Oklahoma rose to No. 20 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Sunday, but that still didn’t change the bad news it received Saturday.
Adrian Peterson’s broken collarbone will take at least six weeks to heal. If he plays again this season, it won’t be until a bowl game.
The status of that postseason game will be determined by how the Sooners (4-2, 1-1 Big 12) finish out the regular season.
Those next six games are where they are focued.
“This won’t be an excuse, just like our quarterback situation wasn’t to start the year,” OU coach Bob Stoops said.
With Peterson out, Allen Patrick and Jacob Gutierrez will take over the tailback spot. Neither has played much of an offensive role this season. Patrick has 18 carries for 62 yards. Gutierrez has two for 17.
But it isn’t like they haven’t been in this position before.
They were among a quartet of running backs OU used last season when Peterson missed the better part of four games with an ankle injury. OU went 3-1 in those games with the only loss against Texas.
Patrick averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season. Gutierrez averaged 5.3 and rushed for 173 yards against Baylor.
Stoops believes the cast around them should make for a better transition, too.
“These guys have played and done well. I feel better,” he said. “Our offensive line is playing well, our receivers are playing well, the tight ends and the fullbacks are playing well.”
Quarterback Paul Thompson, who threw two touchdown passes in Saturday’s 34-9 victory over Iowa State, has already matched Rhett Bomar’s touchdown total from last season.
Clearly, Peterson isn’t the only reason the Sooners are averaging 32.8 points a game.
But Thompson admitted Peterson’s absence changes things.
“There might be more pressure towards me,” he said. “I will need to step up to the pressure and still be successful.”
Wide receiver Malcolm Kelly, who has caught six touchdown passes this season, was thinking the same thing after hearing the news Saturday.
“We’re going to have to hold up our end of the bargain,” he said.
The loss of Peterson also will create an opportunity for freshman running backs Mossis Madu, Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray.
None of the three have played this season, but at least one will be taken out of redshirt to become the No. 3 running back.
Stoops said Madu, who rushed for 1,513 yards for Norman High School last season, is the leader to assume that role.
“Mossis Madu has been awfully impressive to us from camp on,” he said.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson brought up another reason to force the youngsters into early duty. Patrick and Gutierrez have been workhorses on special teams. They play on virtually every unit. That might change with their added offensive duties.
Those decisions will be made this week as OU prepares to face Colorado (1-6, 1-2) at 6 p.m. Saturday at Owen Field.
But Wilson said Peterson’s absence won’t alter the offense. He’s always striven for a balance of run and pass. He sees no reason for that to change.
“I think there’s some talented players on this football team who would take offense that (Peterson is) the only player on this team,” Wilson said. “As great as he was, he has had a good supporting cast and I think it will be interesting to see how we respond.”
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Related Photos
-
KEVIN ELLIS
Discussion
Big shoes to fill
- OU Sports
-
-
Sooners make winning look easy
As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....
-
There are no easy outs in the lineup
Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....
-
Sooners will play for Big 12 championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...
-
Sooners send five more to nationals
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....
-
OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....
-
Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be
When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...
-
Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry
Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....
-
Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs
AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...
-
Big 12, SEC deal breaks the mold
It is unclear what the on-the-field product of the game-for-which-there-is-not-yet-a-name will be. Indeed, all we really know is the Big 12 and SEC plan to play a game on Jan. 1, 2015 (and on every Jan. 1, thereafter) that will include ...
-
Rivalry helped shape program
For coach Patty Gasso, it goes all the way back to 1995, her first year at Oklahoma. That was when her Sooners played Arizona six times throughout the season. Those Sooners were “annihilated” in all six of those contests....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners make winning look easy
