Talking Football

Taking the ball These quarterbacks control the offense with their arms and legs: Billy Balak, Moore (6-1, 180, sr.) - Moore is usually known for its running backs. Balak is changing that. Now the Lions depend on the arm and legs of their senior quarterback. He was second in Class 6A in passing a year ago with nearly 2,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. Blake Stepanovich, Altus - He can sling the ball down the field with the best of them. He finds open wide receivers and gets them the ball. He had 1,761 yards passing and 17 touchdowns last season. Pete Towne, Edmond Memorial - He has led the resurgence of the Bulldogs program, mainly with his leadership and strong arm. He threw for 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead Memorial to the playoffs a year ago. Expect Towne to be even more of a vital part of the offense this season. Joe Stoner, Carl Albert (5-10, 190, sr.) - Stoner is one of the toughest runners to bring down, thanks to his huge tree trunk-like legs. He has been a starter since he was a freshman, including on two state championship teams. He will be the key to the Titans going for their second straight Class 5A title after collecting over 1,300 total yards offense and 17 touchdowns. Making an impression Five guys who are ready to break out of the shadows: David Oku (5-10, 170, jr.), Carl Albert - Oku was one of the best running backs in Class 5A a year ago. But he's ready to carry more of the burden. Oku had 1,462 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns a year ago. Cornelius Douglas, Lawton (5-9, 180, sr.) - The player getting most of the attention in Lawton is Ike's Harrison Jeffers, and rightly so. But Douglas is more versatile, being recruited as a wide receiver and defensive back. Rivals ranks him as the No. 56 athlete in the country. Levi Queen, Harrah (5-11, 215, sr.) - The Panthers have not had a good football program in quite a while so some players get lost in their losing ways. Not Queen, who can carry an offense with his running. He had 1,323 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns a year ago. Eric Murphy, Stillwater - While fellow kicker Jimmy Stevens of Heritage Hall garnered most of the attention while breaking the national record for field goals in a career last season, Murphy was better. He had 11 field goals last season and is the best kicker returning this year. Getting Defensive These guys are leaders on defense while frustrating offenses: Joe Fowler, Westmoore (6-4, 260, sr.) - The defensive end is more than sacks. Fowler is an all-around lineman. He had 104 tackles a year ago and has orally committed to Texas Tech. Bobby Smith, Putnam City (5-10, 170, sr.) - Smith, who has orally committed to Tulsa, is one of the best defensive backs in the state and one of the top recruits. Teams look to avoid him. Zach Paty, Edmond North - Paty leads the team from his linebacker position. He leads by example, which is a good one. He had 124 tackles a year ago and should improve with another year of experience. Sean Parker, Western Heights - Parker knows how to snatch the ball in the air. He had seven interceptions a year ago. He's a physical and instinctive defensive back. Saturday Stars These Friday Night standouts will be starring on Saturdays next season: Harrison Jeffers, Lawton Eisenhower (5-9, 195, sr.) - The running back can run over, through or around defenders at will. According to Rivals, Jeffers is the No. 16th ranked running back in the country, according to Rivals.com. Jeffers had 1,812 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns a year ago. Texas Tech, where he has orally committed, can't wait to have him running for the Red Raiders next season. Kye Staley, Guthrie (6-0, 200, sr.) - Staley can do it all. He is explosive running with the ball in the open field, and he can throw it well, too. He just makes positive plays for his team every time he touches the ball. Staley, who had 2,500 total yards offense and 36 touchdowns a year ago, is the third best recruit in the state and No. 16th-ranked athlete in the country by Rivals.com. He is being recruited by several teams, including Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, LSU, Michigan and Tennessee, among others. John Flanders, Midwest City (5-10, 175, sr.) - One word describes this guy - speed. Flanders can fly down the field, making him a standout running back and one of the best defensive backs in the state. He had 1,386 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns on offense last season. He is being recruited by several teams, including Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Nebraska and LSU, among others. Deep Thoughts Four things you need to know heading into the football season Tucker Brown, Shawnee (5-1, 170, sr.) - Brown can't seem to stay out of the spotlight. After taking the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association to the Supreme Court to appeal a suspension for kicking a player in the playoffs as a junior, he returned for his senior season only to be injured for nine games. Now, Brown is back for a fifth season after a medical appeal, arguing that he missed too much school time. Norman North - The Timberwolves should be able to improve off of their best season in school history. After beating Norman in the playoffs, the T-Wolves feature a loaded offense with quarterback Tyler Tettleton (6-0, 190, sr.), who had 1,852 yards passing and 10 touchdowns a season ago, and running back Beau Blankenship, who was second in Class 6A with 1,578 yards and 16 touchdowns. They also have one of the best athletes in the state in K.J. Williams (6-4, 235, sr.), who is ranked the No. 42 athlete in the country by Rivals.com. Who's Open? - Teams on the West side of the state lack star wide receivers, which is a rare occurrence. There is no Josh Cooper (Oklahoma State) or Kenny Brown (Texas A&M) around. One of the best wideouts in the country resides on the East side in Muskogee (Jameel Owens). There are plenty of standout quarterbacks who will be throwing the ball, it will just be interesting to see who steps up and develops as a main receiving threat. T riple J- While Kye Staley garners most of the attention for Guthrie, the Bluejays do have a solid defense. That defense revolves around the "Triple J" combo of Josh King, Jack Dumas, and Justin Chappell. All three had over 130 tackles a year ago.