Patrick Ready To Assume Bigger Role In Norman

With Peterson out the door, Oklahoma will unveil its next great weapons at RB

April 12, 2007

By Mike Beacom

Special to CSTV.com

	Mike Beacom Mike is a contributor to CSTV.com, including the football Power Grid. E-mail here!

        ---   Column Archive   --- 4/29: Day Two at the NFL Draft: The Longest Hours 4/28: A Tale Of Two Prospects 4/22: Spaeth Continues To Clear Hurdles 4/21: Camp Battles to be Continued on Wisconsin Campus 4/12: Patrick Ready To Assume Bigger Role 3/15:Saban's Quick Recruiting Work Could Lead To Turnaround 2/15: Badgers Stockpiling Backfield 11/21: Final CSTV.com Power Grid 11/17: Xs And Os? Bring On The Real Debates!

For the past three seasons, the Oklahoma Sooners have been blessed with the talents of running back Adrian Peterson - a special player, and one of the country's elite running backs.

As a freshman he gained the third most rushing yards in the country (1,925). The following year he came on strong in the season's final month to help head coach Bob Stoops and company save face. And before suffering an injury midway through last season, Peterson had piled up 10 touchdowns and nearly 1,000 yards rushing in just six games.

During those three years in a Sooner uniform Peterson never averaged fewer than five yards per carry or scored fewer than a dozen touchdowns in any one season. Now he has taken his game to the NFL, and so Oklahoma must find someone to replace him.

Easier said than done.

Oklahoma running backs coach Cale Gundy is well prepared to answer the difficult questions, though. When asked how the Sooners will attempt to replace college football's best workhorse, Gundy is quick to rattle off a few things that cannot be ignored.

"A.P. missed a lot of games in the past couple of years," said Gundy, "all were Big 12 conference games and we went (undefeated)."

The Sooners, you see, have another special player - another `A.P' to taunt opposing defenses with - and no one in Norman seems all that concerned about life without Adrian Peterson.

Last season, Allen Patrick was given the opportunity to start when Peterson was propped up on a stretcher. In games against Colorado, Missouri, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State (the last three of which were on the road), Patrick exceeded the expectations of his coaching staff, and got better with each passing week. His end-of-season numbers were very respectable (761 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry), and Patrick may have out-performed Peterson in Oklahoma's bowl loss to Boise State.

Patrick relishes his new role - not as projected starting tailback, but as a leader of a young batch of backs.

"I've been a vocal guy (in the locker room) ever since high school," Patrick said. "This season we have a lot of young guys. I've taken upon myself to be a leader, not just for the backs but the entire team."

His ability to lead and his blistering speed are two big reasons why Patrick is the early frontrunner in the race for Peterson's heavy workload, and why many have tabbed him as a preseason all-Big 12 selection.

Patrick, however, wants to keep his mind focused on the task at hand.

"I'm just out here to play football," he said. "If the statistics and all of that come with it, then fine."

Considering that it is not uncommon for Oklahoma's featured back to carry 30-plus times in any given week (a total he surpassed three times last year in limited duty), chances are Patrick will be playing a lot of football this fall. The coaching staff feels he is ready.

"First and foremost he's a great competitor," said Gundy. "And he's fast - 4.4 speed or better - he'll post 39 or 40 (inches) in the vertical, good broad jump ... he'll test out of the gym.

"If healthy he could be a top runner in the Big 12."

That's quite an endorsement, but Gundy is quick to acknowledge the other players the Sooners are holding in their well-stacked deck of cards. Chris Brown also has experience (70 carries, six touchdowns in 2006), and is someone Gunday thinks is "more of a physical, sound zone-style running back."

Redshirt freshmen Demarco Murray and Mossis Madu received a lot of touches during spring practice.

"Both are very exciting playmakers," said Gundy. "You always try to put your best players on the field and they're as talented and as gifted maybe as anyone we have on offense."

Gundy hints that Murray and Madu will both spend time at a variety of spots - split out wide, sharing time in the backfield - and if the two prove to be as dangerous on the field as Gundy suggests they can be, one can't help but think that this Oklahoma backfield might actually be better without Peterson. Guess we'll have to see come August.