OU 2010 Preview- Offense Skill Positions

Written by atlantasooner | 21 January 2010

OU 2010 Super Early Preview- Offense- Skill Positions

Doing this before signing day is probably asking for trouble, but with Spring dates announced and NFL early entry period over it's time to do a small amount of pre spring 2010 previewing. I realize that signing day is 3 weeks away, but OU has 28 verbals, so other than a JUCO OL or Jackson Jeffcoat things are about done. And based on any late news from signing day, I'll update this preview.

QB:

The most interesting aspect to the QB battle never really materialized. Cameron Newton instead of coming to OU to battle Landry Jones for the QB position instead headed back to the SEC at Auburn to be Gus Malzahn's newest protégée. Based on his improvement during the Sun Bowl and overall game experience of a full season, it's hard to imagine that Drew Allen can mount any kind of serious competition for the QB position this spring. Spring instead will be all about working on Landry's mechanics and speeding up his reads and throws while getting Allen as many reps as possible since he will be a play away. There's a possibility that Allen could have the kind of spring that makes everyone believe that he should be the starter, but I don't think that the regular fans will even get to see that much of him beyond an open scrimmage or two before the usual watered down spring game. I guess the stats from those scrimmages might start a "Drew Must Start" campaign but considering he will probably be working with the second team offense against the second team defense (and our second team DL is probably much better than our second team OL) that's pretty doubtful. Blake Bell should arrive in July and there will probably be all kinds of buzz about the young QB, but he's redshirting unless something disastrous happens.

Projected Depth Chart:

1. Landry Jones - 6-4, 2220 Soph Redshirt
2. Drew Allen- 6-5, 230 Fr Redshirt
3. Blake Bell - 6-6, 230 Fr (Redshirting)

RB:

Surprisingly Demarco Murray decided to return for his senior year despite rumors to the contrary. Murray should be the feature back and a huge weapon for the OU offense, he was the 2^nd leading receiver last year in terms of yardage and still managed to grind out 700 yards. He could be primed for a huge senior year and close to a number of OU records. Jermie Calhoun should be the 2^nd back used and showed flashes of the potential that made him the best RB in Texas in 2007 when he signed with OU. Calhoun in particular could give Murray a break on short yardage plays. Jonathan Miller also showed a great deal of potential before getting hurt. Miller will miss spring with a knee injury. Miller's skill set seems very similar to Jermie Calhoun, so OU might try and redshirt him next year. So if Miller is redshirting who is the 3^rd string RB? This is going to be huge battle between Brennan Clay and Roy Finch. Both players bring a huge presence in the shotgun running game as well as serious receiving out of the backfield skills. In fact, both RBs bring a different game than Calhoun/Miller. It's probably fair to say that no position has the consistent depth and talent (both potential in recruits and on the field production) that OU has at RB. Trying to figure out which freshman RB will play is tough since both players have big time potential in the return game especially Finch in kickoff returns where OU honestly could use an infusion of playmaking.

Projected Depth Chart:

1. Demarco Murray 6-0, 215 Sr
2. Jermie Calhoun 6-0, 220 Soph Redshirt
3. Jonathan Miller 6-1, 205 Soph (Redshirt candidate)
4. Brennan Clay 6-0, 190, 4.45 Fr
5. Roy Finch 5-8, 175, 4.45 Fr

WR:

