Tulsa World from Tulsa, Oklahoma • 30

TULV World Sunday' August 3j 1997f 4' uente Ready to It On By Dan O'Kane World Sports Writer NORMAN Justin uente says transferring was on his mind but he never took serious steps toward leaving the University of Oklahoma The past spring do or die in terms of winning the job The key was making sure he fit an offense many suspected fit his game The sophomore not only proved during the spring that he could handle it but he also re es tablished himself as the starter Barring an inju ry or a sudden decline the former Union High School standout will be the quarterback when they open the season Aug 23 against Northwestern in the Pigskin Classic I think spring was enough to just declare that going to be the said uente during Photo Day felt like I kind of carried that through the summer with my workouts and my throwing and my running so that come fall practice I can turn it on Tight end Stephen Alexander said uente is throwing the ball better than he has ever seen before think Justin is feeling better with his situa tion and is more Alexander said uente seemed to have that confidence after wresting the job away from Eric Moore after the first game against Texas Christian He completed 50 percent of his attempts for nearly 1000 yards and eight touchdowns But even during his success and 2 2 re cord through his first four starts uente knew he wasn't executing like he should have been His mechanics needed work He tended to drop his arm while throwing and also would overstride He could get away with that in high school but not in college people thought I was playing well when the coaches and I knew I uente said Those shortcomings were evident in the final four games against Kansas State Nebraska Oklahoma State and Texas Tech He completed only 30 percent and had no touchdowns Moore retook the starting job for the final two games against Texas and Texas Tech uente didn't play against the Aggies and attempt a pass in limited action against the Red Raiders every move been made since been here has been uente said playing well Eric deserved to play in The way the season ended prompted specula tion that uente would transfer The rumors went so far as to name schools he was considering f' 1 piRif fl 1 1 1 r' 1 World staff photo by Stephen Pingry Autograph seekers keep quarterback Justin uente on his toes Saturday during media day uente says it never came close to that point wanted to make sure of some uente said judge it on whether I was ahead of Eric or not It was a matter of me ad justing to the system I was obviously coming off a tough OU offensive coordinator Dick Winder thought uente had lost his confidence by the end of the year you believe in yourself and feel like going to make plays then going to make Winder said think playing with a lot of confidence right uente says he down in the dumps but he happy either ready to hang up or anything I was upset with myself more than uente said way I played the way I per formed out there that was very frustrating to me So I just had to go out and work hard and try to have a good Head coach John Blake has stated that the job belongs to uente but in the same breath he has demanded consistency from that position what we lacked last Blake said Blake has also praised Eric Moore for his gains Evaluating the Sooners STRENGTHS Running back: Parker still needs to demonstrate that ho Is as complete a back as James Allen but he has game breaking ability every time he carries the ball Sooners are also better at full back with junior Jermaine azande coming off an Im pressive spring Tight ends: Sooners have three talented and ex perienced tight ends in Stephen Alexander Jason reeman and Matt Anderson Alexander was all Big Eight his sophomore season but a shoulder injury spoiled last season reeman took a big step forward In the spring Defensive tackles: Kelly Gregg and Martin Chase may have been Oil's most dependable players last year WEAKNESSES Defensive end: No experience OU is counting on freshmen Corey Callens and Darryl Bright to come through Linebacker: Travfan