We knew it was coming.

Nobody should be very surprised.

Anybody who’s paid close attention to the annual tap dance that is preseason Oklahoma football drills and how much of them Bob Stoops will allow to be viewed by fans, media and anybody else who might take a note or two and post it for all to see online, can hardly be caught off guard by Monday’s announcement that the public portion of the Sooners getting ready for the season has been whittled down to a pair of practices.

Maybe next year, he’ll kill them, too.

As it is, Sooner Nation diehards, press box regulars and would-be spies can catch workouts Friday and Aug. 17.

Prior to this season and as recent as spring drills Stoops had put the kibosh on just about all practice sessions but left scrimmages open. Even keeping every Sooner out with so much a torn cuticle, it wasn’t the worst idea ever. Though many fans would show to watch the players think about practicing if they did it as a group and outdoors, most prefer something slightly resembling autumn Saturdays, so interest was served.

And not that the media knows a heck of a lot about the game (although reporters have offered far clearer views of every Stoops’ era quarterback race than the coach himself) but being let in for scrimmages at least gave us something to go on beyond the word of several coaches — offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and perhaps Brent Venables not among them — who’d rather kill a good story than make one.

But those days are done.

Less work for us.

Less information for you.

Yet that’s hardly the most bothersome aspect of it all. Showing up for (also limited) preseason interview opportunities rather than a good portion of practice and the interview period won’t leave reporters crying. Further, for the most part, once Joe fan wipes practice or a scrimmage off the list of things he might attend, it’s likely quickly forgotten.

But three things about it remain so asinine.

One, the quote.

“I wish we could open the scrimmages for our fans, but we are adding a few wrinkles and it’s better for us if we can work on those things in a scrimmage setting without restraint,” Stoops said. “I hope the fans that want to see us before the season begins can take advantage of the open practices. We appreciate their support and I know it’s a lift for our team to see them too during this time of year when our players and coaches are working so hard.”

As much as Stoops wants to do right by the fans (and yes, even I believe he does), if their presence provided the lift he’s talking about, surely their being there every day would be of greater benefit than any potential drawback encountered by some Austin-based spy with Mack Brown on speed dial taking notes.