Oklahoma Set to Battle Texas in Dallas

NORMAN, Okla. -- For the 99th time, Oklahoma and Texas renew the SBC Red River Shootout, one of the nation's premier rivalries. Played in the venerable Cotton Bowl, the game takes place in the midst of a most unique and energized setting, the State Fair of Texas.

The two teams played six games in Dallas from 1912-1919, then settled on the location in 1929. This marks the 76th consecutive year that the game has taken place in the Big D. Dallas, by the way, according to Mapquest.com, is 189.9 miles from Norman, 196.7 miles from Austin.

THE POLLS
OU is No. 2 in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls. Texas is No. 5. This will mark the 30th time that both teams enter the game with a national ranking, the ninth time that both are ranked among the top five. At least one of the two teams has entered the game with a national ranking in 54 of the previous meetings.

OU Notes (PDF) | OU Depth Chart

Oklahoma is 20-8-2 when it comes in with the higher national ranking, although the lower-rated team has prevailed in this series 15 times.

THE SERIES
Texas leads the series, 55-38-5, although Oklahoma has won the last four, all by double digits. In Dallas, UT holds a 43-34-4 advantage. The Sooners are gunning for their fifth straight victory in the series, something that hasn't happened since 1971-75, which also was the last time either team won five in a row against the other.

2003: 65-13, OU | 2002: 35-24, OU | 2001: 14-3, OU | 2000: 63-14, OU

Oklahoma's longest winning streak in the series is six straight from 1952-57. The longest streak by either team is eight, which Texas accomplished from 1958-65 and from 1940-47. Oklahoma enters the game unbeaten for the 49th time. Texas comes in that way for the 45th time.

O-Zone: OU vs Texas - Oct. 7, 2000
Watch the 63-14 rout of Texas from the 2000 National Championship season.

O-Zone: OU vs. Texas - Oct. 7, 1978
Billy Sims rushes for 131 yards and two TD's as OU rocks Texas, 31-10.

O-Zone: OU vs Texas - Oct. 9, 1971
Pruitt and Mildren power the Sooners to a 48-27 whipping of the Longhorns.

THE COACHES
Oklahoma: Bob Stoops (Iowa 78), now in his sixth season with the Sooners, is 59-11 overall. He is 3-2 in bowls, 3-1 in January bowls, 2-1 in BCS games, 37-7 vs. the Big 12, 21-5 vs. the Big 12 South, 15-3 vs. the Big 12 North, 2-1 in the Big 12 title game, 24-3 vs. non-conference foes, 34-1 at home, 16-6 on the road, 9-4 on neutral fields and 18-4 vs. ranked opponents. Stoops is 4-1 vs. Texas.

Texas: Mack Brown (Florida State 74) is 63-17 in his seventh year at Texas. He is 2-4 vs. OU.

OKLAHOMA ... ONE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S ELITE PROGRAMS
Oklahoma's football program owns a remarkable list of accomplishments ...
Seven national championships (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000), 38 conference titles and 37 bowl appearances, 23 of which resulted in a Sooner victory.
Oklahoma ranks No. 8 in all-time victories (739-284-53), No. 1 in victories since WWII (494) and No. 1 in victories since 2000 (49).
Oklahoma's all-time winning percentage of .711 ranks No. 4 nationally. The Sooners' .888 percentage since 2000 ranks No. 2 during that period.
Oklahoma ranks No. 7 in bowl appearances with 37 and No. 3 in bowl victories with 23.
The Sooners have produced 138 All-Americans (average of more than one per season over a 109-year history) and 51 national award winners, including four Heisman Trophy recipients. No school has produced more Butkus Award (four), Thorpe Award (three) or Nagurski Award (two) winners. Only Notre Dame (7) and Ohio State (6) have produced more Heisman winners (OU is tied with USC at four).

