Nichol gone

Two schools of thought of the Sooner fans I've spoken with:

1) no big deal, because Landry Jones is a stud;
2) huge loss, because Halzle is a fraud as a backup QB.

The official LandThieves view: I have no freaking clue. I recall eighteen months ago, there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth b/c the 2007 QB "was not on campus yet" per all the radio pundits I listened to on the way home from games. OU managed to do without Tommy Grady, we survived without Noah Allen. No disrespect intended to those gentlemen, but it's not like Troy Aikman Jr. transferred out the door. Pardon me, I digress. Somewhere between the late fall of 2006 and the late summer of 2007, Sam Bradford figured out how to play QB at a very high level, and Halzle was capable in a backup role. Was Nichol a bust? I wouldn't say that. He may go on to have a very successful college career...he's got three years of eligibility left, and we here at LandThieves wish him well. Unless he lands in Stillwater or Austin, and we'll pray for curses upon him.

As for the view that Landry Jones is going to save the program next...let's hold off on that. Twelve months ago, everyone was convinced Nichol would separate himself over the summer and would take the reigns in the fall. Didn't work out that way. Jones may redshirt a year and QB for the next three years. He could blow a knee out in spring ball next year. For all we know, he could do a marvelous impersonation of Hunter Wall, Rhett Bomar or Brent Rawls.

We'll hoist a drink to Keith Nichol
Who found himself in a pickle
On the depth chart as three
Was painful to see
He found this football thing fickle.

Keith, best of luck from the HeadThief and it's faithful reader(s).