By John Shinn
Adversity tests every team’s mettle. Oklahoma is facing a mountain of it and its season hasn’t even tipped off.
On the heels of the news leading returning scorer Michael Neal will miss the first two games due to an NCAA rules violation, the Sooners will also be without freshman guard Bobby Maze for at least a month.
Maze, a reserve point guard, broke his right foot Wednesday and underwent surgery Thursday.
You have to wonder if Sooner coach Jeff Capel has broken any mirrors.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “Maybe I need to break one. Change things up a a little bit.”
Doesn’t matter what kind of shape the Sooners are in physically or if bad luck haunts them. The games are getting ready to count.
OU hosts Norfolk State in its season opener at 7 tonight at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners must make do.
Freshman Tony Crocker will take over starting duties at Neal’s guard spot. Maze wasn’t going to be a starter, but his absence means Chris Walker will step into the backup point guard role behind Austin Johnson.
Stepping up are words that can be heard in all corners of Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners already have several of question marks for the 2006-2007 season.
Taylor Griffin, Nate Carter, Longar Longar and David Godbold are making the adjustment from supporting roles to becoming primary pieces of the puzzle.
That won’t change because of what’s happened of the last couple of days.
“We have a lot of returning role players,” Carter said. “A lot of guys who didn’t get a chance to prove themselves as individuals. We have a chance to put it all together and show we can play.”
The absence of Neal is a pretty big void. Godbold will be the only Sooner on the court who averaged more than five points a game last season (5.7).
“If we can pull these two games off without him, then I don’t think it will be anything but a blessing,” Griffin said.
Ordinarily, opening the season against a team like Norfolk State would hardly produce a sweat. The Sooners have won 19 of their last 21 season-openers with their only losses coming to Alabama (68-62 at Madison Square Garden) in 2002-03 and Massachusetts (84-83 in Norman) in 1993-94. They’ve won 26 of their last 27 home openers.
Norfolk State, a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, is coming off a 13-18 season. But the Spartans also return four starters.
“We know they’ll be excited and knowing Mike Neal won’t be playing, they’ll probably be even more excited,” Capel said.
How well OU counteracts the loss of Neal will determine how long the excitement lasts.
“It gives other guys an opportunity to play and have greater impact,” Capel said. “Everyone needs to step up. I’m sure all the guys understand that and I’m sure they’re looking forward to the challenge.”
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
