It’s four days now into the August training camp practice schedule for 2015 Sooner football, and there is a definite feel of progress in the air.
While the OU players go through their daily reps and practice drills in preparation for and progress toward the new college football season, construction is under way in the initial phase of stadium renovation work and improvements on Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Asked by a member of the media on Saturday at the “Meet the Sooners Day” event about the challenges of being relocated while the stadium construction work is going on in the South end of the stadium complex where the football offices and training facility are located, and if there was a buzz of anticipation, looking forward to the finished product, head coach Bob Stoops said:
Jul 21, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Omni Dallas. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
"“That may be the case a year from now, but there’s nothing buzzy right now with it all being destroyed,” the OU head coach said. “There are no problems with it. We have a great attitude about it. Even our older guys know they’ve had a hand in building it even if they aren’t going to experience it. They’ll come back and be able to see it.”"
So far, the Sooners have not suffered any serious preseason injuries, although running back Samaje Perine incurred a minor injury to his knee when he was bumped by another player at practice on Saturday, and linebacker Dominique Alexander sustained an ankle sprain on Monday that was described as not serious. Both players are expected to miss only a couple of practices before being back at preseason workouts.
Although the consensus view among Sooner fans is that Baker Mayfield will get the starting nod at quarterback to begin the 2015 season, some people close to the OU football program aren’t so sure that will be the case. In a radio interview on Monday with WHB 810 Radio sports talk-show host Siren Petro in Kansas City, OU football radio voice Toby Rowland said the QB competition between Mayfield and last year’s starter Trevor Knight is much closer than most people realize.
Mayfield may be slightly ahead at this point, Rowland said, but that could certainly change between now and Sept. 5 (the date of the Sooners’ season opener with Akron), and he would not rule out Knight’s chances of winning the job.
Apr 11, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Trevor Knight (9) leads the team during the spring football game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Knight has described the new Air Raid offense that offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is installing as “a fun offense to watch; up tempo with a lot of big plays. We’ll push the ball downfield and utilize our committee of talented backs to create a dynamic look,” he said. “I’m excited for people to see it.”
The feeling from the players and the coaches after the opening days of 2015 fall training camp is that they are anxious to get back at it and prove the critics wrong.
Several players expressed that the expectations of the Sooner players has not changed, although the media has lost some favor in the team, and the preseason top-25 projections reflect the lower expectations that the media and most college football experts have of OU football in 2015. Much of the negativity stems from the way OU ended last season, with its stunning overtime loss to in-state rival Oklahoma State followed by the Sooners’ total collapse in a 34-point blowout loss to Clemson in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
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The fallout was almost the total opposite of what it was last year after the Sooners surprised the college football world by upending mighty Alabama by a couple of touchdowns in the 2014 BCS Sugar Bowl. After that highly impressive victory and the way Trevor Knight performed at quarterback, practically everyone had Oklahoma in the conversation as one of the lead contenders to appear in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Similarly, the Sooners have been seriously downgraded entering the 2015 season, largely because of their disappointing 8-5 season a year ago.
Asked about what he thought he chief differences are between last season and what he has seen so far this season, Dominique Alexander said: “We’re just hungry. Every practice, everybody is competing really hard. There is a lot of hunger out there, and there are a lot of battles for starting jobs, so everybody is competing day in and day out.”
Another Sooner who is not bothered by the fact that OU is flying under the radar to begin the new season is senior center Ty Darlington. “Last year, everyone was picking us to win it all and to fly through the conference, and that didn’t happen,” he said during Saturday’s “Meet the Sooners Day.” “This year is the complete opposite, and I think we’ll embrace that.”
In other new coming out of the Sooners’ August training camp, the team announced that redshirt freshman offensive tackle Kenyon Frison has been suspended indefinitely for what they are calling a violation of team rules. Frison was rated a four-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals.com, when he signed with OU as a member of the Sooners’ 2014 class.
Joey Helmer of 247Sports reported on Monday that Bob Stoops said Frison has not been with the team the last several weeks and would not participate in August camp.