The Hurry-Up: Volume 4

NORMAN – The Sooners wrapped up preseason camp with a scrimmage last Friday and began classes for the fall semester on Monday. The fourth edition of The Hurry-Up features redshirt senior punter Michael Turk, redshirt senior defensive lineman Jordan Kelley, redshirt junior offensive lineman McKade Mettauer and redshirt sophomore wide receiver J.J. Hester.

Redshirt Senior P Michael Turk
What was your perspective on this fall camp?
"Overall, I thought camp was great for the team under Coach Venables. Everyone was passionate. And that's a big thing this year. Everyone was passionate and diligent. For me personally, I felt I had a good camp. Just focused on the little things, refining my technique, staying consistent and thank the Lord I stayed healthy. Excited now for the season."

What did you work to improve in the offseason?
"Consistency really was the goal. Staying within myself and only hitting A and B balls. Focusing on hang time and direction, knowing that's a big thing in the NFL. That's been the focus. Matching the distance of hangs and being consistent. When I say, 'A and B balls' I mean I'm at least half-turning the ball to where it's a recoverable ball for our coverage team and putting the defense in a good position."

How many punting reps did you take over the summer?
"I punted a lot this summer. I'm really big on recovery and nutrition, so that allows me to hit a lot of punts and practice everything I need to. I practiced around five days-a-week and each time I went out I hit around 100 balls, so that's around 500 per week. So however many weeks were in the summer, times 500. Maybe around 5,000 punts? Somewhere in there."

How excited are you for the season to start?
"So excited, honestly. Not just saying that either, this is been the most excited I've been for a season throughout college. I feel blessed to be here. Grateful to my coaches and this team. Lord-willing, it's a great season and we go all way, but I'm excited that's for sure."

Redshirt Senior DL Jordan Kelley
How did fall camp go for you?
"As a team, I feel like we really honed the little details we needed to focus on. Inside and out, every play. As a defensive line, I feel like we're coming into this new system pretty well. Now we can focus on just the little details and improvements as a whole so we can be that much better."

What did you focus on improving in the offseason?
"For me personally, with the help of Coach (Todd) Bates, I was just working on developing my pass rush. I got a lot stronger with Schmidty over the summer, so I can really tell a difference there."

How much have you enjoyed playing with this defensive staff so far?
"With Coach V and Coach Bates, they come with the same energy every day. It's very respectable. Some days I come in and I'm down, they talk to us in the team meeting and individually, it hypes us up and gets us ready to go again. They're the same every single day and that's the most respectful thing you can say."

Describe your excitement for the season opener.
"I can't wait to be back in that stadium with the crowd going crazy. I'm ready to play a bigger role in this defense and I get more and more excited each day to go out there with my guys and just compete."

Redshirt Junior OL McKade Mettauer
How do you view the offensive line position after camp?
"As an O-line, we've done a good job of jelling during fall camp. It's a lot different than spring, we've had a lot more time to be together. I think we're doing a good job. In general, fall camp was a tough one and I think we're going to out-tough everyone out there."

What is your excitement level for you first game at OU?
"I'm super excited. I've never played in front of as many people as will be here, that are actually cheering for me. When I've played in front of that many people before, it was usually on the road. My family is really close, and I'm just excited. I think it's going to be awesome."

What did you work to improve during the offseason?
"I worked on my pass (protection) a lot, really striking with my hands and getting my hands inside. I feel my run blocking has gotten a lot better. Since spring, I've gained around 12-15 pounds, so I'm able to move guys out of the middle and sit on bull rushes that I wasn't able to do during the spring."

As someone with collegiate playing experience but in your first year at OU, are you taking more of a learning or leadership role?
"The guys here have done a good job of accepting me. I've also done a good job of putting myself in a leadership position and learning the playbook. This is the third offense I've run since I've been in school, so I know how to pick up offenses on the fly. I've done a good job of learning it. I put myself in a position to lead the meetings during the summer and help the young guys. They're really eager to learn."

Redshirt Sophomore WR J.J. Hester
You've had two scrimmages in an empty stadium, but how excited are you for the opener in front of a packed crowd?
"My excitement level is definitely going to be 100. Growing up, my whole family was OU fans. Just wanting to be a Sooner, it's going to be great coming out here for the first game. I can't tell you how I'm going to be, but my energy is definitely going to be on 100."

How was your first fall camp at OU?
"It has been going great, the transition was great. I've been getting mentored by a lot of great coaches and staff, and they've been inputting a lot of knowledge in me."

What was your perspective on Friday's scrimmage?
"We got a lot of good work in, both on offense and defense. I'm just ready for the season to start and I can't wait for everyone to see what's going to happen."

What are your thoughts on the receiving corps?
"The receiver room is a room full of brothers. We're all some go-getters and some dogs. Everybody can go out on the field and make a play at any time. It's more than just things on the field, we're all connected."