Sophomore wide receiver Kenny Stills knows the little things make a big difference.
[caption id="attachment_169" align="alignleft" width="292" caption="Sophomore wide receiver Kenny Stills talks to reporters during OU Media Day, which took place Saturday at the Barry Switzer Center in Norman. Matthew Mozek/Chat Sports"]
[/caption]
Stills, who started every game as a true freshman, set a school record for receptions (61) and receiving yards (786) in a season by a freshman.
However, Stills hasn’t let himself become complacent.
The California native stayed in Norman, Okla. over the summer to workout with director of sports enhancement Jerry Schmidt, who helped him get stronger and faster, Stills said.
“I feel like I have a lot to prove to people,” Stills said. “You know people tend to think sophomores will have that ‘sophomore slump’ and that’s not something I want. I’m the type of guy that wants to be here and I want to take care of business.”
Stills attributes this newfound knowledge, and work ethic, to senior wide receiver Ryan Broyles, who does everything he can on and off the field to gain an advantage against the opposing team’s secondary, Stills said.
Although Stills is not on the same level as Broyles, who is considered one of the best wide receivers in the country, getting there is his ultimate goal, he said.
“I’m not in the same picture as Ryan yet, but I’m working to get there,” he said. “If I can be like Ryan, that will be a good accomplishment for me.”
Stills is a part of a receiving corps that believes it has everything you look for in a group of wide receivers.
“This wide receiver group can be one of the best in the nation, we feel like,” Stills said. “You know we have a guy with size like Dejuan (Miller), we have a guy like Ryan and we have a guy like Trey (Franks), who runs a 4.2, 4.3 (40-yard dash). I feel like we work hard enough and we want to be the best group and want to earn number one receiving corps in the nation.”
Head coach Bob Stoops is a believer in this year’s group of pass catchers as well.
"(Kenny Stills) looks great," Stoops said. “You know I really believe that with experience we will only get better. You know Kenny is no longer a freshman. Dejuan Miller is back healthy. Trey Franks has been back and made a couple of great plays the past couple of days, and Ryan Broyles is Ryan Broyles. We have some exceptional guys out there. Jaz Reynolds has also been progressing. I have been really impressed with him."
Miller healthy
Senior wide receiver Dejuan Miller missed the final seven games of the 2010 regular season due to a knee injury.
However, Miller told reporters Saturday he feels 100 percent healthy.
The 6-foot-4, 217-pounder, who is the tallest and the heaviest receiver on the roster, brings something different to the team, Miller said.
“I feel like that helps me in a lot of ways because I may not be Kenny Stills fast or Ryan (Broyles) fast, but when it comes to being physical with the (defensive backs) or when it comes to having the strength and the power to break a tackle, I feel like I can bring it,” Miller said.
Reynolds ready to contribute
Sophomore wide receiver Jaz Reynolds played in nine games in 2009, but was redshirted in 2010.
Reynolds told reporters Saturday he lost focus last year and being redshirted was head coach Bob Stoops’ way of telling him he needed to get better if he wanted to see the field.
Reynolds took that time to become a better player, Reynolds said.
“I don’t think a redshirt is a bad thing,” Reynolds said. “A redshirt just means that you’re not ready. And my freshman year, I felt like I wasn’t ready.”
Back to the Oklahoma Sooners Newsfeed