Sooners Boast Several Weapons at Receiver

Originally Published: Aug 7, 2010 7:59 PM CDT

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Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Oklahoma – The Oklahoma wide receivers struggled with inconsistency and dropped passes last season, but this year the Sooners are expecting the position to be one of their deepest.

OU lost just one receiver, Adron Tennell, to graduation in the offseason. The rest of the team now has playing experience and has had a full year with receivers coach Jay Norvell, which starting quarterback Landry Jones thinks will result in better production.

“They’re going to be strong this year; I have total faith in those guys,” Jones said. “We had a lot of people who played last year, so that was good getting them starts and getting them playing time. That should be one of the strong points of our team this year.”

Ryan Broyles dominated the passing game last season, catching 89 passes for 1,120 yards and 15 touchdowns. No other returning receiver had more than 450 yards or two touchdowns. Broyles will again be the obvious leader, but positioning beside him is up for grabs.

In the Sooners’ spread offense, Broyles will generally line up in the slot. That means OU still needs to find two receivers to start on the outside. One of those positions may have been solidified by the outstanding spring oftrue freshman Kenny Stills.

“He’s a competitive guy. I saw that in the spring, where he doesn’t look at himself as a freshman,” said head coach Bob Stoops. “The fact that he was here through the spring will help him. He’ll definitely play, and I believe he has a chance to make an impact.”

Stoops and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson raved about Stills’ ability and work ethic, going so far as to make him No. 1 on the depth chart at one of the outside receiver positions. Stoops said Stills earned that position by outperforming everyone else.

“To me, there’s never a position locked up,” Stoops said. “If another guy is consistently performing better than you, then he deserves more snaps and the chance to start or be on the field more.”

Stoops added that the current depth chart is a result of both Stills surpassing expectations and some disappointment in the rest of the receivers. However, he also said he expects the unit as a whole to improve.

“I believe they have progressed, just through spring [Stills] was more productive than some of them,” Stoops said. “But I still believe some of those guys will be better than they have been.”

Landry Jones echoed Stoops’ sentiments and said he has been impressed by the way Stills has handled himself since joining the team.

“He came in early, earned his spot, and he’s one of those guys that was already mentally tough coming out of high school,” Jones said. “I think that’s one of the huge things for high school kids just to change their mental focus from high school football to college football. I think he did a really good job transitioning.”

Stills possesses many of the same skills that have made Broyles successful. Both are not particularly tall, but are quick, athletic and big-play threats.

“[Stills] brings more of a deeper threat on the outside,” Jones said. “He’s probably one of the fastest guys on our team and has great hands, so he’s going to be a deep threat for us this year.”

The No. 1 position at the other outside receiver position currently belongs to Dejuan Miller, who had a strong finish to the 2009 season. He finished second among OU’s receivers in both catches and yards last year, but recorded just one touchdown.

Also competing for time will be Jaz Reynolds, Cameron Kenney and Brandon Caleb, all of whom had more than 250 yards last season. With so many players possessing equal talent, Kevin Wilson said he hopes competition will drive all the receivers to improve.

“Competition is greater,” Wilson said. “It was another position that, with immaturity, was just inconsistent. Some flux at [offensive] line and some immaturity at receiver made everyone think Landry Jones was struggling.”