By John Shinn
QB choice may come very soon
In all likelihood Oklahoma will have a starting quarterback by the end of this week. The date and whether Paul Thompson or Rhett Bomar gets the nod are the questions that don’t have answers.
The Sooners open the season Sept. 3 when they host TCU at Owen Field. Offensive coordinator Chuck Long said OU would like to have the issue resolved 10 days before the season opener.
“I think our aiming point is 10 days out,” Long said. “We’ve done that every year we’ve had competition like this. We’d like to get something done, before they hit game week, so they can field all the questions from the media before the weekend.”
If 10 days out is the target dat, the decision could come Wednesday.
OU coach Bob Stoops announced Saturday the Sooners will conduct a final scrimmage Wednesday. Although, this one will be closed to the public and the media.
Wednesday night could be the final chance for either Thompson and Bomar to sway the coaching staff.
Stoops, however, said he wasn’t dead-set on naming a starter Wednesday.
“We’ll probably wait until after we work Wednesday,” Stoops said. “Hopefully, we’ll know something by the end of the week.”
Grady at Utah
Former Oklahoma quarterback Tommy Grady has found his next school. Sunday, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Grady will transfer to Utah.
He is expected to be at the Utes’ practice Monday. School begins at Utah Wednesday.
Grady backed up Jason White last season, but fell out of the competition to replace him as starter because he was unable to participate in preseason practices while finishing a summer class he needed to remain eligible. In five games, he completed 12-of-14 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Grady will not be eligible this season. He will sit out under transfer rules, then have two years of eligibility remaining.
Keith still welcome
The only surprise for OU this preseason has been the absence of offensive lineman Brandon Keith. The 6-6, 320-pounder transferred to OU last spring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; and went through spring practice with the Sooners.
During the first week of practice, he told offensive line coach Kevin Wilson, through a text message, he had a personal matter to take care of and didn’t know when he would return. He still hasn’t returned.
Wilson said his chances of playing this season aren’t good but that Keith still
“If he’s missed so much that he’s not ready to play, we can still redshirt him,” Wilson said. “We believe it’s been an adjustment period for him because he was a little overwhelmed. We’re presenting that and I believe that is the direction he is going to go in.”
