2012 » summer 2015.The opportunity is there, assuming Yurtseven suits up

NORMAN, Okla. -- Dede Westbrook looked like a contortionist at the end his 29-yard touchdown grab against Baylor.Oklahomas breakout star caught the ball around the Bears 12-yard line and appeared headed out of bounds. He slipped before reaching the sideline, balanced on his left hand twice to inch closer to the end zone, then managed to reach the ball over the plane of the goal line with two hands as he fell out of bounds.He said that body control came from his younger days in the country, where his cousin made a game of sending him across the highway to get mail.It comes from dodging rocks at my grandmommas house, Westbrook said. When youre in the country, you just do all kinds of crazy things.Crazy isnt what you get on first impression with the speedster from Cameron, Texas, population roughly 5,400. The Heisman Trophy finalist comes across as a quiet, polite young man with big dreams.Dont let it fool you. When hes away from the glare of the camera, the Heisman finalist is the life of the party.Hes fun and energetic, said Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, also a Heisman finalist. You can always hear him talking, laughing, giving somebody crap. He brightens the room whenever he walks in. Thats just the type of guy he is, and it makes him a good leader.As for his speed -- in 12 games, he has 12 touchdowns from scrimmage of 40 or more yards. The school says thats the most of any FBS player since 1996.He does everything fast, offensive lineman Orlando Brown said with a laugh. Walking. Talking. Not sure if you guys have ever talked to him. He does everything fast.Hes also very confident. His goal this year was to be the best receiver in the country, and now hes a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.Its still very overwhelming, he said. I still havent wrapped my head around it. I try not to get caught up in the media or the numbers that Im putting up. At the end of the day, Im just a kid thats wanting to play football.In his final year at Blinn Community College (Texas), he finished second in the nation with 76 receptions and led the junior college ranks with 1,487 yards and 13 touchdowns in only eight games.When high expectations met him at Oklahoma, he simply got to work.He didnt come in with ego or anything like that, so he worked hard and they respected him on the field, Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley said. Hes likable and he gets along with a lot of people, and he fit in very well very quickly.As a junior at Oklahoma last season, he caught 46 passes for 743 yards and four touchdowns while playing second fiddle to Sterling Shepard, who now plays for the New York Giants. Westbrook said he listened and learned while Shepard was around.Everything I do is an imitation of what hes already done, Westbrook said. I added my own game to it, so thats whats caused me to elevate the way that I have.Even with that mentorship, Westbrook didnt look like a contender for major postseason awards early in the season. He had just 154 yards receiving in his first three games while working through a hamstring pull.He burst onto the scene in October . In five games that month, he caught 40 passes for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns, helping the Sooners win all five games. He gives credit to Mayfield and the hours they spent building chemistry the past two years.It feels special to have that relationship with your quarterback and just know without a doubt that he can throw the ball to me, and Im going to be there to bail him out regardless of the situation, Westbrook said. It feels really good, and I encourage every receiver to get that type of relationship that me and Baker have.---HEISMAN-DEFINING MOMENT: In the snow at West Virginia, he caught a short pass from Mayfield just behind the line of scrimmage and turned it into a 75-yard touchdown. At about the Oklahoma 40-yard line, he stiff-armed linebacker Justin Arndt to the ground , then, as has often been the case, he outran everyone to the end zone. The play gave the Sooners a 14-0 lead and sparked a 56-28 rout .The kid is 175 pounds soaking wet, Mayfield said, laughing. He is strong for his size, but hes a toothpick. Im a little amazed about the fact that he just stiff-armed a linebacker to the ground, but thats a play that Dede makes.BEST GAME: Westbrook followed up his breakout game of seven catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns against TCU by grabbing 10 passes for 232 yards and three scores against Texas . His touchdowns came from 42, 47 and 71 yards.WORST GAME: He had four catches for 33 yards against Louisiana-Monroe.PRO PROSPECTS: Westbrook is about 6-foot tall and has a somewhat slight build for an NFL receiver. Still, his blazing speed, precise route running and ability to run after the catch make him a potential early-round selection.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP .Flames Jerseys China . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. Al MacInnis Jersey Large . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. http://www.customflamesjersey.com/ . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Custom Flames Jerseys . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. Custom Flames Jersey China .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras.RALEIGH, N.C. -- For now, all North Carolina State freshman Omer Yurtseven can do is work on his game and be patient.With all the attention on possible one-and-done freshman Dennis Smith Jr., the Turkish 7-footer gives the Wolfpack a second five-star prospect on an overhauled and potential-filled roster. But hes still waiting for the NCAA to clear him as eligible to play as an amateur.Practice starts Friday and the opener is six weeks away.I cant control it so Im trying not to think about it, Yurtseven said Thursday during the teams preseason media day. Just think about education and basketball, to control as I said what you can. Because thats not in your hands, so if you think about it more, all Its going to get you is frustration. And I dont want that.Yurtseven, a native of Istanbul, had a professional contract offer with a European club team, but opted to play college basketball and committed to the Wolfpack in May. The 18-year-old also has international experience, is considered a potential one-and-done talent himself and even had a 91-point game in a Turkish Under-18 game this spring.He played overseas and he grew up playing the game the right way, junior forward Abdul-Malik Abu said, so hes very skilled and has a super high IQ.Smiths debut at the point guard after enrolling in January to rehab a serious knee injury has caused the biggest buzz for the Wolfpack. And sixth-year coach Mark Gottfried isnt shying away from fueling the hype about Smith, calling him Thursday the best guard in the country even while saying he will have a learning curve as he transitions to the college level.But Yurtsevens commitment was a big deal, too, and a key reason why the Wolfpack ranks No. 6 nationally in Scout.coms recruiting rankings.Gottfried said Thursday that nothing has happened in a negative wayy during the NCAAs review process of Yurtsevens amateur status, saying there is plenty of discussion but no timetable for a decision.ddddddddddddIts not frustrating because quite honestly for us, theres really not a whole lot we can do about that, Gottfried said. Hes participated in every workout. Hes integrating himself with our team in a really positive way.Were approaching it with the hope he wont have to miss any games and move right in and play. If he does (have to sit out games), well deal with that, too.Yurtseven said he understands the evaluation process takes time.Youve just got to hope for the best, he said. I think that they should let me get cleared because I dont think I have done something wrong. But you know, theyre trying to do their part, so I cant do nothing but respect them. So thats what Im trying to do.While N.C. State has plenty of backcourt options, the Wolfpack sure could use Yurtseven up front. Abu (12.9 points, 8.8 rebounds) and 6-9 senior BeeJay Anya are back after offseason flirtations with the NBA draft, but Gottfried is leaning toward redshirting 6-9 senior Lennard Freeman to let him fully heal after an injury-plagued season following surgery to repair a fracture in his lower right leg in summer 2015.The opportunity is there, assuming Yurtseven suits up as planned.Its a new experience and its fun, he said. Im in a place that Ive never been in, a situation that I dont know if Ill live (through) ever again, a different situation than this. Im just trying to have fun, enjoy and hope for the best.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the APs college basketball site at http://collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '