Oklahoma Sooners
2001 record: 11-2 (6-2)
Coach: Bob Stoops (4th season, 31-7)
Starters returning: 9 offense, 7 defense, 0 kickers

Outlook: Oklahoma is back to being Oklahoma again. The Sooners lost Nagurski and Thorpe winner Roy Williams and Butkus Award winner Rocky Calmus, a talent drain that would seriously deplete most programs, but they're still considered one of the top two teams in the country in most polls.

The Sooners return several players who could step up and take home some of the top national awards in December, including defensive tackle Tommie Harris, defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson and tight end Trent Smith. They add two talented junior college linebackers and a new emphasis on a more physical running game.

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Several things could trip up the Sooners, including uncertain quarterback play. Jason White, whose ability to improvise came up big for the Sooners last year, is coming off a season-ending knee injury and will try to win the job back from the less explosive but more experienced Nate Hybl.

"We could easily avoid a controversy and point to one guy,'' Stoops said. "We don't do things like that. Our players earn their way. If Jason fights back, he has a good chance to earn his way back."

Finding replacements for Tim Duncan, the OU career field goal record holder; punter Jeff Ferguson, a Ray Guy Award finalist; and deep snapper Ben Panter is key. Returners Antwone Savage and Curtis Fagan make that phase of the special teams a strength.

Key game: If the Sooners and Longhorns arrive unbeaten in Dallas on Oct. 12 it will make this the most anticipated showdown in the series since 1984, when No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Oklahoma tied 15-15. Both teams have other potential stumbling blocks -- OU hosts Colorado and Texas must visit Kansas State and Nebraska -- but this one could decide the national title as well as the conference title.

Keep an eye on: Lance Mitchell. Three years ago the Sooners added a JUCO linebacker named Torrance Marshall, who became a key member of the 2000 national champions. They took the same route this year, plucking the 6-3, 250-pounder -- who'll wear Marshall's No. 10 -- from City College of San Francisco to plug the middle.

It's a good year if . . . The offensive line comes together. Injuries and youth slowed its progress last year, a situation bailed out by Jason White's ability to improvise. The addition of line coach/run game coordinator Kevin Wilson, who molded a spread running game at Northwestern that allowed Damien Anderson to have a 1,000-yard season in 2000, was designed to simplify schemes and improve aggressiveness.

Mark Wangrin covers the Big 12 for the San Antonio Express-News.