The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 22

Sports Thursday JANUARY 8, 2004 Learning from losses newsok.com HEMEEM Your 2-minute morning FOOTBALL Gibbs back with Redskins OU will try to rejuvenate run game in 2004 By George Schroeder, Staff Writer NORMAN In the wake of Oklahoma's postseason offensive decline, the Sooners will look to rejuvenate the running game and refocus on spreading the football around in the passing game. Those were the lessons OU offensive coordinator Chuck Long said he would take from losses to Kansas State and LSU. During the regular season, OU averaged 48.3 points and 466.7 yards. But in the Big 12 championship and the Sugar Bowl, OU managed 21 total points. Against LSU, the Sooners totaled 154 yards.

Although the defense didn't play as well as it had in the regular season, the sudden lack of scoring punch ultimately led to OU's downfall. Long said he expects the offense to be better next season, though he's not sure how that will translate into statistics. Long based his optimism on 10 returning starters "Experience, experience, experience," he said and a belief that the Sooners will achieve a more balanced attack. Overall, 18 players who started the Sugar Bowl return. And OU coach Bob Stoops said he expects the late losses to fuel players' off-season workouts.

"Hopefully it will make 'em more determined," Stoops said. It's certainly made Long and the other offensive coaches more determined. Though the Sooners steam-rolled to big numbers during the regular season, they did so with an inconsistent running game and with a passing game that trended too far away from spreading the football around. OU averaged 145.9 rushing yards but just 64.5 in the last three games. And the running game was never the consistent weapon it had been in 2002.

No tailback emerged to replace Quen- BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN Oklahoma quarterback Jason White is sacked by LSU's Lionel Turner on OU's final offensive play of the Sugar Bowl. The Sooners will work in the off-season to try to establish a running game in hopes of making them less dependent on the pass. tin Griffin, and the offensive line sometimes struggled in short-yardage situations. Although the deficit was masked for much of the season because of a potent passing game, the imbalance hurt the Sooners in the postseason, especially against Kansas State. "Hopefully we'll be a little more powerful (in 2004)," Stoops said.

Said Long, "Our focus going into the winter talks and spring ball is focusing for that balance and getting a solid run together to complement our pass game." Long hopes to identify a difference-maker at tailback by next season. "We're not opposed to going by committee, but we'd like for something to happen there," he said. Kejuan Jones, who started the Sugar Bowl and rushed for 925 total yards, will lead several contenders, including Donta Hickson and Tashard Choice. The addition of Palestine, Texas, standout Adrian Peterson who orally committed to OU last Saturday could make an immediate impact. If Peterson remains committed and signs in February, he would arrive in August and would likely contend for playing time.

See OU, Page 4C Did K-State and LSU give foes a blueprint for beating OU? Why abandon the run late against LSU? Is Adrian Peterson the answer? Beat writer George Schroeder gives his take on these questions and others. Page 4C The Washington Redskins budgeted $5 million a year for a coach and that was enough to lure Joe Gibbs back to the struggling NFL team. In a stunning move, Gibbs will return as coach of the Redskins, a team he led to three Super Bowl championships. The Hall of Fame coach reportedly signed a five-year, $25 million contract, matching the NFL-record deal given to predecessor Steve Spurrier. Page 3C BASKETBALL OU's Tobias to transfer University of Oklahoma freshman guard Jimmy Tobias will transfer to Seminole Junior College in Sanford, OU basketball coach Kelvin Sampson said "Jimmy made a decision to go somewhere where he can play immediately and contribute right away," Sampson said.

"We respect his decision and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors." Tobias, from Fort Lauderdale, averaged 7.7 minutes, 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in six games with the Sooners this season. He scored a season-high five points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 2. RACING Motorcycle racer dies Mike Harth, an Oklahoma City native who set numerous records on the American Motorcyclist Association road race series, died in his sleep Monday at his home. He was 47.

The cause of death was not released. Harth overcame several injuries throughout his career to become a top Superbike racer from 1983 through the mid-1990s. The Putnam City High School graduate ranked seventh in the nation in AMA Superbike in 1989 and twice finished ranked in the top five in Super-sport racing. "I knew it was going to be a long day when Mike Harth showed up for a race," Daytona 200 winner David Sadowski said. "I never saw a tougher rider than Mike.

