It was graduation weekend for the University of Oklahoma but while the Seniors were taking the stage, several Sooner sports were taking the stage as well. And what a busy weekend it was!

The softball team beat Iowa State and earned the Big XII title, putting the No. 4 ranked Sooners to host the NCAA Regional starting Friday in Norman. The Sooners will face Lehigh in the first round of the four-team, three-day Regional. Besides Oklahoma and Lehigh, Oregon State and Tulsa will be in contention of moving on to the Super Regional.

The schedule for the Norman Regional is as follows:

Friday, May 18
5 p.m.– Tulsa vs. Oregon State
7:30 p.m. — Oklahoma vs. Lehigh

Saturday, May 19
1 p.m. — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
3:30 p.m. — Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
6 p.m. — Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3

Sunday, May 20
1 p.m. — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
3:30 p.m. — Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6

Another Sooner Women’s team is also on the road to an NCAA Championship, the Golf Team. They advanced to the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2002 after coming in eighth in the 24-team West Regional Tournament in Colorado over the weekend. The Championship will be held at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee May 22-25.

The Men’s Track and Field Team came in third place in the Big XII track Championship with the women finishing sixth. The Sooners had six individual winners led by George Alex, who became the first male runner to sweep the long distance races at the conference meet and also the first male Sooner to win the 5000-meter. He won the 10,000-meter run on Friday and closed out the meet with a win in the 5,000-meter run on Sunday.

Lastly on the sports radar over the weekend, the Sooner baseball team had a surprising and impressive sweep over the No. 2 ranked Baylor Bears. The Sooners will close out the season this week with TCU on Tuesday and then a three-game series against Samford starting on Thursday. They are 13-10 on the season in Big XII play.

Congrats to all of the Sooners this weekend who graduated and to the athletes who are still hard at work to bring more titles to Norman.

Wednesday night, Sooners head football coach Bob Stoops released a statement. A statement most Sooner fans weren’t too happy to have heard. If you googled the statement or went to SoonerSports.com you were presented with a one sentence, non-informative piece of information:

University of Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops announced on Wednesday that Quentin Hayes, Trey Franks, Kameel Jackson and Jaz Reynolds have been suspended indefinitely for violation of team rules.

Oh.

Jaz Reynolds vs. Kansas State

So if you are keeping count at home, that’s 3 WR’s and a DB. But before everyone starts banging their head on desks thinking doom and gloom, let’s get a couple things straight. The WR position is one that Oklahoma has recruited HEAVILY in, especially in 2012.  Kenny Stills and Trey Metoyer already have the outside positions locked up (in my opinion). The only thing the Sooners are looking to replace is a slot receiver. There are quite a few options of players that would fill this void nicely. Oklahoma picked up some stellar talent in the WR position, but the only problem is, is the lack of experience.  As for Quentin Hayes and the DB position, this is something I don’t think needs to be a cause for concern at all.

Also, I’d like to point out that it hasn’t even been a week since Kameel Jackson announced that he was “transferring” to Texas A&M, without informing the Aggies, mind you. By the way, in case you hadn’t heard, they said they would not take him.  So you would have to think that this is something that has been brewing in Norman for the last couple of weeks.

Offensive Coordinators Josh Heupel and Jay Norvell have Sterling Shepard, Durron Neal, Derrick Woods and JUCO transfer Courtney Gardner to work with. They lack the experience QB Landry Jones is used to, but in that talent pool, I would expect one to be able to step up. You can believe that Norvell has already been looking for JUCO players to fill the void.

Looking at the big picture, this is not a huge loss for Sooner Nation. I know some of you will disagree, but considering Trey Franks has been suspended before, and has an issue with staying on his feet… Reynolds on the other hand stings a little. He had 41 catches and 715 yards and led the team with an average of 17.4 ypc before his season-ending injury. Once injuries start to plague the Sooners, which it will because it never fails, the lack of experience  may be a cause for concern.

In the same breath, it’s nice to see Coach Stoops crack down on players violating team rules. It has yet to be released on what the actual cause of the suspension is, but I have my suspicions. And for those of you that have mentioned money to me, I have not heard that nor do I believe it.

It’s only May, Stoops still has time to dust off Barry Switzer’s playbook and bring back some wishbone action. I’m joking. Kinda.

It’s the off-season, what else do you expect? We have been seeing this rumor for a long time now, but it seems to have reached a fever pitch. The Big XII has done everything in it’s power to stay alive over the last couple years and by adding schools like Florida State and Clemson to the mix would be a key to longevity.

Though the Big XII made it back to 10 teams, the conference really needs to make it back to 12 in order to stay competitive and make money. By getting back to 12, and bringing back the conference championship will bring in more money and more TV viewers, again resulting in more money.