ABOUT THIS YEAR'S GAME
The team's rotate each year in the hosting chores. This year, that responsibility falls to Oklahoma. The Sooners will wear their home crimson jerseys, while the Longhorns will wear their road whites.

OU-Texas Weekend: Complete Game Information

LAST YEAR'S GAME
Oklahoma won 65-13 and established series bests for points scored and margin of victory. After Texas closed to within 27-13 with 3:12 left in the second quarter, OU reeled off 38 unanswered points, including 10 before the end of the half. Jason White completed 17-of-21 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns and left the game one series into the fourth quarter. Mark Clayton established a school record with 190 yards on eight receptions. The Sooner rushing game was equally effective as Renaldo Works rolled up 112 yards on 15 carries and Kejuan Jones added 81 on 17 tries. OU's defense chimed in with three interceptions, including one on Texas' first play from scrimmage, which resulted in a quick Sooner TD. Later, DE Jonathan Jackson returned a pick 21 yards for another score. Derrick Strait had the first interception and two fumble recoveries.
During its current four-game winning streak in this series, OU has outscored Texas 177-54.

THE STAKES
One of these teams has gone on to win the Big 12 South in six of the league's eight seasons.

TIES WITH THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
Mack Brown was Oklahoma's offensive coordinator in 1984. He is one of three former OU assistant coaches leading teams against the Sooners this season. The others are Texas Tech's Mike Leach and Kansas' Mark Mangino.
Bobby Jack Wright, OU's assistant head coach, defensive ends coach and special teams and recruiting coordinator, was on the Texas staff as an assistant coach from 1986-97.
For a sixth straight year, a native Austinite appears on Oklahoma roster. In fact, this year there are two with WR Frank Strong and walk-on QB Hays McEachern. Both are freshmen and are redshirting. Over the previous five years, OU's Austin native was CB Derrick Strait, who is now a member of the New York Jets. Including Strong and McEachern, a total of 10 Austinites have played for Oklahoma.
McEachern is the son of Randy McEechern, a Texas quarterback and letterman in 1977-78.

HARDLY THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS
This will mark Oklahoma's first game this season away from Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. This is the Sooners' latest first trip out of Norman since 1974 when the Red River Shootout fell on Oct. 12. OU had played three home games prior to that contest.
Oklahoma holds a record of 34-45-4 in games played at Dallas. Aside from the Red River Shootout, the Sooners own a 10-7 win over Arkansas in the 2002 Cotton Bowl, a 14-8 loss to Texas A&M in 1909 and an 11-6 setback at the hands of the Dallas Athletic Club in 1902.

A RECORD CROWD?
With additional seats installed at the Cotton Bowl, it's possible for this game. The new capacity is listed at 75,500. For every year since 1981, the attendance figure has been 75,587 . The largest crowd ever to witness the Red River Shootout was 76,059 in 1960.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER SUCCESS
Oklahoma has won 10 in a row and 20 of its last 21 contests against schools from the state of Texas. The lone exception was a 30-26 setback at Texas A&M in 2002.

TO THE WINNER GOES THE TROPHIES
The winner takes home the coveted Golden Hat Trophy which resides each year with the most recent winner. The Governor's Trophy goes back and forth between the top elected official of each state.

OU's MOST RECENT GAME
Oklahoma lassoed Texas Tech's high-scoring team last Saturday in Norman, 28-13 ...
Adrian Peterson, making his first Oklahoma start, carried 22 times for 146 yards and one touchdown. His 61-yard dash in the first quarter was the longest by an OU freshman since Renaldo Works covered 75 yards against Arkansas State in 2000.
Jason White was 15-of-24 for 151 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Redshirt freshman RB Tashard Choice saw his first college action and gained 71 yards on 16 rushing attempts. OU played without two of its top back as Kejuan Jones and Donta Hickson were nursing injuries.
Brodney Pool had two interceptions and Brandon Shelby added another. The Sooners have 14 picks over their last five games with Tech.
Shelby, a junior making just his second college start, also had a career-high nine tackles.
Texas Tech managed 425 total yards and 27 first downs, but did not score its only touchdown of the game until the 4:50 mark of the fourth quarter. The Red Raiders came into the game averaging 38.0 points and 5.3 TDs per game.

