OUInsider - Owen Field

Sorry, I know you are looking for a response from Canyoneer, and I'm looking forward to hearing his opinion on this as well. However, we should consider/remember that Kenny wasn't 100% healthy for the second half of the season. It is my opinion that when he is completely healthy, he is fully capable of competing at an elite level. He's never going to be an effective slot receiver running cross routes like Broyles, but he is one heck of a wideout. And I think his "disappearance" last year was more due to health as opposed to feeling the pressure of being the goto guy. Most teams will find out this year that if they concentrate on shutting down Stills, any one of the other new receivers has the ability to light up a secondary (Metoyer, Gardner, Bester, maybe Saunders, not to mention Whaley and Williams catching out of the backfield). By the middle of the season when the newbies are situated, I think that is what we will see a lot of. But I'm generally a glass half full kinda guy.

Imagine Stills picking up a few more receptions just because RB is not getting so many. So Stills has 80. And from spring it would not be surprising to see Metoyer with as many as Stills.

With RB's getting receptions, how many do we need from the other receivers? If we only had the freshmen, we would be ok for receptions. The lack of drops is most important for receiving. Consistency.

The question would be blocking. I have seen many of our past WR's make great blocks on the edge. For freshmen, that will be tough.

My guess is that on wide running plays, swing passes and the like, we will have some wasted downs when the WR misses an important block.

I also guess we will not struggle with WR's getting open and catching the ball. Even though I understand getting open for the freshmen, will be harder than they are use to from high school. They will get better over the year.

Of course, if the Juco receivers are here and effective, we maybe even better. But I would think their blocking will need development.

Overall, I think we will get our receptions regardless. I think our struggle will be more related to blocking.

Broyles always seem to play through injuries. Stills needs to toughen up and learn from that. Few are perfectly healthy all season.

I have watched Stills for years, even in HS. He has been somewhat injury prone and that has gotten in the way of his development as a player. But he has also gotten in his own way for other reasons as well. The potential is amazing, but when you are a junior it should no longer be potential.

Stills should have a major year, and if he does, he will probably be gone. He just has to quit pouting, and stay healthy and lead. For OU to have the kind of year that they are capable of he has to have a 70 plus reception year. And he is more than capable of doing that. What I do know is that the three Cali kids have worked very hard off season. Very hard. And that Jefferson (soon to be AA) is now 210 or more,and quicker, Clay is 204 and faster and quicker, and that Stills is around 195 and much stronger. And he needed to get stronger. How that impacts his game remains to be seen.

I think it is very interesting that Landry has apparently been working with Sheppard and Metoyer a lot informally off season, Sure would like to have seen Stills be there as well. But between these three there will be a lot of success, and very soon. It is a shame that Gardner and Bester were not there to work with Landry. It certainly will be impact the beginning of the season, at least.

I expect Stills, and again if he stays healthy, to have a major year. He is a very talented guy, The challenge is to get him a step higher, and to lead as they need him to. I certainly would not want to be the guy who has to scheme to defend Stills, Metoyer, Bester, Neal, Sheppard, McNamara, Green, Grissom, Woods, and perhaps Saunders and Gardner..That is the kind of thing which gives coaches ulcers
Talent. Stills has NFL talent. But it is up to him.

Canyoneer.

The pouting thing is news to me. I don't remember seeing that, but I've only seen the games on TV since Stills has been here.

He's a pouter for sure saw it at the games I went to.

soonerAtlanta-

I think that you have a huge part of it. Teams in the last part of last season did not fear OU's running game. In fact, they ignored it. Clay didn't have the quickness or speed to be a threat (hopefully, and from what I have heard that has improved) and they knew Finch was not going to beat them as well (hopefully some of his over-reliance on the spin move has been toned down. The spin moves actually slowed him down on some runs that he would have been better advised to plant, cut and move instead. And players who over-rely on back spins get hurt, period. Usually badly hurt).

With Whaley (hopefully), Williams and maybe Ross or the other Williams, that is not going to happen. OU will have some inside running this year. And hopefully that is mostly Millard.

It will certainly give Stills some one on one time to play with. And that is a mismatch.

Canyoneer

Kenny Stills was doing the same things as Trey Franks off the field. He certainly wasn't in good graces with the coaching staff last season. Then he couldn't perform the last half of the season for whatever reason. Unfortunately we had nobody to replace him. We don't know either. Hopefully he has matured and will play up to his high level of skill.

I think we will be better running the ball, but Huepul cant pull an FSU on us and run into 11 man fronts. I know we want to prove a point, but thats not the way to do it.

Thanks for the insight that's great info.

That is crazy to think BS would put up with bs from anyone period.

Really?