Annual spring game features new team selection

It has been a while since the Sooner Nation saw its football team in action, but it will get to see any improvements the Sooners have made since the Sun Bowl in the spring game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

This year's game will have a different twist, though. Rather than have the coaches separate the team by first string and second string, there was a draft to determine who plays on the Red and White teams.

The seniors were divided into two teams, and then they drafted who they wanted on their team based on position. All of the quarterbacks were drafted at the same time; the running backs were taken at the same time and so on until all of the positions were accounted for.

The seniors were drafted by position so teams would not be left without the right number of lineman and so position were not forgotten or left out, head coach Bob Stoops said.

The draft was held Thursday afternoon, and many of the first-team players are combined with the second- and third-string players.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Landry Jones was drafted by the White team, and will have sophomore running back Jermie Calhoun, senior wide receiver Cameron Kenney, junior wide receiver Dejuan Miller and freshman wide receiver Kenny Stills on his team.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Allen will head the Red team, and have junior running back Mossis Madu, junior wide receiver Ryan Broyles, sophomore wide receiver Jaz Reynolds and senior wide receiver Brandon Caleb as teammates.

Like all of OU's spring games, not all of the big name players will participate for the entire game.

Senior running back DeMarco Murray will not play and Broyles will see little action to avoid risking any injury to two of the team's most important players.

Even though Broyles will not play much, he wants to be on the field for as long as possible, he said. When he is not playing, he will act as a coach to the younger wide receivers, such as Reynolds and Miller, and work on the mental aspect of the game.

The spring game will be the final time for OU fans to see the team in action until close to the start of the season. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the OU athletics ticket office or at 10 a.m. Saturday at gates five and seven.

The Legends Flag Football Classic will be played one hour before the start of the spring game. Former OU players such as Brian Bosworth, Rufus Alexander, Thomas Lott, Tony Casillas and more will play.

Jono Greco

Jono Greco, journalism graduate student, is the assistant sports editor for the Spring 2013 semester. This is his seventh semester on staff, previously working on the sports desk as the football and baseball beat reporter, as well as multiple other sports beats. He served as copy chief during the Fall 2012 semester.

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