Football camps will be kicking off soon for college football.
It’s time to talk football.
By Brandy Morris
Bob Stoops, Sam Bradford and the rest of the Oklahoma Sooners are back to square one after last year’s loss to the Florida Gators in the Orange Bowl. The Heisman winner will have a great arsenal with eleven players returning to the offense this season. Sophomore Ryan Broyles is the only wide receiver returning to the Sooners this season so Stoops and the Sooners are going to be looking for players to fill some key offensive positions. Bradford will also have to contend with a new center, will it be Junior Jason Hannan or Freshman Ben Habern replacing Jon Cooper? We will find out when they hit the field.
The Sooners will have nine starters return this season on the defensive side, with so many starters returning the defense should not stumble, only improve from its national ranking of 99 in pass coverage from last season. There should not be any doubt that last year’s defensive standouts, Seniors Auston English and Keenan Clayton as well as Junior Dominique Franks and the offensive standouts of Juniors Demarco Murray and Mossis Madu, and the seniors, Jermaine Gresham and Chris Brown all should have a season full of highlighted plays to keep Sooner fans happy. The Sooner season begins September 5, when they take on BYU in Arlington, TX. The game will be aired on ESPN. The Sooners have made the Sporting News top five, coming in ranked as number three.
The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes punishment of Ball State with a score of 45-13 in the GMAC Bowl was a successful conclusion to a 2008 season. The Golden Hurricane has 16 offensive players and 20 defensive players returning this season. The Hurricanes and Coach Todd Graham, begin a new season with a hunt for a new quarterback. There are three candidates battling for the position Freshman Shavodrick Beaver, Junior G.J. Kinne and Senior Jacob Bower.
Whoever is chosen will have a great target to throw to in Sophomore Damaris Johnson this season. Johnson, a freshman last season, finished fifth nationally, in all-purpose yards. On the defensive side, Senior Safety James Lockett, who last season had 82 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and forced five fumbles will be a force to be reckoned with this season. The Hurricanes will have plenty of other seasoned wide receivers for the quarterbacks to pass the ball to.
The Golden Hurricane season will kick off with three road games the first on September 4 at Tulane, and then they take on New Mexico and on September 19 take on the Oklahoma Sooners. They face a tough road early in the season to fight their way back to the Conference USA championship game. Tulsa has made the Sporting News Top 50, coming in at number 41.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are looking to bounce back after their loss to Oregon in the Pacific Life Holiday bowl last season. Coach Mike Gundy and his Co-offensive coordinator are going to have a solid offense to make plays this season. Senior Quarterback Zach Robinson returns to lead the Cowboys to a successful season. OSU has 15 returning starters this season. Junior Wide-receiver Dez Bryant returns to the field to lead the cowboys in receptions and make a few dazzling catches in the end zone. The cowboys were ranked sixth nationally in total offense with an average of 487 yards per game.
Robinson is one of two Big 12 quarterbacks, the other being Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, nominated for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
Junior Kendall Hunter and Senior Keith Toston, two of Robinson’s favorite backs will be back, along with many other talented players this season to make the Cowboy faithful happy. The Cowboy staff welcomes new running backs coach Robert Gillespie and Defensive Coordinator Bill Young to the coaching corral at OSU this year.
The Cowboy’s season will kick-off September 5 against the Georgia Bulldogs at 2:30; the game will be aired on ABC. The Cowboys and the Sooners do not face-off until November 28 in Norman. The game is looking to be a shootout as both teams will be ready for battle. The Cowboys have made the Sporting News Top 10 coming in at 10.
In the preseason media Big 12 polls, OU and OSU finished second and third respectively behind Texas in the South. Both teams are laden with talent and should put on a great show for their respective fans.
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