Jamaal Charles seems to have become the whipping boy for whatever ails a mediocre offense at the University of Texas. He’ll never live down the goal line fumble against Oklahoma, nor the pass that bounced off his hands, and now the word seems to be that his running style just isn’t right for the Longhorns spread attack.

Read what’s being written and the sentiment seems to be for reducing the former Memorial star’s role in favor of more carries for his backup, Vondrell McGee. McGee’s a better “downhill” runner say the football geniuses making the evaluations. Jamaal just isn’t a north-south runner they contend.

One writer in Austin has even gone so far as to suggest the Longhorns might be better off using him as a receiver. A coach at Kansas did that with Gale Sayers one year. What an idiot.

In the face of this foolishness, a hometown writer who is admittedly biased toward Charles is going to offer up three opinions in his support. Draw your own conclusions.

First up is Kansas State coach Ron Prince, whose Wildcats upset Texas in Austin a month ago. Charles ran well against Prince’s team, getting 72 yards on 17 carries and moving UT boss Mack Brown to lament later than the Longhorns should have given him the ball more.

Texas, of course, as it always is with Greg Davis calling the shots, was hell bent on throwing the ball all over the place. That led to four Colt McCoy interceptions and also caused him to take a serious physical pounding.

Anyway, here’s what Prince had to say about Charles.

“He’s a pro in every sense of the word. He is a dynamic runner and has no problem catching the ball out of the backfield. Right now, he is probably the most dynamic runner in the league.”

Yeah, but he’s not a good fit for Greg Davis’ offense.

Then there’s Earl Campbell, the former Heisman Trophy winner and the greatest running back to ever play for the Longhorns. Earl has sort of taken Jamaal under his wing, and he too is troubled by the offensive philosophy and how No. 25 is being used.

Campbell made these observations in a telephone conversation from Austin Tuesday morning.

“First of all, Jamaal is a very good kid who reminds me a lot of myself in that he’s quiet and doesn’t say much. He seems to be a kid who is searching for something, wondering about something and what this is I don’t know. What I do know is he’s a really special kid and I think a lot of him.

“He’s got that fumbleitis thing on him and that’s unfortunate. The fumble in the Oklahoma game, the guy just hit the ball right. I would have fumbled on that one, a lot of guys would have. But I disagree with the way they aren’t using him on the goal line any more because of that.

“I don’t think he’s being given a chance right now. I think he needs to get the ball six or seven times in a row and see what happens. Running backs get better the more they get the ball. The longer the game goes and the more he gets the ball, the better a guy like him will run.

“But he has to have the opportunity to get to that point, and it’s not happening. He’s not getting the chance to get heated up. With a running back as good as he is, you need to hang with him through good and bad and you will be rewarded.

“I think Jamaal is a very good player, who can be a great player. He’s got speed and speed is everything. His running style and body reminds me a little bit of Eric Dickerson.

“One thing I don’t want to see him do is leave after this year. He can make it in the NFL, but he can come back and have a big senior year. Texas will be a lot better team next year. They are young. They will be better and he needs to stay here and show how good he can be.”

Opinion No. 3 came from Joe Washington. Washington has been aware of Jamaal since he broke Little Joe’s Port Arthur schoolboy rushing record, has watched tape of him and has talked with him, including before the Texas-Oklahoma game.

“It’s hard for me to comment on what Texas is doing with him because I’m not around that situation,” said the guy who ranks No. 2 on OU’s all-time rushing list. “But from what I’ve seen of him, he’s most of the most impressive runners out there. He’s scary when he gets the ball. He’s one of those guys that’s always one step away from breaking.

“The fumble in the Oklahoma game was a really big play. Once you get a perceived reputation of fumbling, people are going to go after the ball more and the odds of fumbling increase. But he can overcome that. Tiki Barber did it with the New York Giants.

“If he was on my team, I’d want the ball in his hands a whole bunch of the time. When you have that kind of speed, well speed kills. I just think he’s an unbelievable talent. He has good feet inside and he’s one of the best straight ahead runners I’ve ever seen.

“Everything about him is easy and fluid. He doesn’t look like he running fast but he’s chewing up ground. He gains six yards and you don’t realize he’s made that much. His run is like a waltz. People have to look at his way of running for what it is. It’s different, but it’s effective.

“I didn’t realize how big he is until I stood next to him on the field before the Texas-OU game. Man, with that body he can carry 225 pounds in the NFL and maybe lose only a tenth of a second off his speed. I have no doubt he can make it in the NFL, but I hope he stays for his senior year at Texas.

“It’s disappointing to hear what he’s going through there because he is just such an unbelievable talent. Any time you are getting blamed for everything, they must think a lot of you. He just needs to tough it out and make the most of the opportunities he gets.

“Sooner or later, he’ll make a play that will have them scratching their heads wondering why they haven’t made better use of him. He just needs to keep a great attitude. I really believe it will work out for him, especially if he’s got Earl in his corner.”

Coming from two great players who did it on every level, that’s interesting stuff about Jamaal. Stuff which makes me wonder more than ever why Greg Davis can’t maximize the abilities of such a unique talent.

Then, again, you never know about coaches. Like I mentioned earlier, Kansas tried to make a receiver out of Gale Sayers. Doctors aren’t the only ones who can be guilty of malpractice.

Sports editor Bob West can be e-mailed at rdwest@usa.net. His Sportsrap radio show airs Wednesdays at 8:05 p.m. on KLVI (560-AM).