White's Mobility Opens Up New Dimension

NORMAN, Okla. -- So, who was it that lost the blueprint that spelled out how to beat Oklahoma? And where did it go?

After the Sooners' loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 championship game last year, the so-called ``blueprint'' was the talk of college football. After 12 straight wins, mighty Oklahoma had fallen and Kansas State had found the master plan that made it happen.

Really, it wasn't all that complex of a plan. It had only one basic tenet: Blitz Jason White without mercy. A month after K-State's win, LSU used a similar formula to slow the Sooners' offense and win a share of the national title, and the blueprint talk lingered through the offseason.

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But through two games this season, Oklahoma's offense is rolling again. The No. 2 Sooners (2-0) have averaged 51.5 points and 539.5 yards. They rank fourth in the nation in scoring offense and ninth in total offense.

So, what happened to the blitzing blueprint?

``Everybody's got the magical formula,'' Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. ``One week it's that and then someone gets ripped doing that and the next week it's cover them all and, 'Oh, gosh, what if they do that?'

``We go through the year and everybody will do a little bit of everything and a lot of people will give you both. That's not unusual and we're used to it and ready for it every week.''

If he was defending against his own team, Stoops said he'd probably mix blitzes with coverage schemes, but that's how Oklahoma plays defense against everybody. Stoops said he figures it's not easy for a team to adjust its defensive style on a whim just because it's playing Oklahoma.

``They have a personality and a way they like to defend,'' Stoops said. ``And then all of a sudden to say, 'Well, in this game we're going to do this.' If that's not what they're used to doing, it's not all that easy to do.

``You have to be who you are. It's hard to, for one week, be somebody else.''

The offseason also disrupted the crux of the blueprint. It gave White time to heal a broken left foot and recover after minor surgery to clean out his right knee. After all, if teams plan to blitz White, there's some expectation of actually getting to him.

Despite pressure -- heavy at times -- being applied to White this season, opponents haven't been able to reach him. He's taken a couple of hits, but no sacks while completing 35 of 49 passes for 495 yards and five touchdowns. Through two games, he's got 12 fewer passing yards on 21 fewer attempts than a year ago during his Heisman Trophy-winning season.

In the Sooners' last game against Houston, White showed his ability to outrun defenders and deliver the ball on target.

``It's definitely better knowing that if I have to get out of the pocket, I might be able to,'' White said. ``Last year, I was kind of a sitting duck. If I saw someone coming, I'd either get rid of the ball or just take it.''

The mobility isn't new for White, it's just rediscovered. In high school, White was able to run. And even after getting to Oklahoma, he had a 100-yard rushing game. After two major knee injuries, he's just now getting back to his old abilities.

``I've always been able to throw on the run,'' White said. ``Even though I did have two knee surgeries, I did throw on the run a little bit last year. Not much, but I did. It's not really a new experience, but it's definitely a lot more comfortable now.''

In the process, White has impressed Stoops by being evasive while putting the ball on the mark.

``The guy's just so accurate,'' Stoops said. ``And now with the ability to avoid the rush and scramble, I keep saying that as well as he throws in the pocket, he's every bit as good or better on the run. So, we're able to open one more dimension as well.''

And it's a dimension that may find opposing defenses looking for a new blueprint.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

White's Mobility Opens Up New Dimension

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