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  • Kenny Stills is developing his game at slot receiver. He had six catches for 121 yards and a 68-yard touchdown catch. (Photo by Jackson Laizure / Getty Images)

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September 6, 2012

Shinn at 3 p.m.: Stills is closing the gap

The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — Oklahoma slot receiver Kenny Stills knows whatever he does this season is going to be compared with Ryan Broyles' production.

Stills got off to a great start with six catches for 121 yards and a 68-yard touchdown catch. It was a Stills' first 100-yard receiving game since an eight-catch, 135-yard effort against Texas Tech on Oct. 22, 2011.

Stills attributed his season-opening performance to having a full offseason to work at slot receiver. It is different than playing wide receiver. Slot receiver routes require more reading of defenses and he and the quarterback must see the same things. Broyles mastered it and OU quarterback Landry Jones exploited it. Stills didn't have that level of experience last season, but the gap has clearly closed.

"It's being on the same page with Landry more than anything," Stills said about playing slot receiver. "He was used to the spots that Ryan go to. I felt he could close his eyes and know where Ryan was gonna be. For me to go in there and not be Ryan, it was hard for him. It's hard for me to get on that same page. Over the summer, we worked on that and I feel like it helped us a lot on Saturday."

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