SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Bowl games are supposed to be a reward for a successful regular season and both Oklahoma and Boise State are treating it that way.
Both teams have experienced the night life since arriving in Arizona and will do so up until New Year’s Eve.
The downtime has helped break up the monotony of practice.
“You tend to do things better with a smile on your face than like, ‘Oh man, we’re out here at practice again,’” OU middle linebacker Zach Latimer said. “If you’ve got a smile and you’re not thinking about things, the day goes by a little faster out here.”
But the players are the ones getting the full enjoyment out of the trip. The coaches haven’t had as much free time.
“A bowl game is great for families and administration and for the players. You’re glad they have the opportunity to be rewarded,” OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “As coaches it’s more about getting ready for practice and meetings. You’re out of the friendly confines of what you’ve been doing back home, so it’s more difficult. You feel more stressed to find time to do everything you need to do, to be honest.”
The Sooners have practiced every afternoon and conducted meetings in the morning. Other than that, the players have pretty much had free rein.
“We work hard at practice here or anywhere else,” wide receiver Malcolm Kelly said. “But when we are done with practice, it’s nice to enjoy the sights here.”
Where’s the sun?
There’s a reason the Phoenix area is called the Valley of the Sun. The area is known for its warm winter days. But you’d have a hard time convincing many Sooners or their fans that’s the case.
Over the last several days, temperatures have been unseasonably cool with highs in the 50s and there have been more showers than sunshine.
It was still sprinkling when OU coach Bob Stoops met with reporters following Friday’s practice at Pinnacle High School.
But he had no complaints.
“Oh, the players don’t mind,” he said. “It’s been perfect out here.”
But defensive end C.J. Ah You, from Utah, has noticed it hasn’t exactly been balmy.
“It has been a little cool,” he said. “But we’ll still have a lot of fun out here.”
Family tradition
Ah You comes from a football family. His father, Charles, played at Brigham Young in the 1970s and his uncle, Junior, was a standout at Arizona State.
It seems all three will have something in common besides genetics after OU faces Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. All three will have played in the game.
Junior Ah You was the Defensive Most Valuable Player when the Sun Devils beat Florida State 45-38 on Dec. 27, 1971.
Ah You’s father made his trip to the Valley of the Sun in 1974 when Oklahoma State topped BYU 16-6.
The defensive end said the coincidence wasn’t a big deal to his father, but his uncle takes things a little more seriously.
“He told me he got the MVP, so I better go out and have a good game,” Ah You said. “There’s a little more added pressure, but that’s fine.”
Fatherly advice
Latimer is the son of former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Don Latimer. The Sooner linebacker admits it hasn’t always been easy following in his father’s footsteps. They talk after every game and the conversation always involves more than a pat on the back.
“He always says, ‘That was a good job you did here — but,’” Zach said. “He always has a ‘but’ in there or something. He’s on me twenty-four-seven-three-sixty-five. Before I can even get dressed (after the game), I’ve got a message on my answering machine telling me what I did wrong in the game.
“He’s helping me because it helps me to see what things I need to do better come the following game. We’ve been watching film since flag football almost on the VHS downstairs.”
OU Sports
John Shinn's Fiesta Bowl Notepad
Sooners have time to have fun
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