Injury bug won't leave players, even coaches alone 13 key contributors sit out for Sooners; makeshift defense keeps offense out of end zone Injury bug won't leave players, even coaches alone
NORMAN — The injury bug has bitten the Oklahoma football team so hard this spring, not even the coaches have been spared.
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Thirteen key contributors sat out OU's first open scrimmage Saturday, an 81-play workout dominated by a makeshift defense that kept the offense out of the end zone.
"I've never seen anything like it,” said defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who recently tore a ligament in his knee and was hobbling during the scrimmage.
Starting outside linebacker Austin Box joined the walking wounded late this week when he sprained his elbow, which coach Bob Stoops said would keep him out the rest of the spring.
Starting guard Duke Robinson, receiver Manuel Johnson and linebacker Ryan Reynolds all missed the scrimmage with ankle sprains, as did reserve defensive backs Jonathan Nelson (groin) and Quinton Carter (hamstring), who are battling nagging muscle strains.
On Monday, Stoops revealed that receiver Ryan Broyles would be out for the spring with a broken collarbone.
And OU entered the spring already knowing it would be without running backs Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray, defensive ends Auston English and John Williams, wide receiver Adron Tennell and safety Nic Harris, all of whom are rehabbing from surgeries.
The Sooners had so many players injured on the sidelines, they had a three-pronged rotation manning the first-down chains.
"You don't get a true look anyway with all the guys we got out,” Stoops said of the scrimmage. "But a lot of our young guys are getting good work.”
Keenan Clayton led the Sooners who did play with a strong performance.
Clayton, who converted to outside linebacker from safety last season, had six tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception.
"Keenan's doing a nice job; he's coming along like we hoped he would,” Stoops said. "He still has a ways to go, but he's showing great signs. It takes guys a little bit longer to really get comfortable, but he's an athletic, solid player and he's starting to show that and make the kind of plays we expect him to make.”
Redshirt freshman Travis Lewis, who started in place of Box, also had a strong outing.
He had four tackles and picked off a screen pass thrown by quarterback Keith Nichol.
"We're kind of shorthanded with Box being hurt and Reynolds being hurt and Curtis Lofton leaving, but we're going out there and still trying to make plays,” Lewis said. "The athleticism part Keenan and I have down, but the knowledge part of it and being in the right spots is what we need to continue to work on.
"We were in a lot of bad places today, but we get there fast.”
The offense, meanwhile, struggled to get anything going, especially through the air.
Quarterback Sam Bradford completed eight of 16 passes for 104 yards, but couldn't connect on several throws downfield to wide receiver Quentin Chaney, who was well-covered throughout the day by cornerbacks Brian Jackson and Dominique Franks.
Chaney had only one catch for 9 yards.
True freshman running back Justin Johnson, who enrolled at OU early to participate in spring drills, was impressive running the ball as he led the Sooner rushing attack with 57 yards on 17 carries.
"Johnson did a nice job,” Stoops said.
"(When he first arrived) he wasn't used to the pace and how physical everything is, but he's beginning to match it and get more comfortable out there.
"In the short time he's been here, he's made a big jump already.”
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Im not wooried about how the team looks in spring with so many walking wounded, and well, its spring. What I am worried about is if Kevin Wilson is going to be the most unimaginative OC in the Big 12 once again, 3rd year coach, time to figure something out.
i don't care what school it is, if the offense is scoring alot on the defense during spring drills, you'll have a defense like osu last year. hey sean, sell me your season tickets.
I was at the Red/White game before Jason White's Heisman year. I remember the offense couldn't do much of anything. It's like that almost every year. The playbook is limited and the defense know what's coming.
Sean. Flush out your head gear.I'm not saying the Sooners already look good or already look bad. It's
S-P-R-I-N-G P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E We have more wounded than Custer at Little Big Horn.Ride the storm out and be fan not a whiney twit.
Ya,Ya, I have heard this all before "we are going to challenge for NC" and "We are going to have a great defense"...Sorry,not falling for it this year.Im going to take a wait and see attitude..Im not getting my hopes up this year.
Sean, I mean really, get a clue... you are making decisions based on a spring scrimmage? Norman High, funny, some other orange and black school might be looking for fans if you want to go apply, I hear they have the "world's greatest offense".
You guys are crazy. This was a spring scrimmage without a lot of starting players on both sides of the ball and a very limited play book. Our offense will not be any worse than last years. Sean, you should be embarassed by your post.
Sounds to me as if sean is one of those fair weather fans. When the team is having a little bad luck is when you really need to support your team. Apparently he wasn't watching the same team I did all season. Make the world happy sean and find your hole.
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S-P-R-I-N-G P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E We have more wounded than Custer at Little Big Horn.Ride the storm out and be fan not a whiney twit.