- Messages
- 5,432
- Reaction score
- 0
Broyles to return to Sooners, set up national title push
By Mike Piellucci
FOXSportsSouthwest.com
All-American wide receiver Ryan Broyles announced Thursday night that he will return to Oklahoma for his senior season, setting up the Sooners for a potential national title run.
Broyles' junior season was one for the ages after the 5-foot-11 speedster caught a school-record 131 passes for 1,622 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he says he has even more planned for an encore.
“I want to win more championships and break every record possible as a receiver,” Broyles said in a statement released by the university. “I want to finish my degree. That's very important to me.”
Broyles has a very real chance to accomplish all of those things, including a better-than-advertised shot at rewriting the record books. As pointed out by The Oklahoman, Broyles sits just 50 receptions shy of breaking the NCAA all-time mark held by Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield, and needs 1,576 more yards to set the record for career receiving yards.
“He's (Broyles) a great football player and leader,” coach Bob Stoops said in his own school-released statement. “You just shake your head at some of the things he can do and yet he impacts our team equally in the way he handles himself in other aspects of our program.
"His return obviously strengthens us in many ways.”
Oklahoma returns eight starters on offense in preparation for a national title push. Longtime starting tailback DeMarco Murray has exhausted his eligibility, but electric rising sophomore Roy Finch will be at the top of the heap of a deep group fighting for his carries that also includes Brennan Clay, Jermie Calhoun and incoming five-star recruit Brandon Williams.
The wide receiver spot opposite Broyles also is open after Cameron Kenney's departure, but it will be easily filled by another rising sophomore, Kenny Stills, who set Sooner freshman records for receptions (61) and yards (786). The receiving corps will also gain one of the country's elite high school players in Whitehouse (Texas) star Trey Metoyer.
OU returns eight starters on defense as well, after star linebacker Travis Lewis announced Wednesday that he, too, will be returning to Norman. Of course, two of the team's losses are a pair of All Americans in defensive end Jeremy Beal and strong safety Quinton Carter, but Stoops has done a good job stockpiling young depth including end Ronnell Lewis and safety Tony Jefferson, who has drawn comparisons to Sooner great Roy Williams.
With major questions surrounding Texas, Nebraska in the Big Ten, and key players such as Missouri's Blaine Gabbert and in all likelihood Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon defecting to the NFL, the Big 12 should be a cakewalk for the loaded Sooners.
Now, with Broyles back in the fold, it's time for Oklahoma to take a run at their first national title since 2000
By Mike Piellucci
FOXSportsSouthwest.com
All-American wide receiver Ryan Broyles announced Thursday night that he will return to Oklahoma for his senior season, setting up the Sooners for a potential national title run.
Broyles' junior season was one for the ages after the 5-foot-11 speedster caught a school-record 131 passes for 1,622 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he says he has even more planned for an encore.
“I want to win more championships and break every record possible as a receiver,” Broyles said in a statement released by the university. “I want to finish my degree. That's very important to me.”
Broyles has a very real chance to accomplish all of those things, including a better-than-advertised shot at rewriting the record books. As pointed out by The Oklahoman, Broyles sits just 50 receptions shy of breaking the NCAA all-time mark held by Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield, and needs 1,576 more yards to set the record for career receiving yards.
“He's (Broyles) a great football player and leader,” coach Bob Stoops said in his own school-released statement. “You just shake your head at some of the things he can do and yet he impacts our team equally in the way he handles himself in other aspects of our program.
"His return obviously strengthens us in many ways.”
Oklahoma returns eight starters on offense in preparation for a national title push. Longtime starting tailback DeMarco Murray has exhausted his eligibility, but electric rising sophomore Roy Finch will be at the top of the heap of a deep group fighting for his carries that also includes Brennan Clay, Jermie Calhoun and incoming five-star recruit Brandon Williams.
The wide receiver spot opposite Broyles also is open after Cameron Kenney's departure, but it will be easily filled by another rising sophomore, Kenny Stills, who set Sooner freshman records for receptions (61) and yards (786). The receiving corps will also gain one of the country's elite high school players in Whitehouse (Texas) star Trey Metoyer.
OU returns eight starters on defense as well, after star linebacker Travis Lewis announced Wednesday that he, too, will be returning to Norman. Of course, two of the team's losses are a pair of All Americans in defensive end Jeremy Beal and strong safety Quinton Carter, but Stoops has done a good job stockpiling young depth including end Ronnell Lewis and safety Tony Jefferson, who has drawn comparisons to Sooner great Roy Williams.
With major questions surrounding Texas, Nebraska in the Big Ten, and key players such as Missouri's Blaine Gabbert and in all likelihood Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon defecting to the NFL, the Big 12 should be a cakewalk for the loaded Sooners.
Now, with Broyles back in the fold, it's time for Oklahoma to take a run at their first national title since 2000