FW: OU Info-1 (10/25)

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From: brad.j.watson@mail.sprint.com <mailto:brad.j.watson@mail.sprint.com<
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<mailto:[SMTP:brad.j.watson@mail.sprint.com]<
Sent: Friday, October 26,2001 10:08 AM
To: Brent.Parrett@mail.sprint.com; <mailto:Brent.Parrett@mail.sprint.com;<
restephenson@yahoo.com; <mailto:restephenson@yahoo.com;<
rob.grindstaff@bellhowell.infolearning.com
<mailto:rob.grindstaff@bellhowell.infolearning.com<
Subject: FW: OU Info-1 (10/25)

Get ready to rumble in Lincoln......
Brad Watson
Branch Manager - Oklahoma & Western Arkansas
Sprint - Global Markets Group
(405) 815-8080
(405) 815-8010 -- fax

-----Original Message-----
From: Sigler, Michael J.
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 5:30 PM
To: 'sigfu22@yahoo.com'; 'raalber@ppco.com'; 'dejohns@ppco.com';
Watson, Brad J.
Subject: FW: OU Info-1 (10/25)

First off ... a little aggie humor sent my way ....
This week during an OSU football practice, a white, powdery substance
was
reported to the coaching staff by an unnamed player. Coaches promptly
contacted the Stillwater PD who contacted the FBI. Practice was
delayed
for 2 hours while the FBI conducted a substance test. Practice resumed
when
the mysterious substance was
determined to be... the goalline.

October 25, 2001
Both Big Reds in spotlight again: Daily Oklahoman
Stopping Huskers starts with Crouch: Daily Oklahoman
Stoops misses shot to send clear message: Daily Oklahoman
OU-Nebraska notes: Daily Oklahoman
Huskers take umbrage with numbers: Norman Transcript
Odd odds make OU underdog yet again: Norman Transcript
Times have changed for OU linebacker since the Sooners' last visit to
Lincoln: Norman Transcript
Another in a long line?: Oklahoma Daily
No "I" in Nebraska: Dallas Morning News
OU-Nebraska II scares BCS: Dallas Morning News
Game of the Centruy -- 1971 OU-Nebraska: Dallas Morning News
Heisman's option man: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram
OU's White may find Nebraska tougher nut to crack than Texas: Ft. Worth
Star-Telegram
Another game, another century: Omaha World-Herald
Versatile Woolfolk to test NU: Omaha World-Herald
Some Huskers have a little extra riding on Saturday's game: Omaha
World-Herald
Solich mum on injuries: Lincoln Journal-Star
Sooners concerned about specialty breakdowns: Lincoln Journal-Star
Oklahoma-Nebraska preview: ESPN
Quarterbacks the key to OU-Nebraska showdown: ESPN
For Stoops and OU, no looking back: ESPN
Sooner Magic never failed Switzer's teams: ESPN
The greatest game ever played: ESPN
Five classic Oklahoma/Nebraska games: ESPN
Only passing fancy will help Crouch beat Sooners: CBS Sportsline
The rivalry: CBS Sportsline
OU-NU preview: The Sporting News
Huskers' Craver can hardly wait to take on Sooners: The Sporting News
OU-Nebraska headlines blockbuster weekend of games: SoonerSports.com

***
Stoops on Nebraska
By Joe Wallace

Date: Oct 25, 2001

Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops celebrates on the sideline as time runs out
during the Sooners 31-14 win over top-ranked Nebraska last season in Norman.

On Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch
Great player. Eric Crouch is an excellent player that has speed, he has
toughness, he has power. He is, without question, the nucleus and key member
in their offensive attack. Everything that happens in their offense, he's a
part of. He has the ability to make plays. He's a great player.
On if Nebraska has as powerful of an offensive line this year as they've had
in the past I believe so. They're big, strong, physical players that have
been very productive so far this year. I believe they're consistent to what
they've had.
On Nebraska's option compared to the other option attacks OU has faced this
year against Air Force and Kansas State Air Force is more a triple option
and a double-slot wishbone-type option. Kansas State has many similar plays
that Nebraska has, along with different ones. It's always hard to compare,
but there are similarities and there are differences.
On if Nebraska's tall tight ends and receivers pose any problem for OU's
defense They've just got to jump higher when they throw them the ball.
They're big, strong guys.They're excellent blockers as well.
On Nebraska tight end Tracy Wistrom
Tracy does a great job. He's got excellent speed for a tight end. Excellent
hands. He is a big weapon in that you get so concentrated in stopping the
run game, they like to sneak him behind you, or outside of you in different
ways that as a player and as a defense we are very aware of and constantly
keying.
On keeping the teams emotions down and not overpursuing plays on defense
like they did last year in the first quarter against Nebraska We've had a
lot of big games since then as well, and the experience in that game will
help them. I think at that time we were coming off an off-week that also may
or may not have been a factor. I think our players are much more seasoned in
this type of atmosphere today then they were at that time last year.
On Nebraska's defense
Nebraska's defense has been strong all year. You look at the way they've
played, the few points they've given up, the few yards they've given up.
They've been strong.
Tech got some big plays and executed in some situations to create those
plays. Tech made some plays on them, but I also no through the year their
defense has been very strong.
On if Crouch is Nebraska's best runner
Their tailbacks are very good as well. They run so much quarterback run
game, be it options, draws, quarterback leads. They have every quarterback
run play that's been invented and they keep inventing more. He carries the
ball every bit as much as anybody on their offense, and probably the most.
On if Crouch is a better passer this year
Yes, but I felt he was a good thrower last year. He started off the game and
threw some very good balls that worked us and one was a touchdown. We've
respected his throwing ability last year. I imagine, like anybody with
another year of experience, he's better at it this year then he was a year
ago.
On if playing at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln will be the most challenging
environment his team has faced yet I don't know how you compare that. We've
been in some challenging atmospheres and I'm sure this will be as equal as
any. We understand that, but I also think it has a way of exciting and has
your team ready as well.
On Mike Stoops' comments that Nebraska's offense is the toughest to prepare
for in college football I wouldn't argue with him. I've said it a number of
times. They're as intricate at developing schemes to run the football as any
dynamic pass offense. They're very disciplined and thorough in how they
create seams to run the football. To stop them you've got to be equally as
disciplined and be in position to read it out, and then be physical when you
get there to take it on and tackle. Like I said, they keep inventing new
run plays and you've got to keep reading them out and figuring out ways to
try and stop them.
On Nebraska staying at the top of college football on an annual basis That's
why everybody here has great respect for their program. It is very
impressive and a complement to their administration, as well as their entire
program the way they've been able to sustain it and do things right.
On if he sees the OU-Nebraska as more of a rivalry of respect than the
OU-Texas rivalry I don't know. I can't speak for them, but we respect Texas.
This rivalry has always determined a conference champion, not always, but so
many times has determined a conference champion between Nebraska and OU.
This game has not only determined the conference championship, but you look
at both these schools with 12 national championships between them and so
many times, whoever has the conference championship has a chance to compete
for the national championship. I just think it's being in the conference
longer together is what the difference is.
On if he will use films from old Oklahoma-Nebraska games to inspire the team
like he did last year I think it's important that our players truly
understand the traditional and history of this game and respect it. Respect
the players that have been here before and how they played in those games. I
think it's good that they know and understand as much about their program as
they can.
I wanted our players to understand and know that being here at Oklahoma,
this is how we are supposed to play. This is how, traditionally, our team
has played. And traditionally, Oklahoma has stood there and played with
anybody and played well. And in fact, has played well against Nebraska, here
at OU or in Lincoln. I felt it was important that they understood that. That
was them, that was their heritage.
That's what it is and we needed to play at that level. I wanted them to
realize that they could. I believe it gave us the attitude or it helped us
with the attitude to go into the football game and feel confident that we're
ready for this.
On his memories of the OU-NU series growing up
I remember watching two of the best coached teams in the country play. Both
teams were always very well-coached. Watching great players on the field
that the whole country knew about. And watching exciting plays. The
breakaway plays on both sides. I couldn't wait to watch this game as a young
person.
I can remember back to Steve Owens, and what a big, strong guy this is
that's running the ball. I remember Johnny Rodgers and the great returns
that he had. Greg Pruitt and some of the games he had. I'm not smart enough
to remember the details of them all, but I can remember those players and
the plays they made.
On if the loser of this game still has a realistic shot at the national
title Probably so, if both teams are able to win out and meet in the
championship game. I would imagine that would have a chance to happen. I'm
sure there's a possibility.
On the possibility of scheduling Nebraska during the years OU does not play
them in conference play I don't know how you could unless you want to change
the league and how you play the games. I don't know how the setup would
work. There's no sense in me even worrying about it.
On how much Jason White's experience playing in a big game against Texas
will help against Nebraska I think it will help him greatly. His experience
in that game and his experience in the last two. Experience is experience.
When you're out there playing you don't realize the setting, you don't hear
anybody. It gets down to the experience of playing. He gets better the more
he plays. I believe he'll handle it well. The bottom line is you're playing
against a good team. You've got to outperform them or make more plays than
they do. Jason will go in there going after it like everybody else. That's
what you feel good about.
On if he feels good about Nebraska having played in more big games this
season I don't know if it's an advantage. They have guys that have been
around awhile that have been in big games. We understand what it takes to
compete in these games, but I'm sure they do as well.

