2006 Oklahoma Sooners Football Team

Roster

In 2006, the Sooners competed with a relatively young team. Oklahoma listed 72 players on the roster and only nine of them are scholarship seniors. Following the dismissal of quarterback Rhett Bomar, fifth year senior Paul Thompson reconverted back to his former role of quarterback after spending 2005 as a wide receiver. Junior college transfer Joey Halzle was slotted as his backup. Thompson had several wide receivers to look to in 2006, including Malcolm Kelly, Manuel Johnson, and Juaquin Iglesias. Not to mention junior Adrian Peterson, the team's main ball carrier. Most of the Sooners' experience was on the other side of the ball. The Sooner linebackers were the most experienced players on the team. The squad was anchored by Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer. Alexander was ranked as the third best linebacker in the country at the beginning of the season by College Football News. Behind them were other key players such as Demarrio Pleasant and Lewis Baker. Sophomore Ryan Reynolds, a notable player coming out of high school, was injured in the preseason and therefore was unable to contribute in 2006. In addition to a veteran linebacker squad, Oklahoma had a number of big-name defensive ends. During the preseason, College Football News ranked Larry Birdine, Calvin Thibodeaux and C.J. Ah You in the top 25 best defensive ends for the 2006 season (ranked 14th, 20th, and 22nd, respectively). Oklahoma was the only team with three players in the top 25.

(final)

Wide Receivers

1 Manuel Johnson† – Sophomore
4 Malcolm Kelly† – Sophomore
8 Brandon Caleb – Freshman
9 Juaquin Iglesias – Sophomore
14 Carter Whitson – Freshman
17 Eric Huggins – Freshman
22 Russell English – Sophomore
27 Garrett Bothun – Junior
80 Adron Tennell – Freshman
81 Fred Strong – Sophomore
84 Quentin Chaney – Sophomore

Offensive Line

50 Jon Cooper† – Sophomore
60 Curtis Bailey – Freshman
63 Noah Hughey – Freshman
71 Trent Williams† – Freshman
65 Ben Barresi – Freshman
70 Cory Brandon – Freshman
72 Duke Robinson – Sophomore
73 Brandon Walker† – Freshman
74 Brian Simmons – Freshman
75 Chase Beeler – Freshman
76 Branndon Braxton – Sophomore
77 Sherrone Moore – Junior
79 Chris Messner† – Senior

Tight Ends

18 Jermaine Gresham – Freshman
19 Joe Jon Finley† – Junior
83 Brody Eldridge – Freshman
87 Aaron Cummings – Freshman
88 Eric Mensik – Freshman

Fullbacks

34 Matt Clapp – Sophomore
45 Dane Zaslaw – Junior
49 Ian Pleasant – Junior
83 Brody Eldridge† – Freshman

Quarterbacks

12 Paul Thompson† – Senior
14 Sam Bradford – Freshman
15 Joey Halzle – Sophomore
16 Hays McEachern – Sophomore

Running Backs

7 DeMarco Murray – Freshman
13 Mossis Madu – Freshman
21 Jacob Gutierrez – Junior
23 Allen Patrick – Junior
28 Adrian Peterson† – Junior
29 Chris Brown – Freshman

Defensive Line

33 Auston English – Sophomore
34 Ben Weyand – Freshman
44 Jeremy Beal – Freshman
58 Calvin Thibodeaux† – Senior
68 Carl Pendleton – Junior
78 Billy Blackard – Freshman
82 Laenar Nixon – Senior
85 Tim Johnson – Junior
86 Adrian Taylor – Freshman
89 Cordero Moore – Freshman
90 Steven Coleman† – Junior
91 Alonzo Dotson – Junior
92 Larry Birdine – Senior
93 Gerald McCoy – Freshman
94 Pryce Macon – Freshman
95 Alan Davis – Sophomore
96 DeMarcus Granger – Freshman
97 Cory Bennett† – Sophomore
98 John Williams – Junior
99 C.J. Ah You† – Senior

Linebackers

8 Ryan Reynolds* – Sophomore
16 Lewis Baker – Junior
30 Lamont Robinson – Freshman
40 Curtis Lofton† – Sophomore
42 Rufus Alexander† – Senior
46 Zach Latimer† – Senior
48 Brandon Crow – Freshman
51 Demarrio Pleasant – Junior
53 Kyle Petersen – Sophomore

Defensive Backs

2 Brian Jackson – Freshman
3 Reggie Smith† – Sophomore
4 Jonathan Nelson – Freshman
5 Nic Harris† – Sophomore
6 Jason Carter – Senior
11 Lendy Holmes† – Sophomore
15 Dominique Franks – Freshman
18 Cortney Carter – Sophomore
20 Quinton Carter – Freshman
22 Keenan Clayton – Freshman
24 Marcus Walker† – Junior
25 D.J. Wolfe – Junior
26 Brett Bowers – Sophomore
41 Darien Williams† – Junior

Punters

13 Mike Knall – Sophomore
31 Michael Cohen – Junior

Kickers

10 Garrett Hartley – Junior

Deep Snapper

52 Derek Shaw – Freshman

2006 Oklahoma Sooners Football Team - Roster