The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a
college footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team that represents the
University of OklahomaThe University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
(variously "Oklahoma" or "OU"). The team is currently a member of the
Big 12 ConferenceThe Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) of the
National Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA). The program began in 1895 and is the most successful program of the modern era (post
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) with 567 wins and a winning percentage of .763 since 1945. The program has seven national championships, 43 conference championships, 152 All-Americans (74 consensus), and five
Heisman TrophyThe 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...
winners. In addition, the school has had five coaches and 17 players inducted into the
College Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
and holds the record for the longest winning streak in Division I-FBS history with 47 straight victories. Oklahoma is also the only program that has had four coaches with 100+ wins, including current head coach Bob Stoops. They became the eighth NCAA FBS team to win 800 games when they defeated Utah State on Sept. 4th, 2010. The team is currently
coachedA head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
by
Bob StoopsRobert 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....
and games are played at the Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in
Norman, OklahomaNorman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
.
Pre-Owen era (1895–1904)
The football program at the University of Oklahoma is the most famous aspect of Sooner athletics. Football at Oklahoma made its start in September
1895-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Penn Quakers and Yale Bulldogs Events* 3 September – the earliest known professional football game is played in Latrobe, Pennsylvania where Latrobe YMCA defeats the Jeannette Athletic Club 12–0.-Association...
, 12 years before statehood and one year after the first organized football game in
Oklahoma TerritoryThe Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
. The team was organized by
John A. HartsJohn A. "Jack" Harts was a student and teacher at the University of Oklahoma from Winfield, Kansas. He was also the first coach of the Oklahoma Sooners football team in 1895. At the university, he taught elocution. He was the primary organizer of that first team made up of students and Norman,...
, a student from
Winfield, KansasWinfield is a city situated along the Walnut River in the west-central part of Cowley County, located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,301...
who had played the game in his home state. That first team was composed of mostly non-students, such as a local fireman. That first "season" saw the team go 0–1, being blanked 0–34 by a more experienced
Oklahoma CityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
Town Team (the Sooners could not even muster a first down). The first game was played on a field of low prairie grass just northwest of the current site of Holmberg Hall. Several members of the Oklahoma team were injured, including Coach Harts, and by the end of the game, the Oklahoma team was borrowing members from the opposing squad so they would have a full lineup. After that year, Harts left Oklahoma to prospect for gold in the
ArcticThe Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
.
The team got its first real coach in 1897 when the new modern language professor,
Vernon Louis ParringtonVernon Louis Parrington was an American historian and football coach. His liberal interpretation of American history was highly influential in the 1920s to 1940s, when it fell out of favor.-Career:...
, was drafted as head coach (they played two games in 1896 with no coach). Parrington played some football at Harvard and was more exposed to football because he was from the
east coastThe East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. In his four years as head coach (1897–1900), Parrington's teams racked up nine wins, to one loss and two ties. After the 1900 season, football began interfering with Parrington's teaching, his real passion. He stepped down as head coach shortly thereafter and went on to win the
Pulitzer Prize for HistoryThe Pulitzer Prize for History has been awarded since 1917 for a distinguished book upon the history of the United States. Many history books have also been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction and Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography...
in 1928 at the
University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
.
The Sooners had three coaches over the next four seasons. Fred Roberts led the Sooners to a 3–2 season in 1901, Mark McMahon recorded an 11–7–3 record in his two years as coach from 1902 and 1903, and Fred Ewing recorded a 4–3–1 record in 1904. The most notable event of those four years came in 1904 when Oklahoma had its first match against its instate rival, Oklahoma A&M. The game was played on November 6, 1904 at Mineral Wells Park in
Guthrie, OklahomaGuthrie is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 9,925 at the 2000 census.Guthrie was the territorial and later the first state capital for Oklahoma...
. The Oklahoma team soundly defeated the Oklahoma Aggies 75–0, but it was an unusual touchdown that is remembered most of that game.
BedlamThe Bedlam Series refers to the athletics rivalry between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, of the Big 12 Conference...
football, the athletic rivalry between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, was born that day.
