O-Line tops OU’s to-do list

By John Shinn
The Norman Transcript

NORMAN March 21, 2006 01:26 am

— Oklahoma returns to the football practice field today with an assortment of issues to sort out.
First and foremost on OU’s spring to-do list will be solidifying the offensive line for the 2006 season. The unit lost four starters from last season’s 8-4 team. Starting jobs are available at nearly every position.
The only mainstay would appear to be right tackle Chris Messner, who started eight games last season.
He is joined by several players with starting experience. Branndon Braxton and Duke Robinson both saw significant playing time as true freshman at tackle and guard J.D. Quinn also started four games.
But the lack of experience should make for an interesting four weeks for new offensive line coach James Patton. Today’s practice will be his first with the Sooners since coming to Norman from Northwestern in January.
Offensive line play would seem to be the only question the Sooner offense has to answer.
Most other positions are held by holdovers from last season. Running back Adrian Peterson will go through his first spring practice. He missed last year’s with a shoulder injury. Quarterback Rhett Bomar will go through his second, but first as the unquestioned starter.
Receivers Malcolm Kelly, Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson will also go through the rigors of spring drills for the first time.
On defense, finding out who will fill the large shoes of Dusty Dvoracek at tackle will be a priority.
But OU won’t have to do it all in one day.
Today’s practice is closed to the public, but there will be 13 more and the Red and White Game at Owen Field at 1 p.m. April 1 to help sort things out.