Oklahoma is three days into preseason practice, but Wednesday’s Media Day was the prefect time to pose five questions to Sooner players and coaches. How these questions are answered will likely dictate the success, or lack of it, OU encounters this season.



1. Will the back of the defense struggle?

If there’s a weakness OU has on paper it’s at linebacker and secondary. The reason is the lack of experience. Barring preseason injuries, OU will lineup with only three returning starters — middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds and safeties Nic Harris and Lendy Holmes — in those seven spots.

That isn’t much experience, especially playing in a pass-happy league like the Big 12.

OU coach Bob Stoops admits there are questions, but also believes in the Sooners’ ability to answer.

“I do feel there is some excellent potential with some of our linebackers and secondary people,” he said. “Some of those guys that have shown through the spring and a couple of days here in our summer session, the ability to play like we are used to be playing and hopefully that will continue to improve and those guys can continue to make plays at the level we’re used to.”

After three days of drills coaches have aired no complaints about cornerbacks Dominique Franks and Brian Jackson, nor linebackers Austin Box and Keenan Clayton. That’s a good start, because those are the guys who will be asked to prove themselves at their positions for the first time.

“I think we have a good balance between young and old guys and that’s pretty much what you need. And the young guys are like sponges, they learn everything we possibly do,” safety Nic Harris said.



2. How good can the offensive line become?

Last season this group was supposed to be one of the best in the nation and for most of the season it clearly was. OU set a school record for points scored and gave up only 14 sacks all season long. Still, the Sooners were better early than late.

Six of the sacks were allowed in OU’s three losses, including three in a Fiesta Bowl loss to West Virginia.

“This year we have to be the guys who step it up all the time and set the tempo,” All-American guard Duke Robinson said. “We’re the guys up front and we’re the guys who make the plays happen. We have to be the guys who are dominant on every play.”

The group has the talent and the experience to do those things. It returns intact for the second straight season and some — Robinson, center Jon Cooper and tackle Branndon Braxton — have been starting since 2005.

This could go down as one of OU’s most accomplished groups in the program’s rich history, but that will require conistent excellence the length of the season.



3. Can Sam Bradford exceed last season?

No one is exactly sure when or where sophomore slump entered the athletic lexicon, but you can bet it started when freshmen started having breakout seasons. Numbers wise, Bradford will likely take a step back. Topping 36 touchdown passes against only eight interceptions will be difficult.

But Bradford isn’t concerned about numbers.

He’s eyeing the big picture.

“You cannot look at numbers. Numbers can be very misleading,” he said. “There are a lot of things I can do to be a better quarterback and there are a lot of things I can do to help our team win.”

What that comes down to is leadership and making plays when required. For the first time since Jason White returned for his sixth year on campus in 2004, OU has entered preseason drills with an established starting quarterback. It’s Bradford’s offense now. Becoming the general has been his focus.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson likes what he’s seen from his quarterback

“The key to a young player who played so well is to stay mature and grounded and not cross the line,” he said. “ A sophomore slump happens when he doesn’t have a supporting cast, if he’s arrogant and thinks he’s better than he is or when he tries to make plays he can’t make. Sam has the makeup to avoid the pitfalls, but we’ll see.”



4. Will OU continue spreading the offensive wealth?

Last season may go down as one of the Sooners’ most diverse offensive seasons. Fourteen players caught 13 or more passes and three players rushed for more than 600 yards.

However, the balance left the impression OU lacked a go-to player in critical moments.

“There’s not a great offensive player that doesn’t want the ball,” Wilson said. “There are a lot of egos and our challenge is to keep our guys grounded and to keep them happy.”

A goal for the season appears to be better exploiting the talents of running back DeMarco Murray and tight end Jermaine Gresham. They combined for 26 touchdowns last seasons.

But neither is complaining about a light workload.

“I want to touch the ball as many times as a I can,” Murray said, “but we have a lot of guys that also need it.”

“I don’t care what my role is,” Gresham said. “As long as we’re winning games and having fun out there, I’d be all right with just catching five balls this season.”



5. Can OU finish strong?

It’s tough to bring up questions in August that can’t be answered until January, but OU is used to it by now. Losing four straight BCS bowls has put a damper on the regular-season success the Sooners have achieved.

Finishing the season is already weighing heavily on the Sooners’ minds before the season has even started.

“At Oklahoma you’re supposed to win championships,” wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias said. “That’s what we have to do.”

The Sooners will be gunning for their third straight Big 12 title. Only OU has ever repeated once. But considering the recent past, must the Sooners win in January to claim a successful season?

“The national championship is the biggest goal,” Robinson said. “A lot of teams have done that here before. We want to be remembered with those kinds of teams. You can’t do it without winning one.”

OU has won seven national championships, the most recent in 2000, Stoops’ second season.

Jeff Johncox

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jjohncox@normantranscript.com