BIG 12 PREVIEW Oklahoma has veteran blockers

Coach Bob Stoops' Sooners haven't lost much from last year's squad.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma's greatest asset -- and the second-ranked Sooners have many -- might be the players who get the least attention.
The offensive line that helped clear a path to the Heisman Trophy for quarterback Jason White returns intact for Oklahoma. The five starters -- three seniors and two juniors -- enter the 2004 season with 133 combined starts.
"A couple of years ago we were all thrown out there," All-American right tackle Jammal Brown said. "Now we have jelled and we've all been together and know each other. Now we just go out there and do our jobs."
Brown and center Vince Carter are the stars of a front wall that averages 6-foot-5 and 308 pounds. Each allowed only one sack last season while registering more than 110 knockdown blocks. Around them will be left guard Kelvin Chaisson, right guard Davin Joseph and left tackle Wes Sims.
Carter is the runt of the group at 6-3, 289 pounds. The others are each over 300 pounds and at least 6-4.
Line protected White
The line was stellar through most of last season, especially protecting White. The Sooners averaged 42.9 points per game, led by White's 40 touchdown passes and 3,846 yards.
But in the Sooners' final two games -- both losses -- the line got licked by blitzing defenses from Kansas State and LSU.
Offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said the improvements his pupils need to make are more mental than physical.
"It's getting an attitude and an edge and mind-set of how we're going to play up front," Wilson said. "We've got some great skill players to make them look good but we really need to compete."
The line's job will be to give White enough time to throw down-field to his star wide receiver, Mark Clayton, and give Oklahoma's running backs, prized freshman Adrian Peterson and veteran Kejuan Jones, space to maneuver.
"With the kind of talent we have in our backfield, if we give those guys a little crease or a little seam, they are going to take it to the house," Carter said. "They all have great speed and are great athletes so it makes us real confident going into the season."
Must learn
Oklahoma coaches insist that Peterson, the top-rated high school recruit, must learn the complete offense to supplant Jones as the starter -- that includes blocking.
"You don't want a guy who gives it all on a rushing play and then takes off on a passing play," said Chuck Long, Oklahoma's co-offensive coordinator. "He's going to be awarded the chance to play.
"We're not opposed to be playing incoming freshman, but he has to prove himself."
While the offensive line stays stable, the Sooners' defense will have to replace three All-Americans: tackle Tommie Harris (winner of the Lombardi Trophy), linebacker Teddy Lehman (Butkus and Bednarik awards) and cornerback Derrick Strait (Jim Thorpe, Bronko Nagurski awards).
Lance Mitchell, the Sooners' leading tackler in 2002, will be back from a knee injury to replace Lehman and lead the linebackers while Lynn McGruder, who was in Oklahoma's tackle rotation the past two seasons, moves into Harris' starting spot.
Stoops is confident
Coach Bob Stoops, a native of Youngstown and a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High, said he's confident his three national award winners can be replaced.
"We really like the guys that have a chance to step into those positions," Stoops said. "It isn't like they haven't played. They've played for us a lot, some of them have started, and some of them played equal amount of time as the other guys."
All in all, the Sooners haven't lost much from a team that was perched atop college football for the entire regular season last year -- including the memory of two defeats that tarnished the season.
They'll set out this season to purge that memory.
"I think everybody has learned from their mistakes and moved on," White said. "This is a new year. Last year was last year and you can't go back and change it so we'll try again this year."