OU football notebook: Former Sooners return to cheer on old teammates

Former Sooner quarterback Tommy Grady was back in Norman on Tuesday to participate in OU's pro day.

Grady transferred to Utah before the start of the 2005 season after falling behind Rhett Bomar and Paul Thompson on the depth chart.

Still, Grady probably would've had a chance to start had he stayed at OU after Thompson was moved to wide receiver and Bomar was later kicked off the team.

Instead, Grady was a backup at Utah for the last two years, throwing for more than 600 yards and four touchdowns last season.

"I regret leaving this place,” Grady said. "Like (former OU) coach (Chuck) Long said, ‘It's not always greener on the other side.' I was looking forward to leaving, but I wish I would have stayed.”

Despite his transfer, Grady said OU coach Bob Stoops said it was all right for him to participate in OU's pro day.

Grady worked out at Utah's pro day on Monday before flying to Oklahoma, where more scouts were attending.

Even though he was a backup in college, Grady is intriguing to scouts at quarterback because of his size (6-foot-6, 239 pounds) and his strong arm.

•Former Sooners return: Several ex-OU standouts now on NFL rosters came to pro day to visit with former coaches and cheer on old teammates. That list included defensive end Larry Birdine (Broncos), wide receiver Mark Clayton (Ravens), linebacker Clint Ingram (Jaguars) and wide receiver Travis Wilson (Browns).

Former running back Renaldo Works, safety Jason Carter and offensive lineman Chris Messner were also in attendance.

•"Mean” Joe Greene watching pro day: OU's pro day also delivered some other big names, including Rex Ryan, Alonzo Highsmith and "Mean” Joe Greene.

Ryan, who is the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, was OU's defensive coordinator in 1998.

Highsmith, now a college scout for the Green Bay Packers, was a running back for two of three University of Miami teams that defeated the Sooners in the mid-1980s. Highsmith also went on to a bright NFL career with the Houston Oilers.

Greene, who is now the Pittsburgh Steelers' special assistant for player personnel, was the linchpin in the famed "Steel Curtain,” the backbone of Pittsburgh's four Super Bowl titles during the 1970s.

"When I played we didn't have pro days or the combines,” said Greene, who is in the NFL Hall of Fame. "Whatever they saw was pretty much whatever was on tape.”

By Jake Trotter