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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners Back in Full Pads Thursday
December 28, 2006 | Football
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The University of Oklahoma football team completed its third day of practice Thursday, running team offense and defense drills for the majority of practice under cool, cloudy conditions at Pinnacle High School.
“It's been great; really pleased,” OU head coach Bob Stoops remarked after practice. “The guys have been working in a good way. They went after it really well again today. So, I'm happy with what they're doing.
“It's like our normal Tuesday practice. It was physical. They went at it like they always do.”
Oklahoma donned full pads for the second time this week as part of its routine game week schedule. Paul Thompson guided the first-string offense and Joey Halzle took the snaps with the second string. Thompson was, again, sharp passing and hit several receivers for long gains during the workout.
“He's more talented and capable than everyone gave him credit for,” Stoops said of Thompson. “The team around him was more capable of handling it this year than whatever our situation was a year ago. The players around him, I felt, would do better and allow him also to be better. I felt all along he would be able to play well.”
Mike Stoops, University of Arizona head coach and the OU head coach's brother, visited practice for the second straight day.
“He's been here the last couple of days,” said Stoops. “He was in our defensive meeting today. We're all like the old days everybody in there rolling around our ideas. It was good.”
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Also in attendance were Ron Stoops, the oldest Stoops brother, and former Oklahoma coach Chuck Fairbanks.
Fairbanks, who headed the Sooners from 1967-1972, compiled a 52-15-1 record in Norman with three Big Eight conference titles. Barry Switzer was elevated to head coach after Fairbanks' departure to the NFL's New England Patriots.
“It was great to see (Chuck),” Stoops said. “He lives out in this area. He's a wonderful guy. It was fun having him around here.”
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OFFENSE MEETS MEDIA
Oklahoma coaches Kevin Sumlin and Kevin Wilson along with selected offensive players spent Thursday morning in a press conference at the official media headquarters for the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Defensive coaches Brent Venables and Bobby Jack Wright, along with DE C.J. Ah You, LB Rufus Alexander, LB Zach Latimer and S Reggie Smith will attend the Friday morning press conference.
Read Press Conference Quotes
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THURSDAY BOWL NOTES
The day began early for offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin, QB Paul Thompson, RB Adrian Peterson, OT Chris Messner and WR Malcolm Kelly. They participated in offensive media day at the Camelback Inn, the media hotel for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Those coaches and players left the team hotel, the Fairmont Princess, at 8 a.m., then returned in time for position meetings at 9:45 a.m.
The team departed for its practice at 11 a.m., and began the workout at 11:40 a.m. OU worked out in full pads and was on the Pinnacle HS field for approximately two hours. For the first time since they have been in Arizona, the Sooners did not do any conditioning running at the end of the workout. The team has been making full use of the Pinnacle HS weight room at the end of practice each day.
Practice visitors included former OU head coach Chuck Fairbanks, who resides in the Phoenix area. He watched much of the practice along side Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione.
Mike Stoops, the head coach at Arizona and the brother of head coach Bob Stoops, was again at the practice. He also attended some of the morning meetings with the Sooner coaching staff. Later in the workout, another Stoops brother, Ron, arrived from Youngstown, Ohio. He is an assistant coach at Cardinal Mooney High School.
On Friday, the defensive side of the ball will take its turn at a media conference. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables, co-defensive coordinator Bobby Jack Wright, LB Rufus Alexander, LB Zach Latimer, S Reggie Smith and DE C.J. Ah You will represent Oklahoma at that event. It begins at 9:30 a.m., at the media hotel.
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DAILY COVERAGE
OU Athletics Internet Services Director, Jason Matheson, will post daily reports, video, photo galleries and features from location in Arizona.
Associate A.D. for Communications Kenny Mossman and Assistant Media Relations Director Jared Thompson will also provide coverage of the Sooners during bowl week. SoonerVision director Dan Cavanaugh will post additional video features.
Follow the Sooners all week leading up to the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at SoonerSports.com -- information direct from the source: Daily Coverage.
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