I remember him taking some pretty big lumps, and he'd somehow show up on the grid not just show up, but he'd find a way to run up front." Services are scheduled at 3:30 p.m. today at the Mercer-Adams Chapel in Bethany. White needs another comeback Was White banged up? No doubt about it. White by season's end looked the way many a pocket quarterback looks after an autumn's White's need for comebacks never seems to end. White's fairy tale season went splat in the Sugar Bowl.

Okla 71 worth of assault. Grayer, slower, weaker. But those pains shall pass, be they in bone or joint. Other afflictions are not so easily diagnosed. White has lost his populist status.

The national press that homa lost 21-14 to LSU as White completed just 13 of 37 passes for 102 yards, two interceptions and five sacks. Following White's second-worst outing, in the Big 12 title loss to Kansas State, the Sugar Bowl tarnished White's bronzed Heisman, if not his golden tale. A few weeks back, Barry Switzer hung a new name on Jason White. That's tough duty for a guy who has drained ink barrels. Not just Oklahoma newspapers have felled forests chronicling the comeback kid.

Seabiscuit, Switzer called White. Pretty good comparison. A proud beast, forgotten as a racehorse, bought for a song, becomes America's greatest sporting hero of 1938. The Biscuit later recovered from serious injury to win big again, and thanks to press and screen, his name lives on still. Seabiscuit, meet your match.

A strapping quarterback, written off as a Sooner starter, becomes America's greatest sporting story of 2003. The Heisman Trophy is placed in his hands. But just like the Biscuit, Jason BY TY RUSSELL, THE OKLAHOMAN voted White the Heisman feels duped. "Is the Heisman Trophy subject to a recall vote?" wrote Tim Sullivan of the San Diego Union-Tribune, echoing the chants of scribes nationwide. See TRAMEL, Page 4C Was White injured? No way to tell.

He and Bob Stoops say no, but that's standard operating procedure in Soonerville, where both Josh Heupel (sore elbow) in 2000 and Nate Hybl (broken shoulder bone) in 2001 played with performance-limiting injuries. Oklahoma quarterback Jason White will have to shine next season if he is going to keep the glimmer on his golden comeback. Ex-Giant will coach new Arena 2 team 'I have also had the good fortune to travel around the country, understanding the knowledge of coaching," Reasons said. Reasons said his transition to an indoor 50-yard field in nine seasons with the Giants. "This is a great privilege and honor to be named the new head coach," Reasons said.

"I've been fortunate to be around great coaches in my career: Bill Parcells, Bill Beli-chick, Tom Coughlin, Al Groh and Jim Fassell. I've watched By Mark Stack, Staff Writer Oklahoma City's new indoor football team will be coached by a former NFL linebacker and named after a barking dog. Former New York Giant Gary Reasons was introduced Wednesday as coach of the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, who will open their first Arena Football 2 season in the Ford Center in April. Reasons, in his first stint coaching at any level, was previously an analyst on Fox Sports Southwest' Big 12 telecasts. Reasons played on two Super Bowl champion teams 1 won't be difficult.

"This is a different game, but I'm a quick learner," Reasons said. 'Whether indoors or outdoors, there are four constants in this game: blocking, tackling, catching See DAWGZ, Page 3C and learned from some of the best, and what I've learned will carry over into my coaching." Reasons said he will benefit from spending the past 10 years as a color analyst. PARTING WORDS Gary Reasons Moving to Mabee "I think it's a great thing for him. He has always been involved in football. Even when he hasn't been coaching, he's kept a close eye on football." NASCAR racer Tony Stewart on his team owner, Joe Gibbs, who is returning to the NFL to coach the Washington Redskins.

0U, 0SU women win Big 12 openers Oklahoma comfortably beat Nebraska 70-51 Wednesday. Oklahoma State won a tough game with Texas 67-65. The games marked the beginning of Big 12 play for both teams. Page 6C Inside picks Index Media 2C College wrestling 3C UC0 football 4C Scoreboard 5C For the next three seasons, Class 5A and 6A high school state basketball tournaments will move to Oral Roberts' Mabee Center in Tulsa. High schools, Page 3C.