O’Brien winners share similarities
by Keith Whitmire
The Dallas Morning News (KRT)

Jason White should be the most prepared Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award winner in the history of the event.
His offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Oklahoma, Chuck Long, was the 1985 O’Brien winner.
“I told him it’s a great award; it’s a very prestigious award, and he gets a Rolex watch. It’s a nice deal,” Long said. “He’s kind of excited about the Rolex.”
Long also tutored Josh Heupel, who won several awards while leading Oklahoma to the national championship in 2000.
Long could empathize with Heupel, who was beaten out for both the Heisman Trophy and the O’Brien by Florida State’s Chris Weinke.
Long was the runner-up for the 1985 Heisman to Auburn’s Bo Jackson in the closest vote in Heisman history.
White won the Heisman and many other awards, but for Long, having a player win the O’Brien has special meaning.
“I’ve had a great feeling about it ever since he was announced,” Long said. “I don’t know if that’s something (an O’Brien winner coaching an O’Brien winner) that has ever been done.”
Mississippi’s Eli Manning and North Carolina State’s Philip Rivers were the other finalists for the O’Brien, which will be presented Monday night at a dinner at the Fort Worth Club.
Winning awards was the furthest thing from White’s mind a year ago as he tried to come back from a second major knee injury.
Although he was named the starter after spring drills in 2003, White was still far from fully recovered. Long said White’s status was day-to-day as late as August practices because his knee would swell up.
White played with pain early in the season, Long said, and again late in the year.
White injured a wrist in the Big 12 championship game and broke a bone in his foot during the Nokia Sugar Bowl.
“He’s a tough young man, one of the toughest I’ve ever been around,” Long said.
That’s why Long takes special enjoyment in seeing White win the O’Brien.
“To me, it is the quarterback award,” Long said. “The fact that it is one of our guys, not to mention that I’m coaching him, and what he represents and the story behind it has been a terrific story at this point.”
After the Sugar Bowl, White had another knee surgery, described as a routine “cleaning out” following the initial surgery. He was also wearing casts on his wrist and foot, but Long said the casts are off and White will enter spring practice healthier than he was a year ago.
After passing for 3,846 yards and 40 touchdowns last season, it would seem White has little to prove by returning to OU for another year.
However, Long said a quarterback improves the most between his first and second seasons. The 2003 season was the first one White has completed in three years.
“With him, people forget he’s only been a one-year starter, basically,” Long said. “He went through some adversity at the end of the year last year that sophomores and juniors go through. He did something that’s really phenomenal, but there’s still a learning curve, and there are things we want to add to our playbook this year.”
Terry Bradshaw
2003 Davey O’Brien Legends Award Winner
Currently: Fox NFL Sunday co-host and analyst.
Playing career: Quarterbacked the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl wins ... Named MVP of Super Bowls XIII and XIV ... Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Other: Native of Shreveport, La. ... Played collegiately at Louisiana Tech ... Is an actor, author, recording artist and motivational speaker.
Jason White
2003 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Winner
Pos.: Quarterback
School: Oklahoma
Year: Senior
Notable: Led OU to a 12-2 season and an appearance in the Nokia Sugar, the BCS title game ... Returned from two major knee injuries to win the Heisman Trophy and pass for 3,846 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2003.
Will return to OU in 2004 after receiving an extra year of eligibility because of medical hardship.