Wishbone returns to OU -- in the form of the Rice Owls

(Norman, Oklahoma-AP) -- When the Oklahoma Sooners return to the field this weekend, they'll face an echo of their past -- the Wishbone offense.

The Wishbone used to be the cornerstone of O-U's offense, but now it's the offensive staple of the Rice Owls.

Coach Bob Stoops said yesterday he would leave the Wishbone in the hands of Rice Coach Ken Hatfield, who has made it work at the Houston school.

The Owls gained 335 yards on the ground in a 23-to-16 loss to Tulsa last week and have ranked among the top ten rushing teams in the nation for each of the past four seasons.

The wishbone has declined in popularity throughout the years, replaced with more creative and variable offenses.

But Hatfield said his reliance on the system is borne of strategy, not stubbornness.