OU notebook

Thompson expects pressure from Texas
After only a couple light film sessions studying the Texas defense, Oklahoma quarterback Paul Thompson had no problem detailing what stands out to him.

“They get pressure on the quarterback,” Thompson said Tuesday at the Sooners’ weekly media luncheon. “I thought that was the main thing, trying to make the quarterback feel uncomfortable.

“They definitely get to the quarterback, they’re real athletic, which is well documented, and they get to the ball real quick.”

The Longhorns have 17 sacks through their first four games, including seven last week against Iowa State and three Sept. 9 against Ohio State.

Both of those teams have mobile quarterbacks — Bret Meyer at Iowa State and Heisman Trophy contender Troy Smith at Ohio State.

⢠Time to relax: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops says he isn’t concerned that his team will get overly excited during the bye week about playing Texas, then lose the excitement in next week’s preparation for the game.

“Kids pace themselves pretty well,” Stoops said. “I’m sure they’re all looking forward to going home over the weekend and seeing family or relaxing. They understand the schedule and can pace themselves through it.”

Thompson says the bye week comes at a good time to get the team healthy and ready to enter conference play.

“It’s good when you’re rolling to keep on rolling,” Thompson said, “but going into Big 12 (competition), going against an opponent like Texas, you want to be as prepared as you can be. You want to make sure you’re as rested as you can be.”

Thompson said he will take the bye week to get away from football for a day or two.

“I probably won’t head back home. Try to stay away from the Austin area,” said Thompson, a native of Leander, Texas, which is about 25 miles away from the Texas campus. “I’m definitely going to relax.

“I’m gonna stick around Norman and probably watch some other football.”

⢠You can’t coach experience: One extreme difference separates the Sooners now from the Sooners of a year ago and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Stoops.

“I just realize the experience level from a year ago is drastically different on our team in a lot of areas that really matter,” Stoops said.

Areas where OU lacked experience last year — receiver, defensive end, some parts of the secondary, among others — are loaded with experienced players this season.

Even Thompson, who started only one game at quarterback before this season, has shown a level of experience that may have been lacking last season.

“His maturity, the way he’s playing through four games and the confidence he’s built,” Stoops said. “There’s a lot that’s different (from last year).”

⢠More replay talk: With the recent controversies concerning instant replay booth officials, not only in the Oklahoma-Oregon game, but Oklaho ma State-Houston and others, Stoops agreed it might help the process to allow the on-field referee see what the booth official is seeing.

“That probably wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Stoops said. “That’s how the NFL does it. It probably seems to be a good suggestion, but I don’t know if it would solve anything or not.

“It’s only our second year (using instant replay). You would hope the longer we do it, the better we’ll get at it.