Much like 2011, Oklahoma enters 2012 as the favorites to win the Big 12 title once again. You know what they say: it all starts in spring.
Today’s Red-White game was less about some returning starters (see quarterback Landry Jones) and more about the supporting cast. Case in point, backup quarterback Blake Bell, who was used a short-yardage wrecking ball last year and little else.
Bell ended up having the best day of any QB, going 14-of-19 for 179 yards and a touchdown; his rushing stats, on the contrary, included just two “rushes”. Not that surprising when you consider health is the No. 1 priority for coach Bob Stoops.
But who Bell was throwing to was the highlight of the 22-21 game won by the Red team. Trey Metoyer has been a superstar this spring and ended up with six grabs for 72 yards. Jaz Reynolds and Kenny Stills each had a pair of touchdowns with the former pulling in a touchdown.
“Offensively, I thought of course Trey [Metoyer] showed what I have been talking about all spring with his abilities to make plays,” Stoops said. “I thought the offense did a great job, just overall of taking care of the football.
With Metoyer, Reynolds, Stills and Dominique Franks, the Sooners look like they have the best starting wide receiver group in the Big 12.
Corey Nelson and Julian Wilson led the defense, now under Mike Stoops, with eight tackles each.
“Early on I didn’t feel like [the defense] played the run like they should. But then we settled in and were a little more gap responsible,” Stoops said. “I thought for the most part they showed good discipline. The scramble play -- that happens once in a while to balls thrown over the opposite shoulder so the receiver can see it and the DB loses it. You don’t want it to happen, but it is not like it was a clean play that got in back of them.”
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Some other news and notes from around the Big 12:
- Iowa State held their spring game today with the focus being on which quarterback, Steele Jantz or Jared Barnett would start for the Cyclones. Little progress was made on that front, as Barnett went 11-of21 passing for 67 yards while rushing 11 times for 55 yards; Jantz competed 16-of-28 passes for 194 yards. Paul Rhoads said after the game that redshirt freshman Sam Richardson was still in the mix as well. Linebacker A.J. Klein represented the defense well when he picked off a Barnett pass and returned it 94 yards for a touchdown.
- Baylor also has QB questions with the departure of Robert Griffin III, although it’s widely believed Nick Florence will be the go-to guy this year. Florence ended up going 14-of-18 for 183 yards and three touchdowns today. Oregon transfer Lache Seastrunk had 138 yards on just seven carries.