Adrian Peterson expected Oct. 14, 2006 to be an emotional day.

The Oklahoma running back just didn't anticipate why.

The Sooners' matchup against Iowa State marked the first game Peterson's father, Nelson, was able to watch from the stands after being released from an Oklahoma City halfway house.

Nelson Peterson spent about eight years in a federal prison in Texarkana after he was arrested in 1998 in connection to a large crack cocaine trafficking operation. During his incarceration, Nelson Peterson -- who helped coach Adrian's pee-wee football teams -- missed seeing his son play in person during his high school and collegiate career.

But the reunion was marred by injury when Adrian Peterson broke his collar bone en route to scoring a touchdown against the Cyclones.

"Just diving into the end zone and when he landed, he landed wrong," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said after Peterson's injury.

The Sooners' star, who finished second in the Heisman voting as a freshman in 2004, was projected to miss the remainder of Oklahoma's regular season, with a possible return for the bowl game.

Familiar with coming back from injuries -- Peterson also suffered a dislocated left shoulder and right high ankle sprain throughout his collegiate career -- the running back returned to action for OU's bowl game.

The Palestine, Texas, native rushed for 77 yards and two touchdowns in the team's 43-42 loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Peterson finished the season with 1,012 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns in seven games.

While it wasn't his greatest season in an OU uniform, Peterson determined it was good enough to promote him to the next level and enter the NFL draft.

"In the end, I think I just realized that this is a business decision and that it is time for me to take that next step. It wasn't easy. … I just put it all in God's hands," Peterson said.

Projected as a top-10 pick in the draft, Peterson has scouts drooling over his size, speed and vision of the field.

With a promising future, April 28 could erase the running back's memories of Oct. 14.