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- College football preview: BYU
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Provo » Oklahoma and BYU have met on the football field just once before, a 31-6 BYU win in the 1994 Copper Bowl. They don't have many common opponents from year to year, either, meaning that Saturday's matchup at Cowboys Stadium will pit teams that don't know a lot about each other.
But there are some commonalities, both head coaches acknowledged in meetings with the media on Monday.
For instance, BYU's last opponent -- in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl -- was Arizona, a team coached by OU coach Bob Stoops ' brother, Mike Stoops . Another brother, Mark Stoops , is Arizona's defensive coordinator.
Rest assured that the brothers have talked about BYU,
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Read Jay Drew's "I am close enough with my brother that we are going to talk about a common opponent. So, yeah, we definitely did," Stoops said. "When you are playing a team you don't have a lot of familiarity with, where you don't play the year in and year out, you talk to other people who do."
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said that after watching Oklahoma film, he has noticed a lot of "philosophical" similarities between OU and Arizona.
"Knowing that it is a coaching family, we are certainly not underestimating the transfer of knowledge from one program to the other, so we are not going to be an unknown to them," Mendenhall said. "Nor would I assume that they are putting extra, undue emphasis on us."
BYU assistants Patrick Higgins (receivers), Robert Anae (offensive coordinator) and Mark Weber (offensive line) have coached against Oklahoma in the past, but the OU team BYU will face this week is much different, and much better, Mendenhall said.
"I think [the BYU assistants] see a commonality in philosophy. What they don't see is a commonality in talent. This particular team, they think, and this particular era of Oklahoma football, they think, is exceptional. ... So the level of precision, the level of execution, the level of talent exceeds their prior preparation is what the feedback is."
Logan on the mend
Mendenhall said cornerback Brian Logan has a broken finger that will not require surgery and the coach expects the junior college transfer to play.
"He had a similar injury in junior college, was able to play and perform. He has assured me that it won't affect him. When you see him, it will make you nervous, though, because right now it is wrapped from his tip to his elbow," Mendenhall said.
Logan is listed on the depth chart at field corner ahead of Robbie Buckner , who Mendenhall said is not yet fully recovered from a hamstring strain.
The coach said the battle at boundary corner is "about dead-even" between Brandon Bradley and Lee Aguirre , and a decision will be made by Thursday.
Regarding the other corners, Garett Nicholson is academically ineligible at the current time and Corby Eason is awaiting word from the NCAA clearinghouse regarding his academic situation.
Briefly
Mendenhall said left tackle Matt Reynolds (broken hand) is "probable" for Saturday's game. ... OL Jesse Taufi did not re-join the team Monday when fall semester classes began because he is still behind on some tests and/or assignments. "Probably next Monday," Mendenhall said. ... The coach said BYU will take just seven or eight offensive linemen to Dallas, rather than the usual 10. ... Terrance Hooks is listed on the depth chart as the starter at buck linebacker over Shawn Doman , but Mendenhall said that is another battle than won't be decided until Thursday.
