OU running back
DeMarco Murray is spending spring practice rehabbing from a dislocated kneecap. But that didn't deter
Rivals.com college football senior writer
Olin Buchanan from calling
Murray the seventh "scariest offensive player” going into the 2008 season.
"The
Texas Longhorns can attest to
Murray's game-breaking ability,” wrote
Buchanan. "His 65-yard touchdown run turned the tide in last season's 28-21
OU victory. That was one of seven touchdowns
Murray scored from at least 20 yards. He also scored on kickoff returns of 91 and 81 yards and had a 92-yard touchdown run. He rushed for 764 yards — averaging 6 yards per carry — despite playing much of the season in a reserve role and missing the final three games because of injury.”
West Virginia quarterback
Pat White and running back
Noel Devine tied for first on his list.
Buchanan ranked Missouri wide receiver
Jeremy Maclin No. 2 and
Texas Tech wide receiver
Michael Crabtree No. 3.
•OU replacing "Big Three” a big story line: Among
Sports Illustrated's
Stewart Mandel's big story lines to watch in college football next season includes how
OU will replace the three juniors it lost early to the NFL Draft.
Wrote Mandel: "The
Sooners were looking like a no-brainer preseason No. 1 choice until: A) West Virginia beat the living daylights out of them; and B) Oklahoma's three most important players (outside of QB
Sam Bradford) — receiver
Malcolm Kelly, middle linebacker
Curtis Lofton and defensive back
Reggie Smith — all bolted for the
NFL. The loss of
Lofton, last season's
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, was particularly damaging.
"Returning starter
Ryan Reynolds is expected to slide over to
Lofton's vacated spot, which means some unproven youngster — redshirt freshman
Travis Lewis? — will need to establish himself at outside linebacker. Meanwhile, the pressure will be on sophomore CB
Dominique Franks to fill the void left by
Smith, and it's anyone's best guess who will emerge at receiver opposite
Juaquin Iglesias.”
•Dodd has OU No. 2: Dennis Dodd of
CBS Sportsline didn't allow
OU's loss of
Kelly,
Lofton and
Smith to keep him from ranking OU No. 2 in his preseason poll.
Dodd has Georgia, which hammered Hawaii in the
Sugar Bowl, No. 1.
USC,
Ohio State, Missouri, Florida, Kansas, Texas, LSU and West Virginia round out
Dodd's top 10.
By
Jake Trotter