OU 2010 Player to Watch, Day 6: Jermie Calhoun

Oklahoma Sports brings you the sixth day in a 15-part series detailing what players to keep an eye on next season.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:30 am

By: News On 6

OU 2010 Player to Watch, Day 6: Jermie Calhoun

Originally Published: Feb 20, 2010 4:0 PM CDT

Also on Oklahoma Sports:
-OSU Player to Watch, Day 6: Johnny Deaton
-Tulsa Player to Watch, Day 6: Jake Alexander

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

RB Jermie Calhoun

Background:

Calhoun piled up accolades in high school and was one of the Sooners’ premiere recruits in the 2008 class. He was rated the No. 1 running back in the nation by several recruiting publications, and Scout.com named him the No. 3 recruit at any position in the nation. He redshirted in 2008 and gained 224 yards on 45 carries last season, an average of 4.9 yards per carry.

Why he’s on the list:

With the graduation of Chris Brown, the Sooners need another back to step up as a complement to DeMarco Murray. Calhoun is a big back who can run; he is 6 feet, 210 pounds and can run a sub-4.5 40-yard dash. His rare combination of size, speed and power could make him a force to be reckoned with when he’s finally unleashed this year.

Best-case scenario:

Calhoun shows himself to be a bruiser between the tackles who can gain tough yardage when needed. His power and athleticism allow him to become the Sooners’ premiere short-yardage running back, which should help OU’s dismal red-zone offense. His ability to run up the middle forces linebackers and safeties to respect him, which opens the middle of the field for the Sooners’ passing attack. His complementary running style also allows DeMarco Murray to run on the outside and break big plays.

Worst-case scenario:

Calhoun proves to be a liability as a pass blocker, something he rarely had to do last season. His inability to block makes it obvious that OU will run whenever he is on the field, which allows defenses to shut him down. Because Calhoun is not as well-rounded, sophomore Jonathan Miller begins to steal some of his playing time.

My take:

Calhoun is one of the most decorated recruits to come to OU in recent memory and he has been biding his time to show what he can do. It is hard to imagine that he will be a complete bust, given his physical ability. He is fast enough to get to the second level quickly and big enough to run over safeties and corners. He is essentially a more physically gifted version of Chris Brown, who performed very well for the Sooners.

However, Calhoun is getting his first legitimate playing time at the same time that OU is revamping its offensive line. It could take a while for everyone to mesh, but I expect Calhoun to have a big second half of the season. Bob Stoops and his coaching staff have a history of getting the most out of their running backs, and Calhoun should be no different.

Other OU players to watch (click on the names below to read the fulls stories)
Day 1: WR Jaz Reynolds
Day 2: OL Stephen Good
Day 3: S Sam Proctor
Day 4: CB Jonathan Nelson
Day 5: OL Tyler Evans