OU's RB of the future

By John Helsley

Published: October 30, 2006

The here and now ain't so bad, either.

So Patrick isn't Adrian Peterson. To which we respond, "Who is?"

Peterson is a once-a-generation talent, even at a football factory such as OU.

Gear up for another one like him in, say, the year 2030.

In the meantime, appreciate Patrick.

He does live up to his predecessor and roommate in one regard — nickname. And we're not talking flair, with Patrick's ready-made moniker of "All Out Crusher." We're talking A.D., as in All Day.

With Peterson's arm in a sling and his season on hold, Patrick has produced back-to-back games of 35 carries, producing 267 yards and a touchdown. (A slight Missouri stat crew error credited him with a Jacob Gutierrez run for five yards.)

"He's done a fantastic job," OU coach Bob Stoops said.

The Sooners can win with Patrick.

They are winning with Patrick.

And that's good news for the future, both immediate and distant.

"We're going to keep pounding it," Sooners center Jon Cooper said. "And keep running the ball."

Patrick is hardly a finished product.

In many ways, he's still discovering what it takes at this level, where running lanes open and close in a blink and defenders swarm quickly from every angle.

Remember, he was a defensive back in his one junior college season and wasn't converted to running back at OU until after last season started. Then he got 25 carries over nine games.

Before Peterson went down this season, Patrick's six-game workload amounted to 18 carries.

Now this advanced learning curve: 70 totes in two weeks.

OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Patrick improved from his first start to his second. And he expects to see more as the junior gains carries and comfort.

"He was better, as far as a better feel, a better sense," Wilson said. "He let some things happen and made some cuts.

"You don't learn from osmosis, sitting around. You get out there and you play. And the more he plays, the better he's going to be."

Patrick welcomes the workload.

"They want to give me the ball, I'm gonna take it."

Patrick's load from here on out will depend, as always, on how opponents defend the Sooners. With the OU defense dominating of late, Wilson has been content taking a lead, then running the ball and running clock.

But Patrick's place as OU's new featured back is no longer in question. Remember the talk of a possible running back committee to replace Peterson?

That talk is dead.

For good reason.

Patrick's average of 133.5 yards a game as a starter would rank second in the Big 12 (behind Peterson) and seventh nationally. Of course, two games is too small a sample size.

Still, consider that only one other Big 12 back, Kansas' Jon Cornish, is averaging as many as 100 rushing yards a game.

"He's played fast, he's played decisive, he's played physical," Wilson said of Patrick.

And he's played like OU's running back of the future — now.

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