By John Shinn
Transcript Sports Writer
Oklahoma’s first scrimmage yielded few surprises Monday night on Owen Field as the quarterback competition remained neck-and-neck for Paul Thompson and Rhett Bomar.
Both took turns running the first and second teams’ offensive units through nearly 60 plays. Once again, Tommy Grady, charted to vie for the starting quarterback spot after spring drills, did not suit up and hasn’t practiced since preseason practices began.
Thompson threw for 107 yards on 9-for-16 passing. Bomar was 6-for-9 for 90. Neither had a touchdown pass, but both were able to lead the offense on a scoring drive.
“I was pleased with the quarterbacks,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “I thought both were sharp in the huddle, sharp at the line of scrimmage. They made a lot of nice throws. That part is really exciting.”
Bomar said there wasn’t anything to get too excited about or to get down about. He’s just trying to get sharper as the preseason continues.
“I don’t know if there’s one thing,” he said. “It’s just a matter of being more consistent and eliminating the mental mistakes.”
For Thompson, it was another day to get more experience leading the offense.
“It was a first step,” he said. “We have two or three more weeks left of practice. I just want to build on today.”
The first and second team offenses each attempted nine series, all starting from their own 25-yard line.
The defense kept them out until the fourth series when Bomar powered a nine-play drive that was capped by a 1-yard run from Jacob Gutierrez.
Thompson directed his scoring drive on his final attempt, leading a 12-play march that ended with Donta Hickson diving across the goal line on a 1-yard plunge.
Adrian Peterson was held out the scrimmage.
“He’s been tight a little bit,” Stoops said. “We’re not going to push it. We’ll just see how it goes.”
Hickson was the scrimmage’s leading rusher with 12 carries for 48 yards. Gutierrez finished with 28 yards on seven tries. Kejuan Jones had 11 yards on five calls.
Tight end Willie Roberts was the leading receiver with four receptions for 77 yards. Quentin Chaney had two catches for 25 yards. Jejuan Rankins had two for 19 yards and Eric Huggins’ two snares were good for 11 yards.
For the first scrimmage of the season, Stoops will take it.
“I loved it,” he said. “It was cleaner than I thought it would be. I thought it was really good.
“No one was hurt. Guys worked hard and we got about 60 plays with the one’s and two’s. Our tackling needs to be sharper but we’ve only been out here five days, so everybody still has a lot to work on, but it was real pleasing for me.”
Stoops might not have liked the tackling, but it was also the first time OU has put on full pads since spring practice.
Linebacker Clint Ingram said there’s some rust that needs to get knocked off.
“We haven’t really tackled for five months,” he said. “It takes a while to get used to that.”
However, the defenders were happy to get chances to deliver some blows.
“These running backs get to talking when you can’t bring them to the ground,” linebacker Demarrio Pleasant said. “That’s what’s good about these scrimmages.”
Pleasant had the only interception of the evening when he picked off Bomar on the eighth series. Defensive end C.J. Ah You had the other turnover, stripping Thompson.
The biggest cheer of the night didn’t come for the offense of defense though.
The scrimmage began with an impressive kicking exhibition from Garrett Hartley, who made 11-of-13 field goals, including all three attempts outside of 50 yards.
His final kick, a 57-yarder, drew a big ovation from the 8,500 in attendance.
“Garrett was great,” Stoops said. “That was good too with the five days they’ve been out. All of that was very smooth — the handling of the ball, the snaps — and Garrett was excellent kicking the football.”
The Sooners return to the OU rugby field at 7:45 a.m today for their first two-a-day practice of the preseason. They will later go after it at 5:30 p.m.
The second of three preseason scrimmages is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday on Owen Field.