MOVE OVER, COACH
Jason White fired three touchdown passes in last Saturday's win over Texas Tech to move his career total to 55. That eclipses the previous school record of 53 by Josh Heupel. Heupel, who quarterbacked the Sooners in 1999 and 2000, is now a graduate assistant coach at OU. He still holds the upperhand over his pupil in career passing yards and total offense. Heupel is the career leader in both of those categories, while White ranks No. 3 on both lists. The No. 2 occupant in each of those statistics? OU running backs coach Cale Gundy.
Heupel started all 25 games in his career. White has played in 30 games with 22 starts. Heupel is the Sooners' career leader in both career completions (654) and attempts (1,025). As even more evidence of his accomplishments, White ranks No. 4 at OU in career completions (436) and attempts (696).

WHITE THEN AND NOW
A look at Jason White compared with the same time of last season's Heisman Trophy year ...
2003: 86-132-3 (.652), 10 touchdowns, 1,091 yards, 12.7/comp.
2004: 67-96-1 (.698), 9 touchdowns, 859 yards, 12.1/comp.

EARLY DEPARTURES
Jason White played just one series into the second half of this year's game against Houston, thus continuing a trend of early departures in his career. Last season, he finished just three games, while sitting out the equivalent of five quarters and 12 minutes ...
He missed the last 10:36 of the UH game and watched OU's offense take another 33 snaps after he went to the bench.
Over the last two seasons, White's time on the bench due to large Sooner leads now amounts to one hour and 38 minutes. That's six full quarters (three halves) and eight more minutes of another period.

CLAYTON CLAIMS EIGHTH SCHOOL RECORD
Mark Clayton used the Oregon game to establish his eighth school record. He moved to 173 career receptions to eclipse the previous mark of 169 held by Quentin Griffin (Clayton is now at 177). Of the three Biletnikoff Award finalists in 2003, Clayton is the only back for the 2004 campaign ...
Clayton has seven multi-touchdown reception games.
He averages one touchdown every 7.1 receptions.
So far this season, 108 of his 320 receiving yards have come after the catch.
The OU leader with 12, 100-yard receiving games, he obliterated the previous mark of four by Eddie Hinton (1966-68).
Twelve of Clayton's 22 receptions have resulted in first downs for the Sooners.

THIRD DOWN THUNDER
Oklahoma has converted a whopping 66% (42-of-64) on third down this season due in large part to the passing of Jason White. The Sooner quarterback is 26-of-37 on third down this season. His third-down throws by game look like this ...
Bowling Green -- 7-12, 99 yds., 2 TDs, 1 Int.; Houston -- 7-7, 140 yds., 0 TD, 0 Int.; Oregon 7-9, 119 yards, 0 TD, 0 Int.; Texas Tech 5-9, 54 yds., 2 TD, 0 Int.
On third-and-5 or less, White is 10-of-15 for 73 yards with 2 TD and 1 Int.
On third-and-6 or more, White is 16-of-22 for 315 yards with 1 TD and 0 Int.

2004 A.D.
Adrian Peterson, the nation's ninth-leading rusher despite the fact that he is yet to start a game, is the first player in Oklahoma history to rush for 100 yards in each of his first four games.
In 2002, Kejuan Jones set a school record for touchdowns by a freshman with 14. Peterson already has six.
Peterson draws comparison to another outstanding freshman back, Maurice Clarrett of Ohio State. In his first four games, Clarrett had 84 rushes for 575 yards and nine touchdowns. Peterson has 87 rushes for 572 yards and six touchdowns.

