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Texas rolls past Oklahoma for 31-16 Oil Bowl victory
By Zach Duncan/Times Record News
June 24, 2007

Oklahoma didn’t trail in the first half of the 70th annual Oil Bowl on Saturday night until seven seconds before intermission.

The Sooner State never had a chance after that.

Texas’ offense awakened late in the half with a flawless two-minute drill, and went on to score 31 straight points for a resounding 31-16 victory in front of 7,800 fans at Memorial Stadium.

The Lone Star State now leads the all-time series 44-17-1. This win was jump-started by Hubert Anyiam’s 32-yard touchdown reception from Nathan [deleted], giving Texas a 10-9 lead at the break.

‘To me, that was a big momentum swing, because we go into halftime with our heads a little down," Oklahoma coach Kerry Roberts said. "Give credit to Texas — they made the plays when it counted."

Texas’ passing game, behind Arkansas signee [deleted] and Springtown’s Logan Turner (SMU), turned up the heat in the second half. The two quarterbacks combined for 310 passing yards and three touchdowns, with Mesquite receiver Krys Buerck (Baylor) earning offensive MVP honors after a six-catch, 124-yard performance.

Texas’ defense was also up to the task, forcing five turnovers and coming up with four sacks. Two of those interceptions were by Garland’s Dwight Hamilton, who was named the game’s defensive MVP.

Oklahoma’s downfall was failing to convert any of four turnovers into points. Twice after Texas miscues, Oklahoma turned the ball over the very next play.

The costliest of those missed opportunities came with Oklahoma trailing 17-9 late in the third quarter and threatening, thanks to Kyle Palacol’s interception.

Hamilton made a touchdown-saving tackle but was called for a personal-foul facemask, giving Oklahoma first-and-goal at the 1. But Oklahoma’s Brock Feldmann fumbled the QB sneak, and Rider’s Waylon Obermeir recovered, snuffing out the rally.

Oklahoma also took three points off the board late in the first half when it accepted a personal-foul penalty after Ian Harrison’s made field goal.

Texas’ defense held again, and Harrison missed from close range.

Texas responded immediately with a seven-play, 80-yard drive spanning 1:40, providing the Lone Star State with its first lead of the game.
"We were just doing it to ourselves, but we were able to hang in there,"

Texas coach Terry Wolf said of his team’s first-half struggles. "With a big-play offense like that, it can happen at any time."
"Back at Allen, that’s all we do is no-huddle and two-minute drill," added [deleted], who threw two touchdowns. "When that moment comes, I’m ready to go."

Although its running game stalled, Texas didn’t really need it with its aerial attack clicking. Tyler O’Quin had two fourth-quarter touchdown grabs, and five wideouts had at least three catches.

"We’re over here playing chess with a master in (Allen coach Tom) Westerberg," Roberts said. "The guy’s great in what he does offensively."

Several local players contributed to Texas’ cause, including Vernon’s Aston Whiteside, who made two sacks and an interception that led to a touchdown.

Wichita Falls High School’s Taylor Huskisson put the game away for Texas with a flea-flicker 34-yard TD pass to O’Quin. Windthorst’s Brad Green set up Huskisson’s throw by forcing a fumble the play before.

Oklahoma struck first, scoring the first nine points off a bad punt snap that led to a safety and T.J. Langley’s 15-yard reception from Feldmann.

But it didn’t score again until 54 seconds remaining when Zack Mincey plunged in from 4 yards out.

Feldmann led Oklahoma with a 9-of-19 effort for 143 yards, and David Balenseifen had two catches for 59 yards. Mincey had a game-high 20 rushing yards.

"We got as much out of our kids as we could," Roberts said. "Our kids battled, but we played well and represented Oklahoma with class."

Staff sports writer Zach Duncan can be reached weekdays after 4 p.m. by calling 720-3470 or 1-800-627-1646. Or e-mail him at duncanz(at)timesrecordnews.com.






































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WICHITA FALLS – De'Von Bailey counts the days until he reports to SMU for preseason workouts.

