PGCROSSCHECKER COLLEGE TEAM SCOUTING REPORT

37. OKLAHOMA (45-22, lost in NCAA super-regionals).

Conference/Projected Finish: Big 12/5^th (17-10, T-3^rd in 2006).

Coach: Sunny Golloway (45-22, 1 year).

First Game: Feb. 2 vs. Texas State at Edinburg, Texas .

OVERVIEW: The Sooners have some serious rebuilding to do from a team that closed to within a game of the College World Series in 2006. Six of the top seven hitters are gone, along with all five pitchers who worked more than 38 innings. Junior C Jackson Williams (.292-3-36), junior OF Joe Dunigan (.297-4-27) and junior SS Aaron Reza (.318-1-33) are the key holdovers on offense, while red-shirt junior RHP Ryan Mottern ascends to the No. 1 spot in the rotation despite going just 4-2, 7.88 a year ago.

X-Factor: Oklahoma has a vast array of impressive newcomers, led by freshman OF Devin Shepherd, a fifth-round pick of the Twins and one of four Sooners freshmen drafted a year ago; junior 2B Aljay Davis, the Texas Collegiate League batting champion; sophomore RHP Stephen Porlier, a transfer from Tulane; and junior 3B Vinny Biancamano, a former Arizona State infielder.

TOP FRESHMAN: Devin Shepherd, of. One of the most physical players in last year’s high school class, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Shepherd has plus raw power and a legitimate right-field arm.

TOP SOPHOMORE: Stephen Porlier, rhp. Porlier went 7-5, 4.81 as a starter for Tulane last year. A control specialist, the red-shirt sophomore should claim a spot in the Oklahoma rotation.

TOP JUNIOR: Ryan Mottern, rhp. Mottern’s stuff belies his mediocre record a year ago. His fastball was clocked as high as 96 mph last summer in Alaska ; he also throws a power breaking ball and changeup for strikes. A 49^th-round pick in last year’s draft as a red-shirt sophomore, Mottern turned down a substantial bonus offer from the Indians and could elevate his stock significantly with a productive season. Mottern has completely recovered from ulnar nerve transposition surgery in 2005, which led to his red-shirting that season.

TOP SENIOR: Jimmy Rollins, lhp. The Sooners have no seniors of special significance from a prospect standpoint, but have inserted the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Rollins (0-0, 8.31) and another winless senior LHP, Joseph Hughes (0-0, 4.86), into their rotation to start the year.