OU football notebook

Published: December 14, 2006

Peterson’s return generates excitement at OU practice
So far, no one outside of the Oklahoma football team has seen the impact of Adrian Peterson’s return to the field.

But for those players who have seen it, it has had quite an effect, even in practice.

“His presence is very obvious when he got back in the huddle,” quarterback Paul Thompson said. “Handing the ball off to him, it was like, ‘Man, A.D.’s back.’ He was hitting the holes quick, explosive. On the defensive side, nobody really wanted to get in his way.”

Linebacker Zach Latimer said he can see in Peterson’s actions just how important it is that he plays in the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl.

“I think it’s real important,” Latimer said. “Not only is he just that far off from getting the record, I think he wants it this year.

“And it’s big for us as a BCS game. He just wants to win, regardless of what game it is or whenever it is, he just wants to win.”

Latimer also took a moment to speculate what Peterson’s career would have been like without the injuries he’s suffered in his three years at OU.

“I don’t think you would have seen Troy Smith’s name this year as much,” said Latimer, speaking of Ohio State’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.

“(Peterson) would have been one of, if not the best back in college football to go down. He would have shattered every record that’s possible that we have here. He could have just rewrote history.

“Whenever he decides to move on, I know he’s gonna go down in the history books in the NFL.”

• Playoff talk: The last time he was asked about a playoff system in college football, OU coach Bob Stoops didn’t quite throw his full support behind the idea, but spoke more favorably about it than he had in the past.

Previously a strong supporter of the bowl system, Stoops was on the fence a little more Wednesday.

“What people in the media undervalue — and they keep saying you can incorporate them — is the bowl structure. The bowl games for all these teams are great. Everyone says you can incorporate the bowls. Well, I don’t believe you can, not in a playoff system.”

Moments later, he offered an idea for an eight-team playoff.

“Say we have all the bowls Jan. 1, all the BCS bowls,” Stoops said. “Then you had two games and one game. I don’t know, that might be a possibility. I don’t know if it would ever fly.”

• Chasing ’Bama: Alabama leads the nation in bowl appearances and wins. The Crimson Tide will be playing in its 53rd bowl game when it faces Oklahoma State in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28.

The Sooners are seventh nationally on that list. The Fiesta Bowl marks their 40th bowl appearance.

Alabama’s 30 bowl wins are one ahead of Southern Cal. OU, Tennessee and Penn State are tied for third nationally with 24.

By Scott Wright