OU football notebook

Published: September 18, 2007

Although they tried, Norman police investigators said Monday they never learned how a suspended University of Oklahoma football player got a key and an override code to a gas pump at a city convenience store.

Ryan Broyles, 19, pleaded no contest in Cleveland County District Court Friday to a misdemeanor count of attempted petty larceny, effectively ending their investigation, Capt. Leonard Judy said.

In an unscheduled court appearance, Broyles entered the plea before Special District Judge Reg Gaston. Gaston placed Broyles on a six-month deferred sentence and fined him $100.

"Without anything further to go on, we essentially came to a dead end,” Judy said, implying that Broyles never told investigators how a key and code came into his possession.

Broyles was arrested Aug. 31 on a complaint of stealing gasoline. Police officers said Broyles had a key and override code with him when a patrolman spotted him standing next to a vehicle at a gas pump at a closed convenience store. By overriding the pump's access code, gasoline can be pumped without an electronic meter detecting it, officers said.

Judy said investigators learned that a couple of key types fit most gas pumps and that the pumps often are installed with a manufacturer-programmed generic access code. Gas stations often do not change the programmed code. Anyone with a key could probably find out simple generic codes by checking manufacturers' Web sites on the Internet, Judy said.

Cases of gasoline thefts by this method have been reported in other cities around the United States, Judy said, "but I don't have any statistics on how widespread it is.”

To prevent gas thefts, gas station operators are encouraged to change the manufacturer's programmed access code and periodically change the codes selected on the manager's keypad, Judy said.

A wide receiver from Norman, Broyles was suspended from the team following his arrest but has been practicing with the team.

•LB Reynolds continues to improve: Starting weak-side linebacker Ryan Reynolds had the best game of his career Saturday, with nine tackles, three for loss, and a sack against Utah State.

Reynolds — who endured an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee and later a severed lateral collateral ligament in his right knee over the past year — said he still isn't 100 percent.

But he's getting close.

"When I go to hit, I don't completely have the explosion I used to,” said Reynolds, a sophomore from Las Vegas. "I'm probably 95 percent, but I'm feeling better.”

Reynolds still ices both knees every day as a precaution and wears knee braces.

"The brace is a constant reminder,” he said. "For a while, I was little more hesitant because of the brace.”

•Opportunistic defense: So far, OU has a defensive touchdown in each of its first three games.

Against Utah State, linebacker Curtis Lofton returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown.

Two weeks ago against Miami, cornerback Reggie Smith scooped up a fumble and raced 61 yards for a score.

And in the opener against North Texas, safety Nic Harris returned a pick 25 yards for a touchdown. OU's defense also had a safety in that game.

In three games, opposing offenses are barely outscoring OU's defense 26-23.

"You always want to force turnovers and score points,” coach Bob Stoops said. "That's been good we've been able to do that.”

•Finley prefers blocking: Senior tight end Joe Jon Finley got in the end zone for the first time this year, catching an 8-yard touchdown Saturday against Utah State.

But Finley said he got more satisfaction from delivering a block that sprung DeMarco Murray loose on a 92-yard touchdown, the third-longest scoring run in school history.

"It felt good to make a few plays, but scoring touchdowns doesn't really matter to me,” Finley said. "That block was more exciting than anything else.”

•OU-Colorado on TV: Fox Sports Net will broadcast OU's game at Colorado on Sept. 29. The game will kick off at 12:30 p.m.

By Jake Trotter and Jane Glenn Cannon

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