Sooners snag QB for '08 Oklahoma football: Signing Class of 2008 New Mexico native chose OU because team ‘competes against the best in the country' Sooners snag QB for '08
Bob Stoops wasted little time offering a top quarterback from the Class of 2008.
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And the quarterback, Landry Jones of Artesia (N.M.), wasted little time making his collegiate aspirations clear.
"I want to go into Oklahoma and win the starting job,” said Jones, rated the No. 36 overall prospect by ESPN.com. "They have a lot of good, young quarterbacks there. If I'm going to get the starting job, it's not going to be granted to me. But I'm going to work hard.”
Jones picked the Sooners over Colorado, UCLA and a host of other schools. He called Stoops and quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel late Wednesday to give them the news.
"I'd been thinking about it a lot the last couple of weeks,” said Jones, who received his offer during an unofficial visit to Norman three weeks ago. "Stoops was really excited. He told me that they couldn't wait to get me on the field. When I was there, I went to a practice and met some of the receivers and running backs. I'm excited to throw with them.”
Physically, Jones stretches the mold at his position. He's listed at 6-foot-5 and 222 pounds, and still runs a 4.8-second forty.
Artesia coach Cooper Henderson said Jones' combination of strength and smarts separates him from any quarterback he's seen before.
"Landry's not just big, but physical. More than anything, he's focused on and off the field,” Henderson said. "A lot of high school people want to mess around and don't want to work hard.
"He's focused in season and out of season. He does things most athletes wouldn't do.”
As a junior, Jones completed 211 of 310 passes for 3,433 yards and 45 touchdowns en route to an undefeated season and a state championship. Almost half of the Bulldogs' schedule consisted of larger-class opponents.
Jones' strong performance earned him player of the year honors in New Mexico's Class 4A.
"I like to compete against the best, with my team and as an individual,” said Jones, who compares his playing style to that of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. "OU always competes against the best in the country.
"That was a big factor in my decision.”
It wasn't the only factor.
Jones' grandmother lives in the southwestern Oklahoma town of Granite and his cousin, Jeremy Guy, plays defensive end at Bixby.
Even before his visit, Jones was no stranger to Norman and OU football.
He attended Bob Stoops' summer football camps the past two years.
"It was nice to be coached by them, and to see how their coaching techniques worked,” Jones said. "I really got to know Coach Stoops and Coach Heupel.”
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