Something different

John Shinn
The Norman Transcript

September 16, 2007 12:50 am

— • Iglesias has turned into a
big-play threat

Juaquin Iglesais has played in virtually every game since he came to Oklahoma in 2005. But he admits there’s something different about him in this, his junior season.
“I think they have more confidence in me,” he said Saturday after the Sooners’ 54-3 rout of Utah State. “I know I do in myself.”
They is OU’s coaching staff and it’s hard to argue that’s not the case.
Iglesias caught eight passes for 123 yards and ran for a touchdown on a 35-yard reverse to kick-start the third-ranked Sooners’ third consecutive blowout win.
Thus far, he might be the most versatile weapon on a team that’s proving to have as much firepower as any squad that plays Saturdays.
The Aggies didn’t have much success stopping him. All his yards came in the first half as OU erupted to a 38-3 lead by intermission.
“He has played well all year,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “He has great hands and can run with the ball after the catch and he is really stepping it up.”
Opponents haven’t caught on.
Utah State followed the same game plan North Texas and Miami employed. Focus on the run. Keep a watchful eye on Malcolm Kelly and hope someone else doesn’t step up.
That kind of plan has been shredded for the third straight week.
Iglesias is major reason why.
“He’s a big part of what we’re doing,” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. “I don’t think he gets the credit that he deserves. Maybe it’s because Malcolm is awfully good and it’s nice to have a guy on the other side.”
For the third straight game, Iglesias was too good to be ignored. Two games with over 100 receiving yards and averaging 23.3 yards a carry shouldn’t be hard for a defense to find
Perhaps that will change as OU goes down the road. After all, the Sooners are only three games into a long season.
But Iglesias will take advantage of every opportunity he gets.
“There are so few plays that you get on Saturday and so few games. The chances you get, you have to take advantage of them,” he said. “The more I do well, the more opportunities they’ll give me.”