Press Conference Notes: Bye Week

A few notes from today’s press conference with Head Coach Bob Stoops:

• Freshman tight end Max Stevenson, who has been redshirting this season, suffered a torn pectoral muscle earlier in the year and is still recovering. So that means he would not be available to play if James Hanna or Trent Ratterree suffered an injury. Fullback Trey Millard would likely be the next option.
• The reason reporters asked Stoops about the tight end position to begin with is the fact that sophomore Austin Haywood’s recent decision to leave the team and transfer has created some depth issues for next season. Both Hanna and Ratterree are seniors this year so they’ll be graduating. Rumors have been rampant over the past several weeks that Haywood took the advice of many and decided to rejoin the team. But coaches have thus far been uninterested in letting him return. Stoops was asked again today about Haywood coming back and he said “I don’t see that happening,” according to John Hoover of the Tulsa World.
• Stoops was not totally clear on the Tony Jefferson situation. The sophomore safety only came in for a play or so against Texas A&M. Stoops said Jefferson was a little dinged up (he’s had a bit of a lingering knee injury the past few weeks) and couldn’t fully practice all week. But he also said the coaches liked junior Joseph Ibiloye’s size a little bit better against A&M’s personnel as well. Either way, Jefferson is currently expected to be good to go for this week’s practices.
• Sophomore linebacker Tom Wort suffered a sprained ankle in the A&M game. Stoops says he won’t practice much this week but he is hopeful that Wort can return to practice next week and play against Baylor. He noted that junior linebacker Jaydan Bird performed well as Wort’s replacement.
• Redshirt freshman Blake Bell’s offensive package will continue to expand throughout the rest of the season. Sounds like more passing opportunities can be expected.