GREAT EXPECTATIONS
WHAT’S IN STORE FOR SOONERS RUNNING BACK JOE MIXON?
NORMAN — The Sooners standout heard the question over and over again this summer.
“Everyone,” the standout said, “wants to know how Joe Mixon looks.”
Samaje Perine stopped and smiled.
“And he looks great. He looks fantastic.”
As Oklahoma prepares to kick off its season against Akron, one query percolates above all others. More than Lincoln Riley’s offense or Baker Mayfield’s debut or Mike Stoops’ defense, people want to know about Mixon’s potential. It’s a question looming so large that even Perine, the Sooner starter at tailback, the guy who shattered the NCAA single-game rushing record a year ago, couldn’t avoid it.
He couldn’t avoid gushing about Mixon either.
“I’m probably most excited to see what he does,” Perine said, “because he’s going to be a special player. I just can’t wait to actually see him get out there for the first time and see what he can do.”
Some, of course, believe that after Mixon punched a female student last year, he shouldn’t be allowed to don the crimson and cream Saturday evening. Or ever.
Just the other day, we had a front-page story about Mixon, and I took a call from a woman who was fuming. Fuming at us for writing about Mixon,
but more than that, she seemed angriest at OU for keeping Mixon around. I understand that rationale. I also understand the argument that Mixon was too harshly punished and the argument that David Boren, Joe Castiglione and Bob Stoops levied a stiff penalty by suspending Mixon for a year.
But here’s the thing — what’s done is done. Mixon can’t erase the night at Pickleman’s. Can’t take back the punch. Can’t rewind the past year.
What he can do is be his best for the Sooners.
That starts off the field. Don’t be a knucklehead. Don’t land on the police blotter. Don’t get a second strike because there likely won’t be a third.
Mixon has to do those things every single day.
On Saturdays, there are lofty expectations of Mixon, too. By all accounts, he’s a unique talent. The Adrian Peterson comparison has been thrown around by no less than Barry Switzer.
You can bet Mixon’s skills will be on display against Akron. The Sooners are unwrapping Riley’s Air Raid, but they won’t want to show every wrinkle a week before going to Tennessee. So, why not give the ball to Perine and Mixon a dozen times each?
If you believe the hype about Mixon, a dozen carries would probably take him over the 100-yard mark. Then what? Would we get to hear from Mixon? Would he do interviews, his first since the punch? Would he have anything to say in the way of an apology to his team and his school?
I have no idea, but these are rich undercurrents to a game for which we already know the outcome.
“There are some guys that the best part of their day is out there sweating and playing football,” Stoops said. “They are those energetic guys that just enjoy the game so much. He’s like that a lot.
“I sense that he’s really anxious to be back out there with his teammates.” How does Joe Mixon look? We’re about to find out.