POSTSEASON AWARDS Oklahoma's White AP player of year

LSU's Nick Saban was selected college coach of the year.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NORMAN, Okla. -- Jason White spent much of the night in darkness, staring at his bedroom ceiling, his swollen right knee slightly elevated.
It was Sept. 7, 2002, hours after Oklahoma's quarterback crumpled to the turf against Alabama with a torn knee ligament. He had the same injury in his other knee the year before. Unable to sleep, he feared his career was over before it really began.
Yet White did return -- and produced a remarkable comeback. He beat out three quarterbacks for the starting job, put Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series title game, and was honored Wednesday as The Associated Press College Player of the Year.
"During my rehab, there were people saying that there was no way that I was going to come back or be as good as I was," said White, the Big 12 offensive player of the year.
"That really drove me and ignited me this season."
LSU's Nick Saban was named coach of the year.
Top-rated passer
White emerged as the nation's top-rated passer, leading the third-ranked Sooners (12-1) to a Sugar Bowl berth against No. 2 LSU (12-1) on Jan. 4.
White, a Heisman Trophy finalist, received 27 votes in balloting by the panel of sports writers and broadcasters on the AP college football poll.
Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald was second with 19 votes, followed by Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning (3), Kansas State running back Darren Sproles (3), Michigan running back Chris Perry (2), USC quarterback Matt Leinart (1) and USC receiver Mike Williams (1).
White completed 64 percent of his passes for 3,744 yards, with 40 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
USC's Carroll second
Saban received 22 votes in balloting by the panel of sports writers and broadcasters on the AP college football poll, beating out Southern California's Pete Carroll by five.
Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and Tulsa's Steve Kragthorpe tied for third with four votes each, and Navy's Paul Johnson and Michigan State's John L. Smith tied for fifth with two votes each. Terry Hoeppner of Miami (Ohio), Joe Novak of Northern Illinois, Rich Rodriguez of West Virginia.
The second-ranked Tigers won a school-record 12 games, captured their second SEC title in three years, and earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl with a chance to win the school's second national title.