OU notebook

Published: December 1, 2006
Modified: November 30, 2006 at 6:30 pm

Stoops is OK with K.C.

With so many warm-weather cities or domed stadiums in the Big 12 region, the question is often raised why the conference chooses to play its football championship game at night in Kansas City, Mo.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, whose teams have played in two of the three previous Kansas City games, isn't necessarily against playing there.

"I'm kind of mixed on that," Stoops said. "I don't mind it. Just being up in that atmosphere in Kansas City several times, it's exciting.

"I understand the other side of that is you want the factors of just the play to decide the game."

St. Louis, Houston and Irving, Texas, have been used as sites for the Big 12 title game.

But Stoops says it is only worth staying away from Kansas City, "if those other venues are gonna be the same kind of excitement.

"I've heard people say some of the other areas aren't really Big 12 towns, or aren't maybe as exciting. The atmosphere isn't going to be as great as it is in these kinds of settings."

• No Adrian, no difference: Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon said he hasn't noticed a drop-off in OU's running game without Adrian Peterson.

"It's Oklahoma, and you know they'll have good running backs," McKeon said. "Adrian Peterson casts a very large shadow... You could be the second-best running back in the nation and be playing behind Adrian Peterson."

McKeon wasn't sure of Peterson's replacement's name, just the number. But he saw a similarity.

"No. 23 (Allen Patrick), he looks just like Adrian running hard out there," McKeon said. "He's a downhill guy and he's going to be tough to play against."

• Half full: Stoops doesn't have much use for negative thinking, personally or within his team. So when Texas A&M knocked off Texas Friday, opening the door for the Sooners to step through to the Big 12 Championship, Stoops said he didn't feel like a season of bad breaks had finally swung his way.

"I haven't looked at it like we've had a lot of bad breaks," Stoops said. "I know it sounds crazy. I guess we had a few way back about the third game (at Oregon). Outside of that, I haven't looked at it that way. I'll acknowledge those."

The Sooners have worked it well, winning seven straight to improve to 10-2.

• Chance meeting: Oklahoma defensive backs Nic Harris and Reggie Smith were friends before they became teammates. The sophomores met during the recruiting process.

"First time I met Reggie, we were both on a visit to Nebraska," Harris said. "As a matter of fact, we were over at the safeties' house, (Josh and Daniel) Bullocks. We were just talking about recruiting. Exchanging stats. He was overwhelmed at mine. I was overwhelmed at his."

Harris, from Alexandria, La., wishes he and Smith, from Edmond, could have teamed up sooner.

"Way I look at it, Reggie was one of those guys, had I had him in my defensive secondary, we would have won the championship," Harris said. "Had he had me in his, he would have won the championship."

By Scott Wright, George Schroeder and John Helsley