By Berry Tramel
Staff Writer

NORMAN -- Josh Heupel was human.

For almost a quarter.

In the first 13 minutes Saturday, Heupel completed just 5 of 11 passes for 53 yards. Not surprisingly, his Sooners trailed Nebraska 14-0.

"He's our offense," said OU coach Bob Stoops.

But Clark Kent found a phone booth. Over the next 15 minutes, Heupel completed 10 of 13 passes for 185 yards. The Sooners scored 24 second-quarter points and beat Nebraska 31-14.

"We expect these superhuman things from him," said OU offensive coordinator Mark Mangino. "Josh kept his composure and pulled the whole offense together."

Early, Heupel might have been too jacked up by the roaring Memorial Stadium crowd.

"Everyone says he doesn't have a strong arm, but he overthrew three that could have been touchdowns," said Stoops. "He was probably pumped up. Once he settled in, he got his rhythm."

Heupel said his struggles were easily diagnosed. Nebraska blitzed, Heupel was uncertain about how quickly the charging Huskers would arrive and he threw the ball too soon. Adjustments followed, and Nebraska's defense tumbled.

"I was rushing things," Heupel said. "They were looping some linebackers. I didn't know if our linemen would pick 'em up. I thought I had to get rid of the ball quicker than I did."

Heupel's passes were momentarily off. His demeanor never was.

"I didn't notice anything different about Josh," said OU flanker Andre Woolfolk. "Josh is as stable as you can get. He makes sure everyone stays calm."

Heupel's most impressive play came in the second quarter, with OU trailing 14-7. On third-and-14 from the Nebraska 34-yard line, Heupel backpedaled from a blitz and threw a rainbow deep down the middle of the field. Curtis Fagan caught it for a touchdown.

"There's a feel to that," Stoops said. "The kid's blessed. You can critique it all you want, it's there. He anticipates things. "He's exceptional. He's a winner, and he's everything you want in a quarterback. It isn't the system. He is the system."

After the game, Stoops placed Heupel in the top two or three Heisman Trophy candidates, and though Heupel refused to bite on such questions, his play made a statement.

Heupel finished with 46 yards rushing on 8 carries. Take out three sacks that cost him 13 yards, and Heupel was OU's leading rusher.

"He was playing smart," Stoops said. "We wanted to keep the clock moving. He's a much better athlete than he's given credit for."