Today, it seems the Sooners are on the road to recovery, at least for the future.

Last night, Kameel Jackson, one of the four Sooners who were suspended by head coach Bob Stoops last week, tweeted he was not going to transfer to Texas A&M after all. 10 days ago, Jackson had tweeted he was tranferring to College Station to join the Aggies. The problem was, Jackson had not spoken with Texas A&M officials about the transfer, and it was likely they would not have accepted him, due to the depth they already have at the wide receiver position.

Jackson also revealed the reasoning behind his suspension in a tweet. He said he had missed too much class and that it was nothing more.

Now, whether or not that is the case for Trey Franks, Jaz Reynolds, or Quentin Hayes is yet to be determined. Stoops has not said anything as to the reason for the indefinite suspensions. However, Hayes tweeted last week he would be back for the fall.

Sooners Add Fresno State Transfer

The Sooners also officially added former Fresno State wide receiver, Jalen Saunders this week. Saunders, who was a sophomore in the fall for the Bulldogs, will sit out the 2012 season, and have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2013.

Saunders was the Bulldogs’ leading receiver in 2011, catching 50 passes for 1,065 yards, and 12 touchdowns. Saunders also had a 21.4 yards per catch average that ranked second nationally.

Saunders is 5’9″ and 160 pounds, so the Sooners would probably look to use him in the slot, much like they did with Ryan Broyles. However, rumors have circulated that the reason Saunders transferred from Fresno State is because he didn’t want to play in the slot.

As recently as last week, the Sooners were projected to win the Big 12 championship, and were ranked in the top five of pretty much every single way too early preseason top 25 poll.

Now, the Sooners head into the hot summer months with two eligible wide receivers on the current roster, and only one of those has caught a pass in game action.

The indefinite suspensions of receivers Trey Franks, Jaz Reynolds, and Kameel Jackson, along with cornerback Quentin Hayes has devastated a Sooner offense that was already facing the task of permanently replacing all-time NCAA receptions leader, Ryan Broyles.

OU has several talented receivers joining the ranks in the fall. Durron Neal and Derrick Woods were both Army All-Americans, while Sterling Shepard was an Under Armour All-American. Also joining the Sooners will be junior college All-American Courtney Gardner. Gardner still has some academic requirements to fulfill before he can join the Sooners in August, but he could be a veteran presence the Sooners desperately need at this point.

As talented as these players are, there are no guarantees about how they will perform once they’re actually in a game. Although, Neal and Shepard tweeted Thursday about meeting the challenge head on, and showing everyone how well an 18-year old can play. They certainly don’t seem daunted by the task at hand, and that’s a very encouraging sign for OU fans.

Then there is junior Kenny Stills, who is the lone receiver on the Sooners’ roster that has actually played in a college football game and caught a pass. Last year, when Broyles went down, many expected Stills to step up and be the leader. Unfortunately, he did not, and the Sooners ended the season without throwing a single touchdown pass after the injury to Broyles.

Still admitted being overwhelmed by the pressure of being THE guy for the receiving corps, but that cannot happen again if OU hopes to have any semblance of a passing game.

This is also a prime opportunity for senior quarterback Landry Jones to prove his worth as a leader, something that many have called into question over his three years as the Sooners’ starting quarterback. Jones has the opportunity to spend time with his new, young receivers, developing trust in their ability to catch his passes. After all, a quarterback can only be so good by themselves.

OU does have one thing going for it here, and that’s the return of a dominant running game. The Sooners have a stable of backs, including Dominique Whaley, Roy Finch, Brennan Clay, and junior college transfer Damien Williams, who figures to have an instant impact.

The Sooners’ offensive line manhandled the OU defensive line during the annual spring game, so it’s very possible the Sooners could lean on the running game in the first few weeks of the season while Jones gets accustomed to his new receivers. However, those receivers need to grow up quickly because the Sooners host Kansas State on Sept. 22, and the Wildcats will be an excellent team in 2012.

