De'mond Parker
Encyclopedia
De'Mond Keith Parker was an American football
running back
for the Oklahoma Sooners
, one of their all-time greats, that had a limited career in the National Football League
. He was an All-America
level like, if not Heisman
quality, talent of RB known for long range runs through using highly rare speed and agility that helped make up for his small stature.
Parker was a standout for the Booker T. Washington Hornets in Tulsa. As a true freshman at Oklahoma, Parker gained over 1000 yards. He accomplished that feat in each of his three seasons. All three of his seasons rank in the top 20 all-time at Oklahoma.
Parker racked up 291 yards in the 1997 Red River Shootout. Outrushing eventual Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams
, Parker established the record for the most yards in a single OU-Texas game.
Parker played for the Sooners from 1996 to 1998, and is the Sooners' sixth all-time leading rusher.
When Bob Stoops
became the third head coach in Parker's tenure at Oklahoma in 1999, Parker decided to forgo his senior season, despite several attempts by Stoops to keep him with the team. He was taken by the Green Bay Packers
with the 159th overall pick in the 5th round of the 1999 NFL Draft
. Packers GM Ron Wolf
said during his rookie year that he was the fastest player on the team. In his only NFL start
in 1999, Parker rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He later joined the Detroit Lions
, but did not play.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
, one of their all-time greats, that had a limited career in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
level like, if not Heisman
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
quality, talent of RB known for long range runs through using highly rare speed and agility that helped make up for his small stature.
Career
Parker was an exceptional natural runner, even in his youth. As a fourth grader at Walt Whitman Elementary in Tulsa, he ran a 5:20 mile, and a 10 second 50 yard dash. Parker was asthmatic in his youth, a seeming irony that such a gifted athlete would be afflicted with such a condition.Parker was a standout for the Booker T. Washington Hornets in Tulsa. As a true freshman at Oklahoma, Parker gained over 1000 yards. He accomplished that feat in each of his three seasons. All three of his seasons rank in the top 20 all-time at Oklahoma.
Parker racked up 291 yards in the 1997 Red River Shootout. Outrushing eventual Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
, Parker established the record for the most yards in a single OU-Texas game.
Parker played for the Sooners from 1996 to 1998, and is the Sooners' sixth all-time leading rusher.
When Bob Stoops
Bob Stoops
Robert Anthony "Bob" Stoops is the head coach of the University of Oklahoma football team. During the 2000 season, Stoops led the Sooners to an Orange Bowl victory and a national championship....
became the third head coach in Parker's tenure at Oklahoma in 1999, Parker decided to forgo his senior season, despite several attempts by Stoops to keep him with the team. He was taken by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
with the 159th overall pick in the 5th round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
. Packers GM Ron Wolf
Ron Wolf
Ron Wolf is the former American football general manager of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. He also played a significant role in personnel operations with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1963–1975, and again from 1978–1990...
said during his rookie year that he was the fastest player on the team. In his only NFL start
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
in 1999, Parker rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He later joined the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, but did not play.
College statistics
| Season | Yards | Att | TD | Y/A | 100Y | 200Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,184 | 180 | 10 | 6.58 | 6 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1,143 | 194 | 6 | 5.89 | -- | 2 |
| 1998 | 1,076 | 205 | 5 | 5.25 | 6 | 2 |
| Career | 3,403 | 579 | 21 | 5.88 | 16 | 5 |