No. 5 Oklahoma learning how to handle Army's triple option

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- It might be strange for longtime college football fans to imagine that Oklahoma's roster is almost completely unfamiliar with the triple option offense.

In the eyes of many, Oklahoma perfected it. The Sooners ran it out of the wishbone formation to win national championships in 1974, 1975 and 1985 under coach Barry Switzer. There are three options per running play -- the quarterback, a fullback and a pitch man. The quarterback often determines the ball carrier by reading what the defense does.

The system that dominated college football from the late 1960s into the 1990s is now rarely seen. That made Army's offense difficult to simulate in practice as the fifth-ranked…