NORMAN, Okla. - Jason White has everything a quarterback could want entering his final season at Oklahoma.

His favorite receiver and entire offensive line are back, he’s got a promising, young running back at his disposal and he’s as healthy as he’s been in years. Despite all that, the 2003 Heisman Trophy winner doesn’t consider himself the favorite to win college football’s most prestigious award in 2004.

White went from question mark to superstar with a record-breaking, breakout season, throwing for 40 touchdowns and 4,708 yards. But then he and the Sooners broke down in the final two games, losing to Kansas State in the Big 12 championship and LSU in the Sugar Bowl, and casting doubt on White’s status as college football’s premier player.

Not that it matters to him.

“Jason’s grounded,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. “He’s a blue-collar guy who likes to play and compete more than he likes talking with you guys or talking about the Heisman.

“He’s going to be doing his best to win championships.”

White, an unassuming 24-year-old from small-town Oklahoma, is the first returning Heisman winner since BYU quarterback Ty Detmer in 1991.

White keeps last year’s Heisman on the mantle in his parents’ house, but deflects most questions about the award. His typical answers eventually circle back to the Sooners’ championship hopes.

When pressed, he ranks his top target, Mark Clayton, and Missouri quarterback Brad Smith above himself on the list of Heisman hopefuls this season. Georgia quarterback David Greene, Southern Cal quarterback Matt Leinart and Kansas State running back Darren Sproles figure to draw consideration, too.

“Will those players be there at the end of the year? If they are, that’s great,” White said. “But you have to produce all year.”

Sproles beat out White as the Big 12’s preseason offensive player of the year. Leinart has been listed instead of White on some prognosticators’ preseason All-American lists. White shrugs off both slights.

“That’s definitely motivation for some players,” he said. “I’m sure I’m not the only player left off an All-American list that’s going to be on an All-American list. It’s motivation to work hard throughout two-a-days and throughout the season.”

This will be White’s sixth season at Oklahoma, and he’s hoping it will be injury-free for a change.

In 1999, he received a medical redshirt after injuring his back and ankle. He hurt his left knee during his seventh game and second start of the 2001 season. Then, in 2002, he blew out his right knee in the second game of the season. Again, he was granted a medical hardship.

He ended last season with a broken left foot and sprained right throwing hand. White also had minor surgery to clean out his right knee. Those aches and pains probably contributed to his lackluster final two games, when he threw four interceptions and no touchdowns.

These days White is feeling great. Last summer, he’d run one day then rest for a few. During the season, he’d take off Mondays to recuperate. This summer, he’s been able to work out every day of the week without a problem.

“I can tell a big difference health-wise and how much more I’m in shape,” White says.

He’s feeling so good he has aspirations of executing rollout plays and bootlegs to add another dimension to an offense that scored 42.9 points per game last season and is loaded again.

Clayton shattered school records with 1,425 receiving yards and 15 touchdown catches. All-American tackle Jammal Brown and center Vince Carter anchor a veteran line.

Then there’s running back Adrian Peterson, the highly touted freshman.

With all that talent surrounding him, White has a legitimate shot to double his Heisman total and join Ohio State running back Archie Griffin as the only two-time winners of the award.

White said if he hadn’t met Griffin, he wouldn’t have even thought about matching the rare achievement.

“It’s not like I go home every day and think about what if I won it two times,” he said.

For now, White has more important things to do than get caught up in Heisman history.

“The Heisman Trophy’s a great honor,” White said. “It’s something that I’ll never forget. It’s also something that you’ve got to put in the past. If last year was my last year to play football ever again, that would be a different story. I’d still be living on the Heisman. But I’ve put it in the past already.”