BOOMING BALANCE
Oklahoma had 214 rushing yards and 213 passing yards against Oregon. That's fairly typical of the season. OU has 1,040 rushing yards and 909 passing yards. Those figures are somewhat mindful of the 2002 season when the Sooners finished the 14-game slate with 2,828 passing yards and 2,668 rushing yards.

SOONERS GETTING CARRIED AWAY
A closer look at Oklahoma's rushing to date ...
Oklahoma ranks No. 12 in the nation in rushing offense at 242.25 yards per game. In 2002, the best rushing season for OU under Bob Stoops to date, the Sooners ranked No. 24 nationally. Their average that year, spearheaded by Quentin Griffin's 1,884 net yards, was 190.6 yards per game.
For the 59th time, two Oklahoma players exceeded 100 rushing yards in the same game when both Kejuan Jones and Adrian Peterson did so in the opener against Bowling Green. It was the third time it happened in Bob Stoops' six seasons.
There have been 14 games under Stoops in which OU had more rushing than passing yards. It has happened twice this season (Bowling Green, Texas Tech).
Adrian Peterson became just the second OU freshman to rush for 100 yards in his debut, and the first running back to do so. True freshman QB Kerry Jackson went for 109 yards on 10 carries against Utah State in 1972. Peterson is the fourth frosh running back to play under Stoops.
Oklahoma has rushed for 200 yards in 19 games under Stoops including the first four games of this season.

PERK TIES NCAA RECORD
Antonio Perkins tied the NCAA record for punt returns for touchdowns when he registered No. 8 against Houston. Perkins already is the NCAA record holder for punt returns for touchdowns in a game (3 vs. UCLA in 2003) and season (4 in 2003), and he set the punt return yardage record with 277 vs. UCLA last season. The Lawton, Okla., native shares the career mark with Wes Welker, also a native Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), who finished his career at Texas Tech last season. By the way, Perkins also tied another NCAA record for combined kicks (kickoffs and punts) returned for touchdowns even though all of his are of the punting variety.

SCARY SCORING
Oklahoma set a school record with 601 points last season. With one less regular season game on this year's slate, eclipsing that feat will be tough, although the 04 Sooners are giving it a shot. Last season, the four-game scoring total was 168. This year, it's 162.

JONES CROSS OVER 1,000, PEOPLES TAKES AIM
Brandon Jones crossed over the 1,000-yard mark for career receiving yards during the Sooners' win over Texas Tech. Jones now has 1,015 yards. Will Peoples is trying to join Jones in the select club. He is 31 yards away. There have been 19 1,000-yard receivers at OU, seven on Bob Stoops' watch.

FIRST THINGS FIRST FOR BRADLEY
Oklahoma receiver Mark Bradley scored a touchdown on his first career rushing attempt in the 63-13 win over Houston. The 51-yard reverse came after taking a pitch from fellow receiver Mark Clayton. Earlier in his career, Bradley scored a touchdown on a his first career kickoff return attempt (100 yards at Iowa State last season) and on his first career passing attempt (17 yards to Clayton vs. Oklahoma State last season). Bradley did not score a touchdown on his first career reception, but he did on his fifth a 39-yarder at Iowa State last season. Bradley, a senior, is the son of former Sooner quarterback Danny Bradley, who lettered at OU from 1981-84. The younger Bradley began his college career at Arkansas-Pine Bluff before transferring to Oklahoma.
Bradley tops the team in career touchdowns per touches at 5.0 (that includes the pass to Clayton last season). He has 25 career touches and five touchdowns. Next highest on the team is Brandon Jones with 66 touches and 12 TD (5.5), then Mark Clayton with 190 touches and 25 scores (7.6).

