The Football Brainiacs

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You may or may not be aware, but there has been a decent amount of speculation with regards to who will eventually be named the starter at quarterback for the Sooners. I think it’s probably fair to assume Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley have an idea of who they think it will be. But with all three reportedly still splitting reps evenly, no one can unequivocally state at this point which of the three will ultimately get the starting nod.

I’ve spoken with various sources, who have attend practices throughout fall camp, and if there is just one consistent within all that I’ve heard and shared with you here at TFB, it’s that this is a true competition between all three guys. I know, I know, you’ve already heard this before.

But I wanted to point out a distinction some of my sources have noted, that I think could play a critical role in deciding who the QB1 will be.

When you speak with sources nearly every day, as I have been trying to do with the start of fall camp, things have a tendency to change from day-to-day. Which I wouldn’t think is something that really needs to be pointed out, after all it’s a QB competition between three guys each of whom can make, or fail to make, plays on any given day. But even with the competition being a fluid one, I will say in recent days the reports I’ve received have been somewhat more consistent when it comes to the QBs.

– I was told yesterday that of the three, Trevor Knight had the best day of practice (on Tuesday). But when I pressed my source a little on that and asked if the “best day” meant productivity or ability to stand in the pocket and distribute the ball, I was told it meant productivity.

– I continue to hear from multiple sources that the best pocket quarterback, the guy who has the biggest arm, quickest release & most accurate passer is Cody Thomas.

– In fact Knight may have had the best day overall, but I was told the best individual passes of the day still belonged to Thomas.

Ultimately this decision clearly rests with Lincoln Riley (and Stoops as well, of course) and we cannot possibly know what conversations are taking place behind closed doors. That said, I did still want to take a shot at kind of assessing where I feel each of the three candidates stand, based on everything that I’ve heard in recent weeks.

Trevor Knight: I’m told Knight is the field general. He brings the most in terms of leadership and command of the team. He also brings the ability to make something happen with his feet and with an offensive line that could struggle early on, this aspect of his game could be critical. It also sounds like he has cut down at least somewhat on his mistakes and is playing within the system, taking what the defense gives, making a smart decision, and getting the ball out of his hands quickly. From what I’ve heard, he also looks to have a quicker release than in years past.

OU fans are understandably quick to judge Knight based on previous performances. But by many accounts he is playing well in this new offense and taking care of the football. Granted this is in practices and not games, which is clearly where Knight has proved to have a tendency to struggle. And while fans may write off his chances at winning this job based on past performances, there is very little, if any, chance of the OU coaches doing the same.

Baker Mayfield: He knows the system. He has a lot of ‘moxie.’ From all accounts, Mayfield gives you the most ‘highlight’ plays. When things break down, he has the ability to make plays outside the pocket. Again, much like with Knight, this could be vital if the offensive line struggles early. Mayfield, however, also seems to be prone to take more chances with the football. And while that certainly won’t always lead to a turnover, the two interceptions he threw in the spring game are a good example of the type of chances we’re talking about.

I was told several times leading up to this week that he just tries to fit throws into tight windows. However, for the most part, this past week he has done a much better job of taking care of the football. And now would certainly be a good time to make that type of adjustment as the coming days are likely to prove pivotal with regards to the coaches deciding on a starter.

Cody Thomas: Thomas wasn’t even in the conversation publicly — aside from what Stoops had mentioned at media says, which virtually everyone assumed to be coach speak but has ultimately proved to be true — until around Tuesday or Wednesday of last week, when we got word that he had really started come on. The thing I find intriguing about Thomas is no matter who I speak with, I continue to be told he is the best pure passer. Which I guess shouldn’t really be a surprise but much like OU fans have done with Knight, negative impressions made have tended to cloud things in the mind of many a fan.

Thomas is the guy who will stand tall in the pocket and make the quickest read and most accurate. And while Thomas can use his feet, he isn’t as elusive as Mayfield or as athletic as Knight. The more I hear about his throwing ability, however, the more I think if he had similar athleticism as the other two guys there might not even be much of a decision to make.

But the question, again, comes down to what Lincoln Riley is looking for from his QB. From all that I’ve heard recently of Thomas, in terms of his decision making, release, accuracy, all the way down to his body type, he strikes me as the most similar to a Mike Leach type of quarterback circa early to mid 2000’s.

A Few Additional Notes:

– As we have shared, I have received several positive reports regarding the performance of OU’s defense through practices this week. Now there have been guys held out on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball this week, so some of those positive reviews may need to be taken with at least a little grain of salt. Overall, though, it just sounds like the defense is starting to flex their muscles a little, or perhaps just getting used to practicing against this offense.

– Have heard good things with respect to some of the younger guys filling in on defense. The impression I have been given is that depth should not be the problem we’ve perhaps seen it be in recent years.

– One name I heard about yesterday for the first in a while was that of Michiah Quick. Evidently he has been showing up a lot lately in practice and is starting to emerge as another potential threat in this new offense.

– Unfortunately, I was told true freshman A.D. Miller came up limping pretty bad yesterday after one particular play. They wrapped his ankle, and he sat out the rest of practice. Don’t know how serious it is, but I’ll check on that. In general, though, it’s pretty common to have guys sit for minor injuries, aches, illness, or whatever, so it may be nothing.

– Something one source cautioned me to keep in mind with respect to this week’s defensive performance was that the team has not been tackling to the ground. I think tomorrow’s scrimmage will be more telling as to where the defense currently stands.

– Sooners have two practices today, scrimmage tomorrow, and I believe they will wrap up fall camp on Friday.

– Should also note that Austin Roberts has been at practice, but is not yet fully participating.