Besides Clemson and FSU, several other schools have been thrown around as potential members, mainly Louisville, which I think would be a terrific addition. It logistically makes sense. There has been a lot of it is “what-if” guesses from people lately, though. But with these two schools (Clemson and Florida State), I’ve heard from more reliable sources than people just throwing names out there.

It would be nice for the Big XII to move that far East, making larger recruiting footprints in the Florida and South Carolina area. Again, this would put Big XII games in television markets on the East coast, resulting in money. I realize that I keep bringing up the money factor, but considering money is what keeps the conference alive, it factors in quite a bit. Just ask the SEC.

If this rumor does have any legs to it, you can believe that the ACC will do everything in their power to keep this from happening. Clemson and Florida State are basically the glue that keeps ACC football together. Basketball fans of either school probably wouldn’t mind the change.

Right now, it’s just rumors and everyone’s favorite person, sources, reporting on the story. But this time around it seems to be gaining more steam than it’s had in the past coming from more reliable people. So we will wait it out with everyone else and enjoy the drama of the off-season.

I’m sure new Big XII member West Virginia would LOVE to add Clemson, and their fan base would look forward to another Orange Bowl -type beat down.

Since Dan Beebe’s firing from the Big XII last year, the conference has had an interim in Chuck Neinas, who was once the Big Eight Commish. According to the AP, the Big XII now has a new head honcho name Bob Bowlsby. Bowlsby is the current Athletic Director at Stanford.

The Big XII has ended up being the little conference that could. Many people thought that it was headed for a certain death when 4 schools decided to depart in a two year span. Nebraska and Colorado first, then Texas A&M and Missouri. With West Virginia and TCU joining this Summer, and now all the conference realignment chatter, it looks like the Big XII will make it to 12 teams again. Beebe gone has made a major difference (so far). The Big XII is not only looking to keep expanding, they are reportedly in talks with ESPN for a conference television deal.

Bob Bowlsby

Who is Bob Bowlsby? He was the Athletic Director Northern Iowa and then Iowa before taking the job at Stanford. He also served on the NCAA Basketball selection committee in 2006, as well as the being a part of the United States Olympic Committee for the 2008 Beijing Games.

Apparently Bowlsby and Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops have somewhat of a history. According to an article by the Gazette, this could have “possibly” happened:

The Bowlsby-Bob Stoops thingie has reached mythical proportions. Who knows what happened. My theory is, yes, Stoops was interested in coming back to coach his alma mater. Maybe the search committee soured him. I don’t know that. Then, Oklahoma got heavily involved and that made a lot of sense, both with the tradition and the financials.

Right now, the conference has not announced anything, the information is coming from that popular, well known guy everyone loves named, “sources”. Bowlsby did call a meeting with his staff Thursday morning at Stanford, so if this is true, I would assume that means a Big XII announcement will be following.

Dan Beebe, well the fake one, offered Bowlsby some solid words of advice online today:

Hope Bowlsby listens…

Last week Sophomore OL member, Austin Woods found out something that most people don’t want to hear: he has Hodgkin’s  lymphoma. He started his chemotherapy treatments on Monday afternoon.

According to SoonerScoop, Woods’ parents will be moving from Rockwall, Texas to Oklahoma, where Austin will be receiving his treatments. Austin wants to stay close to his teammates and school while he is going through therapy.

His teammates have taken to social media to show their support for him, in what must be a very hard time. Backup QB, Drew Allen has been tweeting out #BeatCancer50 (50 obviously being Woods’ number). Oklahoma’s center Ben Habern also tweeted out a picture of a shirt his teammates put together in support of Austin. The shirt is a play on the Beat Texas, with the upside logo. The tanktops are being made by idsolutionsonline.com 

Front design:

 The back of the shirt has says Woods and has the number 50.

This will be a long battle for Austin, so all of Sooner Nation needs to show him and his family support throughout the process. #BeatCancer50 Stay Strong!

Dallas Cowboys New Rookie Tight End, James Hanna

After the first three players were selected in rounds 2-3, the Sooners had a productive NFL draft day on Saturday. Strangely enough, Detroit seems to be on the radar for quickly becoming a Sooner fans favorite.

In the second round, Ryan Broyles was drafted to Detroit and the Lions later drafted linebackers Ronnell Lewis (4th) and Travis Lewis (7th). They also picked up Sam Proctor after the draft in free agency. So that’s 4 Sooners heading to Detroit together.

