NORMAN - Once Jeff Capel gets settled in as Oklahoma's basketball coach and has time to build a squad of his players, he most likely won't think too much about borrowing athletes from the football team.
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But, for now, the idea has merit. For starters, Capel inherited every player but Bobby Maze, so the roster isn't exactly molded to his specifications. Secondly, the Sooners are in dire need of both size and bulk and, well, a football locker room is a good place to shop for both. Finally, Capel's a smart guy -- he knows Bob Stoops' crew is a treasure trove of the nation's best athletes.
Playing one major sport on the college level involves a wealth of time, effort and sweat; playing two is brutal. Given that, coaches usually aren't in favor of the double dip. But circumstance has sort of put Capel up against a wall this year. So, he's definitely not scoffing at the idea.
"It's something that if guys are good and they want to try it, they're more than welcome," Capel said recently while discussing the topic. "Obviously, we have some incredible athletes already on our football team, but I've also heard that some incoming freshmen are pretty big-time basketball players, too. If they want to look into that and pursue it, then we're more than happy to have them as long as Coach (Bob) Stoops is OK with it."
Stoops has said before that he's not opposed to his players trying another sport so long as it's a legitimate pursuit and not merely dream-chasing. But hoops and football aren't a good mix on the calendar.
"If it does happen, it likely wouldn't be until sometime in January (when a football player could join the basketball team), and that would mean that our football team has done something pretty special," Capel said. "That's something we're all rooting for. But it's something we'd be very open to visiting about."
No kidding. Can you imagine what a Jermaine Gresham dunk would look like? Capel can, too.
Clark still awaiting
eligibility clearance OU recruit Keith Clark cleared a major hurdle in gaining academic eligibility last week, but the Putnam City product has not yet been cleared.
Clark passed a pair of summer school classes, which in all likelihood will qualify the 6-foot-8 power forward. However, Internet and published reports that Clark is officially cleared are erroneous. Two steps in the process of gaining eligibility remain -- being cleared and admitted by OU, then being cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse.
There's a good chance those steps will merely be formalities, but nothing is official until the clearinghouse grants or denies eligibility. In some cases, that process can take up to six weeks, but OU could know within a week to a week and a half in regards to Clark.
Schedule conflicts The 2006-07 schedule, which was released Saturday, isn't very holiday-friendly.
The Sooners will play their exhibition opener on Halloween night. And while players probably aren't too upset about not being able to go trick-or-treating, they no doubt won't like missing Thanksgiving. Alas, the team will be on an airplane traveling back from the Maui Invitational on turkey day. New Year's Eve and New Years Day are out, too. OU plays at Alabama on Jan. 1.
Can they ball? First-year Oklahoma basketball coach Jeff Capel said he'd be happy to discuss the possibility of Sooner football players coming out for the basketball team. Of course, they'd have to be good enough. Here's a list of candidates that just might be:
Sam Bradford, 6-4, 200: The quarterback averaged 18.4 points and 10.5 rebounds last season for Class 6A Putnam City North.
Quinton Carter, 6-0, 185: The defensive back was an all-district player for Cheyenne High School in Las Vegas.
Quentin Chaney, 6-5, 208: The wide receiver was an All-State hoopster who lettered all four years at perennial power Tulsa Washington. Had college basketball offers.
Aaron Cummings, 6-4, 240: The tight end played at tiny Bray-Doyle, but he averaged 19.0 points per game and shot 50.3 percent from the field as a senior.
Dominique Franks, 6-1, 178: The defensive back was ranked as the 11th-best basketball player in Oklahoma by Coaches Aid last season.
Jermaine Gresham, 6-7, 250: The tight end was a hardwood standout at Ardmore and has a wingspan that nears seven feet. With OU badly in need of inside strength, the man-child would fit the bill.
Lendy Holmes, 6-1, 196: The cornerback was all-district at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, averaging 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals as a senior. As an added bonus, the kid is ambidextrous.
Juaquin Iglesias, 6-0, 198: The receiver averaged 17.0 points per game for Killeen (Texas) High School.
Malcolm Kelly, 6-4, 214: The receiver has the size, long arms, great hands, a 39-inch vertical and can bench press 300 pounds.
DeMarco Murray, 6-0, 183: The running back was a star on the hardwood in Las Vegas and a national top-30 basketball recruit.
Adron Tennell, 6-5, 200: The receiver was ranked as one of the top basketball players in Texas.
Jacob Gutierrez, 5-6, 186: The running back elicits three words -- Spud Webb, baby.
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