2007 Oklahoma Sooners College Football Picks & Predictions
June 5, 2008
Bob Stoops’ ball club has won four Big 12 championships with four different quarterbacks. If the Sooners are to win another, they will be doing it with a different quarterback this season as well. Junior Joey Halzle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford and freshman Keith Nichol are all fighting for the job. The starting job is still up for grabs in the summer months after nothing was decided in spring ball.
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Junior receiver Malcolm Kelly sat out the spring to have his knee scoped. He has all the potential to be a superstar for this team if he remains healthy. Fellow starters Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson are hard to defend, while backup Adron Tennell strutted his stuff in the spring as well. The Sooners have three guys that can start at tight end in Joe Jon Finley, Jermaine Gresham and Brody Eldridge.
Quality running backs for Oklahoma football include Allen Patrick, Chris Brown, DeMarco Murray, Mossis Madu and Jacob Gutierrez. These five studs will be able to bring back the wishbone backfield that Stoops loves to run. The Sooners’ line is talented, interchangeable and monstrous, with a starting five that averages 6-5 and 316 pounds. Oklahoma will be able to run many different formations to confuse defenses. If the quarterback position can shine, the Sooners will contend for Big 12 and National titles.
The defensive end positions on defense are a major concern for the Sooners. But seniors Alonzo Dotson and John Williams are looking to prove worthy of the success Oklahoma last season and to make the most of their opportunities. Cory Bennett and Steven Coleman have seen much playing time at defensive tackles and should produce. Heralded youngsters DeMarcus Granger and redshirt freshman Gerald McCoy figure to see significant playing time.
Middle linebacker has always carried the OU defense in recent years. That role now belongs to junior college transfer Mike Reed. Junior Curtis Lofton will take over at weakside linebacker and Lewis Baker or Demarrior Pleasant will be on the strong side. The secondary returns loads of experience, with seven guys starting at one point or another last season. Reggie Smith and Marcus Walker are as solid as they come at cornerback. D.J. Wolfe and Nic Harris should start at the safety spots.
When the Sooners can’t get it done in the red zone, they have Lou Groza Award finalist Garrett Hartley to step in for basically a sure field goal. He converted 19 of 20 attempts last season with his lone miss getting blocked at Oregon. Oklahoma has lost seven games in the last 2 years and that is just unacceptable in Sooner country. The only questions are at quarterback and along the defensive front, but the rest of the team is very experienced and will carry Oklahoma through the 2007 season.