The Dallas Cowboys drafted tight end James Hanna in the 6th round. Hanna, like Donald Stephenson who went to Kansas City, gets a chance to play in front of a hometown crowd. Hanna is rom Flower Mound, Texas, a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth.  DE Frank Alexander was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 4th round. And as I mentioned on Saturday, Jamell Fleming is headed to Arizona.

After the 2012 NFL Draft, the Sooners have had players drafted in 75 of the 77 drafts, missing only 1962 and 1995. The only 2 schools close are Notre Dame with 74 and USC with 72. Bob Stoops has sent 59 players to the NFL. The only NFL team in history to not draft a Sooner is the Houston Texans.

Fun Draft facts from SoonerSports.com:

*Since the first NFL draft in 1936, 357 Sooners overall have been selected.

*Oklahoma’s 357 all-time picks rank OU first in the Big 12 and fourth overall nationally.

*Forty-two Sooners have been selected in the first round (including a program-record four in 2010).

*OU has three overall No. 1 picks: Sam Bradford (2010), Billy Sims (1980) and Lee Roy Selmon (1976).

*OU’s Brian Bosworth was the No. 1 pick in the 1987 supplemental draft by the Seattle Seahawks.

*OU supplied the first overall No. 1 pick (Sam Bradford, 2010) in Big 12 Conference history.

*The first Sooner ever drafted was All-American J.W. “Dub” Wheeler by the Packers in 1936.

Congrats to all the players who made it to the next level. The real work is about to begin! Boomer Sooner

The first Sooner to come off the board last night was WR Ryan Broyles to the Detroit Lions. The Lions have a history of drafting Sooners, with Broyles being the 18th player from Oklahoma all-time. The Lions got a complete workhorse in Broyles, who has been in rehab since his knee injury after the Texas A&M game.

Despite the injury coming mid-season, Broyles still was a:  Walter Camp First Team All-American, first team All-Big 12 by coaches,  second team All-Big 12 by AP,  honorable mention all-purpose by AP. He ranks second in NCAA history with 4,586 career receiving yards and owns 10 Oklahoma records: receptions in a game (15), season receptions (131), career receptions (349), receiving yards in a game (217), season receiving yards (1,622), career receiving yards (4,586), season TD receptions (15), career touchdown receptions (45), season 100-yard games (10) and career 100-yard games (45)  He is the Big 12 career leader in receptions, receving yards and receiving TDs . Had a reception in 48 consecutive games,  has 22 plays of 40+ yards in his career and had over 100 yards in seven of nine games. Broyles had TDs in seven of nine games including four with multiple TDs.  He had four games with at least 13 receptions and broke his own single game record with 217 receiving yards at Kansas. Beast.

OT Donald Stephenson was next to go, he went to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 3rd round. Stephenson is a KC transplant, so he is getting to go play in front of a hometown crowd. Stephenson impressed scouts and this past season, he was part of an offensive line that only gave up 11 sacks. He was an honorable mention in the All-Big XII by AP coaches.

Head coach Bob Stoops on Stephenson’s time as a Sooner:

Donald’s career was a crescendo. His productivity got a little better with each game and his last two years in our program were particularly productive. We take a lot of pride in the way we protect our quarterbacks, and Donald had great responsibility while playing left tackle last season. He grew into that role and handled it well for us. I think he’ll continue to grow as a professional.

The third of the Sooners to go on Day 2 was DB Jamell Fleming to the Arizona Cardinals. Fleming ability will make him an asset to Cardinals right off the bat. In 2011, Fleming made the All-Big 12 first team by AP and coaches and was second on the team with 10 passes broken up. He had a career-high 13 tackles and two tackles for loss vs. Texas also stripped and returned a fumble 56 yards at Texas for his second career TD. Fleming was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for the performance in that game. Due to injury, he didn’t  suit up vs. Texas Tech or Kansas State. He forced two turnovers vs. Texas A&M, forcing and recovering a fumble in the second quarter while picking off a pass in the third quarter. He was named the Insight Bowl Defensive MVP after finishing with seven tackles, three pass breakups and one interception.

There are several Sooners still left on the board, who SHOULD be going on Saturday, one being Ronnell Lewis. I would think Frank Alexander will be going earlier on Saturday as well.

Stay tuned, Sooner Nation!

Travis Lewis and Frank Alexander photo credit: Getty Images

Starting tonight, the lives of 10 Sooners could change drastically. The NFL Draft has finally arrived, and we get to see what NFL teams we will have to semi-tolerate due to picking up a member of the Sooner Nation.

During the Bob Stoops Era at Oklahoma, 52 players have been drafted, with 98 players actually entering the League. Out of the 350 players Oklahoma has sent to the NFL Draft, 42 were selected in the 1st round. Oklahoma has the fourth-highest total of players entering the draft out of all the schools.