Owen era (1905–1946)
After ten years of football, the program began to get serious and started looking for a permanent coach,
Bennie OwenBenjamin Gilbert Owen was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball...
. Owen was a
quarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
on the undefeated
KansasThe University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
team of 1899 led by famous coach Fielding H. Yost. Owen's previous team beat Oklahoma twice in 1903 and 1904, so the Sooners were familiar with his ability. Owen's first two years at Oklahoma were spent between
NormanNorman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
and
Arkansas CityArkansas City is a town in Desha County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 366 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Desha County.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
as Oklahoma did not have in the budget enough funds to keep him there all year around. The early years of Owen's tenure were tough for budget reasons. Due to a low travel budget, his teams would regularly have to play as many as three games in one trek. For instance, in 1905, his squad played three teams in three
KansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
cities in five days and again in 1909 when they played three games in
MissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in six days. In Owen's first year, 1905, he gave Oklahoma its first victory over rival Texas, defeating them 2–0. Owen's first dominant team came in 1908 when they went 8–1–1, losing only to the powerful
KansasThe sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
team. His 1908 team used hand-offs directly to large runners as the forward pass was just becoming common. His 1911 team, on the other hand, had several small and fast players that the quarterback would pass directly to. That team went 8–0. Owen had two more undefeated seasons in 1915 and 1918. 1920 was also Oklahoma's first season in the stronger Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association. In the new conference, they went 6–0–1 tying only
Kansas State UniversityKansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
. During Owen's 22 year career at Oklahoma, he went 122–54–16, a 67.7% winning percentage. In 1951, he became the first person from Oklahoma to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. It was the inaugural year for the Hall of Fame and Owen was inducted along with many of the biggest names of the game including
Walter CampWalter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
,
Knute RockneKnute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
and Fielding H. Yost.
The next two coaches that came after Owen,
Adrian Lindsey-External links:...
and
Lewie HardageLewis Woodford Hardage was an American college football player and college football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1932 to 1934, compiling a record of 11–12–4. Hardage was later the head baseball coach at the University of...
, amounted to little, going a combined 30–31–10 over eight seasons. The next coach, Lawrence "Biff" Jones, went 9–6–3 in his two seasons at the helm, but he is credited for reining in the athletic department's administration, finances, and methods. The whole football program was placed on a solid footing necessary for success in modern times. Jones was a "blunt-spoken, hard-nosed military man" who graduated from West Point in 1917. Jones coached Army from 1926 to 1929 and then was the head coach of
Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. He was fired from LSU after refusing then-governor
Huey LongHuey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
's request to address the team during halftime of a game. His tenure at Oklahoma came during the
Dust BowlThe Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...
. The dust storms were so thick it would block the sun and the players would be covered in dust at the end of practice. In 1954, Jones was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
In 1937, Tom Stidham became the coach. Stidham took the solid footing put in place by Jones and stood on it. In his four seasons, Stidham's team went 27–8–3 for a winning percentage of 75%. When he left in 1941, his assistant coach,
Dewey LusterDewey William "Snorter" Luster was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1941 to 1945, compiling a record of 27–18–3...
succeeded him. After Luster's first season, a 6–3 season, the
JapaneseThe Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
attacked Pearl HarborThe attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. As was the case with schools all over the country, many players left the team to join the military.
Luster stepped down after the 1945 season due to ill health. The OU Board of Regents interviewed several candidates for the new head coaching job and one of those men was
Jim TatumJames M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
. With him, he brought another coach, Bud Wilkinson, who would be his assistant coach. The Board was so impressed with Wilkinson that they considered hiring him for the head coaching position but decided against it as it would be unethical. In the end, they decided to hire Tatum and his assistant over several other coaches including Paul "Bear" Bryant. Tatum had a relatively successful season finishing with an 8–3 record including a 73–12 win over Oklahoma A&M. When Tatum left for
MarylandThe University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
after the 1946 season, Wilkinson stepped up.
