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NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW- #4 Oklahoma Sooners

By: Craig Trapp     Date: Aug 7, 2008
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Today we will preview the #3 Oklahoma Sooners. They come off a great year last year finishing 11-2. Sooners head coach Bob Stoops has won five Big 12 championships with five different quarterbacks over the last eight seasons. He has a great chance to win his sixth conference crown in 2008, but he doesn't plan to use a sixth signal-caller. Sam Bradford led the nation in passing efficiency and smashed the NCAA freshman record for touchdown passes. The 6-5 sophomore leads a team that was motivated during the spring and off season by its Fiesta Bowl flameout against West Virginia. The returning talent and a favorable schedule point to another BCS run. Oklahoma should be 5-0 when it messes with Texas on Oct. 11. Kansas, Nebraska and Texas Tech come to Memorial Stadium this year.

Offensively Oklahoma averaged a jaw-dropping 6.4 yards per play in 2007 and returns 10 players who started at least six games. No wonder Stoops wants to run more plays in 2008 and has joined the tide of teams experimenting with a no-huddle attack. The Sooners can afford to experiment, blessed as they are with what is arguably the nation's best offensive line. At QB Bradford should improve after getting a year under his belt. Bradford has a bumper crop of young receiving talent at his disposal and RBs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown should return from knee injuries in time for two-a-days. Look forward to the offense to once again put up big numbers this year. Bradford might be a midseason heisman candidate.

Even though the Sooners are replacing two linebackers, both cornerbacks and a safety, there's no sense of urgency in Norman. That tells you how good the front four must be. If middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds can stay healthy and the secondary performs as well as it did in the spring game -- six interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns -- Big 12 offensive coordinators should stock up on Tums. Early season this unit will probably struggle getting used to each other. But by the time the play Texas in there sixth game they should be stout. Defense should continue to improve as the season progresses hopefully they will not let down this national championship contender.

Hopefully this team is ready to avenge last years embarrassing loss to WVU 48-28 in the Fiesta Bowl. Stoops is out to prove that the last two years bowl losses are a fluke. The offense is loaded and should be able to put up huge stats this year. Defense is a little more of a question. Athletically they seem very gifted on defense but at secondary they lack the experience. What looks to be a favorable schedule they should finish at worst 11-1. They need to go undefeated this year if they want to play in the BCS title game. This is probably too much too ask for this team. Look for them to play in another big bowl just not the national championship game.

Tomorrow will preview the #5 Florida Gators.


 





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