Oklahoma Sooners Football Off To a Rough Start in Offseason

For being pegged by just about everyone as a 2011 national title contender, the Oklahoma Sooners sure aren't acting like it. 

Or maybe they actually are and they feel like they can get away with anything.

A string of actions that are less than stellar in nature have many Sooner fans concerned about some of the things going on in Norman and running through the players' heads.

Earlier this year, Kenny Stills was arrested for a DUI and Tony Jefferson was booked for interfering with the official process. Both were starters for the Sooners in 2010 as true freshmen.

Last week, defensive lineman Stacy McGee was cited and released for marijuana possession.

The biggest blow came late last week when it was revealed that starting cornerback Jamell Fleming is not enrolled in classes for the spring semester after being suspended for academic misconduct during the fall semester.

And that's just the problems the players have been dealing with.

OU reported several secondary NCAA violations that dealt with assistant coaches questioning players about their lack of participation in voluntary workouts and players working out more than the limited eight hours a week.  

The players were given a week off as a result of the violations.

Now, to be certain, these are college guys and things like the arrests mentioned above happen. That's just the way young men are. They do stupid things from time to time.

However, these sorts of actions are not the type of actions that are typical of a Bob Stoops coached team, especially the workout violations. There isn't much excuse for it either. Just a blatant disregard for the rules. 

Everyone is picking the Sooners to be at or near the top of every list of national title contenders in 2011 and for good reason. Oklahoma returns 17 starters from a 12-2 team that won the Big 12 championship and the Fiesta Bowl.

Maybe all the hype is making these players feel invincible and drive the coaches to push the players in a way that's actually illegal according to the NCAA. 

If that is the case, someone needs to give this program a slap of reality.

This program isn't invincible and the players and coaches that make up the program are human beings. OU needs to remember this and not let the hype of being one of the best get to their heads.