SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly is one of several players who will have to decide whether to come back for their senior season or enter the NFL draft following the Fiesta Bowl.

Kelly, who many project as OU’s highest pick if he goes, said he hasn’t made a decision.

He and many of the Sooner juniors applied with the NFL to be evaluated for the draft this month. The NFL gives players a rough estimate where they’ll be picked. Kelly said he won’t make a decision until he gets that back from the league and his family discusses it with OU coach Bob Stoops.

“As of right now, I’m still coming back.” he said. “I have not had any paperwork come back in, so I am still coming back next year. We’ll see more on that after the season, but I expect to be back.”

Kelly said there’s a pretty big pull among OU’s junior class to remain together because the Sooners would have a pretty good shot at a national championship if everyone returns.

“A lot of talent on offense and defense will be back,” Kelly said. “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t win it all.”



Fine dining

Sooner players have been sampling everything the Scottsdale area has to offer. OU quarterback Sam Bradford said what he’s liked most about the trip is the weather and the food.

Skies have been sunny and temperatures have been in the 50s and 60s every day OU has been here. And Bradford wasn’t raving about restaurants with expensive menus.

“In-N-Out Burger was good,” Bradford said. “We don’t have those in Oklahoma, so we’ve been enjoying them.

In-N-Out Burger is a fast-food restaurant with franchises in California, Nevada and Arizona. There’s one down the street from the hotel OU is staying at and another in close proximity to its practice headquarters at Pinnacle High School.

“I think everyone has been there at least once,” Bradford said.



Must see TV

Oklahoma wide receivers coach Kevin Sumlin had a reason to be glued to a television Friday night. Houston, the team Sumlin will take over as head coach after the Fiesta Bowl, faced TCU in the Texas Bowl in Houston.

He even did an interview with the NFL Network, which aired during the second quarter.

Sumlin said the decision not to attend the game in person was made shortly after he accepted the job Dec. 14.

“There wasn’t a whole lot I could do. Those guys who were coaching the game … it would have been more of a distraction for me to be there on sideline without much to do,” he said following OU’s practice Friday. “We made the decision early to let them (Houston’s current coaching staff) go through and coach the bowl. There’s no sense in going out there for that. I could watch it and we’ll communicate from there.”

The other reason he wanted to remain in Arizona is OU has entered game-week preparations for the Fiesta Bowl. Friday’s practice was OU’s first in full pads and much of the game plan for West Virginia is being implemented.

Sumlin was asked if he might watch the Texas Bowl in further detail once the Fiesta Bowl is over.

“Oh yeah, I have copies of the last six (Houston) games I’m going to be watching,” he said.



Tuesday practice

It was Saturday, but nobody in OU’s camp paid much attention. The Sooners are in game week preparations and with the Fiesta Bowl five days away they operated under the assumption it was Tuesday.

They’re trying get bowl practices as normal as possible. Saturday, OU practiced in full pads as it typically does five days before playing.

“We’re just trying to keep our normal routine,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “Pretty physical. Do some work against each other and then you get with the scouts and try to simulate what West Virginia’s going to do.”



Interim failure

With Houston’s loss in the Texas Bowl Friday night, teams with interim head coaches have gone 0-4 during the bowl season.

“I hope it stays that way,” Stoops said.

It’s a relevant stat because West Virginia is one of seven teams to enter the bowl season with an interim head coach.

Navy, Southern Mississippi, UCLA and Houston have already lost their games. Texas A&M; entered Saturday night’s Alamo Bowl with Gary Darnell as interim head coach. Arkansas faces Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Tuesday with an interim head coach.

West Virginia elevated Bill Stewart to interim coach after Rich Rodriguez resigned to go to Michigan.



English resting

OU defensive end Auston English was held out of Saturday’s practice for the second straight day due to illness.

Stoops said it was precautionary and expects English to be healthy and ready for Wednesday’s game.