OU notebook

Despite missing four of Oklahoma's 10 games, tailback Adrian Peterson still was among the 10 semifinalists announced Thursday for the Doak Walker Award.

The award is presented annually to college football's best running back.

The 166-member selection committee votes next week to determine the finalists. The winner will be announced Dec. 7.

Peterson, a junior, rushed for 935 yards and 10 touchdowns before breaking his collarbone Oct. 14.

Peterson has said he hopes to return Nov. 25 for the Sooners' regular-season finale against Oklahoma State.

Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe is the only senior among the semifinalists.

In addition to Peterson, the list includes two juniors, Michigan's Mike Hart and Cal's Marshawn Lynch; five sophomores, Clemson's James Davis, Boise State's Ian Johnson, Arkansas' Darren McFadden, Ray Rice of Rutgers and Steve Slaton of West Virginia; and one freshman, P.J. Hill Jr. of Wisconsin.

• Copy that: Baylor has made no secret of the fact that they copied Texas Tech's wide-open offense.

The only differences, says OU coach Bob Stoops, are in the play-calling.

"Some of the plays (Baylor) likes to emphasize is a coach's personality or who is calling the play," Stoops said. "There are a few differences that way. There's still plays that work for both teams. There are certain routes that Baylor might like more than (Texas Tech) has."

For OU secondary coach Bobby Jack Wright, playing Texas Tech and Baylor back-to-back made for an easy week of coaching.

"(Baylor has) the same schemes, same type of routes, same type of personnel combinations," Wright said.

• Rugged running: Excluding a sack, OU quarterback Paul Thompson ran nine times against Texas Tech — a season high.

His rushing total for those nine carries was 35 yards.

Thompson said the increased running load was the result of reviewing previous game tapes and noticing opportunities he refused to take.

"I was a little more sore than I normally am because I ended up taking more hits than usual," Thompson said. "I was making sure that if nothing was open, I was going to run and make some plays with my feet.

"I had that kind of mindset, ‘Hey, let's tuck it and run if it's not open.'"

By Scott Wright