Sooners Have `Robotic' Approach

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ Just call them the Robo-Sooners. <br/><br/>No. 3 Oklahoma has performed like a finely tuned machine while mowing down its first four opponents. So it should be no surprise that Sooners

Tuesday, September 25th 2007, 4:12 pm

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ Just call them the Robo-Sooners.

No. 3 Oklahoma has performed like a finely tuned machine while mowing down its first four opponents. So it should be no surprise that Sooners coach Bob Stoops described his team's approach as ``robotic.''

``I say it in a positive and complimentary way, they've been really very robotic in how they've gone about their business and the way they've practiced, the way they've prepared, and just their attitude overall,'' Stoops said Tuesday.

Film session sets the tone for Oklahoma (4-0), with coaches pointing out all the Sooners' mistakes, no matter how lopsided the victory.

``We try to be very disciplined. We try to listen to whatever he's saying,'' tailback DeMarco Murray said. ``I feel like coach Stoops, the things that he's been talking about in the meetings, he feels that we've been listening to him and he just showed us a bunch of stuff that we've done wrong the last game. He wants us to improve, and I think we are going to improve tremendously just listening to what coach Stoops said and listening to our other coaches. We've just got to listen and just take care of business.''

The Sooners certainly have done that so far, winning their first four games by an average of 49.8 points and scoring more than 50 points in four straight games for the second time in school history. For their chance at an unprecedented fifth straight 50-point game, Oklahoma faces Colorado (2-2) on Saturday in the Big 12 opener for both teams.

But that won't be the team's focus.

``We don't pay attention much to what the other team's doing or how they're acting or stuff like that,'' Murray said. ``We know we have a goal to put points on the board, have fun doing it and continue to work hard.''

In redshirt freshman Sam Bradford, the Sooners chose a quarterback who personifies that ``robotic'' approach. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Bradford has been able to keep a level head through his early success _ he's completed 78% of his passes for 1,067 yards and 14 touchdowns _ but also was able to shrug off a shaky start with an interception on the first drive last week at Tulsa.

While Wilson was at first worried that Bradford might be too reserved and could ``go in a shell,'' he now considers the quarterback an extension of the coaching staff on the field.

``As quiet as he is, there is a competitive spirit about him. He has a significant amount of personal pride to go with some athletic ability and a calmness that makes it a pretty unique deal,'' Wilson said. ``He's got some unique intangibles. He has some things that you don't coach.''

What the Sooners have been coaching is discipline, with an emphasis on eliminating the occasional mistakes that have popped up _ penalties and turnovers on offense, and breakdowns in fundamentals on defense. The approach has kept players humble.

``I don't think we'll come out thumping our chests and saying we're the greatest because we've won a couple games or what not,'' Murray said. ``We've just got to stay focused, stay levelheaded and look at the prize that we've been trying to work for.''