OU’s marked improvement in the return game may come down to one simple factor: talent.
Projections that Reggie Smith and Juaquin Iglesias would give the Sooners a big-play boost were right on in the opener, with both players posting big returns. Iglesias averaged 32 yards on three kickoffs, with a long of 33. Smith averaged 11.1 on six punt returns, with a long of 27.
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“The guy returning it has a little bit to do with it,“ said OU coach Bob Stoops. “Same schemes we’ve been doing for a long time. We haven’t changed anything.
“That guy doing it has a lot to do with it. Those guys make a difference, guys who have ability and explosiveness.”
Gresham learning: Freshman tight end Jermaine Gresham estimated that he was on the field for about five plays Saturday night. But he learned from all of them, especially his only reception. After a 14-yard catch, he had the ball stripped from his hands and UAB recovered.
“This is not high school,” said Gresham, now available for media interviews after appearing in his first game. “You can’t just go through three people. You got to go down.” The 6-foot-7, 250-pounder ran through multiple tacklers on several occasions during his career at Ardmore High School.
“Yeah, quite a few times in high school,” he said. “Not at this level though, not yet anyway.”
Time in: One game into the season, Stoops hasn’t changed his opinion on the NCAA’s new timing rules.
OU and UAB combined for just 110 offensive plays, the fewest in 50 years for an OU game. The previous low during that span was 112 for the 1960 OU-Colorado and the 1962 OU-Missouri games.
The Sooners ran only 53 plays against the Blazers.
“I don’t believe it’s what we need in college football or what we want,” Stoops said. “And I don’t believe it’s what the fans want. It’s what the networks need to set their programming.
“I believe 85,000 people pay to see more than 53 plays on offense and defense.”
On alert: After struggling to corral UAB quarterback Sam Hunt, the Sooners face another challenge in Washington’s Isaiah Stanback.
Stanback ran for 102 yards and passed for 168 in the Huskies’ win over San Jose State. Washington rolled up 296 yards rushing.
“A really good player,“ Stoops said. “Great athlete. Has a big arm. Their running backs are good as well and they did a good job of running the football.
“But it all begins with him. We’ve got to be able to contain him and tackle him.”
For what it’s worth, a Washington quarterback wearing Stanback’s No. 4 jersey is among the fastest quarterbacks on the 2007 NCAA Football video game.
Catch and go: Among Adrian Peterson’s lofty preseason goals: 500 receiving yards. He’s on his way.
Peterson caught just one pass against UAB, but it was a big one, going for 69 yards and a touchdown. The running back entered the season with 62 receiving yards for his career.
By John Helsley, Blake Jackson and Scott Wright
