Running back DeMarco Murray is coming off knee surgery, but Stoops expects the sophomore to be full go when practice beings.

“He’s recovered well, when I’ve seen him coming in the training room and rehabbing his knee, he says it feels great,” the coach said. “So according to him and our trainers, everything is on schedule and he looks great.”

Murray averaged 6.0 yards per carry and scored 13 touchdowns last season. He missed the final three games after suffering a knee injury in the final minutes of the Texas Tech game.

With Allen Patrick gone, Murray figures to be the featured back in OU’s offense this season.

“We have to get him the ball,” Stoops said. “Not only run him, but passing the ball as well. He’s got great hands. We’re expecting great things from him.”

No-huddle advancing

The Sooners began implementing a no-huddle offense in the spring. Wide receiver Manuel Johnson said players worked on it throughout offseason workouts as well.

“We hit it hard in the 7-on-7s to try and make it second nature to us,” he said. “That’s going to help us out also. Everything we did was with that in mind.”

Ready for challenge

Baylor coach Art Briles knew he would have to fight an uphill battle when he accepted the job. His own daughter even told him he shouldn’t leave Houston to coach the Bears.

But he justified it this way.

“I like to walk down paths nobody else wants to walk down,” Briles said. “To me, with our recruits, our coaches and our fans, I want pioneers. I want people that are not afraid to step out there and go. It’s easy to walk down a path that’s clear and pristine and you know it’s just perfect. Our path’s not that way.”

The Bears, who went 3-9 and winless in the Big 12 Conference last season, haven’t been to a bowl game since 1994 and have never won more than three conference games in a Big 12 season.