Kenny Stills Provides Old School Swagger

by: Kolby Paxton

Here's a sentence you've never heard: Kenny Stills is a throwback.

The hair, the flash, the attitude, the swagger... did I mention the hair? While unique amongst his peers, Stills is cut in the same mold as another Oklahoma Sooner great. By now, surely you know where this is headed.

Brian Bosworth exemplified edge from the day that he set foot in Norman. Loud hairstyles became the trademark of a loud player that repeatedly referred to the NCAA as the "National Communists Against Athletes," was twice suspended for steroid use, and was eventually expelled from the Oklahoma football team by the notoriously lenient Barry Switzer.

Kenny Stills landed in the middle of Sooner Nation via San Diego, Calif. Even before the hair and the tattoos, Stills brought west coast flavor to a program in desperate need of some spice. But, as the hair has grown and the tattoos have increased in number, Stills has morphed into something more than we all bargained for.

Adron Tennell couldn't pull off the blonde mohawk. The vivacious tenor with which Stills carries himself, would be scoffed at and cast aside by the masses inside of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, were it coming from Brandon Caleb.

By the same token, Bosworth's antics would have been frowned upon had they been duplicated by Brandon Crow. His mohawk and headband would have been received with derisive contempt had they adorned the head of, say, me.

We loved and embraced The Boz because he delivered. A three-time All-Big Eight performer and two-time All-American, Bosworth saved his biggest and baddest performances for the biggest and brightest stages. Sooner Nation reveres him, because he could be counted upon.

We love Kenny Stills for all of the same reasons.

The hair has it's own Twitter page. The pierced lower lip does not. But each serves as a microcosm of the attitude behind the between-the-legs spike versus Texas Tech last November.

"Somebody told me I wouldn't do it," Stills said, "so I did. I'm big on doing stuff that people tell me I can't do."

Unlike those Switzer coached teams of the mid-80's, however, the Bob Stoops administration has always run a skin-tight ship. For years after Torrance Marshall made good on his vow to "get his boy's trophy back," Sooner football went flat.

Jason White and Sam Bradford were All-World caliber college quarterbacks. But, my goodness are they boring.

Mark Clayton, Malcolm Kelly and even Ryan Broyles have all been pro-level talents capable of changing the game. But, each of them have gone about their business in such buttoned up fashion, that you'd have thought they were playing outfield for the New York Yankees.

Don't get me wrong. I'd rather have a boring team that performs well and stays out of trouble, than a group of characters that lay eggs on Saturday, and make their way into the news for all of the wrong reasons on Sunday. But, a lack of personality, fire and excitement had begun to plague Stoops' program.

The Sooners have won more than any team in the country since 2000. But, inevitably, we've tripped on a sleepy Saturday afternoon against an unranked Texas Tech or Colorado, when a spark was desperately needed but nowhere to be found. Too often we've stumbled under the weight of the BCS, or the enormity of the National Championship, without an outlet with which to exude our exhaust and impose our presence.

Stills has bucked that trend.

His immersion into something of a larger than life persona has played a role, but such evolution has only been made possible by the quality of his on-field theatrics while the game clock is moving.

61 receptions and 786 yards broke Ryan Broyles' freshly set freshman receiving records a season ago.

7 catches, 125 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the Sooners' prime–time showdown with Florida State announced his return from suspension, and provided the difference in a 23-13 triumph in Tallahasee.

After Texas showed life with a kickoff return for a score, Stills ripped the football from over the top of a helpless Longhorn defender; pushing the Sooner lead back to 24, and providing an emphatic 'eff you' to anyone wearing burnt orange.

Stills makes the big play. He reels in the impossible catch. And he does so in manner that leaves the opposition curling into the fetal position.

Ryan Broyles is the best wide receiver in the history of Oklahoma football. The colorful character split opposite of him has a chance to be even better, and he just may be the X-Factor that helps stamp "2011" on the north end of the Owen Field press box.

2011 Anadarko Warriors on a mission

by: Dylan Young

The Anadarko Warriors finished the 2010 football season with a 12-1 record (the sole loss coming at the hands of Tulsa Metro Christian in the Class 3A playoffs). They're back making even more noise in 2011.  With 70 percent of the regular season complete, the undefeated (7-0) Warriors travel to Blanchard (4-3) (who was picked by Pigskin Preview's Mark Rodgers to win Class 3A Division 1) this Thursday, Oct. 20, to take on the Lions.  The week after, Anadarko will host Tuttle (5-1) in their final regular season home game. Then, the Warriors will finish the regular season off by traveling to Weatherford to take on the 5-2 Eagles.

Last year during what would be their last game of the season, the Warrior defense had a little trouble with the spread out, passing attack of Metro Christian.  Over the off-season and last summer, the Warriors have been focusing heavily on patching that up, and feel tremendously confident about their secondary.  Thus far, the defense has been solid in 2011. "The Sharks" have only allowed a combined 43 points on defense, and are led by senior linebacker Wes Satoe (6-1, 195).  Seniors Tanner Dearman and Ryan Stephenson start at the corners, and senior Adrain Ahtone rotates in.  Senior Kyle Bert can be found at safety, where Sheldon Wilson will also come in at times.  Juniors Galen Satoe and Russell Mitlo join Wes Satoe to complete the linebacking corps.  The defensive line is big, physical and fast, led by seniors Randy Martinez and Daniel Smith.  Junior Dakota Botone is a driving force and gives offensive linemen fits.  The 2011 Warrior defense is "er" than last year.  Meaner, faster, quicker and smarter.

