Oklahoma receiver Kenny Stills excited for Cotton Bowl, calls his junior season ‘sub-par’

Oklahoma receiver Kenny Stills has caught 75 passes for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns so far during his junior season, but still called it "sub-par." PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

When asked what his reaction was the evening of December 2 — when Oklahoma was squeezed out of a BCS bowl in favor of mid-major Northern Illinois — he said he wasn’t too upset because he expected it.

“I’m kind of one of those people that weighs on the negative side all the time, so I didn’t expect to go to the Sugar Bowl,” Stills said. “I felt like this was gonna happen, so I wasn’t too down about it.

“I was excited about going to Dallas. I love playing in JerryWorld so it’s not a negative thing for us. It’s a huge game for us to get to play against the Heisman Trophy winner and a great team.”

He may not have expected the Sugar Bowl because of negative thoughts, but his excitement for the Cotton Bowl sounds awfully optimistic.

On another subject, though — his junior season, during which he’s caught 75 passes for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns — he’s unquestionably pessimistic, calling his year “sub-par.”

“I’m my biggest critic; I always have been,” Stills said. “I have high expectations for myself, and there’s still too many times when I’m dropping easy balls, and kinda leaving my body out there. I definitely expect more from myself.”

Stills said he’ll decide after the Cotton Bowl whether to enter the 2013 NFL Draft or return for his senior season.

He insisted that isn’t thinking about the looming decision, adding that his parents are handling all things related to it, which includes dealing with the NFL Draft Advisory Board.

“My dad played in the league, so I’m not really worried about myself,” Stills said. “My parents are doing that stuff for me, and I’m just trying to focus on the game.”