Wilkinson era (1947–1963)
Bud WilkinsonCharles Burnham "Bud" Wilkinson was an American football player, coach, broadcaster, and politician. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1963, compiling a record of 145–29–4. His Oklahoma Sooners won three national championships and 14...
was a quarterback for the
University of MinnesotaThe University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
and won three straight national championships with them in the 1930s. His coaching career began at
Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and then at his alma mater Minnesota. After his service in the U.S. Navy in
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he began coaching at a naval academy in Iowa with Jim Tatum. When Tatum came to Oklahoma, he brought Wilkinson with him. Wilkinson went 7–2–1 in his first year and shared the conference title with Kansas for the second year in a row.
In 1949, the Sooners went undefeated, defeating LSU 35 to 0 at the
Sugar BowlThe Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
. However, the game is best known for the "spy incident" since former LSU player Piggy Barnes was caught spying on the Sooner's practices.
http://books.google.com/books?id=5J6V5K_O4cEC&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq=1950+sugar+bowl+spy+incident&source=web&ots=BW5BBhqBkx&sig=uUq8nkTBYZp_mJBsEmn29DFRXz0&hl=en Despite going undefeated and winning their bowl game, the Sooners were denied a national championship since it was awarded to
Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, a team that did not play in a bowl game.
http://www.appollarchive.com/football/ap/seasons.cfm?SeasonID=1949 Wilkinson went on to guide the team to its first national championship in
1950-American football:* NFL Championship – Cleveland Browns win 30–28 over the Los Angeles Rams* Oklahoma Sooners – college football champions.* Coaches Poll established to rank top 20 American college football teams-Association football:...
despite the fact that they lost The Sugar Bowl to Bear Bryant's
KentuckyThe University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
(11–1) team which made them Co-National Champions with Kentucky since AP voting took place before the Sugar Bowl game was played. That loss was the Sooners' first loss since a season opener loss to
Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
in
1948-American football:* University of Michigan wins college football national championship.* Cleveland Browns 49–7 Buffalo Bills in the All-America Football Conference championship game....
, 31 games earlier. It was in 1951, while seeking funding to improve the university that president George Cross said to the Oklahoma legislature that he "would like to build a university of which the football team would be proud." In
19521952 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Detroit Lions win 17–7 over the Cleveland BrownsGeorgia Tech wins national college football championship-England:...
, Oklahoma had its first
Heisman TrophyThe 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...
winner in
halfbackA 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...
Billy VesselsBilly Vessels was a standout football player in his hometown of Cleveland, Oklahoma, where he was known as "Curly." He went on to play college football for the University of Oklahoma and win the 1952 Heisman trophy. He was the first Oklahoman to win the award, which is given to the nation's top...
, a local player from
Cleveland, OklahomaCleveland is a city in Pawnee County, Oklahoma, United States. The 2009 population estimate was 3,251. It is the hometown of Heisman trophy winner Billy Vessels.-History:...
. In
19531953 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Detroit Lions won 17–16 over the Cleveland Browns-England:* First Division – Arsenal win the 1952–53 title....
, the Sooners opened with a loss to Notre Dame and tied
PittsburghThe University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
the next week. The Sooners would not lose another game for more than three years when they faced Notre Dame in November
19571957 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Detroit Lions won 59-14 over the Cleveland Browns.*College football champions Auburn University-Association football:...
, losing 7–0.
Author Steve Budin, whose father was a New York bookie, has recently publicized the claim that the 1954
Bedlam gameThe Bedlam Series refers to the athletics rivalry between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, of the Big 12 Conference...
against OSU was fixed by mobsters in his book Bets, Drugs, and Rock & Roll (ISBN 1-602-39099-1). Allegedly, the mobsters threatened and paid off a cook to slip laxatives into a soup eaten by many OU Sooner starting players, causing them to fall violently ill in the days leading up to the game. OU was victorious in the end, but their 14-0 win did not cover the 20-point spread they had in their favor. However, many people involved in the 1954 contest do not recall any incident like the one purported by Budin to have occurred.
