Defensive end leaves Sooners; freshman returns to Louisiana

Published: September 1, 2008

Senior defensive end John Williams’ playing career appears to have ended at OU.

Monday, coach Bob Stoops said he doesn’t expect Williams to return to the team.

“John’s mentally having a hard time staying with it,” Stoops said. “Right now, we don’t anticipate him rejoining the team. In the end, you have to want to play, to do the things necessary to play and do well. It’s unfortunate.”

Williams received a hardship waiver for a sixth season of eligibility after tearing his Achilles in the fourth game last year.

But after sitting out the spring recovering from the injury, Williams was not listed on OU’s opening week depth chart, falling behind sophomore Jeremy Beal, senior Alan Davis and redshirt freshman Frank Alexander.

Williams was not in uniform during Saturday’s win over Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Alex Williams heads home: Stoops said that redshirt freshman guard Alex Williams has gone back home to Louisiana to help his family evacuate from New Orleans, which is battling Hurricane Gustav. Williams is expected to be back with the team before Saturday’s game with Cincinnati, Stoops said.

Cincy coach says Bearcats excited about visit: When Cincinnati steps on Owen Field Saturday, the experience might be unlike any back home in the Big East Conference, where the two largest stadiums – West Virginia and Pittsburgh – top out at just over 65,000.

Still, Bearcats coach Brian Kelly said he isn't concerned about the experience.

“I've coached at Penn State, taken a team in front of 106,000 at Michigan and been into some environments of that nature,” Kelly said. “I really think after the first few series, everything kind of comes back to where it's just football players and it's execution.

“We've been on the road and had some good wins on the road. At South Florida (last year) was a great crowd, about 60,000. Rutgers last year. So I think there's enough experience within our group that we're not going to go in there and wilt under the 87,000.”

If anything, Kelly said, this is what the Bearcats aspire to.

“We are really excited about going and playing in this environ, because it's what college football is all about,” he said. “We want to be in these kinds of games, and that's why we decided to play Oklahoma.”

Kicking change: Cincinnati might be hoping the game doesn't come down to a kick.

Jake Rogers, who entered the season as the Bearcats kicker, missed on both of his extra-point tries against Eastern Kentucky. He's being replaced by Brandon Yingling, who went 4-for-4 on his PAT attempts.

Rogers, who had outperformed Yingling in the preseason, will continue to kick off.

“Jake has got to get into a game situation and calm down and settle down,” Kelly said. “I'm not ready to put him back into the situation he was in this weekend, until he comes up with a plan to handle the anxiety he seems to have during the game.”

Pressure play: Granted, the opposition was overmatched, yet OU's defensive front applied consistent pressure on Chattanooga quarterbacks throughout Saturday night's 57-2 win.

Officially, the Sooners produced five sacks — all by defensive linemen.

Auston English, last year's Big 12 sack leader, finished with 2 1/2 sacks, while Pryce Macon had one and Gerald McCoy, Adrian Taylor and Alan Davis each contributed 1/2.

“The biggest thing is getting those guys up front to play with the relentless manner that they did,” said OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables. “And I think we have the right group of guys that love to play and compete up front.”

· Fond memories: Sooners offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson needs no cheat sheet to get acquainted with the Bearcats.

Wilson formed many memories as an assistant coach at Miami of Ohio.

“I know their coaches really well because I coached at Miami of Ohio for nine years,” Wilson said. “I have a big bucket of Skyline chili in my freezer. I met my wife at Flanagan's, right by where Paul Brown Stadium is. I know all about Clifton Avenue and the Bearcats and (former) coach (Mark) Dantonio and the type of kids he recruited.”

By Jake Trotter and John Helsley

Comments