Bedlam week is always a wild one for Ray and Judy Gundy, parents of Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy and Oklahoma running backs coach Cale Gundy.
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And their sons are making it even more interesting this year with some playful verbal sparring.
Mike jokingly said that with all the talented running backs the Sooners have, they "don't need a very good running backs coach."
Cale said their mother gets a little more worked up than dad when the two sons' teams go head-to-head.
"I don't think it bothers my dad one bit," he said.
"I'm probably more on my dad's side, and my brother's probably more on my mom's side."
Asked if he was calling Mike a momma's boy, Cale responded, "He is some of that."
• Injury update:Cale Gundy said tailback Allen Patrick went through the entire practice Monday, and he hopes to have the junior in the backfield Saturday.
"He was better today," coach Bob Stoops said of Patrick, who missed the last two games because of an ankle injury.
"He's closer, but we'll see how he progresses through the week."
Receiver Manuel Johnson returned to practice Monday, more than a week after sustaining a head injury against Texas Tech on Nov. 11.
OU co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin said Johnson could play this week at OSU.
"At this point, I don't see why not," he said. "We're proceeding like business as usual."
Stoops would not go into detail about the health of free safety Darien Williams, who was injured Saturday against Baylor.
Stoops said after the game Saturday that Williams had been cleared to return to the game but did not feel comfortable enough to go back in.
He said Monday that Williams went through practice on a limited basis.
• Iglesias, Smith honored: The Sooners snagged two of the three weekly Big 12 football honors for their play in last Saturday's 36-10 win at Baylor.
Safety Reggie Smith was named the defensive player of the week, while kick returner Juaquin Iglesias won the special teams honor.
Smith had two interceptions, one which he returned for a touchdown. He also broke up three passes and had two tackles.
Iglesias had two kick returns for 111 yards, including an 88-yarder for a touchdown on a Baylor free kick.
• Senior leadership: OU quarterback Paul Thompson has often been described as a calming force for the offense. Offensive tackle Chris Messner also would fall into that category, says Sumlin.
And those two players happen to be the only seniors starting on the offense.
"A lot has been said about all our young players, all our guys that are playmakers that have come in and played," Sumlin said. "But the way Paul and Chris Messner have really managed and led this group, it's really been neat to see."
By Scott Wright
