OU notebook: Clayton earns co-defensive player honors

Published: October 7, 2008

Oklahoma linebacker Keenan Clayton has been named the Big 12’s co-defensive player of the week.

Clayton, a junior, had a career-high 14 tackles, 11 unassisted, in the Sooners’ 49-17 win over Baylor.

He also had two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.

Clayton shared the honor with Texas linebacker Roy Miller, who had a big game in the Longhorns’ 38-14 win over Colorado.

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell won offensive honors, while Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant earned Murray’s state

Last season, running back DeMarco Murray had the play of the game against Texas, running along the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown that put OU ahead 21-14.

But since Chattanooga this season, Murray hasn’t had a run go for more than 14 yards.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was asked if Murray, who had off-season knee surgery, is carrying the same explosion into the Texas game that he did last year.

"I don’t know. For example, (Saturday) there’s a number of times in our perimeter play where our blocking wasn’t what it was the previous game. But sometimes those plays are his burst,” Wilson said. "He practices every day, he runs every sprint, he’s full go. We don’t hold him out of anything.”

Murray was spotted icing his knee after the Baylor game, though he did carry a big workload with 26 carries for 96 yards.

"To say we have a problem that DeMarco’s not healthy, I don’t know,” Wilson said. "I think DeMarco will play better. All those backs will play better. We need to get them practicing a little better.”

Ready to go

Bob Stoops said Monday his training staff is optimistic that defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger and defensive end Frank Alexander will be able to play against Texas.

Granger is trying to come back from a sprained foot he suffered at Washington. Alexander has been out since he was stabbed in the arm at a party the night of the opener against Chattanooga.

BY JAKE TROTTER

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