Published: September 01, 2006 01:27 am            

John Shinn's Oklahoma Football Notepad

Sooners find a punter (or two)

Michael Cohen and Mike Knall will share punting chores Saturday night against Alabama-Birmingham. 

OU coach Bob Stoops said Cohen will handle the long punts, while Knall will take care of the pooch kicks.

“Both have competed hard and both deserve an opportunity to play,” he said. “We’ll stick with this setup as long as we feel it’s working for us.”

 Cohen, a junior, arrived at OU this summer after spending two seasons at Kilgore (Texas) College. As a sophomore, he averaged 43 yards per kick.

 Knall, a sophomore, was in the Sooner program last season, but did not see game action. He spent his freshman season at Scottsdale Community College, where he averaged 43.9 yards per kick.

Peterson a candidate

The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum announced the candidates for the 2006 Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top college running back Thursday. 

OU’s Adrian Peterson, who in 2004 was the first freshman ever to be a finalist for the award is on the preseason watch list. 

Peterson, who is also on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is presented to the top player in college football, enters this season with 3,033 career rushing yards. He is chasing the coveted OU career mark of 4,118 yards held set by Billy Sims from 1975-79.

Last season, Peterson gained 1,108 yards despite missing all or more than half of four games due to injury.

The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on Nov. 15, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will vote to determine the finalists on Nov. 16. The committee will cast a second vote on Nov. 27 to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.

Brown’s concerns

OU closed almost all of its preseason practices. UAB coach Watson Brown was one of many who noticed.

“It is obviously a concern,” he said. “Oklahoma closed practice to everyone, so no one knows what they are doing.”

Of course Brown didn’t seem like he was totally in the dark. Despite having only seen previous teams, he’s pretty impressed with the Sooners’ defense.

“Oklahoma’s defense may be the best defense I have played in the 12 years that I have been here,” he said.

Getting synchronized

One of OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson’s goals Saturday night will be getting quarterback Paul Thompson off to a hot start.

Wilson said Thompson has been riding streaks throughout the preseason.

“Watching practice, I don’t want to say he’s a streaky guy but he does get through periods,” Wilson said. “And maybe it’s just the luck of those plays right now. So until you get in games, I think we’re always too fast to judge a guy and say he is this is or isn’t.

“But he does get where sometimes there’s five, six, seven, eight throws in a row in 7-on-7 and in team, it’s like, wow! Then all of the sudden we’re a little out of sync. Whether he starts fast or not, we’ll try and get him in the flow.”

John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com

        

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