THESE GUYS ARE THE BACK-UPS?
When Tommy Grady came in and connected on 8-of-9 passes against Houston, it was just more of the same from Oklahoma's back-up quarterbacks. Not a single reserve quarterback has completed less than 50% of his passes for a season during the Stoops era. Between Paul Thompson last year and Grady this year, the second-stringers are a combined 27-of-36 for 274 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

POLL TOLL
Oklahoma is ranked No. 2 in both polls ...
Oklahoma is 55-12 when carrying the No. 2 ranking, including a 22-3 mark at home. The Sooners are 38-4 vs. unranked opponents when listed at No. 2. Ranked OU teams are 310-27-3 against unranked teams all-time.
Oklahoma has the third-longest active streak in terms of consecutive weeks in the Associated Press' rankings. Michigan tops that list at 98 followed by Miami at 76 and Oklahoma at 74.
The AP poll debuted in 1936. OU and Notre Dame are tied for the most weeks spent at No. 1 with 95 each. Ohio State is next at 74 followed by Miami at 69 and Florida State at 61.
Oklahoma has been ranked among the AP's top 10 in every week but one since Oct. 6, 2000. That one exception saw the Sooners dip to No. 11 prior to defeating Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2001 season. That win vaulted them back into the top 10.

HOME FIELD HONCHOS
Oklahoma is 34-1 at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium under Bob Stoops. The Sooners have won their last 17 home games, including five over ranked opponents. The longest home winning streak under Stoops was 17. During the current streak, OU has ...
averaged 46.3 points per game to just 11.9 for the opponents.
won every game by double digits.
eclipsed 50 points seven times, 60 points four times and 70 points once.
notched two shutouts and another three games in which the opponent did not score a TD.

BLAKE, MEET THE MAYTAG REPAIR MAN
Blake Ferguson is off to a fast start at 43.9 yards per punt, but you won't find the OU punter anywhere among the NCAA leaders. That's because with a minimum of 3.6 punts per game required for consideration, Ferguson's 11 punts are more than three attempts shy. If Ferguson's attempts met the minimum and his average was the same, he would rank No. 12 nationally. To date, Ferguson dropped four of his 11 attempts down inside the 20.

OREGON WIN CONCLUDES ANOTHER PERFECT NON-CONFERENCE SEASON
Since Bob Stoops arrived in 1999, no Big 12 team has had a better winning percentage in regular season non-conference games than Oklahoma. The Sooners are 21-1. That number of victories and winning percentage (.955) are tops during that stretch in the Big 12.
OU has won its last 18 regular season games vs. non-league foes.
Stoops is 24-3 vs. non-league foes, including the post-season, and 17-0 in non-conference home games.

FRIGHTENING FIGURES IN OCTOBER
Oklahoma is 15-4 in the month of October under Bob Stoops, although it should be pointed out that three of those four losses came in his first season (1999). Since then, the Sooners are 14-1 in the 10th month of the year.

THE OFFENSE IN BRIEF
Oklahoma scored a school record 601 points last season. It also accomplished an OU first by exceeding 50 points in four straight games. School bests also were established in passing yards (4,109), first downs (314), interception avoidance (0.22), turnovers (17/tied), turnovers per game (1.2/tied) and touchdown passes (43).
Other spots claimed by the 2003 team on various school record lists ... No. 2 in completions (349), No. 2 in plays (1,018), No. 9 in yards per play (6.0), No. 2 in total yards (6,152), No. 8 in yards per game (439.4), No. 4 in points per game (42.9), No. 4 in completions per game (21.3), No. 4 in passing attempts (480), No. 4 in pass attempts per game (34.3), No. 4 in passing yards per game (293.5) and No. 3 in completion percentage (62.3).
Under Stoops, OU has produced its career leader in passing and receiving, while also turning out the fourth leading rusher in school history.
OU has scored at least one TD in 72 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 7, 1998.
Under Stoops, OU has rushed for 200 yards 19 times, including 14 over the last four years.
Under Stoops, Oklahoma has 75 touchdowns of 25 yards or longer and 185 scoring drives that lasted less than two minutes.

