Published December 29, 2007 01:19 am - Oklahoma will face many questions about last year’s Fiesta Bowl with Boise State. The Sooners’ 43-42 overtime loss to the Broncos is considered by many the greatest bowl game ever played. Had it not been for the bag of trick plays Boise State unleashed, OU cornerback Marcus Walker might have owned the biggest highlight.
Walker wants another pick
Fiesta Bowl Notepad
By John Shinn
The Norman Transcript
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Oklahoma will face many questions about last year’s Fiesta Bowl with Boise State. The Sooners’ 43-42 overtime loss to the Broncos is considered by many the greatest bowl game ever played.
Had it not been for the bag of trick plays Boise State unleashed, OU cornerback Marcus Walker might have owned the biggest highlight.
He intercepted a Jared Zabransky pass with less than 2 minutes remaining and returned it for a touchdown to give the Sooners a 35-28 lead.
“I haven’t thought about it since January or February,” he said Friday. “I haven’t given too much thought about it at all.”
But memories from last season will keep popping up this week.
OU is staying at the same hotel as last year. It’s practicing at the same high school and will be playing at the same stadium.
Walker said some of the memories might start coming back when the team visits University of Phoenix Stadium Monday for media day. But there’s only one case of deja vu he wants to experience.
“I hope I get another shot (at an interception),” Walker said.
Senior sendoff
One source of motivation for bowl games is sending the seniors off with a victory. This year’s senior class will have been to three BCS bowls (Orange in 2004 and the last two Fiesta Bowls) over the last four years, but has yet to win one.
OU coach Bob Stoops doesn’t believe what’s happened in past seasons has much bearing on what will occur at the end of this season.
He’s seen the same consistency from the players in preparing for the Fiesta Bowl that he saw throughout the season.
“I don’t think this game is any different than preparing for a Big 12 championship,” he said. “These guys practice the same way every time out and they’ve gotten after it getting ready for this game. I’ve been very pleased with their preparation all year. I don’t see it any different than any other game, though. I’ve been excited (about) how they’ve prepared all season.”
Junior offensive linemen Duke Robinson believes there’s a little extra intensity from those who will be playing their final game against West Virginia.