Intensifying their desire to add a top quarterback to the February recruiting class, Oklahoma coaches have added Atlanta’s Cameron Newton to their target list, according to Scout.com.
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Newton is a 6-foot-5, 235-pound prospect at Atlanta’s Westlake High School. He threw for 2,500 yards and 28 touchdowns and added 730 yards and four TDs rushing.
According to Scout.com, Newton owns offers from Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Mississippi and OU.
With Rhett Bomar’s recent dismissal, the Sooners might be moving up Newton’s list.
“I know Oklahoma needs a quarterback next year,” Newton told Scout.com, which has him rated as the No. 19 signal caller in the country. “And when a big-time program like Oklahoma has an opening like that for a quarterback, then a quarterback like me has to take a serious look at it.”
Young DLs progressing: In redshirt freshman DeMarcus Granger and true freshman Gerald McCoy, OU has two of the most prized defensive line prospects to come out of high school over the past two years. McCoy, who is from Southeast High School in Oklahoma City, was named 2005 National Defensive Player of the Year by USA Today. As for Granger, he was rated as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the country by ESPN.com in 2004.
OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said the two are having a solid preseason, and each are in the rotation at defensive line at the moment. Both give the Sooners great size at the position. McCoy is 6-4, 305 pounds, and Granger is 6-3, 305.
“When Gerald has gotten in there, he’s done some good things - and he’s done some young things,” Venables said. “Same thing with DeMarcus. ... There’s still a lot of thinking in particular for Gerald, but he’s coming along really good.”
Venables said the Sooners are loaded along the defensive front.
“We’ve got a lot of numbers there, and (defensive line coach) Jackie (Shipp) is giving everybody an opportunity to earn their way and weed themselves out,” he said. “We’ll definitely have capable players for playing winning football. Is any a special-type player? That remains to be seen. We don’t know that yet. You have to (see them) go play. You want to reserve judgment on that. But we definitely feel like we’ve got good depth and we’ll have solid play inside.”
Williams’ knee holding up: Defensive end John Williams, who suffered a torn ACL in the 2005 season opener, has to this point not encountered problems with the surgically repaired knee.
“He’s doing really good,” Venables said. “He hasn’t had any swelling, and he’s done well. He’ll get on the field.”
Williams, a junior, seemed primed for a big season a year ago. He had four tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery against TCU before going down with the injury.
Scrimmage info: Saturday’s 6 p.m. scrimmage is open to the public. Fans should use gates 1 and 12 to enter Owen Field. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. There is no admission charge. A current OU roster is posted at Soonersports.com.
By Justin Harper and John Helsley
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