Numbers don't tell whole story of Heupel

MIAMI (AP) _ In just two years, Josh Heupel has broken Oklahoma some passing records that had stood for decades. <br><br>His impact on the program may last just as long. <br><br>Oklahoma has produced tremendous

Wednesday, January 3rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ In just two years, Josh Heupel has broken Oklahoma some passing records that had stood for decades.

His impact on the program may last just as long.

Oklahoma has produced tremendous football players during its long and rich history, players who are woven into the fabric of that tradition, names like Vessels and Selmon and Sims and Bosworth.

But it could be argued that Heupel, since being plucked from a junior college in Utah, has had as much or more impact on the program than anyone.

``I think there's no question he'll go down as one of the great all-time Sooner players,'' coach Bob Stoops said. ``And that's saying a lot.''

When Heupel came to Oklahoma, he was coming to a school that had won 12 games in the previous three seasons, a school known for its ability to run the football, not throw it.

He was being asked to be the point man in the transition to a wide-open passing attack, the likes of which had never been seen in Norman. And he has succeeded beyond all expectations.

``If you go back to the wishbone era, I think Jack Mildren probably had more of an impact on the wishbone era as compared to what Josh has done, because Jack didn't have a model to look at,'' said former Oklahoma quarterback and current U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts.

``Steve (Davis) and Thomas (Lott) and myself, when we came along, we could pull out the old film and go look at what everybody preceding us did and say 'This is how you need to do it.' ''

Heupel's model was the offense at Kentucky, which Oklahoma was installing under the direction of offensive coordinator Mike Leach. It's an offense that gives the quarterback a lot of leeway, which in turn requires a lot of smarts.

Heupel proved to be a perfect fit.

``He has a better work ethic than most of your professional quarterbacks at this point,'' said quarterbacks coach Chuck Long, who spent six years in the NFL.

``What sets you apart in this offense is not so much what you can do physically, but what you can do mentally. That's where Josh has had an advantage here at Oklahoma.''

Working with a corps of inexperienced wide receivers, Heupel threw for more 3,460 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, and the Sooners began their turnaround by winning seven games.

This season, with Heupel making crucial decisions and big plays week after week, Oklahoma went 12-0 for the first time in school history and moved from No. 19 in the preseason to No. 1 heading into Wednesday night's Orange Bowl game against Florida State.

Over and over again, Stoops pointed to his quarterback as the primary reason.

``I think people recognize that, that he is a major reason why in a program that may have been faltering a little bit, to now be 12-0 and competing for a national championship once again, he's a big reason why,'' Stoops said.

Watts said Heupel's impact has been ``incredible.''

``We went from an option concept to throwing the ball 35 times a game,'' he said. ``With the talent we had in place, to see us go from Step 1 and see us in the tenth step of the phase is quite impressive.''

The Orange Bowl will be Heupel's last game at Oklahoma. His successors are big, strong, young players who all have big potential and may wind up erasing some of Heupel's records someday.

His mark on the program, however, is here to stay.