THE DEFENSE IN BRIEF
Oklahoma has forced at least one turnover in 63 of the last 70 games (Stoops' tenure) and has at least one interception in 47 of the last 58 contests. OU has had multiple interceptions in 16 of the last 30 games.
Opponents have a 50% completion rate just 32 times in the last 70 tilts.
Foes have scored less than 14 points in 43 of Stoops' 70 games.
Under Stoops, the Sooners have six shutouts. Opponents failed to score more than seven points in 21 of the 69 games.
The NCAA charts five major defensive categories -- scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, passing defense and pass efficiency defense. OU has been top 25 in all five for four consecutive seasons.
Oklahoma had at least 20 interceptions in four straight years (2000-03). Never before had OU strung together three seasons with 20 picks.

THE SPECIAL TEAMS IN BRIEF
A look at special teams notes from Bob Stoops' era as OU's head coach ...
There have been 21 special teams TDs, including 14 in the last 39 regular season games. Those 14 came via five different kinds of plays -- nine punt returns, two faked field goals, a blocked punt, a kickoff return and a faked punt. The special teams also own one safety.
OU has returned five kickoffs and 12 punts for touchdowns.
The Sooners have blocked 18 kicks.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS
During the Stoops era ...
Kickoff Returns -- There have been 30 returns of 25 yards or more with five touchdowns.
Punt Returns -- There have been 35 returns of 15 or more yards with 12 touchdowns.
Interceptions -- There have been 46 returns of 10 or more yards with 11 touchdowns.
Fumbles -- Three returns of 15 or more yards with three touchdowns.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S MOST PROLIFIC SCORING PROGRAM
No college program has scored more points than Oklahoma's 28,143. In addition, OU's margin of victory, 15,199, ranks No. 2 behind Michigan. Oklahoma is 102nd (out of 117) in points surrendered at 12,960. Not bad for a team that ranks No. 26 in games played at 1,078.

STADIUM STUFF
Phase II was completed in the off-season. The $7 million project has centered in three areas -- fan amenities on the upper levels of the west side, remodeling of the Santee Lounge and bricking the north, south and center portions of the west side. Also, the facing of the press box was re-designed with new images and a listing of the football program's accomplishments.
The capacity of the stadium is up from 81,207 last season to 82,112 this season.
The stadium can seat 2.3% of the state's population. Of the 27 states with at least three million residents, none can house a greater percentage of the state's population in a college football venue.
The playing surface was replaced over the off-season ... grass type: Tiff-Sport (Bermuda sod grown in San Antonio, Texas), square footage: 79,000, quantity of sand: 2,500 tons.

DID YOU KNOW?
Oklahoma had the highest graduation rate among the eight schools that played in last year's BCS games (65%).

HEAD COACH BOB STOOPS
History is one tough customer at Oklahoma. The tradition, so rich and so long-standing, is as daunting as it is impressive. To be among the best at Oklahoma is to be among the best in college football.

Such dramatics are lost on Bob Stoops. The Sooner head coach befriended the would-be albatross of OU's successful past from his first day on campus and remains steadfastly focused on tomorrow and the championship it holds.

It falls then to long-time observers and experts of the game to define Stoops' impact. Rarely have the pundits had it so easy.

Under Stoops, Oklahoma has won 59 games, spent 59 consecutive weeks in the national rankings, played in five bowl games, three of the BCS variety, and captured two Big 12 crowns. On a playing field leveled by scholarship limits and parity, this era stares down the Oklahoma standard and does not blink.

The achievement is so brilliant that it dulls the memory of what Stoops inherited. When he arrived in Norman, the proud Sooner program was five years removed from a winning record; four from bowl play. Those atypical days of angst are so forgotten now that they might as well be categorized with the land rush and dust bowl.

Stoops has been characterized as a grounded family man, brilliant big-game coach, relentless recruiter, disciplined leader and a person with uncommon perspective. His success emanates from a disciplined style true to his roots in the Steel Valley of Ohio, but he is far from inflexible. The principles to which he holds are the tried and true axioms of the sport ... mixed with cutting edge strategy and an appreciation for the calculated risk.

