Running Game A Point Of Emphasis For Sooners

Aug. 29, 2002

By OWEN CANFIELD
AP Sports Writer

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma has two goals in its season-opener against Tulsa - win and fine-tune the running game.

The co-No. 1-ranked Sooners ditched the wishbone more than a decade ago, but hope to improve a running game that has been inconsistent in recent years.

"We'd have an 80-yard run, then 15 runs of 1 yard," new offensive coordinator Chuck Long said. "So that stat, 120 yards a game, gets skewed a little bit because we haven't been consistent running the ball.

"That's what we're trying to get better at - not having a bunch of runs where we get 1 yard."

Winning shouldn't be a problem against a team coming off a 1-10 season.

Last year, Oklahoma averaged 120 yards rushing per game. Not bad, but the Sooners had a tough time making yards when they really needed to. The worst performance: zero yards in the final regular-season game, a stunning loss to Oklahoma State.

When Mark Mangino left to become coach at Kansas, Bob Stoops promoted Long to offensive coordinator and hired Kevin Wilson, who had the same job at Northwestern.

Last season under Wilson, Northwestern led the Big Ten in total yards. The previous year, the Wildcats set 25 school records and were third nationally in total offense.

Wilson has the offensive linemen standing closer to each other than they did under Mangino, so they don't face as much one-on-one blocking. He also has stressed being tougher and more physical.

Tight end Trent Smith said Wilson's influence has changed the attitude of the linemen.

"The running game was a weakness for us last year and we've focused on it. I think we've made improvement and strides," he said. "Only time will tell."

In addition to changes up front, the Sooners plan to use more two-back sets. During Stoops' first three years, with Mike Leach and then Mangino as offensive coordinator, Oklahoma went almost exclusively with one running back.

Long also tweaked a few things that are intended to allow the runners to concentrate more on running and less on assignments.

"We've simplified things for them so they can step forward and play," he said. "The mental part has been eased. They still need to be physical, obviously, but we feel like we've put them in better positions to succeed."

Opening with Tulsa should allow the Sooners ample opportunity to test the running game. The Golden Hurricane gave up 222 yards rushing per game last season.

"Regardless of opponent, we're trying to establish our offense and our rhythm in our running game," Long said. "That's something we want to do each and every ball game. Tulsa's this week."

Tulsa coach Keith Burns said he expects the run.

"Up front - it's always won and lost there," he said. "That's a cliche, but that's also the reality. How can we hold up versus a bigger more physical team for four quarters? That's the big challenge for us."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Running Game A Point Of Emphasis For Sooners

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