OU’s defensive game plan emphasizes in about 100 different ways the importance of hitting, flustering and annoying White.

“Every snap, the ball is going through him,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “Whether you put an end on him or a linebacker on him, or sometimes you try to put two on him, I think the test of time has shown that he is better than most guys most of the time.

“The challenge will be trying to contain him and not allow him to get into a great rhythm of having success in running the football.”

The Sooners have been able to do that this season against every team they’ve faced. No team has run for 200 yards against OU and only five fo 13 have managed 100.

White figures OU will crowd the line of scrimmage.

“That’s what everyone else has done,” he said.

Whatever the case, the Sooners knows they’ll be facing a unique challenge Wednesday night.

“Everybody recognizes that this team can expose you with one guy,” Venables said. “This team has the ability to expose you on any given play when one guy is out of position. You say that every week but this team is just different. It’s difficult because of the run game and the skill at that position.”

John Shinn

366-3536

jshinn@normantranscript.com