Published September 25, 2007 11:49 pm - Defensive end Alan Davis said he feels a little different heading into Saturday’s game at Colorado. Davis, along with Jeremy Beal, will see more playing time this week with John Williams out for the season due to injury.
Davis ready for bigger role
OU Football Notepad
By John Shinn
The Norman Transcript
Defensive end Alan Davis said he feels a little different heading into Saturday’s game at Colorado.
Davis, along with Jeremy Beal, will see more playing time this week with John Williams out for the season due to injury.
“It is a different week of preparation,” Davis said. “I know that I am going to have to live up to some standards that people might have for me, and I have to live up to my own standards.
“Knowing that John Williams went down I know that I am going to have to step up and play a much bigger role than I have been playing as backup. I am going to have step up, do more film study, coaches are going to be on me more, but that’s all right. I am going to need that criticism.”
Auston English and Alonzo Dotson will remain the starters. English, Dotson and Williams played the bulk of the snaps through the first four games.
Defensive ends coach Chris Wilson isn’t nervous about reserves playing bigger roles.
“I don’t have any concerns about those guys,” Wilson said. “Everyone else might because they haven’t seen them do it on a consistent basis. But I know what they’re capable of.”
Williams underwent successful surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon Tuesday.
Hartley’s tired
Kicker Garrett Hartley has missed three extra points this season, one in each of the last three games. He also missed a short field goal at Tulsa.
Stoops had an explanation for the kicker’s struggles.
“He gets tired,” the Sooner coach said, drawing some laughs. “You notice when those have all happened, it’s been after about nine kickoffs and I don’t know how many touchdowns. I think when you’ve hit so many something’s bound to miss eventually ... I’m just kidding.”
Stoops said one of the missed kicks Friday was due to a bad hold. The other was the result of a bad kick.
But the confidence in Hartley remains high.