Another good thing is that the only notable opponent for OU before October is that game against KSU, so there is plenty of time, and there is no need to panic.

However, this is certainly cause for concern.

That task just got a lot harder with the news out of Norman, Wednesday evening.

Three wide receivers, juniors Trey Franks and Jaz Reynolds, and sophomore Kameel Jackson, along with sophomore defensive back Quentin Hayes, have been suspended indefinitely for violations of team rules. It was not reported what the specific violations were.

Franks was the Sooners’ leading kickoff returner in 2011, averaging 23.9 yards per return. He also caught 22 passes for 196 yards.

Franks was suspended for two games last season for a separate unspecified violation of team rules.

Reynolds was the Sooners’ third-leading receiver last year, catching 41 passes for 715 yards and five touchdowns. Reynolds was considered to be the No. 2 receiver in 2012 for the Sooners behind junior Kenny Stills.

This is Reynolds’ second indefinite suspension. The other came in 2010, after Reynolds posted insensitive comments on Twitter related to the gunman that threatened the University of Texas campus the week before the Red River Rivalry.

Jackson, who earlier this week announced he intended to transfer to Texas A&M appears to be staying put for the time being. Jackson, who will be a sophomore in the fall, figured to be a key factor in OU’s effort to replace Broyles.

There were reports of Jackson possibly receiving a suspension in 2012 for missing too many classes and spring practices, so it’s possible that situation is the case for the rest of the players.

Hayes will be a sophomore in the fall and was going to be a factor in the defensive backfield rotation.

This is a big blow to the Sooners’ depth at wide receiver, and also experience. OU is now down to just three eligible receivers, not including the four that will join the team for the start of the 2012 season. It is now vital those players come in ready to play if the Sooners are going to have a fighting chance in the Big 12 this season.

The Arlington (TX) native tweeted Sunday night he was planning on transferring to Texas A&M to join the Aggies. Rumors have been floating around Norman that Jackson hasn’t been happy in Norman, and could have been looking at a suspension in 2012 anyway due to missed classes and spring practice sessions.

Jackson did not participate in the Sooners’ annual Red-White spring game on April 14.

The problem is that Texas A&M appears to be completely in the dark about Jackson’s desire to transfer down to College Station.

Jackson has corresponded with several Texas A&M players about joining the Aggies, but neither the A&M coaching staff or administration was made aware of Jackson’s desire to transfer. Also, it appears the OU staff was in the dark about Jackson’s plan.

Unfortunately for Jackson, it appears Texas A&M won’t be taking him, even if Jackson does file all the necessary paperwork. The Aggies are set at the wide receiver position, so Jackson could be caught in limbo between the two schools.

It’s unlikely OU would take him back because of the aforementioned off the field issues and suspension. Also, the Sooners are bringing in a huge group of receivers for the 2012 season. Freshman Trey Metoyer is already on campus and dazzled coaches, teammates, and eventually fans with his performance throughout the spring. Junior college transfer Courtney Gardner needs to finish one last class to complete junior college before he arrives in Norman for the fall. Durron Neal, Derrick Woods, and Sterling Shepard round out the group.

It’s an unfortunate situation for Jackson, who seemed to be a promising talent for the Sooners last season. In the long run, though, OU won’t miss him if each of the receivers in the 2011 class end up as good as advertised.

For Jackson, a little bit of planning might have gone a long way.

Such is the case for Oklahoma Sooners‘ backup center, Austin Woods.

Woods was diagnosed Thursday with stage III Hodgkins Lymphoma, a form of cancer that attacks the lymph nodes in the body. Woods underwent his first round of chemotherapy treatment, Monday.

The junior from Rockwall, Texas is the backup center to starter, Ben Habern, and is also the long snapper for extra points and field goals for the Sooners.

