The second edition of the ESPNU special All-Access aired yesterday.

They didn’t waste anytime getting to the subject of Austin Box yesterday and the interview they did with defensive coordinator Brent Venables was very moving.

And if you didn’t love him before, Ryan Broyles was the highlight of the episode. The guy is a natural leader and proved it even more yesterday.

Here is the episode in case you missed it. Definitely worth a watch.

Boomer

The Sooners went full pads today, which also brings the Oklahoma Drill.

For those of you who DONT know what an Oklahoma Drill is, the most common version involves two players lined up three yards opposite another player. A corridor is set up using three players or bags.  The players will line up to form a wall around those participating in the drill.

The two players, at the sound of a whistle or coach, then run at one another and the drill is over when one of the players is on the ground, or if a ball carrier who is involved is tackled. The Drill is a good way to evaluate players who have stood out in non-contact workouts but coaches have yet to see in a physical setting.

Many Pro and college teams have adapted this tradition for the first day of full pad workouts. Now known everywhere as the Oklahoma Drill.

To check out the Sooners in the Oklahoma Drill from Monday, click link below to watch the video.

http://www.facebook.com/oklahomasooners#!/video/video.php?v=10100305492981507&oid=99307042004&comments

I also wanted to add a picture that is pretty telling of what this season means to the Sooner Nation. Saturday at practice, No. 12 helmets were placed around the field during morning stretches. Sooner Sports got a shot of Stoops showing his respect. Pretty moving.

Stoops looking over at Austin's helmet. Photo from SoonerSports.com

 As the players take the field on a scorching August day, two ghostly figures stand at the corner of the field. One is standing proudly with his hand on his hips, and the other is kneeling on one knee holding a clipboard.

Coach Owen looks up at Coach Wilkinson and says, “Well?”

Bud says “I think the young man is doing a hell of a job”… but  his stare never leaves the man in the white visor, the one that now leads their Sooners to glory.

Across from the Practice field, Memorial Stadium echoes with the voice of a Bootleggers boy from Arkansas saying “Nobody said this was gonna be easy, This ain’t High School Son..This is Oklahoma football!!”

Just then a long haired kid joins the coaches on the corner of the field, and they look at him for a moment and say “What are you waiting for? Get in there number 12!” …

He puts on a helmet and runs to the field..

Bud says,  ”I think we are gonna win it all this year”

Bennie says shaking his head “What makes you think that? It’s awfully early”

“Because our Sooners aren’t just playing for a Trophy they are doing this for him.” – written by Brad Wilson @theslamdog

This season is for Austin. The Chase for Eight has now begun..

Last night, we had our first ever episode of 2 Guys, 1 Girl, and a Sports Show. It was a little bumpy this time around, we are still working out all the kinks.

First episode was in memory of the late Austin Box. Take a listen and don’t be too rough on us. It was our first time.

2 Guys, 1 Girl, and a Sports Show – Episode 1 – Listen here

According to Tulsa World columnist Dave Sitter, Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables brother passed away Friday.

Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables

This comes less than a day after Venables publicly addressed the media on the death of linebacker Austin Box. Venables’ brother was 43 and resided in Colorado.

With Coach Stoops being in Italy at the time of Austin’s passing, Venables was elected to be the team’s spokesperson.

Venables was supposed to have a phone interview Friday with a World reporter and texted this response for missing the call:

My brother passed away (Friday) unexpectedly. Young, 43 years old. (I) had to leave town immediately.

Venables, for obvious reasons, has been unavailable for further comment.

To say that this has been a rough week in Norman for the Sooner family is an understatement.

More than ever Sooner Nation needs to come together with their thought and prayers.

I don’t think we can take anymore bad news.

Yesterday was not the best day in Sooner news.

A little bit of a picture change going on for this cup of joe too.

Today’s links will be done to reflect that. The first link is a video, very moving from Coach Venables.

RIP Austin.

OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables struggles as he reflects on Austin Box – NewsOK.com (video)

Audio: Austin Box friends’s 911 call – CBSSports.com (gut wrenching)

Austin Box Career Highlights – Blatant Homerism

*If you like the Austin Box remembrance graphic, go here to download it. Great work by ouKingpen.

Oklahoma Sooners Linebacker Austin Box was found unconscious today at a home in El Reno, Oklahoma. He was care-flighted to Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City and later announced dead by the medical examiner.

Box was only 22 years old.

He would have been a senior this coming fall.

To say that Austin Box was a talented player was not saying enough. Box was electric on the field.

When Box made a play, it was a play you remembered.

Austin had been with the Sooners since 2007. He redshirted his freshman year, but has been an impact player since 2008.

This is a major loss to Sooner Nation and unfortunately is coming right after college football lost another player: Aaron Douglas of Alabama. Douglas was also just 22.

Information is coming out that the official police report is saying Box took an “unnamed controlled substance”. Medical Examiner’s office does not expect a cause of death for Box to be announced today.

Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione released this statement:

Austin Box will be greatly missed by his many friends and teammates in the Athletics Department and all across campus. Grief counseling is being made available to members of the team and his close friends.

Also releasing a statement was school President, David Boren:

The University family is deeply saddened by the tragic death of student-athlete Austin Box. Our hearts go out to his family and friends.”

Head Coach Bob Stoops is currently overseas, but I would imagine that we will hear from him shortly.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the Box family, and all of Sooner Nation right now.

He was too young to die. This one hurts.

A friend of mine just said, “Heaven needed a tough middle linebacker. RIP Austin,your work on earth is done.”

*Update: Stoops released a statement from overseas-

We’re all shocked and heartbroken. Austin was a great young man, a great young man to coach and a great teammate. He played an integral part in our success the last three years and was looking forward to a big senior year. As heart-wrenching as this is for us, we know it’s even more difficult for his family. More than anything, our thoughts and prayers are with them.”