OU football notebook

OU tailback Allen Patrick is nursing an ankle injury suffered in the final minutes of Saturday's Texas A&M game, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said.

"That'll be a wait-and-see as we go through this week, how much he can practice," Wilson said. "My concern, when you're getting him healthy through the week, is how much work can he truly get and how efficient is he Saturday?

"There's a difference between being ready to go and being ready to go good."

If Patrick isn't available, junior Jacob Gutierrez would get the bulk of the carries, and true freshman Chris Brown would see increased action.

Brown came out of redshirt for four carries against Colorado on Oct. 28, but hasn't seen the field the last two weeks. Wilson also said Mossis Madu, a redshirting freshman from Norman, isn't out of the picture, either, despite the fact that OU has only three regular-season games left.

• Stoops not ready for a playoff: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has lightened his stand against a college football playoff system.

In early September, Stoops referred to the entire season as a 12-week playoff and saw no purpose for a tournament-style end to the season.

But Tuesday at his weekly media luncheon, Stoops said there might be a need for a playoff system, primarily based on some teams' lack of desire to play a difficult schedule.

"In the end, you're not given any credit for playing a tough schedule," Stoop said. "The need for a playoff shows up in those areas, because why should we play Miami next year? Or why should they come here? Just play four really easy non-conference games.

"Then you navigate your conference and set yourself up. That's basically what you're rewarded for."

Stoops says he isn't pushing for a playoff system yet.

"I might be by the end of the year. I don't know," he said. "All I said is its worth discussing. I gave some people coffee talk.

"I can see more and more some of the valid reasons why (a playoff) might be good. I'm on the fence right now."

• Carl and Kierstan: OU defensive tackle Carl Pendleton and his 10-year-old adopted brother, Kierstan, will be featured in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated.

Carl Pendleton recently received an $18,000 scholarship grant from the National Football Foundation, which will allow him to continue with school and care for Kierstan, who lives with him in Norman, while Carl's parents are going through a divorce.

The magazine is available at newsstands today.

By Scott Wright