Football: ESPN’s College Football Live features roundtable discussion on Sooners

NORMAN — The College Football Live roundtable Monday on ESPN featured Oklahoma. They talked receivers, Landry Jones, getting the “swagger” back on defense under Mike Stoops and more.

One thing I found interesting: Nowhere in the discussion about wide receivers was it mentioned that either a) three of them have been suspended indefinitely or b) OU added East Mississippi Community College standout LaColtan Bester just this weekend.

(Note: It has been pointed out that these roundtables are shot in bulk, and that this one was shot before the current craziness involving wide receivers. Apologies for the error).

The video is embedded above, and here are some highlights from the discussion:

TODD BLACKLEDGE

(On Landry Jones)

“When Ryan Broyles went out of the lineup last year, Landry Jones disappeared. He’s the senior; he’s the guy. Now, he knows there’s no Ryan Broyles. He’s had all spring and he’ll have all summer to develop a rapport with whoever else he’s going to throw the football with. He’s talented … but he just really went away when his main guy was out of the lineup.”

JESSE PALMER

(On the receivers)

“Kenny Stills is the key. Kenny Stills has to play big … but he also has to become the leader of that group, on the sidelines, in the huddle, at practice. He has to take ownership of that wide receiver group.”

(On the defense)

“I just want to see (the defense) get that swagger back. You remember that Bedlam game (2003, when OU won 52-9), years ago when Mike Stoops was defensive coordinator? At the end of the game, they were just pounding Oklahoma State, and Mike Stoops is sitting there looking at Mike Gundy, ‘You want some more?’ … You did not want to play them on defense because of all the athletes they have. It will be interesting to see how quickly they can try and establish that identity again.”

ROBERT SMITH

(On the running back position at OU for the past several years)