Smith gifted athletically is back at strongside linebacker after switching to de fensive end last year Top of the weakside lineback er depth chart Is Dale Allen who saw playing time last year with Broderick Simpson in and out of the lineup durability is a question There is no one in the two deep with the big play potential of Ty rell Peters who is playing in the NL Sedric Jones and Corey Ivy are the candidates Receiver: There Is a need to find a go to guy like Michael McDaniel last year Special teams: A replacement for Brian Lewis is necessary while kicker Jeremy Alexander is coming off an up and down season Overall this was the weakest link QUESTION MARKS Quarterback: Should be improved Justin uente stepped forward in the spring to end the debate be tween him and Eric Moore Now uente needs to be more consistent Jarrod Reese is waiting in the wings Offensive line: Jay Smith CB Baker and Derrick Nelson are recovering from injuries Still expecta tions are that the line will be better with the only newcomer Scott Kempenich during the spring and summer The second year head coach also says freshman Jarrod Reese will get every opportunity to play right away know got to maintain uente said tough to maintain that kind of concentration but you afford to let up and slip one Steelers Pin Chiefs 18 14 Saints Jets Win rom Wire Reports James Hasty play Sat urday night and had a great game The right cornerback who is holding out of Kansas training camp demanding more money had to be all smiles af ter Kordell Stewart sliced up the secondary in a 28 14 Pitts burgh victory in the ex hibition opener With Stewart looking sharp for a second straight outing the Steelers (2 0) took charge with a 21 point second quarter requently picking on backup right cornerback Mark McMil lan Stewart and Mike Tomczak had little trouble moving the ball Stewart declared the Stee No 1 quarterback led his team on an 18 play 80 yard march that consumed 9:36 with their first possession The drive exposed how vulner able the Chiefs are without Hasty linebacker Derrick Thomas and safety Kevin Ross who were both out with injury Elvis Grbac the third straight former San rancisco backup the Chiefs have signed as their starting quarterback sparkled in his debut hitting five of six passes for 43 yards in a 77 yard touchdown drive Greg Hill the chosen succes sor to Marcus Allen as starting running back ended the drive with a 1 yard touchdown plunge Redskins 20 Bucs 8 Alvin Harper stunned his for mer team with a 60 yard touch down reception and James Thrash scored on a 91 vard kickoff return Saturday night to lead the Washington Redskins to a 20 8 exhibition victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tampa la Harper a high priced receiver released by the Bucs in a cost saving move last month kicked the ball into the stands after his only catch produced a 7 0 Red skins lead The seventh year pro signed a four year $1066 million con tract with Tampa Bay in 1995 but he failed to meet expecta tions of being the deep threat the low scoring Bucs desperate ly desired Harper had just 65 receptions and three TDs irt two disap pointing seasons for Tampa Bay which ranked 28th in total offense and last among 30 NL teams in scoring in 1996 University of Tulsa ex Gus rerotte stepped up in the pock et to avoid a sack and found Harper who complained for two years that Tampa Bay try to get the ball down field to him often enough running alone down the middle of the field late in the first quarter The receiver jeered by fans after a pair of passes intended for him fell incomplete extend ed his right arm to get a hand on the ball at the Bucs 10 He juggled it as he tried to put it away but held on and continued into the end zone Saints 21 Oilers 12 The former Houston Oilers played their first home game in Tennessee at Memphis ew people noticed Except for the lack of a roof overhead the Liberty Bowl Me morial Stadium looked a lot like the Astrodome of last year with empty seats outnumbering the 22811 who watched as the New Orleans Saints beat the Oilers 21 12 The Saints with new coach Mike Ditka and former Tennes see quarterback Heath Shuler had more support than the Oil ers thanks to a small pocket of fans dressed in gold shirts and waving a flag The Oilers who be back again until the season opener Aug 31 will need the next four weeks to work out the kinks found in the place call ing home until their new stadi um is finished in Nashville Jets 31 Eagles 17 Aaron Glenn got the Bill Par cells era started with a weaving 97 yard interception return for a touchown and the New York Jets rolled to a 31 17 exhibition victory over Philadelphia at Gi ants Stadium Parcells who took over as coach of the Jets after they went 1 15 and he led New En gland into the Super Bowl last season said he was more inter ested in evaluating talent than winning And Glenn a fourth year cornerback showed plenty of talent in his electrifying run through the offensive team giving the Jets a 7 0 lead Giants 21 Ravens 30 Jim assel won his NL coaching debut as Brad Dalul fourth field goal a 29 yar der with 1:57 left gave the New York Giants a victory over the Ravens at Baltimore assel hired to turn around a team that went 6 10 last season assured of the victory until the Ravens botched the snap on an attempted 37 yard field goal attempt as time ex pired Vildngs 24 Rams 6 Brad Johnson just keeps get ting better and better and bet ter for the Minnesota Vikings Johnson threw first half touch down passes of 24 yards to Cris Carter and 43 yards to Chris Walsh to lead the Vikings over the St Louis Rams at the Me trodome Bears 20 Bills 17 OT Jeff Jaeger kicked a 42 yard field goal with 6:09 remaining in overtime to give the Chicago Bears a 20 17 victory over the Buffalo Bills The Bears moved 27 yards on 10 plays before Jae ger won the game He sent the game into the extra period with a 27 yarder with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter Rick Mirer struggled in his second straight game before the Bears got enough productivity from reserves to save him from embarrassment Mirer complet ed 6 of 10 passes for 81 yards and one touchdown but did lit tle to establish himself as the No 1 quarterback NL Exhibition Summaries Saints 21 Ollers 12 New Orleans 7 i Tennarsea 3 0 3 irst Quarter Shuler 1 run (Brien kick) 6:47 Del Greco 26 1:00 Second Quarter Hunter 3 pass from Shuler (Brien kick) :43 Third Quarter Del Greco 35 11 45 ourth Quarter Arhie 2 pass from Kneg (run failed) 3:32 Hayes 8 pass from Wuertfel (Becksvoort kick) 210 22811 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS New Orleans Hunter 9 41 Brown 9 30 Davis 914 Bender 1 2 Shuler 1 1 Delhomme 1 (minus 3) McCrary 14) Tennessee Thomas 4 42 George 9 22 Allen 5 21 George 5 21 McNair 2 17 Harmon 4 6 Krieg 1 0 New Orleans Shuler 9 12 0 104 Wuertfel 4 7 0 65 Nussmeier 2 4 0 65 Tennessee Krieg 11 19 0 133 McNair 5 10 0 72 Gilbert 0 30 0 New Orleans Hastings 3 45 Hayes 3 45 Hill 2 29 Hunter 2 4 Hobbs 1 57 Bender 1 20 Brown 1 20 Bech 1 8 Smith 1 6 Tennessee Davis 4 64 Mason 2 45 Wilson 2 36 Jennings 1 22 Dulick 1 12 Sanders 1 8 Kent 1 7 Mustafa 1 4 Roan 1 3 Archie 1 2 Byrd 1 MISSED IELD Tennessee Del Greco 54 Vikings 24 Rams 6 Si Louis 0 0 6 Minnesota 7 10 0 irst Quarter Carter 24 pass tram Johnson (Sisson kick) 8:37 Second Quarter Walsh 43 pass from Johnson (Davis kick) 6:11 Daws 25 1:46 Third Quarter Wilkins 28 6:17 ourth Quarter Wilkins 23 11 23 Hatchette 43 pass from Cunningham (Sisson kick) 854 36971 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS St Louis Phillips 5 26 Moore '5 24 Moore 5 23 Heyward 1 6 urrer 1 2 Philyaw 3 (minus 4) Minnesota Cunningham 3 36 Hoard 5 26 Green 7 1 7 Stewart 5 11 Williams 4 5 Johnson 1 2 St Louis Banks 9 20 1 84 urrer 6 13 0 59 Martin 6 11 0 64 Minnesota Cunningham 7 15 0 82 John son 11 14 0 182 Bouman 3 4 0 17 St Louis Moore 3 41 Baker 3 38 Sell ers 2 41 Thomas 2 24 Moore 2 16 Small 2 15 Bruce lt 9 Laing 1 9 Baynhpn 1 5 Philyaw 1 3 Ross 1 3 Craw ford 1 2 Hitson 1 1 Minnesota Walsh 4 98 Murphy 3 21 Hatchette 2 49 Tate 2 13 Jordan 2 10 Carter 1 24 Reed 1 21 Goodwin 1 10 Hoard 1 9 Bland 1 8 DeLong 1 7 Ayanbadep 1 6 