***
Coaches Corner: The greatest rivalry in football
By Merv Johnson
Date: Oct 25, 2001

This week Coach Johnson gives his thoughts on why OU-NU is the greatest
rivalry in college football

Finally, the week the Sooners play the Cornhuskers has arrived! Everyone can
now talk openly about playing Nebraska without prefacing everything with an
"If". Both teams have made it into the showdown undefeated and highly
ranked. The eyes of all of college football will be watching. Things are
finally back in order in this conference and in the national college
football scene.
The Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry, is, in my mind, the very best in all of
football for all the right reasons. Both teams, coaching staffs and fans,
have the utmost respect for each other. The "hype" leading up to the game
and the media coverage after the game are complementary, classy and fair. No
dirt, no cheap shots and credit where credit is due. The game itself has
always been fiercely contested without the "crap" on the field or in the
stands that marks far too many rivalries.
Plus, except for 1995, 96, and 97 when we fell off the face of the earth, it
has been one great college football contest. In my first ten years at
Oklahoma (1979-88) the winner was conference champion, played in the Orange
Bowl and played there three times for the National Championship. The entire
nation eagerly awaited this game because they knew two of the countries best
would go at it in a well-played football game.
The only real regret I have had with the Big XII is that the OU-Nebraska
game was not played every year. When the Southwest Conference split into two
divisions they made sure all the old "rivalry" games were protected. Surely
some scheduling adjustment could have been made by the conference
forefathers to have allowed this contest to be an exception. It was the only
"big time" rivalry affected by going to the North-South divisions. It would
have been such a plus for the conference each year.
I know exactly what it will be like Saturday when the team arrives at the
stadium. There will be people everywhere dressed in red just like it is
here, except most of it will be that pale red Nebraska wears. The dressing
room is fairly spacious and "old school" traditional - just like Notre Dame
was. Visiting teams have used those same quarters, probably, for seventy
years.
When you leave the dressing room it is about an eighty-yard walk right
through the crowd. A narrow corridor is roped through that mob of people who
reach out to "give you five" as you walk by. And they are nice! That's what
I remember more than anything. They don't yell obscenities, etc. and after
the game, win or lose, they say "good game", "good luck" and generally defy
what you come to expect from having been to many of the other places we
play. When you finally enter the playing field it's like what it must have
been for those gladiators centuries ago. The stands surround you as the
seats in the end zones occupy as much area as the sides. The fans in red are
crammed in everywhere - and very close to the field. You'd have to not be
much of a competitor to go in there and not play your best!
In the twenty-three seasons I've been at Oklahoma, I don't think we've ever
gone to Lincoln as the favorite. Consequently, some of those victories there
were remarkably fabulous experiences. Likewise, a couple of the losses were
heart-breaking and a couple were downright embarrassing. I truly felt in
1995 and 1997 we let the Nebraska fans down about as much as we did our
Sooner fans because I know they expected so much more from Oklahoma.
Who will ever forget in 1980 J.C. Watts pitching the ball to Buster Rhymes,
who raced down the sideline in front of our bench that set up a short
game-winning pass to Bobby Grayson? Or the two times our defense stuffed
Nebraska on fourth and one to keep us in the game.
How about Brian Hall and the defense holding Nebraska for four downs inside
the five in the fourth quarter to keep the score at 10-7? Or Danny Bradley's
ensuing 60-yard scamper to win the 1984 game 17-7.
In 1986 the Sooners were 90-yards away and appeared done-in with very little
time left. Then, Keith Jackson and Jamelle Holieway performed their version
of "Sooner Magic." Jackson and some unbelievable plays and Tim Lasher kicked
his second field goal as time ran out to create a 20-17 victory. It all
happened in the last five minutes.
The following year, 1987, the schedule change forced us to play in Lincoln
again. No one gave the Sooners much of a chance because our QB, Holieway,
and FB, Lydell Carr, were out of the game with injuries. Their respective
replacements, Charles Thompson and Rotnei Anderson and the Sooner running
game have never been better as the good guys won 17-7. Unbelievably, our
defense held the great Nebraska offense 12 consecutive possessions without a
first down. One, two, three, and out!
Neither team is going to go into the game to lose! But someone will have to.
I hope, though, that it will be another of those great games for all the
country to see. And I hope, too, that we can have a rematch come December in
Dallas.
In his 19 years as an OU assistant coach, he helped the Sooners build a
150-67-5 record, win a national championship and five Big Eight Conference
titles and post seven bowl game victories.