Walker wants another pick

By John Shinn
The Norman Transcript

December 29, 2007 01:18 am

— 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.
“I can sense they have a little more urgency,” he said, “but it is pretty much the same all season.”

Reunion of sorts
OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson will be coaching against one of his former mentors in the Fiesta Bowl. West Virginia interim head coach Bill Stewart was the offensive line coach at North Carolina when Wilson was a graduate assistant for two seasons in the mid 1980s.
“I’m just grateful that Coach (Dick) Crum didn’t run me off and hire Kevin because he was a whole lot smarter than me back then,” Stewart joked Friday. “I just hope he is not a lot smarter than me this week. He’s a tremendous football coach and a tremendous friend.”

Strength vs. strength
Something will have to give in the Fiesta Bowl when it comes to running the football. OU enters the game with the eighth best rushing defense in the NCAA’s bowl subdivision.
The unit has only allowed 2.83 yards per carry and 13 rushing touchdowns this season. If it holds West Virginia to something around those numbers it could be a blowout.
The Mountaineers have the fourth best rushing offense in the bowl subdivision, averaging 292.92. They are one of only four teams to average over 290 yards rushing a game this season.
If West Virginia were to put up its average numbers, it would eclipse the high for a Sooner opponent this season by nearly 100 yards.
OSU gained 195 against OU Nov. 25.
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com