This position looked vastly better in the Sun Bowl than the rest of the season with a more consistent rotation and consistent hands and route running from folks not named Broyles. Ryan is the star, but OU appeared to find a solid 3 WR group with Dajuan Miller and Jaz Reynolds. The confidence from that game should be final step to put Miller over the top where his physical skills sync up with the mental aspect of the game. Miller seems ready to fill the Malcolm Kelly role at one spot. With Broyles and Miller in place, I would expect Jaz Reynolds to be the talk of spring. He's showed great potential with a full offseason adding some weight/strength should help Reynolds who is still pretty rail thin but has great speed. Of the other returning WRs, it's a key spring for Cameron Keeney. Keeney badly needs to become more physical (look at the UT game for a clear idea of how he was just thrown around by DBs) and work on catching the ball with his hands not his body. The pressure will be on Keeney due to the arrival of Kenny Stills. Stills is bigger and faster than Keeney and is a massive threat for the 4^th WR spot for OU as well as providing the deep threat that OU needs with the intermediate coverage attention that Broyles attracts from the slot position. Stills being in spring ball is a huge boost for OU's WR core. Brandon Caleb has been fighting injuries his whole career, and as a Senior I expect him to provide some depth off the bench but talent wise he's behind Reynolds, Miller, and Stills.  Sheldon McClain also enrolled early, but due to his knee injury his ability to be in spring ball is probably in doubt. However, at at the very least, McClain should be going through his rehab at OU, and ready to play next fall. He maybe released for non contact drills so that he can at least get familiar with the OU offense this spring. This fall the OU WR core gets pretty crowded with 3 additional names in Joe Powell, Trey Franks, and Justin McCay. McCay is the star of that group and brings a physical presence and size to WR that only Dajuan Miller currently has, in addition McCay was a special teams standout on kickoff returns (remember I mentioned that OU needs an upgrade there). Franks brings elite homerun speed that OU may find ways to get into the game on reverses, WR screens etc, or again the previously mentioned kickoff return game. Powell might be the most polished WR of the 3 but his skill set is covered by Broyles who won't really leave the field so for right now I have him redshirting. So 3 WRs I expect OU to go with Broyles/Miller/Reynolds and 4 WRs look for Broyles/Stills/Miller/Reynolds. In my opinion, with the talent OU has at RB, OU should never really be in 5 WRs.

Projected Depth Chart:

• Slot WR: 1) Ryan Broyles- Soph 2)Kenny Stills- Fr 3) Trey Franks-Fr
• WR: 1) Dajuan Miller - Jr 2) Justin McCay- Fr 3)Sheldon McClain-Fr
• WR: 1) Jaz Reynolds-Soph 2) Kenny Stills-Fr 3)Cameron Keeney/Brandon Caleb-Sr
• Redshirting: Joe Powell

Tight End/H-Back/FB:

OU had a massive dropoff last year at this position last year and there is an influx of talent at this position coming off redshirt and arriving in August. If James Hanna is going to claim the TE position it needs to be this spring. Hanna has the frame and speed to be the every down weapon the Sooners needs at TE. His blocking remains a huge question, and something clearly was keeping him on the bench all last fall. James Ratterree did a good job in the Sun Bowl but he's not fast enough to hold off Hanna/Austin Haywood or good enough blocker to hold off Gabe Ikard/Lane Johnson. Still Hanna and Ratterree will have the edge starting in spring. Both Ikard and Johnson would seem to be the natural replacements for former Eldridge power blocking TE role, Ikard is 250 and Johnson is 255. I expect one of those two guys to take over that Power TE position and bring back the Power look the Sooners really need for their no huddle to work. At the Flex TE position, Hanna is really the only player that has a chance of keeping Austin Haywood on the bench. Haywood arrives this fall, and brings the kind of pass catching/play making game at TE that left when Gresham got hurt. Haywood is already 6-5,245 and if he can show enough in the blocking game it's going to be hard to keep him off the field. At FB, you have two main candidates Marshall Musil and Trey Millard. Musil will have the job in spring along with Brandon Crow, but Millard at nearly 6-3, 250 provides a huge threat running and receiving the ball. Musil will need to bulk up from his current 220, but clearly has the skills to replace Matt Clapp. Millard like Haywood is going to be hard to keep off the field with his great skill set at H-Back.

Projected Depth Chart:

• Power TE: 1)Lane Johnson 6-7,255 Soph   2)Gabe Ikard 6-4, 250 Fr
• Flex TE: 1)Austin Haywood  6-5, 245  Fr  2)James Hanna 6-4, 240 Fr   3)James Ratterree 6-3, 225 Soph
• H-Back/Fullback:  1)Trey Millard 6-3, 250 Fr 2)Marshall Musil 6-2, 220 Fr  3)Brandon Crow 6-2, 240 Sr