The OU football team lacks the overwhelming star power of last season’s team, leaving room for new faces to step in and contribute, head coach Bob Stoops said Friday.

Stoops, assistant coaches Brent Venables and Kevin Wilson, sophomore quarterback Landry Jones and senior defensive back Quinton Carter addressed the media during the Sooners’ annual preseason Media Day.

“A lot has been said like maybe we don’t have the Heisman trophy guys coming back or the biggest names in the world, but there are the makings of a lot of special players on this team,” Stoops said.

The expectations are different for the Sooners this year. Last season, OU was bringing back Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford, as well as several other players who went in the first round of the NFL Draft, including defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, offensive lineman Trent Williams and tight end Jermaine Gresham.

While Stoops said the team still has plenty of returning talent at important positions in Jones, running back senior Demarco Murray and junior wide receiver Ryan Broyles, among others, he expects plenty of contribution to come from incoming freshman.

“All 29 guys we signed are here, eligible and ready to go,” Stoops said. “I’m not much on talking up individuals or players too much, but this is one of our best recruiting classes I think. Not just with the quality, but also with the number of guys.”

Among the most talked about of the incoming class was wide receiver Kenny Stills. Stoops said Stills, having come in early, had been one of the most productive receivers thus far.

Jones said Stills will be another weapon to go along with Broyles, who was the Sooners’ leading receiver last season.

“Stills brings more of a deep threat on the side for us,” Jones said. “He’s probably one of the fastest guys on the team, and he has great hands.”

 

Jones stepping into bigger role

Jones is entering his first full season as a starter after filling in most of last season for the injured Bradford, and he knows much of the team’s success rides on his improvement upon last year.

“I think if I take care of the ball a little more we’ll have a better chance of winning a lot more games,” Jones said. “That will come from better decision making.”

Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said the blame for last season’s struggles should be spread evenly, not all place on Jones’ shoulders.

“If the group around him plays better he has a chance to be really solid,” Wilson said.

Wilson stressed that any quarterback can struggle if his offensive line or receivers are struggling.

“If I was having a conversation with the question of who would you rather have, Sam [Bradford] or [Jason] White, I’d ask you who the receivers are,” Wilson said.

Jones said quarterbacks coach and former Sooner star Josh Heupel has helped him tremendously in the areas of poise and leadership.

“Coach Heupel brings mental toughness into the quarterback room,” Jones said. “We focus on wins and losses, we don’t talk about stats.”

Heupel brings a unique perspective to the coaching staff that particularly helps Jones out in his growth, Wilson said.

“Josh is the guy who can show him how to enhance his role as a leader,” Wilson said.

 

Murray may have heavier load

Wilson said Murray, who has been one of the Sooners’ leading offensive threats in the past, will shoulder a heavier load this season if he is physically able to handle it.

“Mentally, he can handle it — I know he wants to — it’s just physically we don’t know if his body will allow him to,” Wilson said.

He said the team hopes to make Murray a 20-or-more-carry-per-game running back.

“I’d like to get him in some scrimmages, but we also want to be smart about it,” Wilson said.

Wilson said Murray’s backup has not been chosen yet, and there will be an open competition through the preseason to determine who will get the No. 2 spot.

 

Defense benefits from depth and balance

OU’s defense, one of the strong points of last season, should remain strong while relying on more players to share the load, Venables said.

“In the past we’ve had three or four guys on a defense that we rely on, but I really like the depth of this group,” Venables said.

This season, the defense will be led by players such as junior linebacker Travis Lewis, Carter, senior defensive tackle Adrian Taylor, who is recovering from an ankle injury, and sophomore linebacker Ronnell Lewis, who was much talked about at the Media Day.

“[Ronnell] Lewis is probably the most violent hitter I’ve ever been around,” Venables said. “He is very hungry and he has a respect for the game and the process.”

Venables said depending on the formation, Lewis could see some time as a defensive end as well as linebacker.

Carter acknowledged Lewis’ talent and intimidation factor as well.

“I asked some of the running backs, ‘When you get a call running to his side, what’s going through your head?’,” Carter said.