Wilkinson and his Sooners set a record with 47 consecutive wins, a record that has been seriously threatened only twice—by
MiamiThe Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
and the
University of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, both in the past decade. During this streak, the Sooners won the national championship in
1955-American football:* NFL Championship – Cleveland Browns won 38-14 over the Los Angeles Rams* Oklahoma Sooners - college football champions.-England:* First Division - Chelsea win the 1954-55 title.* FA Cup - Newcastle United beat Manchester City 3-1....
and
19561956's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* The men's Olympic Gold Medal:** Downhill: Toni Sailer, Austria** Slalom: Toni Sailer, Austria** Giant Slalom: Toni Sailer, Austria* The women's Olympic Gold Medal:** Downhill: Madeleine Berthod, Switzerland...
. Additionally, the Sooners won or shared 14 straight conference titles from 1946 to 1959, one under Tatum and 13 under Wilkinson. The closest any team in the Big 8/Big 12 alone has come to matching it is the Sooners' run of eight straight titles (two of them shared) from 1973 to 1980. The Sooners also went undefeated in conference play from November 23, 1946 season through October 31, 1959; their record was only blemished by two ties. This record has never been seriously threatened by any team in what is now the Football Bowl Subdivision; in the Big 8/Big 12 alone, no team since has gone undefeated in conference play more than three years in a row.
Wilkinson's best teams came during the first eleven years of his tenure. In that time, he recorded winning streaks of 31 and 47 games and went 114–10–3, a winning percentage of 90.9%. Wilkinson left Oklahoma after the 1963 season with a record of 145–29–4, 14 conference titles and 123 straight games without being shut out.
During Wilkinson's tenure, another first would be recorded, just not in the record books.
Prentice GauttPrentice Gautt was a running back for the University of Oklahoma football team from 1956 to 1959. Gautt was the first black football player at the University of Oklahoma where he wore #38....
would become the first black football player at the University of Oklahoma. Gautt had been a superior student at an
Oklahoma CityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
high school. He was a member of the
National Honor SocietyThe National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
and president of his senior class. During his junior and senior years of high school, he helped his team amass a 31 game win streak. He was also the first black player to participate in the state all-star game. Gautt was not the first black player to try out for the team, three others had two years earlier. The second black athlete to attend OU and play was Wallace Johnson. He joined the team during Gautt's sophomore year (Gautt & Johnson played together at the same Oklahoma City High School, Douglas HS). Two others could not afford to continue and dropped out, and Johnson ended his time there with an injured ankle. Because of Gautt's academic success in high school, he was supported financially by a group of local black doctors and pharmacists. A couple months into his freshman year, Gautt was placed on athletic scholarship and the money was returned to the investors. Unfortunately, members of Gautt's team were not as excited to play with him as he was with them. One player even left Oklahoma because he refused to play with an African American. However, Gautt's attitude eventually grew on them. After a freshman game in Tulsa, Gautt was refused service in the restaurant where the team was scheduled to eat. His teammates abruptly left and found an eating establishment that would also serve him. Oklahoma also had to stay at a different hotel during Gautt's eligibility in
Fort Worth, TexasFort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
because their normal hotel did not permit African Americans. Gautt broke out as a player in 1958. In
19591959 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Baltimore Colts won 31-16 over the New York Giants* August 14 - The American Football League is founded...
, he was named the Orange Bowl MVP. He was inducted into the
College Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in
19851985 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
.
Jones-MacKenzie-Fairbanks era (1964–1972)
Wilkinson's assistant coach,
Gomer Jones-External links:...
, took over as head coach in
19641964 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Men's Olympic Gold Medal:** Downhill: Egon Zimmermann, Austria** Slalom: Josef Stiegler, Austria** Giant Slalom: François Bonlieu, France* Women's Olympic Gold Medal:...
