OSU football notebook

Wide receiver Artrell Woods, who suffered a severe back injury last summer, is being held out of contact drills. He is expected to be cleared for all football activities this summer.

Woods would like to speed up the process. He believes a big hit he absorbed during a 7-on-7 drill Friday proves he's ready for live contact.

"They hit me dead square right in the back,” Woods said. "I didn't have my back-flap on, and it didn't even hurt.

"I really would love for them to let me take off the green jersey and put on an orange one (and be hit in live drills). I know they won't let me, but I wish they'd cut me loose.”

•Scrimmage highlights: There weren't many offensive highlights in the scrimmage, but sophomore wide receiver Damian Davis, who played some as a true freshman, hauled in a nice 21-yard sliding catch...

Junior Orie Lemon, starting middle linebacker, was in on several tackles. He stopped Zac Robinson for a loss on an option run. ... Backup middle linebacker Justin Gent pressured quarterback Alex Cate into an incompletion on third down. ...

•Deron Fontenot, a redshirt freshman who has been moved to the hybrid linebacker position, recorded a sack.

•New starter? The most noticeable lineup change was redshirt freshman Jonathan Rush starting at left guard.

"In their meeting room, Coach Wick (Joe Wickline) sets them in rows depending on what unit you're practicing with that day,” said coach Mike Gundy. "It's like a cakewalk. Every day you walk in there, somebody is in a different chair.”

Things could change after spring break. David Washington, a three-year starter at center, was sidelined last September by a broken leg. He has been held out of the first six spring practices but will return for the next practice on March 24.

"As long as his guys continue to play like they have, I'm not the sharpest guy in the world, but I just (let Wickline) do what he does,” Gundy said. "It creates competition.”

•Pettigrew sidelined: Wearing a splint on his right ring finger, senior tight end Brandon Pettigrew dressed out but didn't participate in practice or the scrimmage.

•Familiar face: Former offensive coordinator Larry Fedora, now head coach at Southern Mississippi, watched Friday's scrimmage. The Golden Eagles are on spring break.

"This is a hot vacation spot. A lot of people come to Stillwater for spring brea