Sooners aren't the only team putting a lot of points on the scoreboard

Garrett Hartley missed only one extra points and one field goal a year ago. This year, Hartley already has missed a field goal and three extra points. Bob Stoops knows why.

"He gets tired,” Stoops said with a straight face. Check out the misses, Stoops said. When Hartley has missed, "it's been after about nine kickoffs and I don't know how many touchdowns.”

Then Stoops laughed. Just kidding. But the truth is, Hartley and a lot of other kickers across America are being used much more this season. More touchdowns. More kickoffs. Scoring is up. Way up.

"People are spreading people out, using their talent,” Stoops said. "Throwing the football more, using less time. There's more snaps. Defenses do their best.”

The best isn't good enough most places.

OU leads the nation in scoring at 61.5 points a game.

Louisville is fourth at 50.0, and the Cardinals are 2-2. California is averaging 41.5 points a game and hasn't played a real rumdum. Oregon is averaging 48.5 and has played a solid schedule.

Last season, only five teams averaged 36 points a game. Nine did so in 2005, eight in 2004, 10 in 2003 and seven in 2002. But in 2007, 29 teams are averaging at least 36 points. That will go down as conference play heats up, but it's not going that far down.

Through four weeks this season, we've already had 36 Division I-A games in which both teams scored at least 30. Through four weeks last season, there were only 12 such games.

This year, scores like OSU 49, Texas Tech 45; Tulsa 55, BYU 47; Louisville 58, Middle Tennessee 42; Missouri 40, Illinois 34 and Alabama 41, Arkansas 38 don't even stick out much.

No wonder kickers' legs are getting tired.