NORMAN — Being Oklahoma’s quarterback isn’t easy. The scrutiny from those inside the program is tough. Add in what comes from outside, and it can gnaw anyone down to nothing.
Landry Jones found out just how intense that pressure can be last season when it was thrust on him midway through OU’s season opener. That was nearly 12 months ago. He’s learned a lot since.
To Jones, the game is different than it was a year ago.
“It’s just one of those things where you see the defense so much better. Instead of just seeing one safety you’re starting to see both of them,” Jones said. “You’re starting to see the middle of the field split. You’re seeing receivers running down the field. It’s really good to get the spring in and get to play last year and actually have some experience.”
The Sooners went 8-5 last season and were 7-3 in the games Jones got the official start in. He relieved Sam Bradford in two others. On paper, at least, Jones gave the impression he is the rightful heir apparent to Bradford.
Jones’ 3,198 yards passing ranks sixth all-time for a OU quarterback in a single season. His 26 touchdown passes are also the sixth highest single-season total by an OU quarterback.
But he also threw 14 interceptions last season and was shaky in road games at Texas Tech, Nebraska and Miami.
It was enough to leave some asking if the Sooners should look elsewhere for its starting quarterback. OU coach Bob Stoops believes that questions has no validity. The reason is the Jones that will take the field in 2010 is different from the one in 2009.
“He’s night and day. There’s truly no comparison from a year ago at this time,” Stoops said. “He’s just much more prepared and confident and sure of himself and experienced. He’s looked good, strong and he is throwing a great ball, making good decisions. We’re happy with him and he has been a good leader.”
Unlike last season, there’s no doubt this team belongs to Jones and the Sooners are fine with it. But Jones wasn’t the only one who learned valuable lessons last season.
The coaching staff knows how critical it will be to have someone ready to go if something happens to Jones.
There’s a daily competition between redshirt freshman Drew Allen and true freshman Blake Bell for the No. 2 spot.
“That’s always going to be an open competition,” Stoops said.
Allen figures to have a leg up because he’s been under OU’s wing longer. Allen enrolled at OU in the spring of 2009 and the 6-foot-5, 232-point native of San Antonio, Texas, has benefited from two spring practices and this is his second preseason camp.
After watching what happened last season, Allen knows a backup quarterback can turn into a starter very quickly.
“I think (the coaches), along with us, learned from last year about the fact that everybody has to be ready,” Allen said. “During that BYU game and afterward, I was one snap away from being in. Right now, everybody is one snap away, and that’s how we view it.”
The Sooners have three quarterbacks in camp and the third may have the biggest upside of the three. Blake Bell, from Bishop Carroll High School in Wichita, Kan., was one of the best prep quarterbacks in the country last year. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound freshman has impressed coaches since he arrived on campus.
“Blake is very impressive. He is a very big, strong athlete. Very bright guy that you see when you visit with him, he catches on quickly. And more importantly in the locker room you can tell the players like working with him because he is one of the guys,” Stoops said. “He has all the personality traits to really be an exceptional player and looking at him running, physically he is definitely ahead as a freshman of about anyone we’ve had come in here that is that big and strong already.”
But the Sooners would like to see him mature for at least a season before he plays a meaningful game. The plan for this season is to ride Jones as far as he can take the Sooners.
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
