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Tebow’s four-score day puts him back atop pack
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NORMAN, Okla. — The discussion about Saturday’s Oklahoma-Nebraska game has centered on the respective battles up front.
The Sooners’ offensive line, which has shown some stability the past two games, faces arguably its sternest test of the season against a Cornhuskers front led by preseason All-America tackle and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Ndamukong Suh.Nebraska’s O-line faces a similar challenge against an OU front four led by Gerald McCoy, who, like Suh, is projected to be a high NFL draft pick should he decide to leave a year early.Sooners quarterback Landry Jones was asked early in the week if he thought his guys up front realized the magnitude of the task at hand.Jones, with a wry smile, replied, "I hope so."His response provoked laughter, but this week’s challenge for the offensive line is no laughing matter as the Sooners strive to finish the season strong."You challenge yourself every week," said Stephen Good, the starter at right guard for two weeks now. "The D-tackles at Nebraska, they like to read rather than penetrate. That’s a little different than what we’re used to playing against, and were going to have to adjust, but I feel like we’re doing that right now."The upfront adjustment is ongoing, although OU has started the same group in consecutive games. That trend may or may not continue. Right tackle remains fluid as the staff tries to get more out of both Cory Brandon and Jarvis Jones, who lost his job after five starts."Our weakest position has been right tackle," offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. "[Line coach James] Patton is playing both to create competition so they’ll play hard enough so we can get decent play. "We will get a tremendous test against Nebraska’s front. We need our line to come along." Suh and fellow tackle Jared Crick, who set a school record with five sacks last week against Baylor, flip according to formation. That means everyone will get a shot at trying to establish some control against an unorthodox style."Suh stands up, reads the play, sheds blocks and makes tackles down the line," center Ben Habern said. "You can tell he is a big strong guy, and that’s one thing we’ve got to get ready for — his strength and his ability to get his hands on you and shed blocks."The way to combat that is run your feet, stay lower than he is, use your hands. But the main thing is run your feet. You stop them and he’s going to shed you."Habern doesn’t think the relative lightweight on his left — converted 265-pound tight end Brody Eldridge — will have a problem with that. Eldridge is known for staying with blocks until the whistle.Good, at 6-foot-6 and about 300 pounds and only a sophomore, is one of the strongest players on the team. Footwork, however, has been a problem and may have been the one thing that kept him at second team until midseason after being projected as a starter in the spring.Good moved up after Sooners coach Bob Stoops suspended Tavaris Jeffries the week of the game against Kansas on Oct. 24. Both Good and his footwork have improved, although other factors could contribute to him taking a backseat."The same things that keep most guys off the field," Stoops said. "Just not playing as well as you need to, someone else playing better. But he is getting better, making improvement."Stoops said the O-line’s problems have many roots. He cited the unusual circumstance of losing four seniors. Some players left the program and others have been suspended."And then development," Stoops said. "A lot of it is on these guys."Certain guys have a better work ethic than others to get themselves prepared to play. Just overall, this unit got caught thin, it got caught inexperienced and development isn’t where it needs to be."You can go on and on."Where this group is going may be evident Saturday night.Mike Jones, 817-390-7760
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