This is more like it: The NCAA allows two hours of supervised team drills per week until practice officially starts Oct. 15. Oklahoma took advantage of its gym time leading up to Friday, but now that practice has begun, the pace should pick up considerably. "We've worked extremely hard.
I think it's shown up in a lot of the things they've done," coach Jeff Capel said. "A lot of our guys have gotten better. Now we're starting to put our team together. That's the main thing. "We've been able to do team stuff since Sept. 15, where there are no restrictions on the number of guys. Still, two hours a week is not enough, especially when you have eight new guys that are eligible to play this year. "I'm just excited to be able to work with the guys on a consistent basis. The man behind the mask: Guard Cade Davis is wearing a protective mask after suffering a fracture near his cheekbone during a recent team session. "I got another month with this thing," he said Thursday. "This is the first day I get to go full-bore full contact. It's about time." Davis said the injury occurred when he collided with teammate Cameron Clark. "It was a freak deal," he said. "I was shooting the gaps to steal a pass and (Clark) was coming to receive it. He just kind of turned and braced for impact and got me square on the side. If it would have been anymore toward the front (of the face), I think I would have had to have surgery. "It was a glancing blow, but it still hurt bad." Taylor recovering: The Sooners' other injury issue involves freshman guard T.J. Taylor. He is recovering from a concussion. "We're hoping by tomorrow he'll be able to do contact," Capel said Thursday. "This will be our last individual two-hour workout. He hasn't been able to do contact, but he's been able to do non-contact stuff." Magnificent miles: Last Tuesday, the Sooners rolled out of bed and turned in the last of their seven weekly preseason mile runs. Ten of the 14 players turned in personal-best times. New point guards Calvin Newell and Carl Blair led the way at 5:23. Key dates Nov. 2: Exhibition game vs. Northern State Nov. 12: Regular season opener vs. Coppin State Nov. 22: Maui Invitational opener vs. Kentucky
