Stoops-era quarterbacks
Stoops-era quarterbacks

Published: August 22, 2007

From Josh Heupel in 1999 to Paul Thompson in 2006, the Sooners have gradually run more and passed less in the Bob Stoops era.

With starting quarterback Sam Bradford, a redshirt freshman who has yet to take a snap in a game, look for OU to continue its recent trend of conservative play calling.

Here's a look at the evolution of OU's offense under Stoops:

The Sooners leaned on the rushing of Adrian Peterson (1,012 yards) and after Peterson's collarbone injury, Allen Patrick, who had at least 100 yards in four games.

But Thompson proved steady off play action and roll out throws, completing 60 percent of his passes while tossing 22 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions.

For the first time in the Stoops era, OU decidedly preferred running from under center instead of passing out of the shotgun.

Early, the Sooners tried to let Peterson win games by himself, handing him the ball 78 times in the first three games. But toward the end of the season, Bomar started to throw the ball downfield more effectively, finishing the year with 2,018 yards passing.

The Sooners produced their most balanced offensive attack under Stoops, as White threw for 3,205 yards, and Peterson rushed for 1,925.

The Sooner offense averaged almost 35 points a game but disappeared in a 55-19 loss to USC in the Orange Bowl.

Behind White and a slew of talented receivers, OU aired it out. White passed for 3,486 yards, 40 touchdowns with just 10 interceptions on his way to winning the Heisman.

But OU's offense ran out of gas at the end of the year, combining for just 21 points in its final two games, losing in both.

After their worst offensive year in the Stoops era in 2001, the Sooners, behind Hybl, were better in 2002.

Hybl threw for 2,538 yards and 24 touchdowns, and OU thrashed Washington State in the Rose Bowl.

OU couldn't find an offensive identity, floundering down the stretch in a 16-13 home loss to OSU — Stoops' first loss at Owen Field — and a 10-3 victory over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl.

In 2001, Hybl threw 13 interceptions, and the offense never hummed like it had with Heupel.

Even though Heupel didn't match his performance of the year before, 2000 proved to be a magical season for him and the Sooners as OU won its seventh national championship.

In 2000, the Sooners relied more on an opportunistic defense, especially when Heupel played injured down the stretch. He still threw for 3,606 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Led by Stoops, offensive coordinator Mike Leach and transfer quarterback Heupel, the Sooners caught Big 12 defenses off-guard with a pass-happy spread offense.

Heupel passed for 33 touchdowns, and OU made it back to a bowl game, the Independence Bowl.

By Jake Trotter

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