Sooner coach Bob Stoops said OU would consider canceling its game at Washington in 2008 if the Pac-10 Conference does not change its rule requiring league officials to be used at its home stadiums.

Monday, OU president David Boren sent a letter to Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg asking him to pursue having the Pac-10 change its policy.

“I think there's no question that (OU athletic director) Joe Castiglione and I and President Boren, if that rule's is not changed, may reconsider that game,” Stoops said.Oklahoma beat Washington 37-20 Sept. 9 in the first game of the home-and-home series.

The Sooners also played a home-and-home series against UCLA of the Pac-10 in 2003 and 2005. The game at Oregon concluded a series that began in Norman in 2004.

Bellotti feels Sooners pain

Stoops said he’s heard from several coaches since returning home from the Pacific Northwest.

Tuesday, he and Oregon coach Mike Bellotti had a brief chat.

“He just apologized and said that it’s unfortunate that the two of us have got to be in the middle of it,” Stoops said. “I said, ‘Well, you didn’t do anything wrong but play hard, and that’s the same thing we were trying to do.’”

But Stoops received sympathy from outside the college football world. One of the coaches he spoke with was Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo.

“I was amazed,” he said. “I've never spoken with Tom Izzo, never met him in my life, and Tom called just appalled at the situation and expressed his concern and support … that it's just unfortunate, that he knows as a coach what we have to endure and just how wrong it was.”

Peterson returns?

Adrian Peterson made his debut as a kick returner against Oregon. The All-American running back will continue his role on special teams Saturday against Middle Tennessee.

“He just needs to see it more,” Stoops said. “We need to keep getting him more practice with it. Sure, we intend to continue with it.”