The Football Brainiacs

Image via AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

With spring football starting on Saturday, we figured now was as good a time as any to preview where things stand with this Oklahoma football program. Coming off a disappointing loss in last year’s CFB playoff and returning 14 total starters, there will be no shortage of expectations for this 2016 squad. The plan is to preview things by position group, both as to where things stand in the spring and project how things might play out later this fall. So let’s get started.

* During his time in Norman, Sterling Shepard was the go-to target for more than one OU quarterback. However now that he has moved on, the wide receiver position becomes a question mark in the minds of many. But if for no other reason than there are so many high potential guys, some of whom have already flashed in games, I do believe the Sooners will have some guys that can and will step up.

What this won’t be is a breakdown of every receiver on the OU roster. What this will be is a big picture preview that will focus on some of the guys specifically and a chance to share some of what we’ve heard through offseason/winter workouts.

* As we first told you a couple weeks back, Michiah Quick was taking some reps at DB while the team was working in 7-on-7 drills. However, that seems to have been a temporary experiment based on what we’ve heard of late. Don’t know that I’d bet on it happening, but I suppose whether they will work him both ways once spring practices start remains to be seen.

We’ve been told the staff really likes the work Quick has put in, and when he is confident and decisive on the field we’ve all seen the potential he possesses as a play-maker in this offense. Although at this point the inconsistency has been an issue, but Quick has been putting in extra work this offseason. He is a guy we expect to see take that next step forward.

* Another popular name among those expected to take that next step, especially following OU’s bowl game, is that of Jeffrey Mead. OU fans have been craving a big wide receiver target for some time now, and the hope is that Mead can build off some of what he did last year and be that big outside target for this offense in 2016.

Evidently Mead has spent a decent amount of time with the first team in 7-on-7 drills, but those are player-led for the most part so it’s difficult to glean too much from that. Mead used his body nicely on a couple slant routes in the Clemson game to shield the defender from the ball, but somewhat similar to Quick he is also a guy that’s had issues holding on to the ball in the past. But Mead has repeatedly showed a big play ability in practices, so now it’s about making those same type of plays when the lights are on.

* Mark Andrews is another guy with the size and athleticism to be a difference maker and one who really started to come on at times this past season. And yet he still probably wasn’t used as much as he, or OU fans, would have liked. The hope obviously being that changes in 2016 as he continues to develop as a receiving threat and a chemistry with Baker Mayfield.

Andrews is still young and as the season wore on last year, especially in the Clemson game, it started to look like the game was slowing down for Andrews. This offseason we’ve heard even more praise for his game, with people talking about how “comfortable” he’s looking in the offense. Fans often forget how young these guys are, or that it can take a bit for kids to make that transition from high school to the next level, but I think Andrews will become a big time target for the Sooners this season.

* Dahu Green is another big, physical target the Sooners will be looking to in 2016. Last season, as a true freshman, Green had a drop for a surefire TD that some fans just couldn’t seem to get past. But again, people need to keep in mind the time it takes to transition to the speed of the game at this level. However, what really stood out to me on that play wasn’t the drop, that’s easy to remedy. What stood out to me was how well Green  used his body, and the kind of spatial awareness he had to position himself and attack the ball despite decent coverage.

Those qualities are not ones we’ve seen much of in some of OU’s other ‘big’ receivers. We know the staff is pretty high on Green, but his success this season will have a lot to do with how much extra work he’s willing to put in this spring and summer.

* While someone like AD Miller isn’t quite as big as Green, he does possess a great combination of speed, quickness, hands, savvy & route running ability. If you talk to different folks around the program some will tell you they like this guy, others will say they like that guy, but Miller’s name probably comes up more than most with the majority of people we speak with. And we can tell you almost since the day he arrived, Miller has earned a reputation as someone willing to put in the extra time and effort to get better.

* Dede Westbrook is obviously someone OU will be counting on in a big way this coming season, as he (and others) will be asked to try and replace all that Shepard did for this offense. And there is really no reason to believe Westbrook won’t be up for the challenge. While he’s not necessarily the vocal leader that Shepard was, Westbrook is definitely a leader in terms of being able to teach others what to look for and help them fine-tune their techniques.

* Jarvis Baxter was a late and unexpected addition to the roster last year, but a welcome one both for his ability and experience. He’s not as fast as a guy like Westbrook, but we’ve been told that as Baxter continues to get more comfortable in the offense, he’s actually a little quicker in-and-out of his breaks than Westbrook. Again, Baxter was in his first year of FBS football last season and didn’t even go through a full offseason. His ability to transition so quickly was impressive, and I look for him to really take a big step forward in 2016.

* Oklahoma also added another very experienced receiver in Penn State grad transfer Geno Lewis, who is already on campus and working out with the team. I haven’t heard a ton about Lewis yet, but do know from his time in Happy Valley that he’s a savvy wideout capable of making plays down the field. One has to believe with just one year of eligibility remaining he came to Norman expecting to start and/or receiving a healthy amount of playing time. But as we’ve just detailed, there will certainly be no shortage of competition for those snaps. So Lewis will have to fight for his time on the field just like everyone else.

* Of course there are other names like John Humphrey, Dallis Todd, Jordan Smallwood, and possibly even an incoming freshman or two, all of whom will also have a chance to make an impact.

I think the real story at wide receiver for this team is that while there may not be a true “star” just yet, there are a lot of guys who may be knocking on that door. Which breeds competition, and competition tends to help ensure that a position group as a whole will be successful.