, a move Wilkinson engineered himself. His first year would prove to be a sharp contrast from Wilkinson's early years as the Sooners went 6–4–1. The season saw them start 1–3 with three consecutive losses to Southern California,
TexasTexas Longhorns athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of The University of Texas at Austin. These teams are referred to as the Texas Longhorns , taking their name from the Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and are now the...
and
KansasThe sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
. But the hardest loss came in the
Gator BowlThe Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
to
Florida StateThe Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
. Prior to the game, it was found that four of the better players had signed professional football contracts before their college eligibility had expired. Those four were dismissed from the team prior to the bowl game. Oklahoma lost this game 36–19. The next season's team fared no better, going 3–7, Oklahoma's worst record, percentage wise, since it went 0–1 its inaugural season in 1895. This brought the Jones era to a quick close, although he did remain at Oklahoma as the
athletic directorAn athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
, a role he also held when he was head coach.
Following Jones's 9–11–1 record, Oklahoma brought in a young coach from the
University of ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
named Jim Mackenzie. He wanted discipline for his team so he set a curfew for his players and required them to enroll in
physical educationPhysical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
class. His season saw an improvement from the previous, but it still did not meet the expectations of Sooner football that Wilkinson had set. The
19661966 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* FIS Alpine World Ski Championships –** Men's combined champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France** Women's combined champion: Marielle Goitschel, France-American football:...
team went 6–4 with a win in the Red River Shootout over rival
TexasTexas Longhorns athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of The University of Texas at Austin. These teams are referred to as the Texas Longhorns , taking their name from the Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and are now the...
coached by former Oklahoma
defensive backIn American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Darrell RoyalDarrell K Royal is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Mississippi State University , the University of Washington , and the University of Texas at Austin , compiling a career college football record of 184–60–5...
, their first win over Texas since
19571957 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Detroit Lions won 59-14 over the Cleveland Browns.*College football champions Auburn University-Association football:...
. They also beat the number four team in the nation, rival
NebraskaThe Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
by a score of 10–9. The 1966 season showed promise for the young coach, but, on April 28, 1967, at the age of 37, Mackenzie died of a
heart attackMyocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
.
After the 1964 season,
Chuck FairbanksChuck Fairbanks is a former American football coach, a head coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. The offensive and defensive systems he introduced and helped develop have proven influential in the NFL....
, an assistant coach at the
University of HoustonThe University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
, was offered a job at
TennesseeThe University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
. He wanted to accept, but it was the middle of the summer and unusually late for a coaching move, so he decided to stay loyal to Houston and he remained there. After the next season, he was offered a position as an assistant on Mackenzie's staff at Oklahoma, a position he felt was a better job than the Tennessee position. Immediately after the 1965 season, Fairbanks was offered a job at Missouri with the promise that he would be the head coach within four years. He declined and stayed at Oklahoma. Four months later, Coach Mackenzie died and Fairbanks was named head coach. It did not take long for Fairbanks to turn the team around. His first season, in
19671967 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* The first Alpine Skiing World Cup is organised for the three ski events: Downhill, Slalom and Giant Slalom:** Men's overall champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France...
, his squad went 10–1. They entered their sixth game with a 5–1 record (their only loss was a two point loss coming to rival Texas) and unranked and beat ninth ranked Colorado, 23–0. This propelled Fairbanks's team to a number eight ranking. They continued their romp through the season and beat the number two team in the country Tennessee 26–24 in the Orange Bowl. They finished the season ranked number three in the country.
Fairbanks lost four games in each of the next three seasons. Despite the relatively mediocre record of those years, several great players came through Fairbanks' program. One of those players was
Steve OwensSteve Everett Owens , raised in Miami, Oklahoma, was the 1969 Heisman Trophy winner. Owens was the second Oklahoma Sooners player to win the Heisman Trophy, after Billy Vessels, and preceding Sam Bradford, Jason White and Billy Sims...
. Owens was born in
Gore, OklahomaGore is a town in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 850 at the 2000 census...
in 1947. After an impressive year in 1969, despite Oklahoma's record, Owens was named the Sooners' second Heisman Trophy winner. Many believe that Owens saved Fairbanks' career by helping defeat rival Oklahoma State.
