OU: Five to watch

Published: March 2, 2008

Franks had his moments last year, but didn't get many chances with Reggie Smith and Marcus Walker ahead of him. Now those two are gone, but Franks will have to prove himself with other players like Brian Jackson and Jamell Fleming vying for the same job.

Highly touted junior-college transfer J.R. Bryant won't arrive on campus until the summer, meaning Lewis will have an opportunity to hold an edge heading into the fall in the battle to see who replaces Lewis Baker at outside linebacker.

With DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown out for the spring with knee injuries, Madu will get plenty of carries to prove he has a future in OU's deep, talented running back rotation.

OU needs someone to step up in place of departing Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Curtis Lofton. That someone could be Reynolds. He'll have his audition to be OU's next middle linebacker in the spring.

Now that Garrett Hartley is gone, OU faces the difficult challenge of replacing a longtime reliable kicker. Stevens has the talent to make that transition seamless. But if Stevens stumbles, incoming freshman Tress Way will have a shot at unseating him, or at least at taking away some of his kicks.

By Jake Trotter

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