Monday morning, Woods tweeted the following, “Fighters mentality. Round 1…,” and made the diagnosis public for the first time. It appeared, based on the wave of support voiced from his teammates over Twitter, the diagnosis had been kept private within the football program.

Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops has not commented on the situation, or the status of Woods for the 2012 season and beyond. It’s safe to assume Woods won’t be able to play in 2012 for the Sooners, though.

The survival rate for people who suffer from the disease is well over 80 percent, so with the correct form of treatment, the odds of Woods recovering is extremely high.

Yesterday, the news of Woods’ condition was a tough pill to swallow for many OU fans. It’s never easy to hear a family member has cancer, and for Sooner fans, with their immense passion for the football program, team members are almost a part of everyone’s family.

Woods already had the support of his teammates and the coaching staff. Now that his diagnosis is public, the support from fans all over the country will be incredible.

To help support Woods, the OU team has designed a tank top for you to purchase. For information on how to do so, go here.

Eventually, though, those players started flying off draft boards as those former Sooners found a home to begin their professional careers.

Through three rounds, five former Sooners had been drafted, including wide receiver Ryan Broyles and defensive end/linebacker Ronnell Lewis both being drafted by the Detroit Lions.

Tight end James Hanna, and linebacker Travis Lewis were drafted in the sixth and seven rounds, respectively.

Here’s how the Sooners went, along with reaction from Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, courtesy of Soonersports.com:

- WR Ryan Broyles- round two, pick 54- Detroit Lions

Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops: “Ryan’s accomplishments speak for themselves, and while he’s very gifted, he also earned his accolades through hard work and dedication. That’s even more obvious now that he has returned so quickly from an injury. He’s smart, he makes spectacular catches and he’s dangerous as a ball-carrier, but he’s equally valuable off the field as a humble teammate and in the way he represents the program.”

- OT Donald Stephenson- round three, pick 74- Kansas City Chiefs

Stoops: “Donald’s career was a crescendo. His productivity got a little better with each game and his last two years in our program were particularly productive. We take a lot of pride in the way we protect our quarterbacks, and Donald had great responsibility while playing left tackle last season. He grew into that role and handled it well for us. I think he’ll continue to grow as a professional.”

- DB Jamell Fleming- round three, pick 80- Arizona Cardinals

Stoops: “Jamell’s athletic ability and awareness have made him an outstanding player. He had a flare for the big play while he was in our program, and those are moments that can change the outcome of a game. As a coach, you appreciate players who take care of business on every down and yet are capable of turning the momentum quickly. I think his skill set translates well to the NFL because his attributes, including the ability to excel in bump and run, are very similar to what you see in that league’s successful corners.”

- DE Frank Alexander- round four, pick 103- Carolina Panthers

Stoops: “Frank improved his effectiveness and consistency over the course of his career. That’s one of the most encouraging aspects of his move into professional football. He’s continuing to get better, which tells me that he’s going to become even more valuable to a team with age and experience. And you can see from his productivity in our program, he’s already pretty good.”

- DE/LB Ronnell Lewis- round four, pick 125- Detroit Lions

Stoops: “Ronnell is one of athletes that comes along somewhat infrequently. He is a great combination of size, speed and strength that will translate well to the NFL. As a defensive end, he was impressive as a speed rusher, but also overpowered blockers at time. It wasn’t unusual to see him up the field disrupting opposing offenses. He also was an outstanding special teams player, particularly on kickoff coverage. Ronnell is versatile and could have played one more year of college ball so his upside could be substantial.”

- TE James Hanna- round six, pick 186- Dallas Cowboys

Stoops: “The thing that makes James so intriguing is that he converted from wide receiver in high school to tight end in college. His speed and route-running still resemble what he learned as a receiver, but he has added the size now to create favorable matchups. I also think athletic ability is sometimes underrated for blockers, and he has that ability. He can get to defenders and stay locked on through a play. James is unique and could flourish in the right scheme.”

