Flowers drawing greater attention from defenses
Oklahoma fullback Dimitri Flowers had a touchdown catch last weekend in Bedlam and has scored in three consecutive games.
But Oklahoma State did something other teams have yet to do much of this season — they took Flowers away.
“Now that teams are getting smarter, they need to be,” Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield said of the increased attention on Flowers by defenses. “Dimitri’s not just your typical fullback. … He runs routes, he catches the ball well and then after the catch, he’s creative with the ball in his hands.”
While Mayfield expects other teams to try to limit Flowers, he said the extra attention show to him opens things up downfield for players like Marquise Brown.
Bedenbaugh up for Broyles Award
Oklahoma offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator Bill Bedenbaugh is one of 56 nominees for the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant coach in college football.
Bedenbaugh is in his fifth season as the Sooners’ offensive line coach and has built a unit that’s among the best in the country, led by left tackle Orlando Brown.
The list of nominees for the Broyles Award will first be narrowed to 15 semifinalists and then five finalists before the winner is announced Dec. 5 in Little Rock, Ark.
The award has had an Oklahoma connection the last two seasons, with former Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables winning last year. Venables is now at Clemson. The year before, then-Sooners offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley
— now in his first season as head coach — earned the honors.
Two other Sooners assistants — Kevin Wilson in 2008 and Mark Mangino in 2000 — won the award.
Gallimore’s return boosts D-line
After missing two consecutive games, defensive lineman Neville Gallimore is expected to be available Saturday against TCU.
It’s a welcome addition for a unit that has been thinned out due to injury, with Matt Romar missing significant time and Tyreece Lott banged up with a sprained ankle.
“We’re really thin,” defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said.
Gallimore has played in seven games this season, starting five. Lott, a freshman from Ardmore, has played in five games.
Parker remembers 2015 TCU game
One of the most memorable plays of Oklahoma senior safety Steven Parker’s career came the last time TCU visited Norman.
In the final minute of that game, the Horned Frogs crept to within one point, 30-29, with a touchdown after trailing 30-13 entering the fourth.
Instead of settling for overtime, Gary Patterson elected to go for the win, and Parker stepped up as TCU quarterback Bram Kohlhausen moved to his right and found a receiver in the end zone. Parker timed his jump perfectly, batting down Kohlhausen’s pass and helping the Sooners escape with the win en route to a College Football Playoff berth.
“I remember just trying to go out there and make a great play,” Parker said. “We were trying to finish the game.
“I would say that play definitely ranks among my top plays here in Oklahoma. It was definitely a memorable one.”