Loud Noises: Crowd will be Factor in Backyard Bowl

For the second time in three years the Trojans will have to deal with playing at Union-Tuttle Stadium, which is a totally different environment than Tulsa's Chapman Stadium.

Thursday, July 28th 2011, 5:45 pm

By: News On 6

Loud Noises: Crowd will be Factor in Backyard Bowl

Originally Published: Sep 8, 2010 5:53 PM CDT

Kyle Dierking
Oklahoma Sports Mobile Journalist

TULSA, Oklahoma - The MidFirst Bank Backyard Bowl news conference might have been on Wednesday, but that nervous excitement about Fridays big game crept in a long time ago.

“Starting Sunday this week, I got butterflies,” said Jenks senior offensive lineman Ben Risenhoover. “ I’m really not myself this week. I try to stay focused and don’t talk to a lot of people.”

The Trojans did most of the talking in week one, overpowering Bixby 65-7. Union’s test was a little tougher. They had a true road game in Louisiana that resulted in a 44-32 win over national power Evangel Christian.

“We had some mistakes that were exposed and you hope that it helps you,” said Union coach Kirk Fridrich. “It probably helps Jenks because they see some of those weaknesses as well in those tests.

For the second time in three years the Trojans will have to deal with playing at Union-Tuttle Stadium, which is a totally different environment than Tulsa's Chapman Stadium.

"The crowd noise is just impossible,” said Jenks coach Allan Trimble. “We had five illegal procedure penalties the last time we played here. The crowd is much closer to you, the band is much closer to you. So when that momentum swings and you have something going on, it's just more intense."

Said Risenhoover, "It's 10 times louder here. We've worked on how loud it's going to be, but at (Chapman) there's a little more space, you can hear a little better. It's going to be a loud atmosphere."