Hurricanes can't stop Kelly

John Shinn
The Norman Transcript

September 09, 2007 12:31 am

— Malcolm Kelly has never been a defensive coordinator, nor does he yearn to be one. He knows the frustration Miami’s defensive coordinator Tim Walton was feeling Saturday afternoon.
“They don’t know who to cover,” the Sooner wide receiver said. “They can’t put two guys on one guy, because the other guy is just as capable of making plays. From tight end to running back, to fullback to wide receiver, everybody can get open and catch passes.
“You either can try to stop the run or try to stop the pass. You can’t do both.”
One thing was apparent at Owen Field: Stopping Kelly took a lot more than one guy.
He was the chief beneficiary of Miami’s defensive dilemma in OU’s 51-13 victory.
Kelly only caught four passes. He was just one part of a Sooner offense that was as diversified as the United Nations.
But three of the four times he caught the ball, he finished in the end zone.
“He’s just a great receiver,” OU quarterback Sam Bradford said.
That’s no surprise. Kelly has been the Sooners’ leading receiver since his freshman season.
The 6-foot-4 junior has always had a penchant for big plays. But what he’s never had is consistent connection with a quarterback.
He went through growing pains with Rhett Bomar in 2005 and grew right along with Paul Thompson last season.
But 2007 could be different.
Through two games, Bradford’s already hit Kelly for five touchdown passes. Last season, he corralled 10 in 13 games.
“Sam’s putting the ball right on the money,” Kelly said, “especially that last one I caught in the corner of the end zone. It was right there on the spot.”
That last catch, an over-the-shoulder grab to put the Sooners up 38-13, was one of those catches that hearkened back to the days when Mark Clayton was lighting up opposing defenses.
“Malcolm is a tremendous football player, I don't need to keep telling you that,” OU coach Bob Stoops said.
He probably doesn’t. Two straight 100-yard games and five touchdown catches are evidence enough.