No behavior tips needed, Stoops says

MIAMI (AP) _ One of the headlines from the Sugar Bowl this week involved a scuffle that apparently included players from the teams involved, Florida and Miami. <br><br>On Friday, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops

Saturday, December 30th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ One of the headlines from the Sugar Bowl this week involved a scuffle that apparently included players from the teams involved, Florida and Miami.

On Friday, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was asked whether he had spoken to his players about proper behavior, in light of the news from New Orleans.

``We didn't speak to them in light of that. We know how our players are,'' he said. ``We speak to them not just today or yesterday, we speak often about how you should conduct yourself in public, around people.

``We don't have to do anything in particular. Our players will handle themselves and conduct themselves as gentlemen, as they always do.''

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HOSPITAL VISIT: Players from Oklahoma and Florida State paid a visit to a Miami hospital on Friday.

Coach Bob Stoops was joined by players Roy Williams, J.T. Thatcher, Bary Holleyman, Bubba Burcham, Tim Duncan and Renaldo Works.

The group visited children ranging in age from infants to teen-agers. Some of the players joined a patient in a video game. Others accepted a patient's offer of Christmas cookies.

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HOW TIMES CHANGE: A game earlier this season illustrated for former Oklahoma quarterback J.C. Watts just how much times have changed at OU.

``I'm standing there in the stands and we've got a first and goal at the 4,'' said Watts, now a U.S. House member. ``We run the ball two times, and I'm standing up saying 'Throw the ball.'

``That would have been a triple option play back in the good old days.''

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NO SIBLING RIVALRY: Oklahoma linebacker Torrance Marshall has a brother, Sheven, who is a redshirt linebacker for Miami.

If the top-ranked Sooners were to lose to No. 3 Florida State in the Orange Bowl and No. 2 Miami were to beat Florida State, the Hurricanes would have an argument that they should be the national champion, since they beat Florida State during the regular season.

Torrance Marshall said there's no family feud, however.

``He's been pulling for me and Oklahoma all season,'' Marshall said. ``He's the only one, probably, in Miami that's going for Oklahoma.''

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FUTURE PROS: By some estimates, Florida State's roster includes 27 players who have a shot at playing in the National Football League.

How many does Oklahoma have?

``I'm not so sure we've got 27. It's probably safe to say we don't,'' coach Bob Stoops said. ``But we've got a number that will end up playing in the NFL. How many, I couldn't say.

``We only have 18 seniors, so hopefully they're not counting on our juniors already.''

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COPYCAT: Bob Stoops says Oklahoma's preparations for the Orange Bowl mirror those that Florida went through while preparing for the national championship game four years ago.

``I take quite a bit of it, really,'' said Stoops, who was defensive coordinator on that Florida team.

``I feel very at home in the environment and feel fortunate to have been through that experience, because it does give you an idea how to go through your practices, how to prepare, how to handle the media and the attention given to the game.''

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PRACTICE REPORT: The calendar said it was Friday, but as far as Oklahoma's football team was concerned, the two-hour practice was Monday.

The Sooners went through their normal Monday routine and coach Bob Stoops said it went well.

``We scrimmaged a little bit, about eight, nine plays on offense and eight, nine on defense, ones against twos and that was it,'' Stoops said. ``It took us about 15 minutes to get it in and it was good.''

He said the Sooners would go through another full-scale workout Saturday before scaling things back a bit.