OU's Broyles Could Suit Up, Simmons Out

Originally Published: Oct 12, 2009 4:30 PM CDT

Associated Press

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- Starting left guard Brian Simmons will miss No. 20 Oklahoma's game against third-ranked Texas on Saturday with a right knee injury.

Simmons left in the third quarter of the Sooners' 33-7 victory over Baylor last weekend, hopping toward the sideline before trainers met him and helped him the rest of the way off the field.

Coach Bob Stoops refused to say how long Oklahoma (3-2, 1-0 Big 12) would be without Simmons, one of the few veterans remaining on an offensive line that lost four starters from last season.

"I'm not going to go into any of that," Stoops said after practice.

Stoops said Ryan Broyles, the Sooners' leading receiver, returned to practice and might be able to play against the Longhorns (5-0, 2-0) in Dallas.

Simmons started four games this season, with sophomore Stephen Good taking his place against Idaho State.

"It just gives another guy an opportunity to play -- a guy like Stephen Good who has played quite a bit, Tyler Evans, Tavaris Jeffries, Brian Lepak and those guys," offensive line coach James Patton said. "It's like anything. The next guy's got to step up and play and play well and be consistent and be excited about it because this is a great opportunity."

Patton said the Sooners are "hoping he'll get back pretty soon."

"That's football. You've just got to strap it up and get the next guy out there. Of course, he's disappointed. He's looking forward to this game, being a senior, and he's played in it before. He'll be there, he just won't be in there -- unless he can put a couple knee braces on and be ready to go.

"Who knows? Maybe he'll eat some magical jelly beans and be ready to play."

Broyles missed last week's game because of a hairline fracture in his left shoulder blade the previous week in the Sooners' 21-20 loss at Miami.

He had been expected to miss 2-to-4 weeks.

"We'll get into that later in the week, but there's a chance he could play," Stoops said. "I'm not going to be definitive on anybody. They'll all have a chance but Brian."

Even after missing most of the past two games, Broyles leads Oklahoma with 23 catches for 346 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

"He's electric, fast, very special with the ball in his hands," Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp said.