- LB Travis Lewis- round seven, pick 223- Detroit Lions

Stoops: “Travis has been a leader for this program since stepping on to campus. When you have 144 tackles as a freshman, it shows that you have great ability and instincts. His workmanlike approach and the time he puts in studying the game sets him apart. He has a genuine desire to be a great player himself, but wants to be that kind of player within the framework of a great team.”

Each of the teams addressed some big holes with each of those picks, particularly the Panthers, who desperately needed to draft a player or two who could help with a pass rush that was virtually nonexistent last season.

If Alexander plays for Carolina like he did for the Sooners in 2011, then the Panthers got a big time player. Alexander did not participate in the NFL combine because doctors diagnosed him with a hole in his heart. However, several evaluations later, Alexander was declared healthy, and his NFL dreams remained intact.

Broyles is an absolute wild-card, because he is just over five months from ACL reconstructive surgery. He held a pro day on April 12, running a sub-4.6 40-yard dash, which was an encouraging sign for any team interested in drafting the NCAA career leader in receptions. However, it was the Lions that took the chance on him.

Spring practice is by no means a solid indication of how the season will happen, but it did reveal a lot of things OU needs to work on.

Or, did it?

One thing we learned is the Oklahoma defense still has work to do in order to become an elite defense. However, it’s tough to tell just how much more OU has to go. In the spring game, there were four starters out with injury, including three along the defensive line.

Predictably, the Oklahoma offense ran the ball extremely well against the depleted Sooner defensive line. However, another reason behind that could be the Sooners’ offensive line, which could be extremely good this year. Maybe not as good as the one that helped OU produce two 1,000 yard running backs in 2008, but it could be close.

Also, the secondary could still be a problem. Or it’s good to go. Safety Javon Harris was beaten on a deep pass from quarterback Blake Bell to wide receiver Jaz Reynolds, but it was a scramble play where Reynolds just snuck behind Harris and Bell lobbed it deep.

Harris drew the ire of OU fans everywhere for his play last year, particularly in the Baylor game, where several blown coverages gave Baylor several long touchdowns, and arguably, gave Robert Griffin III the Heisman Trophy. However, defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said multiple times throughout spring practice Harris was one of the most improved during practice.

It’s a lot easier to look at what we do know than focusing on what we learned.

1. We know Oklahoma has a ton of talent on both sides of the ball.

2. We know the Sooners have some work to do on both sides of the ball.

3. We don’t know how much further the Sooners have to go to be an elite team.

So there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the 2012 Oklahoma Sooners, although I don’t think it’s a bad sort of uncertainty. Like I said, there’s a lot of talent on the OU team, and more coming once the summer rolls around.

But what if that talent doesn’t develop or come together? What happens then?

Well, if that happens, the Sooners could very easily be looking at a situation similar to 2009: lots of talent, but not a lot of team cohesion.

Until the team steps on the field in September, we won’t know.

That much, is certain.

The freshman from Whitehouse, Texas had originally been a part of the Sooners’ 2011 signing class, but failed to qualify academically to join the Sooners in 2011. Instead of being in Norman, Metoyer spent the fall in Virginia, at Hargrave Military Academy.

Metoyer qualified in the spring semester, and arrived on campus in January, ready to finally begin his OU career. Since that time, he has been just about all the coaches and offensive players have talked about, including head coach Bob Stoops.

“He just has got incredible hands and the ability to make plays,” Stoops said after Saturday’s spring game. “He has a knack for adjusting to the football; just all the things you saw today. He just has a natural feel for it, on spacing and how to make plays and get to the ball.”

On Saturday during the Sooners’ spring game, fans got to see Metoyer for the first time, and they weren’t disappointed in what they saw.

Metoyer had six catches for 72 yards, including a leaping grab of an overthrown pass that looked like it was going to sail into the stands at Owen Field.

