Norman, Okla. ? At just 5-foot-8 and real shy, it’s easy to see how Quentin Griffin could be overlooked while walking around the Oklahoma campus.

Once he starts running in a Sooners jersey, though, everyone notices especially opponents who can’t catch him.

The smallest player on the top-ranked Sooners has darted for 487 yards in the past three games, all against highly ranked opponents, putting him in contention for the Heisman Trophy.

“I think Quentin has as good a chance as anybody right now,” said offensive coordinator Chuck Long, runner-up to Bo Jackson in the 1985 Heisman voting.

Coach Bob Stoops has said for the past few weeks that Griffin will get plenty of attention if the Sooners (8-0, 4-0 Big 12) continue to win and Griffin continues to excel.

“He ought to be up there with several people,” Stoops said.

It’s fitting that Griffin is quietly making a name for himself, since he does just about everything else without a peep.

“He’s quiet pretty much all the time,” offensive tackle Wes Sims said. “Every once in a while he’ll open up a little bit and talk a little bit, but for the most part he’s really a quiet guy.”

Oklahoma running back Quentin Griffin (22) gets past a Colorado defender during the second half of Saturday's game against Colorado in Norman, Okla. Oklahoma's smallest player is one of the biggest reasons the Sooners are No. 1. At 5-foot-8, Quentin Griffin has darted for 487 yards in the past three games, all against top teams, earning consideration for the Heisman Trophy.

Roommate Andre Woolfolk tells of Griffin occasionally playing practical jokes, revealing a more outgoing side of the senior tailback. But in public and with the media, Griffin rarely has much to say.

He was asked this week about the Heisman talk.

“That’s cool to be thought of in that way,” he said. “I really haven’t thought about it. I just want to go out and continue to play well. I’m grateful to be mentioned.”

Griffin has been a consistent and complete running back during his career.

He ran for just 285 yards as a freshman, when he expected to take a red-shirt season but wound up playing in five games because of injuries to other players.

He had 783 yards as a sophomore in 2000, including some big runs in Oklahoma’s biggest games on the way to the national championship, and he ran for 804 yards last year.

During eight games this season, Griffin has 950 yards and is averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He also has excellent hands he had caught at least one pass in 38 straight games before last week rarely fumbles and is a strong blocker.

“He’s just a humble kid who works his tail off day after day,” said run game coordinator Kevin Wilson. “He knows what we’re doing maybe better than any other position. He understands our protections and what our problems are and what he’s got to do. He can make adjustments that aren’t that simple look very simple because he understands the big picture.”

Griffin’s yardage total this season isn’t overly impressive, but it includes two games in which Long said the coaches didn’t use him properly. He gained just 3 yards on nine carries against Alabama, and had 10 yards on seven carries against South Florida.

Since the South Florida game, Griffin and the running game have excelled, making the offense more balanced than it has been in Stoops’ four years as coach. Griffin ran for 105 yards against Missouri and followed with a career-best 248 yards against then-No. 3 Texas.

One week later, he gained 111 yards against Iowa State, which was ranked ninth. Last week, the roll continued with 128 yards against then-No. 13 Colorado.

“He’s gaining momentum and is really playing in a great way right now, and we’ll need it the rest of the way,” Stoops said.

His size makes Griffin tough to find behind the line of scrimmage, and his shiftiness makes him tough to tackle. Sims said he often marvels at Griffin, comparing his style to Barry Sanders.

“That’s real nice to be though of like that,” Griffin said. “But nobody’s like Barry, that’s my opinion.”

This week, Griffin and the Sooners go up against Texas A&M. Two years ago, Griffin scored two touchdowns in a come-from-behind victory against the Aggies.

Their coach, R.C. Slocum, said he has admired the way Griffin handles himself on the field and the way he plays.

“When they start talking Heisman Trophy winners, to me, I’ve always thought that award goes to the best player in college football,” Slocum said. “That kid ought to be in there somewhere.”