Alexander and Beal have made the loss of Auston English, the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, go almost unnoticed, and the entire line put pressure on Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell last week like no other team this season.

Don’t forget, that Heisman Trophy frontrunner who takes all the snaps is also just a sophomore, and Ryan Broyles, at more than 17 yards a catch, is another redshirt freshman.

The future is bright, but that’s a topic for another day.

In the here and now, as unclear as the Big 12 South and all the BCS implications that may eventually decide who represents it next week against Missouri, where the Sooners can take their level of play is equally unclear.

The direction, however, is very clear. Up.

Clay Horning

366-3526

cfhorning@normantranscript.com