• Signal callers the center of

attention, but

Murray has the best scrimmage

By Clay Horning

Transcript Sports Editor

At this point, a good bit of the way through spring drills, the race to be Oklahoma’s next quarterback is whatever anybody wants it to be.

Any advocate for junior Joey Halzle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford or true freshman Keith Nichol, going through spring drills only because he graduated from high school early and is already enrolled, found plenty to support their guy Saturday at Owen Field.

By the same token, there was plenty to throw doubt on their guy, too.

“This is where they learn and they made some critical mistakes,” Sooner coach Bob Stoops said. “But they’re smart guys and they’ll learn from (them).

“You know, not to go to a receiver late with some throws. But they all threw some nice balls as well.”

The quarterback race, the fourth in six offseasons for the program, is in the eye of the beholder.

There was no better case in point than the very first drive of the scrimmage, when Joey Halzle was leading the offense down the field. After starting at his own 30 and moving the ball 50 yards in eight plays, last year’s back-up looked very good. But on the next play Halzle went through his reads and tried to connect with tight end Jermaine Gresham. The ball hung up and D.J. Wolfe sprinted in front for the interception.

As it happened, Nichol was the only one of the trio to connect for a touchdown pass, finding Gresham from 15 yards late in the scrimmage. The trio also combined to throw four interceptions, two of them snared by defensive back Dominique Franks.

“From what I saw, they made some mistakes,” Stoops said, “and that’s why you can’t get enough snaps out here.”

Halzle competed 7 of 15 passes for 76 yards and one pick. Bradford completed 8 of 13 for 114 yards and two picks. Nichol connected on 4 of 8 for 96 yards and one pick.