OU football notes

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables can see junior-college defensive back David Sims contributing to the team this fall. He just doesn't see Sims on campus yet.

Sims, a 5-foot-11, 198-pound speedster, is the only newcomer yet to arrive in Norman and go through summer workouts. Sims is completing a class at Butte (Calif.) College and is expected on campus in time for fall camp.

But Venables wonders how the absence from summer workouts will impact Sims' transition to Big 12 Conference football.

"I think it set him back a little bit mentally, let alone physically, not being here through the course of the summer,” Venables said. "But he is really fast and he's a good tackler. If he can make a big-time impact on special teams, that will help him to transition and get out there on the field as a position player, too.

"We brought him here to help us. What he does this fall remains to be seen, but it goes without saying that it set him back not being here all summer with his teammates.”

•Double-duty Madu: With known commodities in DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown ready to carry the load at tailback this fall, it might look like an unfavorable situation for sophomore Mossis Madu.

But OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson wants to find ways to get the Norman native on the field.

"We thought Mossis Madu had a great spring,” Wilson said. "We've got to find a role for Mossis, maybe some at tailback, maybe some out at receiver to get him the ball. He's very good with the football in his hands.”

By Scott Wright