Making a difference: Lendy Holmes

By John Helsley

Published: November 1, 2006

Lendy Holmes, a convert from wide receiver, has helped stabilize the Oklahoma secondary and defense. In the Sooners' 26-10 win over Missouri, he made what defensive coordinator Brent Venables said were five "game-changing" plays.

• The grab: After Missouri hit on a 34-yard pass play to the OU 43, safety Darien Williams dislodged the ball from Tigers running back Tony Temple. Holmes was there to pounce at the 42. Soon OU was on its way to a touchdown drive and a 14-3 lead.

• The tip: The Sooners halted a Missouri attempt to get back in the game with a goal-line stand after the Tigers reached a first-and-goal from the 2. Holmes closed out the threat, leaping high to tip away Chase Daniel's pass for 6-foot-6 tight end Chase Coffman. Venables called it a defining moment for Holmes and the Sooners.

"With the batted ball, he wasn't ‘Joe Cool,' " Venables said. "Lendy knew the ramifications of that. It was a huge stop in the game. It wasn't, ‘Check me out,' some of the stuff that goes along with it sometimes. He was fired up, he made a big play, a huge play, a game-changing play that may have been defining for our defense in that game or our season."

• The pick: Only faint hopes remained, but the Tigers reached the OU 38 late with a shot at scoring and trying an onside kick. But on first down, Holmes picked off Daniel for his first career interception.

By John Helsley