Seamless transition
Junior-college transfer Ah You quickly has become an OU stalwart

By John Helsley

Published: December 14, 2006

NORMAN — Oklahoma's defensive set, "Dollar,” sounds rewarding, yet really offers limited appeal of a payoff for C.J. Ah You.

And plenty of potential for a pounding.

Still, Ah You is willing – and able – as always, contributing to his poster-boy appeal for junior-college transfers.

Recruiting JUCO players can be risky for a variety of reasons.

Recruiting Ah You has been richly successful for the Sooners.

He's delivered instant impact and consistent production and more — a player so respected he was named a captain despite his short time in crimson.

"It says a lot for a guy to become a captain in two years,” Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. "It tells you how he's worked, the respect he has from his teammates.

"He goes about his business every day in a great, great way in school and on the field.”

That business can sometimes seem unusually demanding.

Take "Dollar,” a special long-yardage alignment calling for three defensive ends spread across a three-man front with an emphasis on speed to pressure the quarterback.

OU's man in the middle, at nose tackle, where only 300-plus pounders generally dare to stick their facemasks: the 265-pound Ah You.

"It's for the team,” Ah You said. "It gave us an opportunity to put three defensive ends out there and bring more speed and quickness and show the offensive line new looks.

"I was willing to do whatever. And it worked out. And it's fun for us out there.”

Effective, yes. But fun?

Ah You, who started the season weighing 285 pounds before the stress of a season resulted in shrinkage, finds himself facing triple-teams inside. He gets the call because he's big and strong and most importantly quick, which is necessary in taking on the center and two guards.

"You're in there with three big boys,” Ah You said with a grin. "Every time, lining up over the center, I say, ‘Oh man, I hope they don't check into a run when they see me down here.'

"But so far, I've been all right. I haven't been put on my back yet.”

Call it bang for the buck.

And that's what Ah You has provided, even if his time as a Sooner is nearly through.

Reasons for passing on juco talent range from that short-timer status — at the expense of a high school prospect — to the unknown of how a player will transition to major college football, considering he's at junior college for some reason and building a resume against players of similar ilk.

They were passed on before.

Or sometimes, as in Ah You's case, they're just passing through junior college from somewhere else.

Ah You started his career at Brigham Young, only to suffer two knee injuries that required three reconstructive surgeries in two years. It was a trying time that also included a reported fight with a teammate and a change in defensive philosophy that altered the role of the defensive ends.

All that led Ah You to leave BYU for Snow Junior College, the same school that sent former quarterback and current assistant coach Josh Heupel to the Sooners.

Now the Sooners can claim two ultra-successful transfers from Snow.

"Coming from juco, they're expecting for you to jump right in there,” said Ah You, believed to be OU's first player of Polynesian heritage. "I knew I had to pick it up quick and everything worked out.

Ah You has started 20 of 25 games at OU and played in all. This season he leads the team with four sacks and seven quarterback hurries as a key figure in the Sooners' ever-improving pass rush.

"You don't know what you're getting from junior-college guys,” OU linebacker Zach Latimer said. "But the first practice we had, we knew C.J. was competing for a starting spot.

"We saw it. You notice when a guy's doing something in practice. He sure enough showed up from Day 1 to take care of business.”

Business remains.

Ah You's second season at OU includes a trip to the Fiesta Bowl. Oddly enough, his uncle Junior Ah You was the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the first Fiesta Bowl in 1972.

"It all played out real well,” C.J. said. "I made the right decision. Being here, I learned so much, had so much fun. It's been a great opportunity for me.”