Williams 1 5 MISSED IELD None Jets 31 Eagles 17 Wi 0 3 7 17 NY Jets 7 7 10 7 31 irst Quarter Glenn 97 interception relum (Hall kick) 2:35 Second Quarter Bonlol 26 2:31 KJohnson 39 pass from O'Donnell (Hall kick) 1:25 Third Quarter JJohnson 7 pass from Hoying (Bomol kick) 9:37 Cobb 2 run (Selvestri kick) 6:35 Selvestri 22 1:20 ourth Quarter Ward 33 pass from oley (Selvestri kick) 8:55 Lewis 12 pass from Hoying (Boniol kick) 2:39 25600 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Philadelphia Staley 8 46 Hoying 5 40 Gar ner 8 23 Watters 4 11 Witherspoon 3 6 Peete 1 6 New York armer 8 44 LJohnson 7 31 Murrell 5 27 Cobb 8 23 Neal 1 3 oley 1 2 O'Donnell 1 (minus) 1 Philadelphia TDetmer 6 10 1 54 Peete 6 11 0 69 Hoying 11 14 0 108 New York O'Donnell 10 13 0 112 oley 6 10 0 123 Philadelphia Gamer 3 29 Copeland 3 22 Seay 2 28 Lewis 2 24 Witherspoon 2 23 Timpson 2 22 Staley 2 19 Wyatt 1 16 Singleton 1 11 ryar 1 10 Solo mon 1 9 JJohnson 1 7 Watters 1 6 Dunn 1 5 New York LJohnson 4 12 KJohnson 3 59 Anderson 2 47 Ward 2 41 Davis 1 26 Murrell 1 21 Van Dyke 1 11 Chrebet 1 9 Graham 1 9 MISSED IELD None Redskins 20 Bucaneers 8 Washington 7 3 7 Tampa Bay 0 3 5 irst Quarter Harper 60 pass from rerotte (Blanton kick) 3:35 Second Quarter Blanton 28 10:35 TB Husted 21 443 Third Quarter Safety Green sacked in end zone by Jackson 10:19 TB Nittmo 27 341 Thrash 91 kickoff return (Elezovlc kick) 3:22 ourth Quarter Elezovlc 22 12:43 41360 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Washington Joseph 9 30 Bell 8 30 Davis 3 18 rerotte 1 12 Mitchell 1 5 Allen 4 0 Green 2 2) Connell 1 6) Tampa Bay Dunn 13 75 Milanovich 2 31 Brooks 6 13 Diller 1 10 Rhett 2 7 Ellison 1 3 Washington rerotte 6 10 0 97 Hostetler 5 8 0 39 Green 1 4 0 19 Tampa Bay Diller 2 6 0 13 Walsh 5 10 0 36 Milanovich 6 19 0 65 Washington Sanders 3 26 Connell 2 19 Harper 1 60 Asher 1 13 Westbrook 1 12 Bell 1 9 Joseph 1 5 Bowie 1 2 Allen 1 0 Tampa Bay Staten 3 20 Davis 2 28 Anthony 2 13 Silvan 1 14 Marshall 1 11 Moore 1 9 Dunn 1 7 Brooks 1 6 Ellison 1 6 MISSED IELD Washington Elezovlc 49 Steelers 28 Chiefs 14 Pittsburgh i 11 7 Kansas City 7 0 7 0 14 irst Quarter Hill 1 run (Stqyanovich kick) 8:51 Second Quarter Stewart 1 run (Jacke kick) 14:17 Bruener 13 pass from Stewart (Jacke kick) 737 Bailey 65 pass from Tomczak (Jacke kick) 1:49 Third Quarter Lyons 10 pass from Tomczak (Jacke kick) 10:36 Gonzalez 26 pass from Barnes (Stoyanovic kick) 5:09 72726 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Pittsburgh Te Richardson 15 57 Bettis 9 24 Jones 6 9 Miller 1 9 Tomczak 1 5 Whitman 1 3 McCann 1 1 Stewart 1 1 Blackwell (minus 15) Kansas City Hill 5 29 JJSmith 3 29 Bennett 3 20 Haynes 1 2 Matthews 2 1 ToRichardson 1 1 Henley 1 (minus 6) Pittsburgh Tomczak 9 12 0 164 Stewart 8 10 0 108 Miller 3 4 0 31 Kansas City Barnes 11 20 0 157 Matthews 3 8 0 25 Grbac 5 6 043 Pittsburgh Bailey 4 102 Johnson 4 71 Hawkins 3 39 Lyons 3 36 Bruener 2 17 Adams 1 14 TeRichardson 1 12 Thigpen 1 12 McCann 1 0 Kansas City ESmith 3 50 Gonzales 3 34 Lockett 2 47 Blair 2 17 Rison 1 14 Walker 1 14 ToRichardson 1 13 Byrd 1 11 Hom 1 9 Hill 1 7 Popson 1 6 Anders 1 2 JJ Smith 1 1 MISSED IELD Prttburgh Jacke 45 Real! 25 Giants 21 Ravens 20 New York Giants 5 6 7 Baltimore 10 7 3 irst Quarter Stover 28 12:30 0 Alexander 21 pass from Testaverde (Stover kick) 10:53 Safety Testaverde Intentional grounding In end zone 4:55 Daluiso 47 1:45 Second Quarter Graham 4 ran (Stover kick) 12:49 NYG Daluiso 26 7:59 NYG Daluiso 54 :33 Third Quarter Stover 41 3:58 Alexander 42 pass from Kanell (Hurley kick) :08 ourth Quarter NYG Daluiso 29 157 53268 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS New York Wheatley 11 49 Barber 6 33 Walker 4 7 Way 2 7 Calhoun 1 3 Brown 3 2 Kanell 1 (minus 4) Baltimore Graham 14 58 Holmes 10 22 Vinson 2 19 Morris 5 17 Montgomery 1 0 New York Brown 11 17 0 119 Kanell 9 15 0 115 Baltimore Testaverde 8 11 0 98 Zeier 12 20 0 138 New York Hilliard 4 70 Alexander 3 66 Way 3 25 Wheatley 3 9 Barber 2 18 Calloway 2 17 Bross 1 18 Lewis 1 11 Walker 1 0 Baltimore Lewis 4 58 Alexander 4 49 