OU’s White shows Heisman potential
October 5, 2003
Oklahoma rolled Iowa State 53-7 behind a record-setting passing attack.
Sooner quarterback Jason White had a career-high 384 yards passing for five touchdowns.
He tied the Oklahoma record for touchdown passes in a game and had the fourth-most passing yards in a game by a Sooner quarterback.
“I’m the luckiest guy in America,” White said. “I’m surrounded by great players, and I just have to do my job and they’re going to do the rest.”
Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops said White had incredible accuracy against a good ISU defense.
“He is really playing at an incredible level,” Stoops said.
ISU head coach Dan McCarney said White’s play was as impressive as he’d seen.
“He played like a Heisman [Trophy] candidate out there tonight,” McCarney said. “I’ve got to believe that he’s very much in the running.”
White said he had plenty of time to throw the ball and that the receivers did a great job running their routes and catching the ball.
“I don’t know if we laid a hand on him all night,” McCarney said.
White threw the ball to 12 receivers in the game.
“Jason’s the kind of quarterback that if you’re open, he’ll throw to you,” Oklahoma receiver Will Peoples said. “Everyone was open today.”
White said Oklahoma offensive coordinator Chuck Long has helped him more than any other coach and has done a great job with all the quarterbacks.
“He’s been through everything that I’m going through,” White said. “He gives me advice and I take it.”
Long is a former Iowa quarterback who was the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Bo Jackson in 1985.
Long said White is the “best story in college football,” having been injured for two years but never giving up.
“He’s worked extremely hard and he’s playing really well now,” Long said. “I’m very proud of him.”