There is no question Bob Stoops knows what the head coach should say at Big 12 Media Days.
His audience isn’t just the frenzied media. Or the hyped-up-for-the-season Sooner fans like me.
His audience includes QB Landry Jones. Also, WR Kenny Stills. And, this future star-to-be Trey Metoyer.
So one must understand that when Stoops was questioned about what improvement he wanted Jones to make at quarterback, the head ball coach said the improvement needed to come from his teammates, particularly the wide receivers.
“I didn’t ask him (Jones) to improve on anything. I’ve asked the 10 guys around him to improve,” Stoops said. “The quarterback is only as good as those surrounding him.”
Message to Jones: Relax, man.
Stoops’ comments were also message to us that when we see Jones apparently flustered and throwing into coverages, or when three-in-a-row incompletions stall important drives (a big problem in Oklahoma’s three losses last year), maybe it’s the other guys wearing crimson and cream who didn’t step up.
That was especially true with Stills, who looked like Jerry Rice against Florida State and Texas, but more like a greased Elmer Fudd against Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State. He did not get open. Sometimes he didn’t complete his routes. Other times he dropped very catch-able Jones passes.
“We had so many dropped passes in the last three games (last year) we couldn’t even keep track of how many,” Stoops said.
You have just been called out, Kenny. After all, last year’s other wide receiver guys, Trey Franks and Jaz Reynolds, got booted from the team. Ryan Broyles is cashing his NFL signing bonus checks. The focus is on you.
Stoops stressed the importance of the offensive line, which he said was about as good as he’s had at protecting the QB, to also establish a run game – something that will be helped by the return of RB Dominique Whaley from his season-ending ankle injury last year. Whaley has been cleared by the docs to play. How well he will play will be decided the first time he takes a sharp cut or a pounding hit in a real game.
Stoops also praised in-coming freshman wide receiver Trey Metoyer, who has never played a down of college football, but who is about to be anointed fan-favorite status if Stills doesn’t grab the limelight through improved performance.
Message to Metoyer: You can be a star. Keep up the good work.
Message to Stills: There is a young kid nipping at your heels.
In other words, Stoops this week took the pressure away from Jones (who some learned souls say does not respond well to pressure), and challenged Stills, and others, to step their game up.
Stills can certainly do that. After all, anyone who has the daring to get all dolled up in a purple dress and post their own photograph on Twitter, must have the gumption to respond to the coach’s challenge with some air of aplomb. Right?
Oh, yeah, that Twitter photograph.
Stephanie Kuzydym (no, I don’t know how to pronounce her name either), the new OU beat reporter for The Oklahoman, was obviously put up to ask about the Stills photo during Stoop’s media days press conference (probably by those yahoo troublemakers Berry Tramel and Mike Sherman).
Coach, just what is your reaction to Stills in a dress? she asked.
“I didn’t have much of one,” he said, with dead pan expression.
Another message to Stills: Cut the audition for “Project Runway” and catch some freakin’ passes.
Follow