“As they say, a good receiver will go get it no matter where it’s at,” Metoyer said. “I try to do that all the time.”

Metoyer said the atmosphere was extremely different than the one he played in at Hargrave, but not in a negative sense.

“Back in Virginia, we didn’t really have a big crowd or anything like that so it felt good to be out here with a crowd today and to perform.” Metoyer said.

Metoyer has been working hard all spring to be more than just a freshman. He said being a freshman is not an excuse for when he makes mistakes.

“My Dad and I stay in contact quite often and he tells me to go out there and to not play like a freshman,” Metoyer said. “I just want to come here and perform, that is all I really want to do.”

Metoyer’s attitude and work ethic have made an impact on the entire coaching staff, both offensive and defensive coaches alike.

“I just love the way the guy goes out and he just works every day,” defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. “It’s refreshing to see a guy come in and he’s just kind of a no-nonsense guy that enjoys the game and you can tell he has a great passion for what he does.”

The most excited coach is probably offensive coordinator Josh Heupel. The Sooners haven’t had a big, physical receiver since Malcolm Kelly in 2007, so the addition of Metoyer and his wide range of skills has Heupel drooling.

“He’s strong, he’s physical, he catches the football when it’s thrown in his direction, I would say, almost every time,” Heupel said. “He’s a guy that can be a big-time impact for us offensively. He can be a competitive one-on-one playmaker out on the outside.”

Most importantly, he’s impressing his teammates, most notably, his quarterback, senior Landry Jones, who said the differences in Metoyer’s game from other receivers on the roster are refreshing.

“He has a lot of physicality to him and he plays he plays really strong to the catch,” Jones said. “When it is tight coverage you can kind of put it out there for him and he is going to go up and kind of make a jump ball out of it.”

Metoyer isn’t expecting a lot from himself individually this season. However, he does have some high expectations for the team.

“For me, honestly (it) is to just get a ring,” Metoyer said. “As a freshman it would be a good experience playing in the national championship.”

That’s always the expectation for the Sooners in Norman, and 2012 will be no different for Oklahoma.

However, Landry Jones and the offense have a new weapon in Metoyer, and he’s for real.

After ending the 2009 season ranked in the top 10 in total defense, the Sooners have been ranked in the middle of the pack of FBS defenses across the country the past two seasons.

Saturday’s spring game was the first glimpse of the new and supposedly improved unit under new defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. However, it was a bit tough to get a good handle on how the unit performed, due to player substitutions, and injuries that prevented several normal starters from playing.

The first team offense marched straight down the field for a field goal on the first drive of the game, but the defense stiffened for the rest of the game, something head coach Bob Stoops praised after the game.

“Early on I didn’t feel like they played the run like they should,” Stoops said. “But then we settled in and were a little more gap responsible. I thought for the most part they showed good discipline.”

The defense did force 12 punts on the afternoon, and at one point forced three consecutive three and outs.

New coordinator Mike Stoops said the defense ran a more basic set instead of breaking out a lot of complex things. However, it’s more of Stoops’ plan to keep things simple rather than make a defense with a lot of complex formations.

“Some things that we’ve worked on and what we’re going to attempt to do in the fall come from some forms of what we did today but it was pretty generic today,” Stoops said.

The players seem to be extremely excited about Stoops’ policy of making things simple. In addition to that, junior linebacker Corey Nelson said there hasn’t been a drop in intensity at all, despite the change from Brent Venables to Stoops.

“There haven’t been any changes at all,” Nelson said. “So far, we haven’t skipped a beat. They came and knew exactly what type of attitude we needed to have and what the attitude of this Oklahoma football team was. The transition was very smooth.”

Stoops said he’s been encouraged by the progress the defense made in the spring. He especially emphasized the importance of playing together as an 11-man unit rather than three separate groups, or 11 individuals.

“When we’re playing good we have to work together,” Stoops said. “We’re not a team that can’t be in the right place, understand your responsibility. We’re not that type of team. When we play together we’re really solid across the board.

