John Shinn
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The moment Adrian Peterson arrived for Thursday’s Fiesta Bowl press conference, he was engulfed with questions. It seemed every question poised to Oklahoma or Boise State involved the junior running back.
Every Sooner and Bronco player had to answer at least one query about the 2004 Heisman Trophy runner up. His return to the Sooner backfield after a seven-game absence is a big story in the college football world.
“He’s just so exciting to watch, he gets everyone else excited,” Sooner receiver Malcolm Kelly said. “He deserves all the attention he gets because he’s such a great player. I know I’m excited to play one more game with him.”
Peterson needs just 151 yards to break Billy Sims’ OU career rushing record of 4,118. And it might very well be his last game before galloping off to the NFL.
But to the seventh-ranked Sooners (11-2), a much bigger story will play out when they face the ninth-ranked Broncos (12-0) at 7:30 p.m. Monday at University of Phoenix Stadium.
And this one trumps all others.
The Sooners want to put the final stamp on a season that went through some valleys, but has a chance to finish on a peak.
“I want to make sure we win this game,” OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. “I’m not in it for these stats. My feeling is it would be nice and it would be great because he’s a special kid with a great work ethic. You love that guy. It would be a great story. But the real great story is we’ve gone through some things where we need to finish and win this game.
Our story is finishing in the right way.”
And that doesn’t involve simply force-feeding the ball to Peterson. OU proved long ago it had evolved beyond simply giving it to their workhorse and letting him plow away.
While Peterson was mobbed Thursday, Kelly sat virtually unquestioned in an adjacent corner. That’s odd considering he caught eight passes and set a Big 12 Championship game record with 142 receiving yards in OU’s 21-7 victory over Nebraska.
Much like he has all season, Kelly and quarterback Paul Thompson won’t take a back seat in the Fiesta Bowl, nor should they.
“All we’ve done all year is take what defenses give us,” Thompson said. “That won’t change. It will be just like we’ve done throughout the year. We’re going to be balanced.”
Although maintaining that balance could be harder with a healthy Peterson revved up and ready to go.
A two-month layoff has him feeling like a racehorse who can’t wait for the gate to open. While he mended, he watched OU’s offensive line gel and the offense become a complete package.
“You can’t simulate their offense in practice,” Boise State defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox said. “(Thompson) hasn’t got enough credit. He can scramble and he keeps drives alive. Oklahoma has a great running game, but having said that you can’t ignore their passing game.”
But Peterson’s return has pushed the rest of the offense back into the shadows.
The Sooners don’t take it as a slight. In fact, they’re fine with it.
“A.D. is going to get the attention and he deserves every bit of it,” Kelly said. “The passing game and Adrian compliments each other. If you try to defend the pass, we’re going to run it. If you load the box, we’re going to throw it. You’re going to have to pick and choose one.”
OU has proven there’s always another option.
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
