NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -Quentin Chaney has spent most of his time at Oklahoma waiting for his next chance to make an impact.
He was the odd man out when the 2005 freshman class arrived, loaded with talented receivers that would entrench themselves as the Sooners’ playmakers for the next three years, and even into Chaney’s senior season.
Chaney, who seemed to have all the physical skills with a slender 6-foot-5 frame, was relegated to the sidelines. Finally, with only half a season left in his college career, Chaney got his long-awaited opportunity to make a difference, and he has taken full advantage.
Filling in for injured starter Manuel Johnson, Chaney has 13 catches for 288 yards and a touchdown in his last three games – his first prolonged opportunity to contribute for the No. 6 Sooners (8-1, 4-1 Big 12).
e to make the most of every chance you get.”
There’s no telling how long Chaney’s moment in the sun will last. He figures to drop back into his backup role when Johnson returns from a dislocated left elbow, and Johnson was close enough last week that he tried to play on the first series before coming back out.
M (4-5, 2-3) on Saturday, it’s quite possible Chaney will be forced once again to wait his turn. He has excelled in that scenario, though, in his five years in Norman.
He redshirted in 2004 and then watched as Johnson, Juaquin Iglesias and Malcolm Kelly came in and became starters as freshmen the next year. The trio became Oklahoma’s go-to receiving group, right up until Kelly left early to enter the NFL draft after last season.
His only real chances to perform came in back-to-back Fiesta Bowls, both times when Kelly was injured. He had four catches for 37 yards in the loss to Boise State, and then four catches for a career-best 129 yards against West Virginia.
“He’s maintained a maturity level when it wasn’t going his way,” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. “You see a lot of guys when somebody’s not playing, `He ought to transfer’ or `He’s not good enough.’
“The opportunity just didn’t swing his way. He kept working hard.”
the season in the opener against Chattanooga but moved into the background again when Ryan Broyles’ one-game suspension ended and he had a breakout performance with seven catches for 141 yards and a score against Cincinnati.
Chaney has tried to be patient, but admits it was hard not to dwell on how little he’d played until this recent stretch as a starter.
“If you don’t get the opportunity to showcase your talent and do the things that you know you can do, that’s in the back of your head and you think about it a lot,” Chaney said.
There was a time when he thought about leaving, but he was convinced to stay by a core of friends from his freshman class, his mom and some prayer. He also consulted with Kevin Sumlin, the receivers coach at the time, and was encouraged to keep plugging away.
“You have to understand, Malcolm, he was making plays. That’s just something that happened,” Chaney said. “When a guy’s making plays and he’s in the rotation, you really can’t just take him out and get him off his groove. That’s something I understood as well, but I was also ready at any given time.”
ater.
“Of course, anybody’s going to say that that feels good,” Chaney said. “It’s just something where I’m just laid back about it. I had a big game, that’s good, but I’m glad that we won.
“Whatever I did, I’m glad I was able to help out the team but we won at the end of the day.”
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