Offensive Starters Returning: WR Malcolm Kelly, WR Juaquin Iglesias, TE Brody Eldridge, TE Joe Jon Finley, OT George Robinson, OL Jon Cooper, OL Brandon Walker, OL Trent Williams

Defensive Starters Lost: DE Larry Birdine, DE C.J. Ah You, LB Zach Latimer, LB Rufus Alexander

Defensive Starters Returning: DT Steven Coleman, DT Cory Bennett, CB Marcus Walker, CB Lendy Holmes, S Nic Harris, S Reggie Smith, S Darien Williams

Starting Specialists Lost: none

Starting Specialists Returning: K Garrett Hartley, P Michael Cohen

The Sooners had a surprisingly good campaign in 2006, winning the conference title with a young team. And once the loss to Boise State is forgotten, Oklahoma will aim for more than the just the Big XII title in 2007. However, there are some major holes to fill with the absence of Adrian Peterson and Paul Thompson on offense and the ends on defense.

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2007 Oklahoma Offense:

Junior Joey Halzle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford and true freshman Keith Nicol are battling to replace Thompson at quarterback. The Sooners faced a similar situation last year and are used to having inexperienced quarterbacks taking over. Halzle has the most experience with the program and at the junior college level, Bradford is a great athlete and Nicol is a big time running and passing threat who enrolled at OU early to join the team in the spring.

The absence of Peterson has the Sooner faithful less concerned. With his injury last year, the Sooners found plenty of depth available with Allen Patrick and Jacob Gutierrez. Star of the spring DeMarco Murray and Mossis Madu both redshirted last season and are expected to be in the mix. The running game will be helped by the return of four of the five offensive linemen and, if it takes a while for the quarterback situation to sort itself out, OU will be able to win plenty of games with the rushing attack.

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2007 Oklahoma Defense:

The main concern for the defense is on the ends. C.J. Ah You, Larry Birdine and Calvin Thibodeaux will be greatly missed. Alonzo Dotson, Auston English and John Williams are the favorites to take over. The pure talent and pass rushing ability is there, but the lack of experience leaves the defensive end position a big question heading into the fall. All is not lost with the line though, as Steven Coleman, DeMarcus Granger and Cory Bennett return to the defensive tackle spots.

The linebackers have a few questions as well with the graduation of starters Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer. Curtis Lofton and Demarrio Pleasant have starting experience and the Sooners expect to find some more quality starters among the athletic Lewis Baker, junior college transfer Michael Reed and the occasionally healthy Ryan Reynolds. The defensive backs will not just be the strength of the Sooner defense, it will also be one of the best in the country. Coach Stoops returns ten of the 11 DBs that saw action last year and the unit will be a force if the line can generate a consistent pass rush.

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The Bottom Line for the 2007 Sooners:

No matter who is the quarterback, he will have plenty of options to throw to with the wide receiver duo of Malcolm Kelly, Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson on the field. In the end, a lot will depend on the quarterback situation and it may be in the best interest of the program to pick a winner as soon as possible in order for them to get as many reps as possible in practice. However, Coach Stoops is not opposed to waiting until mid-August to make a decision. Kicker Garrett Hartley is as good as they get and will be among the favorites to take home the Lou Groza Award.

by Joel Welser