NORMAN — The air was cool and damp Tuesday. If it had been November, it would have been the epitome of football weather.
But when Oklahoma opened spring practice, there was more reason to think football season was in session than the climate.
The biggest reason was watching running back Adrian Peterson take hand-offs and glide into the secondary. Peterson has done that so many times over the past two seasons it’s practically expected.
But even he knew he was going through something new Tuesday at Everest Training Center.
“It’s kind of crazy,” he said. It’s my third year and it’s my first time being out here for spring. It’s exciting just to get back playing. It feels pretty good to be out here running around with the guys and getting ready to get things started.”
Peterson had done a lot over his two seasons at OU. He set an NCAA freshman rushing record in 2004 with 1,925 yards and finished second in the Heisman voting. He rushed for another 1,108 last season.
But offseason practice has been more of a time to recuperate than polish for Peterson.
He missed most of OU’s preseason practices prior to the 2004 season with an injured shoulder. Surgery to repair the injury left him on the sidelines for last spring’s drills.
OU coach Bob Stoops is interested to see what a healthy Peterson can do with the added practice time.
“Adrian needs work,” he said. “He can polish up a lot of things to become a better and better player, and he’s aware of that. I think this can really help him.”
It should give him some time to tweak some parts of his game. The Sooners would love to utilize him more in the passing game. He was replaced frequently on passing downs by Kejuan Jones the last two seasons.
Improving as a pass blocker and receiver are his main goals for the 2006 season.
“I know which part of my game I’ve got to improve, so now I’ve got the time to do that and take advantage of it,” Peterson said.
The Sooners should benefit from it, too. Running backs are in short supply right now.
Jones and Donta Hickson both backed up Peterson the last two seasons, but they’ve exhausted their eligibility. Junior Jacob Gutierrez is sitting out the spring to due an injury.
Peterson and Allen Patrick were getting most of the work Tuesday. Even fullback Matt Clapp picked up a few carries.
“As far as practice, I’ll be in, especially right now,” Peterson said. “We’re kind of short on running backs.”
Tuesday’s workout was the first of 15 the Sooners will have over the next four weeks. Peterson expects to participate in just about all of them.
Whether it helps Peterson lift his game for what could be his final season remains to be seen. But said it will potentially smooth out some edges.
“When you think of the time he has lost — spring last year, two-a-days the year before — he’s playing on a lot of raw ability and I think some of this practice time can really benefit him,” Stoops said.
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
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Peterson ready for spring polishing
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