The Warrior offense is a well-oiled machine.  Led by Division 1 prospect Sheldon Wilson (5-11, 170) at running back, Anadarko has no problem moving the ball and lighting up the scoreboard.  Through the first 7 games, Wilson has 87 carries for 1,340 yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging 15.4 yards per carry. He has accumulated those statistics, despite only playing one half in every game thus far. 

South-paw senior quarterback Tyler Melton (5-11, 175) has thrown 43 completions on 59 attempts – giving him a 72.9 percent completion average – while tossing 13 touchdowns through the first seven games of the 2011 season.  And don't forget that, like Wilson, Melton has done this all in one half of every game so far.

At wide receiver, senior Kyle Bert is among the fastest on the team, if not the fastest.  Bert is responsible for the punt return duties for Anadarko as well.  The Warriors also have their own version of Wes Welker in the shifty, athletic Tanner Dearman that is a solid route runner and has great hands. 

With a slew of weapons at the skill positions, Melton can simply hand the ball of to Wilson and watch him put up video game numbers, or Melton can drop back and hit Bert, Dearman, Kadiah Wauahdooah or Ryan Stephenson.  But the unsung heroes that makes Melton's weapons deadly, are the five guys on the offensive line.

Led by senior right tackle Daniel Smith (5-11, 270), the offensive line features big, fast and physical players. Senior Brendan Moser is the right guard, junior James Paddlety is at center, senior Jeff Satoe is the left guard, and the tallest player on the team is senior Randy Martinez (6-6, 250) at left tackle.

Needless to say, the 2011 Anadarko Warrior offense is a high-school version of the 2005 USC Trojans; superb at the skill positions and the offensive line puts out more pancakes than I-Hop.

If you live in Oklahoma and get a chance to make a trip to watch the 2011 Anadarko Warriors, you definitely should.  They are a solid team from offense to defense, from special teams to coaching.  Coach Kent Jackson and his staff have done an incredible job with these young men and with the playoffs on the horizon, it's a great time to be a Warrior fan. 

Maybe there will be floods of purple in gold that invade one side of Boone Pickens Stadium at the season's end for the class 3A State Championship game.

Justin Blackmon vs. Ryan Broyles

by: Dylan Young

There are three schools in the 2011 college football season who are superb at wide receiver: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Arkansas.

Meet the spectacular wideout corps of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Joe Adams and Cobi Hamilton have blazing speed. Jarius Wright is "Mr. Reliable," with great hands. Then, of course, you've got a physical, precise route-runner, in Greg Childs. The Arkansas Razorbacks just might have the best overall group of receivers. But, the best wideout probably plays for Oklahoma State... or Oklahoma.

If you were watching the 2010 college football awards show on ESPN, you heard,"The winner of the 2010 Fred Belitnikoff Award, for the nation's best receiver is..." followed by, "Justin Blackmon." The 6-1, 215 pound, Ardmore, Okla. native is a beast on the gridiron. All he did during the 2010 season was haul in 111 receptions for 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns. Through six games this season, he has 53 grabs for 608 yards and 7 touchdowns. He's a nightmare for defensive back – and the boy is fast. He is a better version of Adarius Bowman, but not quite Dez Bryant (...but who is Dez Bryant?). He returns punts as well, and is one of the leaders and faces of the high-octane Oklahoma State offense. Blackmon is just one of those players; you know what he's going to do, but there's nothing you can do about it.

Standing at 5-10, 188 pounds from Norman, Oklahoma is one, Ryan Broyles. The ink that makes his name in the college football record book just got a little darker after last week's performance against the Kansas Jayhawks. Not because of what he did in that single game, but because of what number he passed during that game.  Six games into his senior season, Broyles' career reception total stands at 326. Nobody in NCAA history has caught that many passes, making Broyles the all-time leader in receptions.  That's a very beautiful feather to put in your hat. While his height does not exactly make pro scouts drool, Ryan has other weapons that will.  His heart, speed, agility and the "Tim Tebow-factor" make Broyles a down-right gamer. Last year, he caught 131 balls for 1,622 yards and 14 touchdowns. Nearing the mid-way point of the 2011 campaign, he's hauled in 60 passes for 815 yards and nine touchdowns.  He – like Blackmon – also returns punts, and he – like Blackmon – is on the short list of Biletnikoff Award candidates once again. But, I predict that Broyles will be the one hoisting the award this time around.

Putting Blackmon and Broyles side by side, comparing their bodies, skill–sets and pro potential, they are similar in many ways, and different by a similar measure. With Blackmon, you get that prototypical NFL wideout who is big and physical, and will go up and get you balls and make plays. With Broyles, he could be a slightly bigger version of Wes Welker, whom also happens to make plays. Depending on said team's offensive schemes, and what a franchise may or may not already have, either one could be a great addition.

Don't be surprised when, come April, both Blackmon and Broyles go in the early–to–mid first round.