Norman, Okla. ? With the Red River Rivalry looming only a week away, Oklahoma’s Big 12 Conference opener seemed like the perfect trap game.

It would be easy to overlook any opponent with the team’s biggest rival and a national television audience drawing near. But somehow, coach Bob Stoops and his staff were able to keep the Sooners on focus each of the past five years, winning all five of the team’s Big 12 openers heading into the big game against Texas.

After a 1-2 start, Oklahoma’s concerns entering Big 12 play are much different this season. Heading into Saturday’s game against Kansas State, the Sooners can’t even think about the upcoming showdown with the No. 2 Longhorns.

“We never do anyway, but we’re definitely not doing it now,” offensive coordinator Chuck Long said. “Every game, every snap, every quarter, every halftime, every third quarter, every fourth quarter is big for us right now.”

Off to the worst start in Stoops’ seven years at Oklahoma, the Sooners had to take a new approach to their bye week. Instead of regrouping and regaining their health, the Sooners put in as much work as they could to get better.

“It was anything but an easier week,” Stoops said. “It’s probably the hardest week we’ve had in a long time.”

Oklahoma practiced Monday through Saturday – a bye-week first under Stoops – to get extra snaps in.

“I emphasized to them that our approach as coaches – not just mine – has nothing to do with at all punishing like ‘Hey, we lost and now we’re going to beat you into the ground,”‘ Stoops said. “It was all about trying to get better.”

The Sooners believe they’re starting to get some of their issues sorted out. After not throwing a pass in the second half against Tulsa in Week 2, quarterback Rhett Bomar was 20-for-29 for 241 yards against UCLA.

More changes will be made on the offensive line after Adrian Peterson tied a career-low with 58 rushing yards in a 41-24 loss to UCLA, and junior Paul Thompson, who began the season as the Sooners’ starting quarterback, will make his debut as a backup at wide receiver.

For Stoops, the main focus on offense is stopping mistakes such as fumbled snaps and missed blocking assignments that have resulted in lost yardage.

“We have too many negative plays,” Stoops said. “We have to eliminate where we’re beating ourselves in some of those areas.”

On defense, linebacker Clint Ingram, who had interceptions in Oklahoma’s first two games, is expected back after missing the UCLA game because of an injury. Stoops plans to start either Eric Bassey or Marcus Walker in place of Chijioke Onyenegecha, who started each of the Sooners’ first three games.

“We’re trying to find consistency there this week – who’s going to be the most consistent being in the right places and making the most plays,” Stoops said.

With all the focus on improvements, the Big 12 opener is much more of a milestone for Oklahoma this season than a game that might be overlooked on the path to Texas. It also provides a clean slate that could still earn the Sooners a trip to a BCS bowl game, if they’re somehow able to recover and win the Big 12 title.

“I’m not big on trying to hide from the past and start again, but in the end the Big 12 and what we do in the Big 12 Conference is what truly does matter,” Stoops said. “We realize this is the most important part of the season, and we’ve made improvement over the last four weeks.

“It needs to show.”