Barfknecht: OU's Stoops, Tigers' Pinkel join Suh's fan club

• Watch video of Ndamukong Suh from the press conference after Nebraska's 27-12 win over Missouri.




• Click here to see a photo showcase of Nebraska's Monday practice.

Nebraska appears to have added two new members to its athletic promotions staff: Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and Missouri's Gary Pinkel.

Those two Big 12 football coaches provided headline material Monday for any national award campaign NU mounts in support of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Stoops, a defensive connoisseur since the time he learned how to walk, said he watched Suh's work on TV in last Thursday's 27-12 win over Missouri.

“I thought he played great and was just awesome,'' Stoops said. “We get to watch each other's tape in preparing for other teams, so I've been very aware of what a quality player he is.''

Pinkel, who had the misfortune to see Suh in person, was equally impressed.

“I think he's a great player,'' the MU coach said. “We played him a year ago, and I thought he was a good player then. But we played them early in the season. By the end of the year, he was first-team All-Big 12.

“The numbers he puts up and the things he does athletically at that size, he's a very dominant player.''

Suh was named the Walter Camp national defensive player of the week, the Lott Trophy impact player of the week and the Big 12 defensive player of the week for his work against Missouri.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior from Portland, Ore., intercepted a pass that led to Nebraska's go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. He also forced a fumble, had three quarterback hurries and made six tackles.

Said Stoops: “It's pretty special when a guy like that can make those kinds of plays and create turnovers.''

It's almost unheard of for an interior lineman to lead a defense in tackles. But Suh is No. 1 at Nebraska with 32. He also leads the team or is tied for the lead in sacks, tackles for loss and interceptions.

Then consider this: He is No. 6 nationally in passes broken up at 1.6 per game. That's a category normally dominated by cornerbacks and safeties.

“He's a great, great football player,'' Pinkel said. “I can't imagine a lot of other defensive tackles like him in the country. I'd like to see them.''

Suh's performance against Missouri sent my mind racing through 30 years of covering college football, trying to recall witnessing such domination by a front four player.

Only a handful came to mind:

Oklahoma's Tony Casillas, Washington's Steve Emtman, Miami's Warren Sapp, Syracuse's Dwight Freeney and the Nebraska tandem of Grant Wistrom and Jason Peter.

Now, I'll always remember Suh. And so will Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

In the first quarter, Suh grabbed the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Gabbert and corkscrewed him backward like he was wrestling a steer, forcing a fumble.

After watching the replay, Pinkel was amazed Gabbert suffered only a slightly sprained ankle instead of a broken leg.

“Who knows what could have gone — his knee, who knows, because he got really twisted in there,'' Pinkel said. “We're fortunate. If you looked at it, you would say this guy is going to be out, period.''

Gabbert practiced Sunday, Pinkel said, and should start Saturday night at Oklahoma State.

More Buff woe

The Hawkins Family Circus at Colorado gets stranger by the week.

At the Big 12 Media Days in July, CU coach Dan Hawkins insisted that there would be a daily battle in fall camp for the starting quarterback job between junior Cody Hawkins, his son, and sophomore Tyler Hansen.

As the “competition'' wore on, coach Hawkins said he wouldn't name a starter until the night of the first game.

Only on that night did we learn that it was all a charade. Cody Hawkins started, Hansen wanted to redshirt and it had all been decided weeks before.

As Colorado got off to an ugly start, grumbling about a quarterback change intensified. But the party line was no change was coming.

Now we learn more behind-the-scenes talks occurred last week, and Hansen agreed in the fifth game of the year to pull his redshirt during Saturday's 38-14 loss to Texas. Last year, he did the same in the sixth game when Cody Hawkins struggled.

Reporters eager for a chance to ask coach Hawkins about the move waited on the Big 12 teleconference Monday. And waited. And waited.

He didn't show. The CU sports information office said Hawkins' administrative assistant “didn't remind him, and he made a dentist appointment.''

After four years, you'd think that the coach might remember the Monday teleconference himself. Or maybe time in the dentist's chair right now is preferable to answering questions.

So who is Tyler Hansen?

His dad was a starting quarterback at San Diego State in the early 1980s and has been a longtime high school coach. His mom was an All-America sprinter and hurdler at San Diego State. And his nickname is “T.''

Oh, and we're told this quarterback change is permanent — like we believe anything we hear any more from the CU football office.

As for Cody Hawkins?

His dad said he wants to coach someday. OK.

I can't think of a good ending for this, so I'll let Texas coach Mack Brown sum it up:

“When everybody talks about how bad Colorado is all week, it's really hard to go out there and take them seriously.''

Reesing for Heisman

The shocker of the Monday teleconference was listening to Kansas coach Mark Mangino, who measures his words as closely as anyone, banging the drum to include KU quarterback Todd Reesing in the Heisman Trophy discussion.

“He certainly merits the right to be part of the Heisman conversation,'' Mangino said. “When you look at him statistically, you're impressed.

“But I think the true way you judge Todd Reesing is you have to see him play.''

What do you see? Mangino said leadership, control and the ability to turn bad plays into good ones.

“I've kept my word,'' Mangino said. “We're not having any Heisman campaigns.

“But I think when you watch him play, whether you're an opposing coach, an opposing fan, a broadcaster or a journalist covering the game, you walk away saying, ‘That kid's a pretty doggone football player.'”

Contact the writer:

444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com

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