Is Baker Mayfield eligible to play? And other things we learned about the Sooners Monday
We might have known it before, and it was confirmed Saturday, but Bob Stoops and the rest of the Sooners were still talking about it on Monday.
Everybody is impressed with freshman running back Samaje Perine. And after that performance in West Virginia where he rushed for 242 yards, Perine bought his offensive linemen pizza as a thank-you.
Here's more on Perine and a few other things we learned after the win over West Virginia Saturday and from Stoops on Monday.
1. Samaje ruled the day
"What can I not say about that guy," offensive lineman Adam Shead said Monday after practice. "He runs hard and that makes you want to block even harder."
"He runs so hard," lineman Ty Darlington said. "We love that."
"You can't say enough about the guy," quarterback Trevor Knight said. "It started when he got here. The way he works and so low-key. He's not flashy. He's just doing his work. He even brought the O-linemen in some pizza to tell them thanks. To do that, it speaks volume to what kind of guy he is."
Perine earned the Big 12's award for Offensive Player of the Week after carrying it 34 times for 242 yards and scoring four times.
"Again, it shows his physical maturity," Stoops said. "He was alright. He didn't walk on the bus like he needed a cane. He bopped to the back of the bus. There's a lot to him. He has great stamina."
Saturday was the first time in four seasons (DeMarco Murray) a Sooner rushed for more than 200 yards and was the 13th-best in school history.
Meanwhile, Perine had just more than 1,200 yards all of last season at Pflugerville (Texas) High School, scoring 12 times. He said the most he ever carried it in a game was 32 times.
"Just to walk around and hear people telling you had a great game is a terrific feeling," Perine said.
Defensive end Geneo Grissom isn't surprised. He said he knew as soon as training camp started in August that Perine was going to be a good runner.
"I told him, 'I'm glad I don't have to hit you anymore,'" Grissom said.
2. Charles Tapper will be monitored
Defensive lineman Charles Tapper had to come out of the game in the second half due to exhaustion.
Coach Bob Stoops said Tapper has a sickle cell trait and needs to be checked on. It was the first time Tapper has come out of a game, due to being tired. It's the same situation former Oklahoma linebacker Curtis Lofton dealt with.
In other injury news, cornerback Zack Sanchez will certainly benefit from the bye week and will be able to rest his sore shoulder, which he injured against Tulsa.
"It's an issue you feel won't get any worse," coach Bob Stoops said of Sanchez. "It's tough. You have to keep checking with him. He wanted to keep playing. He did the best he can. I'm sure he knows he can be better. He's had a lot of great games for us. Hopefully two weeks without contact will help."
Running back Keith Ford, injured against Tennessee, missed the game against West Virginia with a fracture in his leg. Stoops said after the Tennessee game Ford would be out for two-to-three weeks. Stoops said Monday, he did not know of any status change with the sophomore running back.
Receiver Sterling Shepard also came off the field limping at one point. Stoops said Shepard is fine. Shepard agreed.
"It was nothing much," Shepard said. "Calves cramped up a little bit from the tape on my ankles but I cut it off and that's pretty much it for that story."
3. Wardrobe feedback
The Sooners wore alternate uniforms on Saturday at West Virginia and while Grissom said he liked them, Stoops said it took awhile for him to get used to them.
"I told an official it didn't look like my team," Stoops said. "We're not going to make a habit of it. We won, that makes it a little better."
Grissom's opinion on the uniforms?
"I loved the new uniforms," Grissom said. "They're sick. I love them. The wood grain is nice and I just like the lettering and the numbers. I hope we break them out a couple more times."
4. No one knows what's going on with Baker Mayfield
Some media outlets were reporting transfer quarterback Baker Mayfield was now eligible to play at Oklahoma, but as of Monday afternoon, the university had not issued a statement.
Stoops did address the situation at his weekly media luncheon saying he had some information but he wasn't going to say anything at this time.
Texas Tech blocked the transfer to Oklahoma, making him ineligible to play or receive financial aid this year. He also lost a year of eligibility.
Mayfield was the Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year in 2013 but chose to leave Tech and walk-on at Oklahoma.
According to the Tulsa World, Mayfield was the on the practice field Monday afternoon working with the scout team.
Knight is the clear starter and Cody Thomas is listed as the team's back-up. Sooner coaches seem concerned about keeping Knight healthy, as he's been limited running the ball. Knight had no carries against West Virginia. Meanwhile, former quarterback Blake Bell came into the game and ran the ball, earning a first down in the second half.
"We're going to be selective on how much he needs to be hit," Stoops said. "It's a long year."
Follow Andrew Gilman on Twitter: @andrewgilmanOK
