in the AP poll and captured five Big 12 crowns (the next highest total in the league is two). 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, born Sept. 9, 1960, 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 record-setting passers and receivers, five 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 more than 60 academic honorees, 62 All-Big 12 players, 24 All-Americans and 36 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 three times.
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) during Bill Snyder's rein.
With the Wildcats, he played a key role in an 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 is widely known for countless hours of charitable work, most of which is directed towards children, 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.
Head Coach Bob Stoops | OU Coaching Staff
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Quick Notes on the Sooners |
LB Jeremy Beal: Ten tackles against Cincinnati ... two sacks at Texas A&M
DT Cory Bennett: Leads DTs in games played with 48 ... sacks vs. Washington and TCU.
OT Branndon Braxton: Missed Baylor, Texas games with an injury.
RB Chris Brown: Three TDs vs. UTC and A&M ... nearly one-third (31%) of his career rushes have resulted in a TD or first down -- 315 carries with 75 first downs, 20 TDs ... season high 142 yards at KSU .
WR Ryan Broyles: Seven grabs for 141 yards and one TD in his debut against Cincy ... two TDs at Washington ... 68-yard punt return for TD at Kansas State ... 40-yard punt return vs. A&M and 91 receiving yards vs. The Aggies.
WR Quentin Chaney: Six grabs for 105 yards against Kansas ... five catches for 128 yards and a 48-yard TD vs. Nebraska.
FB Matt Clapp: Has seven rushes and seven receptions this season ... 25-yard TD reception vs. A&M.
LB Keenan Clayton: Career-high 14 stops at Baylor ... three PBU vs. Kansas ... five FF this season is an OU record ... INT at A&M.
C Jon Cooper: His 39 career starts lead the team ... tied for team lead in overall grade (85%) and run grade (79%) while leading the team in pass grade (93%), total knockdowns (100) and plays (647) ... played 95 of 97 snaps vs. Kansas.
TE Brody Eldridge: Missed three of the last four games with an ankle injury.
DE Auston English: Had 4.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks in opener ... two sacks vs. Kansas ... sprained knee vs. Neb. ... missed A&M game.
CB Dominique Franks: Interceptions vs. Cincy, Kansas, Nebraska (18-yd. TD) ... 39-yard fumble return for TD at A&M.
DT DeMarcus Granger: Injured left foot at Washington and missed next two games ... recovered a fumble at KSU.
TE Jermaine Gresham: Five of his nine his touchdown reception covered at least 22 yards ... has TD grab in four of last five.
QB Joey Halzle: Hit 21-of-41 for 291 yards in a back-up role at Texas Tech last season, 14-of-16 in `08 opener.
DB Nic Harris: Made first career start at middle linebacker vs. Kansas ... has 33 career starts at safety.
DB Lendy Holmes: INT vs. Cincy ... two FR vs. TCU ... two picks against Kansas.
CB Brian Jackson: Forced one fumble and recovered two at Washington ... leads the team with eight pass deflections.
WR Manuel Johnson: Missed most of Kansas game and all of Kansas State game with an elbow injury ... played sparingly against Nebraska.
P Mike Knall: Has 14 punts inside the 20 so far in 2008.
OT Phil Loadholt: Down 13 pounds from last season ... tied for team lead in overall grade (85%) and run grade (79%) ... had the best one-game grade on the team this season with 90% against Cincinnati ... 93% or higher pass grade in three straight.
LB Travis Lewis: Team's leading tackler with 105 ... 19 tackles vs. Texas ... 15 tackles and two INT at Kansas State.
RB Mossis Madu: Scored two touchdowns at Washington.
DT Gerald McCoy: Named to Allstate AFCA Good Works Team ... four sacks over the last three games.
RB DeMarco Murray: OU's leading rusher has been over 100 yards four times in `08 ... scored seven touchdowns -- three rushing and four receiving over the last two games ... career-high seven receptions at A&M.
OG Duke Robinson: Graded over 80% five times with a high of 84% against Kansas ... season-high 10 knockdowns and 72 plays against the Jayhawks.
DT Adrian Taylor: Career-high five tackles and two sacks against TCU.
OG Brandon Walker: Had the highest overall grade of all OU offensive lineman last season (80%) ... at 80% again this year ... 16 knockdowns at Kansas State, 83 for the season (No. 2 on the team).
OT Trent Williams: Starter at right tackle since starting the opener at left tackle ... coming off best grade of season with 89% against Nebraska ... 16 knockdowns at Kansas State.
Oklahoma Press Conference - 9/9/25
Tuesday, September 09
Sooner Sports Talk - 9/8/25
Monday, September 08
Sooner Football With Brent Venables - 9/7/25
Sunday, September 07
FB Highlights: OU 24, Michigan 13
Saturday, September 06
