The 2003 Oklahoma Sooners

As we enter the 2003 college football season, fans on college campuses across the nation begin to gear up to watch their favorite teams take their best shot at the NCAA championship.

In Norman, Oklahoma, home of the Oklahoma Sooners, this is especially true.

The Sooners are coming off of an 11-2 season in which they captured their second Big 12 crown in the last three years. They capped off the season with an impressive first-time Rose Bowl appearance in which they dismantled Washington State, 34-14.

In his fifth season at Oklahoma, head coach Bob Stoops has compiled a 43-9 record, won two conference championships, and one national championship in 2000. It is easy to say that he has brought Oklahoma back to the top.

Defensively, senior linebackers Teddy Lehman and Lance Mitchell anchor what is considered one of the nation's best defenses.

Across the defensive line, Tommy Harris, Kory Klein and Lynn McGruder present many match-up problems against their opponents, while the secondary is led by Brandon Everage, a talented defensive back that has a knack for making the big play, and junior College transfer Donta Nicholson, who is expected to play beside Everage.

Nicholson has the ability to make the big hit mixed with blazing speed, and some Sooner fans have already compared him to former Sooner and current Dallas Cowboy, Roy Williams.

Two of the Big 12's best are at each corner, Antonio Perkins and Derrick Strait. Perkins also handles punt returns, as he was an all-conference selection as a return specialist in 2002.

On the offensive side of the ball, the biggest question is at the quarterback position between Jason White and sophomore, Paul Thompson.

The past two seasons, White has had season-ending knee injuries, but he has rehabbed himself all the way back to full strength, and appears ready to go.

If something should happen to him, Oklahoma would look to Thompson, a speedy quarterback from Texas.

The offense also will have to replace superstar running back Quentin Griffin.

The coaches appear to have confidence that Kejuan Jones will fill the featured back position.

The offensive line has gradually improved over the last few years, and this year's unit should be the best since Stoops has been at Oklahoma. Injuries have diminished some of the depth, but these guys should get the job done.

The Sooners lost three of the leading receivers in school history in WR's Antwone Savage, Curt Fagan and TE Trent Smith.

The man expected to take Smith's spot is sophomore James Moses.

Whoever is at quarterback also will have Mark Clayton to throw to. He is a junior who caught two touchdown passes last season in two different games, one against Alabama, the other against Colorado.

The offense shouldn't miss a beat with the new starters. They all are more than capable of exceeding previous expectations.

From top to bottom, this squad is probably Stoop's most athletic.

Will they have those important intangibles that the group led by Josh Heupel had in 2000? Will the 2003 Sooners live up to their billing and make it to New Orleans?

Hopefully, the answers are yes.

We'll find out soon because the season begins August 30. Get ready, it's football season again in America!

Note: I will write a weekly article as I follow the 2003 Oklahoma Sooners' football team and look at their successes, failures, and how they deal with things on and off of the field.