Ou Dt Won't Get To Play In Fiesta

[Mean Green 93-98]

Oklahoma DT DeMarcus Granger sent home after shoplifting arrest

Former Kimball standout won't play for Sooners in Fiesta Bowl

02:10 PM CST on Monday, December 31, 2007

By BRANDON GEORGE / The Dallas Morning News

Link

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Oklahoma starting defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger won't play in the Fiesta Bowl on Wednesday after being sent home following an arrest for shoplifting.

Granger, 21, was arrested in Tempe, Ariz., around 10:20 p.m. Saturday after he tried to steal a jacket from the Burlington Coat Factory inside Arizona Mills Mall, according to a Tempe Police Department report.

"Mr. Granger removed an anti-theft device from a jacket and then concealed the jacket in a bag," Mike Horn, a spokesman for the Tempe Police Department, said in a statement. "He exited the store walking past the cash registers without paying for the jacket. Mr. Granger was stopped by store security who then contacted Tempe Police."

According to Horn's statement, Granger "made admissions to the offense." Granger, a sophomore who played at Kimball High in Dallas, was booked into the Tempe City Jail for one count of shoplifting, a Class 1 misdemeanor.

"Mr. Granger was cooperative during this contact and later bonded out of jail," Horn said in the statement.

No. 3 Oklahoma (11-2) will now be without three defensive starters – Granger, cornerback Reggie Smith (injury) and defensive back Lendy Holmes (academically ineligible) of South Oak Cliff – when it plays No. 11 West Virginia (10-2) at Wednesday. West Virginia has the nation's fourth-ranked rushing offense, averaging almost 300 yards per game.

OU coach Bob Stoops confirmed Monday morning during a media day at University of Phoenix Stadium that he had sent Granger home Sunday.

"We'll deal with his situation when we get back," Stoops said. "If there's anything further, we'll see."

Granger (6-2, 307) started off the season not in the best graces of OU coaches because he came into preseason practices overweight and out of shape. But Granger had played well late in the season after working his way into shape and had emerged as one of the Sooners' top defensive linemen.

Granger, who had started 11 of 13 games, had 35 tackles – tied for the most among the Sooners' defensive linemen – and 3½ sacks and 8½ tackles for loss. He also led No. 3 OU with eight quarterback hurries.

OU coaches said Monday that the Sooners would use a combination of senior Steven Coleman (Skyline), junior Cory Bennett and redshirt freshman Adrian Taylor (Mansfield) to fill the void left by Granger. OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said Taylor would likely start against West Virginia. Taylor has eight tackles in 12 games this season with one sack and one interception.

OU redshirt freshman Gerald McCoy, the Sooners' other starter at defensive tackle, said the team will miss Granger.

"Granger is a big loss, but we've still got a lot of guys behind him who play well for us," McCoy said. "Adrian Taylor is a really good player. We'll be all right."

Granger was ranked by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 2 senior defensive tackle prospect out of high school. Granger was named SportsDay's Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004, becoming the first repeat MVP on either side of the ball since SportsDay began naming All-Area high school teams in 1983.

When reached by phone Monday, Kimball football coach Darrell Jordan, who coached Granger in high school, said he was in New Mexico visiting family and was getting ready to leave for Arizona to watch the Fiesta Bowl. Jordan said he would now cancel his trip.

Debra Granger, DeMarcus' mother, declined to comment about her son when reached Monday afternoon.

Stoops downplayed the loss of Granger on Monday.

"DeMarcus Granger only plays half the snaps anyway. You watch our rotation. Those other guys play as much as he does," Stoops said. "It's not a big deal."

Venables thought otherwise.

"He’s been playing better than anybody inside. DeMarcus was making some special plays," Venables said. "We're disappointed. It's a big loss. Three starters out, we've lost some good players. Guys have to step up."

[untbowler]

One word to desrcibe this kid = IDIOT!!

Glad Stoops actually had balls and ethics enough to send him home.

[GreenBat]

One word to desrcibe this kid = IDIOT!!

Glad Stoops actually had balls and ethics enough to send him home.

You used Stoops and ethics in the same sentence. Now that's funny!!!

[UNTFan23]

IMO, he should have spent a little more time in jail to think about what he did and how it hurts the team. With that said, he should be kicked off the team.

I still can't get past how stupid it was to do that. Having heard what players are given when attending a bowl game, I can't understand why he'd feel the need to steal something.

[FirefightnRick]

Burlington Coat Factory?

OU=Dirty Program!

Rick

[untbowler]

You used Stoops and ethics in the same sentence. Now that's funny!!!

Yeah I know shocking, but maybe lightening only struck once.

[Quoner]

This is just another sickening example of a BCS Team getting everything it wants - even crappy coats that look like they were left out in a third world bazaar.