By John Shinn
Transcript Sports Writer
The clock is winding down on Oklahoma’s quarterback competition. The Sooners will conduct their third and final preseason scrimmage at 6:30 tonight at Owen Field.
It’s the last time Paul Thompson and Rhett Bomar will have to impress the coaching staff in a game-like setting.
“This is no doubt a big scrimmage,” offensive coordinator Chuck Long said, “but they’ve all been big.”
Yes they have.
Thompson and Bomar have been through six of these, counting all the way to spring practice. They’ve both had their good days and bad days.
Bomar doesn’t expect this one to be any different. He struggled in the Sooners’ last scrimmage, completing 16-of-36 passes for 151 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also threw three other passes a more sure-handed defense might have picked off.
“I had a bad scrimmage,” he said. “It wasn’t my night. I had a few forced throws. I made a few physical mistakes.”
However, the redshirt freshman from Grand Prairie, Texas, isn’t interested in hearing any notions that he’s the young gunslinger prone to making big plays but also big mistakes.
“I have my moments and stuff like that,” he said, “but I don’t feel like a young guy where I don’t know what I’m doing. I feel like I’ve been here a while.”
OU coach Bob Stoops said the scrimmage will consist of about 100 plays. Practice is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. The team will move over to Owen Field for the scrimmage portion an hour later.
Stoops claims not to be too concerned about the quarterback race. Instead, he wants to see continued improvement from his team.
“I want us to continue to make strides and hopefully eliminate some of the foolish penalties,” Stoops said. “I want to see guys execute on both sides of the ball and see who is going to make plays. Same things we look for every time we’re out there.”
Much like the first two scrimmages, the focus will be on the passing game. OU put the ball in the air close to 70 times last Saturday.
Long said there’s a reason for it.
“We need to see the quarterbacks,” he said. “We need to see what type of decisions they’re making. We want to keep our balance and run the ball as well, but it will favor more throws.”
Another reason is OU’s depth at running back.
Adrian Peterson didn’t play in either scrimmage and doesn’t figure to see any action tonight. The coaches have continued their insistence the kid gloves Peterson’s being treated are for purely precautionay purposes.
Additionally, Peterson’s sidekick, Kejuan Jones has been nursing a foot injury the last two weeks and won’t see any action. Jones walked the sideline last Saturday on crutches.
Notes
Lofton moves up
Freshman linebacker Curtis Lofton spent most of Tuesday’s practice working with the first team. Lofton was at middle linebacker while Zach Latimer rested some nagging injuries.
It’s clear the blue chip recruit from Kingfisher has made a favorable impression.
“He looked really good. He’s a guy that has a natural feel in there. You always say linebackers that you have to tell too much what to do usually struggle,” Stoops said. “He’s one of those guys that you just have to get him lined up. After that, you don’t have to tell him a whole lot. He feels the game and executes. He has a chance to be a really good player.”
Lofton and fellow freshman Ryan Reynolds have already moved up to second-team linebacker spots and co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables expects both to play.
Practices closed
Anyone wanting to get a glimpse of the Sooners before the season begins Sept. 3 better do it tonight.
Stoops announced Tuesday the rest of OU’s practices will be closed to public.
“There’s some things, whether they’re trick plays or whatnot, that you want to start working on and that you don’t need everybody seeing,” Stoops said.