Sooners who are waiting for the possible phone calls of a lifetime include: Stephen Good, Sam Proctor, Jamell Fleming, Ryan Broyles, Frank Alexander, James Hanna, Ronnell Lewis, Travis Lewis, James Winchester and Donald Stephenson.

A couple of those names are most likely going to enter Free Agency before landing with a team, but at least seven (by my count) will get put on a team immediately.

Some NFL.com analysis on players who most likely will get selected:

Frank Alexander – Positives- Alexander is a lengthy athlete and uses his arms well against the run. He sheds blocks well, is instinctual from a three-point stance or standing up, and is a natural player on the edge. He can make plays once in the backfield and is a solid all-around edge prospect. His energy and work ethic would be good for any team looking to add versatility to their rotation. Negatives – He struggles when double-teamed. He might be a better fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme; Takes time to get back on track when stopped due to his size.

Jamell Fleming – Positives - Prototypical athlete and great on man coverage. His speed and ability to backpedal is a plus in his coverage. When the ball is in the air he has the body control to turn and make a play on it. He has the speed to catch up to receivers if beat and the ability to run down plays from the backside or provide help in zone. Negatives -  At the next level, he will need to work on his technique when using his hands and feet to jam receivers and turn at the line of scrimmage. He can be undisciplined in various aspects of his play, but it usually hurts him more in zone coverage than it does in man, where he is a natural cover corner.

Ryan Broyles – Positives – As all of Sooner Nation knows, Broyles is a workhorse. He may be smaller, but can get off the line of scrimmage well when given a free release, or if he has the chance to use a jab step, and can get upfield quickly. He can make catches across the middle but is most effective in space or when covered man-to-man, showing an uncanny ability to get open. An incredible catcher, he can move his body in any way necessary to get whatever is thrown his way.  Based on his consistent production in the Big 12 and Oklahoma, his overall football savvy and his athletic ability, Broyles should be able to smoothly and quickly transition to the NFL. Negatives – Size.  If cornerbacks get their hands on him at the line, he can struggle to break away and get into his route. He worked with a relatively basic route tree at Oklahoma, and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to an NFL system. The injury he suffered at the end of the 2011 season may limit his already average straight-line speed, and could raise concerns about his durability.

» Continue reading “Sooners And The NFL Draft: Waiting For The Phone Call Of A Lifetime”

Frayer after his victory

The Sooners will be representing in London this Summer in the 2012 Olympics! Jared Frayer and Sam Hazewinkel both competed this weekend in Iowa City for a spot on the Olympic wrestling team. Frayer is the current assistant wrestling coach at Oklahoma.

Frayer had to face another former Sooner to earn his spot, Teyon Ware, in the semi-finals. Both Hazewinkel and Frayer had to defeat the four best wrestlers in the Nation to earn spots on the team. Jared Frayer was at Oklahoma from 1999-2002 while Sam Hazewinkel was there 2004-2007. There is now a total of 23 former Sooners who represented the United States in the Olympic Games.

Sooner head wrestling coach Mark Cody on the his former athletes accomplishments (via SoonerSports.com):

I could not be any prouder than I am of Jared and Sam after all they have accomplished. They are great representatives of the University of Oklahoma and will do the same as they represent the United States at the Olympic Games this summer. Also, Michael Lightner deserves a lot of credit as he did a fabulous job as the freestyle coach and helped prepare these guys.

Congrats to both Sam and Jared for representing not only Sooner Nation, but getting to rep the United States!

On April 13th, 2012, severe weather impacted several communities across the state. The University of Oklahoma has partnered with the  United Way to provide assistance to helping with the relief efforts being made by agencies.

2012 Relief Shirt from the Official OU Store.

This is the second straight year that OU has partnered with the United Way to help the state out with tornado and severe weather damage. Like in 2011, they have created a shirt where the net proceeds will be used to aid affected areas.

From SoonerSports.com:

T-shirts featuring “2012 Relief Efforts – Oklahoma Helping Oklahomans” are currently available in the OU Online Store. The shirt, manufactured by Box Seat Clothing Co., may be purchased for $19.95 (men’s) and $21.95 (women’s) with a flat-rate $4.99 shipping fee for any quantity ordered.

The United Way works directly with agencies such as the American Red Cross and Salvation Army that have been providing round-the-clock assistance to Oklahomans in need. Services provided include opening and operating shelters, case management for those experiencing loss, mobile feeding sites for those working in disaster-affected areas, and more.

The Sooners are making a difference and an impact close to home. Go online and do your part and purchase one to help out with this great cause.