Next Oklahoma quarterback will lack experience

MIAMI (AP) _ Oklahoma has no shortage of possible replacements for Josh Heupel at quarterback. What those players lack, though, is experience. <br><br>The three who will compete for the starting job in

Monday, January 1st 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ Oklahoma has no shortage of possible replacements for Josh Heupel at quarterback. What those players lack, though, is experience.

The three who will compete for the starting job in the spring have combined to throw 18 passes in the past two seasons. One is a sophomore, one is a second-year freshman and the other is a true freshman who is being redshirted this year.

``I feel good about the situation,'' said quarterbacks coach Chuck Long. ``They're all very talented, physically talented players. Right now they haven't caught up mentally, but that's based on the fact they haven't had the repetitions that Josh has had.''

The leading candidate to replace Heupel, and the player who would be called upon if Heupel were to get hurt in the Orange Bowl on Wednesday night, is sophomore Nate Hybl. Hybl (pronounced HIBBLE) is the only other Sooner quarterback to throw a pass this year, completing 9-of-16 for 144 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

``He's very strong and he's intelligent. He's nearly a 4-point student in school,'' Long said. ``He's one of our strongest players on the team, one of the strongest quarterbacks I've been around at his age.

``Jason White and Hunter are strong quarterbacks, too.''

Hybl is 6-foot-3 and 217 pounds. White is 6-2, 220, and Wall is 6-4, 220.

White played in the first two games of 1999, then missed the rest of the season due to back and ankle injuries. He was 1-of-2 for nine yards. This year, he played in two games and didn't attempt a pass.

Wall was redshirted this year. He threw for 2,300 yards and 28 touchdowns in his senior year of high school, completing 57 percent of his passes.

``Arm strength and size are not a problem at all with these three guys,'' Long said. ``They have excellent physical tools and excellent arm strength.

``This offense does not necessarily require that. It helps, but it doesn't require it. The important thing about this offense is what you do mentally.''

Head coach Bob Stoops said his backup quarterback situation is ``probably the same as everybody else's.''

``Usually your backup's not as good as your starter, but I'd like to think we'd still perform well,'' he said.