Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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2. OKLAHOMA OCT. 27 2011 record: 10-3 Last Meeting: Notre Dame 34, Oklahoma 30 (1999) Impact Player: QB Landry Jones — The signal-caller's return to Nor- man this season puts the Sooners right back in the hunt for a national title after falling short as the preseason No. 1 team last season. He has already started 37 college games and owns the school's records for passing yards (12,379) and touchdowns (93). fensive coordinator was finding a way to rebuild the line, which lost end Ronnell Lewis and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Frank Alexander. Three experienced tackles return to the lineup, but they haven't been a dominant force during their careers. It remains to be seen if Oklahoma is stout enough up front to stop the run, which could be their big- gest speed bump in 2012. LANDRY JONES PHOTO BY TY RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHY/ COURTESY OKLAHOMA JUNE/JULY 2012 76 Outlook: Oklahoma and USC are neck and neck as the toughest team on Notre Dame's schedule this year. The Sooners lost Ryan Broyles, the NCAA leader in career receptions, to graduation, and two more top targets to suspensions this spring. They're still stacked at the receiver position with junior Kenny Stills and early enrollee Trey Metoyer, who is projected as the next superstar at Oklahoma. Add a stable of powerful running backs and a deep, experienced line, and the Sooners should have one of the best offenses in the country this fall. Bob Stoops, entering his 13th season at Okla- homa, invited his brother Mike (the University of Arizona head coach from 2004-11) back to his staff this spring to try to tighten up a defense that got burned on big plays last season. They allowed more than 40 points in all three of their losses. The Irish should be able to score against Oklahoma this year, but keeping pace with Jones and his crew will be a tall task. Spring Storyline: Mike Stoops' first job as de-