"I'm feeling great. I feel the energy from the program, all the momentum, and just can't wait and get in there with the rest of my class," said Bailey, one of SMU's three-star recruits in the Class of 2007. Bailey reports July 28 with the rest of SMU's newcomers.

Bailey was one of four SMU recruits playing in the 70th Annual Maskat Shrine Oil Bowl Classic Saturday in Wichita Falls. As the only SMU representative on the Oklahoma roster, had took a good ribbing in stride during the post-game handshake from this three SMU counterparts on the Texas team – Josh LeRibeus, Kelly Turner, and Logan Turner. Texas won the game, 30-14.

"These guys are great," Bailey said of his new teammates. "We're an up and coming team. I just want to get there and get into the program. In a few years, there's no telling what we can do."

Bailey was mostly a non-factor in the game, as the Texas quarterbacks didn't throw his way, and Texas' running attack never broke past the linebackers to try and take on the safeties.

"I can't believe I played in an all-star game and didn't even get a tackle," Bailey said. "Nothing was coming my way."

Logan Turner supplied some highlights within his 10-for-17 night at quarterback, with one touchdown. He hit two well-timed touch passes on fades to the right side, and zipped a 15-yarder on fourth-and-7 to extend a drive. He began the game completing his first five passes.

Kelly Turner and LeRibeus' play was solid along the offensive line, with Turner lining up at tackle and LeRibeus tucked in at guard most of the game. While Turner is bulking up to stay at tackle at SMU, LeRibeus is on a diet and workout regimen to get down to 325 pounds. He said he weighs 337 going into Saturday's game.

"The SMU coaches think that will be a better playing weight for me, and keep me quicker on my feet," LeRibeus said. "I'm doing a lot of running, and the diet's tough, but helping."

SMU strength and conditioning coach Vic Viloria has already begun working with the incoming freshmen.

"It's a pretty strict diet we're on," Kelly Turner said. "We're lifting a lot, and I love what Vic is doing for all of us. I'm showing improvement already."

"Vic's killing us but getting results already," LeRibeus said. "I haven't felt this good at the start of a season in a while. I know I'm in better playing shape prior to the season this year than last year."
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Players could exchange helmet logos and stickers following Friday's walk-through practice, making most of their headgear look like artistic montages of colors. But the helmets worn by Kelly Turner and LeRibeus did not have additions to their original look.

"I was on strict orders not to mess with the helmet," Kelly Turner said, referring to his Highland Park head coach Randy Allen. We didn't get an explanation from LeRibeus on why he kept his Richardson Berkner green helmet pure. But with Berkner head coach Jim Ledford in the stands, we suspect similar orders were given.

Meanwhile, Logan Turner had at least eight logos on his helmet, with Springtown's "Pojo" logo the most prominent on the front of the helmet. Bailey had at least six different logos on his helmet, which created the look of a Crayola experiment gone bad placed over Lawton Eisenhower's powder-blue base.
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There was plenty of hard-hitting going on, and plenty of jawing and personal foul penalties during the game. But the trainers got to stay on the sidelines, as no one suffered an injury

Well apparently someone was worried that I'm up and claiming the article as my own. So to let everyone know that I shockingly had nothing to do with writing the article, it's Scott Farrell's from Mustang Maniacs.

I forget his name but the DMN Defensive Player of the year we got who is from the Congo. Is he playing in any high school all-star games?

Your asking about Youri Yenga. I have no idea if he has played in any of these All-Star games, but everything that I have read about him tells me that he probably is very underrated.

Ponymon wrote:Your asking about Youri Yenga. I have no idea if he has played in any of these All-Star games, but everything that I have read about him tells me that he probably is very underrated.

I guess that's a good thing.

"I'm feeling great. I feel the energy from the program, all the momentum, and just can't wait and get in there with the rest of my class," said Bailey, one of SMU's three-star recruits in the Class of 2007. Bailey reports July 28 with the rest of SMU's newcomers.

Exactly what I wanted to hear.