Let me apologize in advance. Because after watching Oklahoma scrimmage itself Saturday night at Owen Field, I have no real insight into this team.
Certainly no more than I had a few days ago, when my insight du jour remained the Sooners having a chance to win every game, even with Paul Thompson at quarterback, even as the prospect became a little less likely.
For now, Sooner Nation, the only real choice you have is to take this team on faith. Faith in its tradition, faith in its players, faith in Sooner Magic and faith in Bob Stoops, even if he appears bent on replacing all the paranoia that left the conference when Bill Snyder decided to hang up the whistle.
“We have more to come and more to do and there’s no sense in broadcasting it to everybody,” Stoops said after the scrimmage on the topic of his choice to close preseason practice to fans and media, the first time he’s done so since coming to Norman from Gainesville.
On the subject of taking it on faith, I suppose it’s up to us media types to take Stoops at his word and not think his decision to muzzle the camera’s eye and his players’ mouths had nothing to do with the last bad press Rhett Bomar ever had anything to do with.
On that, let’s just say faith has limits.
On the Sooners, let’s say who the heck knows.
At first glance, it appears OU might indeed have been working on nothing but new stuff since closing the curtain. Because, running stuff that couldn’t possibly be new, just completing a pass proved a near impossible task unless Lendy Holmes, now a cornerback, was the guy making the catch.
So if Paul Thompson, Chapter 1, was TCU last season and Chapter 2 was 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Saturday night, all signs pointed toward not wanting to finish the book. But if Chapter 3 was 7:15 to 8 p.m., the season might just turn into a page-turner.
Thompson finished 15 of 26 through the air for 133 yards, including a pair of touchdowns and one interception, and he did it by rescuing his scrimmage completing 11 of his last 13 tosses.
Not that numbers mean anything this time of year, but it has to be nice to see the guy everybody wants to root for and every Sooner wants to play for do something well after getting the rug pulled out from under him last season.
The next time anybody hears Bob Stoops wear out his starting quarterback will be the first time, and yet the praise sounded genuine after the up and down dress rehearsal.
“Paul (Thompson) managed the huddle well and had good snap control all day,” Stoops said. “He still has some brushing up to do, but he really got in a rhythm as we went along.”
Even offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, who may have a problem in the honesty department only in that he can be brutally so, was complimentary a few days after telling everybody the offense was “soft.”
“We’ve got a long way to go, but we’re off to a real good start,” he said.
All of this following a scrimmage in which many of the biggest cheers, from a crowd officially estimated at 12,000, but appeared much bigger, were saved for special teams.
Because after seeing incompletion after incompletion, it’s a wonder how quickly your fans will appreciate a booming punt.
“I was really pleased with the kicking game,” Stoops said.
And don’t you know the Sooner Nation breathes easier knowing that.
So, you know, just take it on faith, and be comfortable in the knowledge that the last time a crowd went crazy over a Sooner scrimmage, it was the ’98 spring game, the year John Blake and Joe Dickinson went back to the bone.
Clay Horning366-3526cfhorning@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Related Photos
-
JERRY LAIZURE
Discussion
You have to take these Sooners on faith
Column by Sports Editor Clay Horning
- OU Sports
-
-
It’s a recipe for success
Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso was answering questions Saturday after her Sooners clinched another return to the Women’s College World Series when, without really meaning to, she began to make it clear her job has, sort of, become ...
-
Tigers deny Sooners’ Big 12 title hopes
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma wanted to win its first Big 12 tournament in 16 years on Sunday. Missouri needed to win it to get in the NCAA Tournament. Need topped desire at Bricktown Ballpark....
-
Sooners make winning look easy
As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....
-
There are no easy outs in the lineup
Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....
-
Sooners will play for Big 12 championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...
-
Sooners send five more to nationals
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....
-
OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....
-
Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be
When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...
-
Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry
Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....
-
Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs
AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
It’s a recipe for success