Stoops also said he is extremely optimistic for the potential the unit has to be an elite group.

“I think we’re going to be a very complete defense,” Stoops said. “When we come back in August we’ll have some guys that weren’t with us today that we desperately need. Our pass rush needs to improve, but we’ll need to continue keeping position on the football when it comes to deep balls.”

A late touchdown drive from redshirt quarterback Kendal Thompson gave the offense a 22-21 over the defense on a very windy day at Owen Field.

While no spring game is ever a true indicator of how a team will perform during the regular season, there were a lot of things to take away from the Sooners performance on Saturday.

- We’re going to see a lot of Trey Millard this season. The junior fullback, whom defensive coordinator Mike Stoops and linebackers coach Tim Kish, both newcomers, said is the best player on the team, carried the ball very effectively on the few possessions he was on the field for. He also caught a couple of passes and threw some excellent blocks. The more Millard is involved, the better the OU offense is. There is no doubt about that.

- The first team offensive line has a chance to be 2008 good. In 2008, both Demarco Murray and Chris Brown ran for 1,000 yards behind a very experienced and very talented offensive line. Today, OU’s running backs were constantly ripping off large gains, with the line opening large holes consistently. Remember, starting center Ben Habern hasn’t played at all this spring because of his recovery from neck surgery. When he returns, junior Gabe Ikard will slide back over to guard, and the line becomes more complete.

- The Sooners have a very solid stable of backs with Millard toting the rock, along with Brennan Clay, Roy Finch, and redshirt freshman Danzel Williams. That’s not even including the return of 2011 leading rusher Dominique Whaley from ankle surgery, and incoming junior college transfer Damien Williams. If the offensive line can perform like they performed today, and the running backs stay healthy, Oklahoma could have a very potent running game to go along with their strong vertical passing game.

- Speaking of the passing game, senior quarterback Landry Jones only played the first series, leading the offense on a long field goal drive. Quarterbacks Drew Allen and Blake Bell took the majority of the snaps for the rest of the day, with Kendal Thompson getting into the action later in the third quarter. Allen and Bell are basically co-2nd string quarterbacks, especially with Bell coming in on the Belldozer packages. However, if Jones were to go down, there is no doubt Allen would be the starter.

- Thompson was very impressive in the action he saw, making several long scrambles, and led one of the two touchdown drives for the offense. Thompson has a lot of athleticism, and can make plays with his feet. However, he’s clearly the fourth quarterback on the depth chart.

- Defensively, the Sooners were shredded early, but buckled down after allowing two consecutive scoring drives to the first team offense. Overall, not a bad performance from Mike Stoops’ unit. Still a lot of work to do, though.

- The last person who could have afforded to get burned on a deep ball, did today. Senior safety Javon Harris, who drew the ire of fans and coaches after blowing several assignments against Baylor, got turned around while covering Jaz Reynolds, allowing Reynolds to haul in a 60-yard touchdown pass from Blake Bell. Harris started with the first unit, and Mike Stoops has said repeatedly Harris has been working extremely hard in practice. You can’t base it all on one play, but that certainly won’t sit well in the eyes of fans.

- The hype machine was very correct and justified in the case of freshmen Trey Metoyer and Jordan Phillips. Metoyer, a wide receiver, made several acrobatic catches and ran hard after the catch. Phillips made a lot of noise on the defensive line, gathering a touch sack and a couple tackles for loss.

- Former Sooner running back Adrian Peterson was honored after the first quarter for his recent $1 million donation to the OU athletic department. He received a standing ovation from the crowd.

- Many OU players that have been participating in spring practice didn’t suit up due to some small injuries. Those players included defensive end RJ Washington, who will likely be a starter in the fall.

We’ll have a lot more coverage from OU’s spring game this week, so be sure to check back throughout the week for stories and analysis from Saturday’s action.