Booming Sooners

• Improving Oklahoma could be a trap for the Ducks

By Jason Vondersmith

The Portland Tribune, Dec 16, 2005, Updated Oct 30, 2009

The theme down at Oklahoma, as the Sooners prepare for the Holiday Bowl against Oregon, has been different from the past five years, when one of the nation’s top programs won 50 games and lost seven.

“We have a chance to be a spoiler,” says Merv Johnson, the OU director of football operations, a radio color commentator and one of former coach Barry Switzer’s assistants. “We relish this opportunity.”

What?!

Indeed, the Sooners head into the Dec. 29 game at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego as the underdog against the sixth-ranked Ducks (10-1) Ñ at least on paper. Oklahoma, with youth and injuries, stumbled to a 7-4 record after consecutive seasons of 13-0, 11-2, 12-2, 12-2 and 12-1.

But OU has won five of its past six games, the only loss being to Texas Tech 23-21, when the Red Raiders scored on the final play Ñ a 2-yard run that was disputed and replays proved inconclusive to overturn.

The Sooners expect to be back in the national title picture next season. A jumping off spot will be the Holiday Bowl.

“They’re miles better than they were for the first game,” says Johnson, referring to an upset loss to Texas Christian.

Losses to UCLA and Texas followed as Oklahoma played the nation’s toughest schedule.

Entering the season, the Sooners had lost 10 players to the NFL. The entire secondary had to be rebuilt. Three defensive ends went out with injuries by the second game. Oklahoma abandoned junior Paul Thompson and went with heralded redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar at quarterback, and he consistently progressed, as did an oft-injured offensive line and infant receiving corps.

Then came the ankle injury to running back Adrian Peterson, who missed parts or all of four games.

Peterson returned in time to gain 1,024 yards, giving him nearly 3,000 in two years. He’s healthy.

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