During his time, OU has produced recordsetting passers and receivers, a 1,000-yard rusher, suffocating defense and special teams units that rank among the most dynamic in the land. The Sooners have been nothing if not versatile.

The son of a coach, Stoops was a four-year starter at Iowa. He began his coaching career in 1983 as a volunteer in the Hawkeye program under Hayden Fry. He worked through the ranks until he became co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State (1991-95).

With the Wildcats, he played a key role in their impressive turnaround. During his final four seasons there, K-State was 35-12 with three bowl appearances.

Eventually, he left for Florida and a three-year stint as Steve Spurrier's defensive coordinator. In 1996, he was part of a national championship team. It was with the Gators that the spotlight found Stoops and made him one of the hottest names in the profession. His hiring at Oklahoma was one for the ages.

THE STOOPS ERA IN BRIEF
A look at Bob Stoops' first five seasons ...
OU won the 2000 national championship, three Big 12 South crowns and two Big 12 titles.
Oklahoma has spent 22 weeks at No. 1.
Two of the longest winning streaks in OU history - a 20-game streak from 2000-01 and a 14-game streak from 2002-03.
OU has set or tied 63 school records.
Oklahoma has played in five bowl games. Never had an OU coach taken even his first three teams to bowls. Prior to Stoops' arrival, OU had gone four straight years without a bowl, and had not played in one of what is now a BCS game since the 1988 Orange Bowl (1987 season). Stoops, in his second season, led OU to the 2001 Orange Bowl (2000 season).
OU has had a double-digit lead in 59 of 69 games.
OU has 33 of its 41 Big 12 victories under Stoops and just seven of its 23 losses.
An OU player has finished among the top seven in the Heisman voting three times -- Jason White No. 1 in 2003, Roy Williams No. 7 in 2001 and Josh Heupel No. 2 in 2000.
16 All-Americans, two AP Players of the Year (Heupel, White), two Nagurski Award winners (Williams, Derrick Strait), two Thorpe Award winners (Williams, Strait), two Butkus Award winners (Rocky Calmus, Teddy Lehman), one Bednarik Award winner (Lehman), one Lombardi Award winner (Tommie Harris) and one Tatupu Award winner (J.T. Thatcher). OU has had a Butkus finalist in each of the last four years and a Lombardi finalist in the last three.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
LB Gayron Allen: Returning starter on the weakside.

LB Rufus Alexander: Started the last three games ... No. 4 on the team with 21 tackles.

DT Remi Ayodele: Has not started a game yet, but is tied with Jonathan Jackson for the team sacks lead with three.

CB Eric Bassey: Started as the team's SS in 2002, then was a back-up corner last season ... one of the team's fastest players, he had a 34-yard interception for touchdown against UCLA last season and a 45-yard fumble return for TD vs. Alabama in 2002.

DE Larry Birdine: Tied for the team lead with five quarterback hurries ... tied for second in tackles for loss with four.

WR Mark Bradley: Big, dangerous athlete, who is in his first year as the holder for placements ... son of former OU QB Danny Bradley, he threw a touchdown pass last season ... ran 51 yards for a touchdown on a reverse against Houston.

OT Jammal Brown: The right tackle had the top grade on the line last season ... a bright pro prospect ... ranks fourth on the team with 32 career starts.

OL Chris Bush: One of the team's most versatile linemen, he could see significant snaps at
center and guard ... has five career starts, including the last three, one at right guard and the other two at left.

C Vince Carter: Was a finalist for the Rimington Award last season.

WR Mark Clayton: Of the three finalists for last year's Biletnikoff Award, he is the only one returning (other two were Larry Fitzgerald and Mike Williams) ... has 25 career touchdown catches and 27 career starts.