Ethridge 4 34 Yarborough 2 35 Ofodlle 1 21 Graham 1 20 Holmes 1 7 Kinchen 1 6 Jackson 1 4 Vinson 1 2 MISSED IELD Baltimore Stover 42 Bears 20 Bills 17 Chicago 0 14 0 8 Buffalo 7 3 0 7 17 irst Quarter tarty 17 pass from Collins (Christie kick) 5:59 Second Quarter Engram 50 pass from Mirer (Jaeger kick) 7:09 Christie 23 1:56 Proehl 6 pass from Kramer (Jaeger kick) :19 ourth Quarter Galloway 37 pass from Hobert (Huerta kick) 6:09 Jaeger 27 :27 Overtime Jaeger 42 6:09 33525 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Chicago Hicks 15 48 Autry 6 22 Harris 5 15 Stenstrom 3 9 Butterfield 1 8 Salaam 3 2 Hughes 1 2 Mirer 1 1 Buffalo Tindale 6 26 A Smith 8 17 Holmes 7 15 Ingoglia 2 9 Hobert 1 4 Ballard 1 0 Bender 1 0 Chicago Kramer 8 19 1 64 Mirer 6 10 0 81 Stenstrom 5 10 0 71 Butterfield 0 1 0 0 Buffalo Collins 10 19 0 150 Hobert 8 17 0 91 Chicago Engram 4 70 Proehl 2 21 Allred 2 20 Dulaney 2 16 Jetfires 2 16 Hughes 2 14 Allen 2 13 Riley 1 35 Wetnight 1 6 Harris 1 5 Buffalo Holmes 3 37 Galloway 2 42 Moulds 2 27 Coons 2 14 Reese 1 44 Bender 1 19 Early 1 17 'Reed 1 14 ASmith 1 13 Cline 1 6 Cunningham 1 6 Ingoglia 14 Thomas 1 (minus 2) MISKD IELD Buffalo Christie 62 (SH) Hr've'z 1 JI 4 "ftl Il I i' I i II AP Photo Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis is hauled down by Kansas City Chiefs safety Reggie Tongue (25) and cornerback Dale Carter (34) during their NL exhibition game Saturday at Kansas City Mo George Tests Bruised Up Cowboys IRVING Texas (AP) Both Jeff George and Joe Bugel make their debuts for the Oak land Raiders Sunday night in an NL preseason game the Dallas Cowboys hope they can play without getting another defen sive back hurt George got a $275 million deal to come throw footballs for owner Al Davis and Bugel who is a former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals is in his first year as head man for the Raid ers after another Davis shakeup George went to Atlanta in 1994 after he wore out his wel come in Indianapolis Then he was no longer wanted in Atlan ta The Raiders and Cowboys have been hammering each oth er in Austin training camp The Cowboys are the ones who have come away bruised and battered Dallas lost a scrimmage 12 6 to Oakland Thursday night and also lost three cornerbacks Kevin Smith sprained an an kle Artis Houston hurt a thigh and Kenny Wheaton separated a shoulder During practice earlier in the week against Oakland Wendell Davis tore a knee ligament and underwent surgery He could be lost for two months The Cowboys have been scrambling to find free agent cornerbacks If they find any safeties Montrell Williams and Charlie Williams no rela tion may have to play corner back in the first preseason game for both teams Deion Sanders is playing base ball for the Cincinnati Reds and the Cowboys have him un til the start of the regular sea son have a very big prob said defensive coordinator Dave Campo even have any bodies going to have to do a lot of switching The Cowboys have two other cornerbacks Alundis Brice and Kevin Mathis out for at least the next two weeks with inju ries Dallas coach Barry Switzer said the game against Oakland be embarrassing because we have comers right now who can cover their receivers lost four cornerbacks and have another one who is stead ing HOUSTON The Tulsa Roughnecks saw their season come to an end Saturday in the first round of the South Central Division soccer playoffs with a 4 1 loss to the Houston Hurri cane Marco Palomino scored a hat trick knocking down two goals in the first half and a third late in the second Tulsa which has had prob lems converting scoring oppor tunities throughout the season watched several shots sail just wide The only goj Season Ends came on an own goal when the Houston keeper mishandled a kick Houston (10 9) played short handed most of the game be cause of a red card ejection of David Devertevil Tulsa ends its season 9 10 Next Saturday Houston will host San Antonio for the South Central championship Houston 4 Tulsa 1 Houston Tulsa ti 1 6 00 Palomino 33:00 Palomino 3700 own goal 32:00 Palomino 38:00 KZ ft.