DE Dan Cody: Was one of six finalists for last season's Hendricks Award ... said Bowling Green QB Omar Jacobs, “That No. 80 is a monster” ... is being used as an extra tight end in OU's jumbo set.

K Trey DiCarlo: Set NCAA record with 74 PAT last season ... had a string of 59 consecutive PAT makes snapped in win over Bowling Green ... made 5-of-7 field goals this season with his lone miss from 47 yards (bounced off the upright) ... made 38-of-49 in his career ... one of three finalists for last year's Groza Award.

P Blake Ferguson: Enjoying his best season as a Sooner with a 43.9-yard average and four of 11 kicks downed inside the 20.

RB Donta Hickson: Posted a 25-yard touchdown run against Oregon ... missed the Texas Tech game with an injury.

LB Clint Ingram: One of the team's most physical players, something he proved on special teams over the last couple seasons ... made his first career start against Bowling Green.

Jonathan Jackson: Tops the team in tackles for loss with five for -25 ... also tied for the team led with three sacks.

WR Brandon Jones: Leads team with 15.7 yards per reception ... eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for career receiving yards in the win over Texas Tech.

RB Kejuan Jones: Led OU with 925 rushing yards last season ... played behind Quentin Griffin in 02 and was the team's very effective short yardage back ... set career highs with 32 carries and 148 yards in this year's opener ... string of eight straight games with at least one TD ended against Oregon ... missed the Texas Tech game with an injury.

OG Davin Joseph: Gifted and experienced lineman who was one of the nation's top wrestlers back in his high school days ... missed the Houston game with an injury.

LB Zach Latimer: A defensive end earlier in his career, he is emerging as a strong candidate for playing time at linebacker.
DT Lynn McGruder: Figures to join the starting line-up in the spot previously held by Tommie Harris ... Co-Big 12 Sportsman of the Year with Mark Clayton for his role in assisting victims in a serious automobile accident in the summer of 03.

MLB Lance Mitchell: Played in three games last season before going down with a season-ending knee injury ... was the team's top tackler in 2002 with 124 ... led the Sooners in the opener with nine tackles ... two sacks against Houston ... knocked down a pair of passes against Texas Tech.

TE Bubba Moses: Touchdown reception against Oregon was the first of his career.

SS Donte Nicholson: Top returning tackler after posting 90 last season as the Big 12's Defensive Newcomer of the Year.

WR Will Peoples: Has 14 career starts at receiver ... needs 81 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for his career.

CB/RS: Antonio Perkins: Has eight career punt returns for touchdowns ... has 12 punt returns of 40 yards or longer in his career ... graduated in May with a degree in criminology/sociology and is presently attending graduate school.

FS Brodney Pool: Led the team with interceptions last year with seven ... currently the team's leading tackler with 36 ... two interceptions against Texas Tech.

WR Jejuan Rankins: Reminds many of teammate Mark Clayton ... caught 33 balls last season in his first year on the field for OU ... 56-yard KOR set up OU's first touchdown vs. Houston.

LS Jacob Rice: No errant snaps in 352 career tries.

TE Willie Roberts: At 6-7, he is tied for team honors (with Tommy Grady) as the team's tallest player. In the fray for the starting TE job.

FB J.D. Runnels: Rock steady player who is assignment strong ... also a good receiver as evidenced by 22 career receptions ... touchdown grab against Texas Tech.

DB Brandon Shelby: Per snaps played, he is one of the most effective players on the team ... Made All-Big 12 HM in 2002 with no starts ... has three career blocked kicks ... had an interception and a career-high nine tackles in the win over Texas Tech, his lone start of the season.

OT Wes Sims: A fixture on the left side with 39 career starts.

QB Paul Thompson: Ran a 4.4 40 in fall testing and brings multiplicity to the quarterback position.

QB Jason White: 2003 winner of the Heisman and O'Brien Awards ... will graduate in December with a degree in sociology.

WR Travis Wilson: Leads the team in touchdown receptions with four, including two against Texas Tech.