It did not take long for Fairbanks to return the team to form. His 1970 team tied Bear Bryant's
AlabamaThe University of Alabama features 19 varsity sports teams. Both the male and female athletic teams are called the Crimson Tide. They participate in the NCAA's Division I as a member of the Southeastern Conference Western Division. In 2002, Sports Illustrated named Alabama the #26 best collegiate...
team in the
Bluebonnet BowlThe Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was...
to finish as the number 20 team in the country. They began the
19711971 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Gustav Thöni, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Pröll, Austria-American football:...
season ranked number ten. In consecutive weeks, they beat number 17 Southern California, number three Texas, and number six Colorado.
These early-season wins propelled them to a number two national ranking and set the stage for one of the great college football games of the century against top-ranked Nebraska. Oklahoma was led by quarterback
Jack MildrenLarry Jack Mildren a native Texan, was an All-American quarterback at The University of Oklahoma in his college years, and professional football player with the Baltimore Colts and New England Patriots, an oil company owner, was elected as the 13th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, and enjoyed a...
and running back
Greg PruittGregory Donald Pruitt is a former American football running back in the NFL from 1973 through 1984. He was selected to five Pro Bowls, four as a member of the Cleveland Browns and one as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders, the last one as a kick returner...
. The team was a scoring machine, averaging 44.5 points per game, the second highest in team history. Equally impressive that season was Pruitt's nine yards per carry. On November 25, 1971, Nebraska edged Oklahoma, 35–31 in what was to be the only loss of the season for Oklahoma. Oklahoma went on to beat Oklahoma State and fifth ranked
AuburnAuburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
to finish the season ranked number two.
Fairbanks closed out his career at Oklahoma the following year with a win in the
Sugar BowlThe Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
over Penn State after having lost once all season, to Colorado. Following this season, Fairbanks accepted a position with the NFL's
New England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. He left behind a mess for the new head coach, Fairbank's
offensive coordinatorAn offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
, Barry Switzer.
Switzer era (1973–1989)
As an offensive coordinator in 1971,
Barry SwitzerBarry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
perfected the
wishboneThe wishbone formation, also known simply as the ’bone, is an offensive formation in American football. The style of attack to which it gives rise is known as the wishbone offense...
offense as it led the nation in both scoring (45 points average) and total yards (563 total yards average), and set a NCAA record by averaging over 472 rushing yards. The Sooners finished the season ranked #2, losing only once, 35–31 to eventual national champion Nebraska in the Game of the Century.
http://www.soonerstats.com/football/games/recap.cfm?GameID=690 When
Chuck FairbanksChuck Fairbanks is a former American football coach, a head coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. The offensive and defensive systems he introduced and helped develop have proven influential in the NFL....
accepted the position of head coach of the New England Patriots following the 1972 season, Switzer was the obvious choice to succeed him.
Soon after
Barry SwitzerBarry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
took the reins of the program, the NCAA forced Oklahoma to forfeit nine games from the 1972 season due to violations involving the alteration of transcripts. Fairbanks denied any knowledge of this. As a punishment, the Sooners could not play in a bowl game for two years. This setback did not stop Switzer's Sooners. His 1973 team finished 10–0–1 with only a tie to the number one ranked USC team. They finished the season ranked number three after beating seven teams ranked in the top 20. He showed no signs of slowing down the next
seasonThe 1974 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 1974-1975. This was the first of three national championship squads for head coach Barry Switzer. Only one opponent played the Sooners within 14 points and four failed to score a...
either. Switzer's team finished 11–0 and won the national championship. This was the Sooners' first undefeated season and national championship since 1956. That team was another high scoring team averaging 43 points per game and was anchored by
Steve DavisSteve Davis was a quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners from 1972–1976. He was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player of the 1976 Orange Bowl, when the Sooners won their 5th National Championship. Davis led the Sooners to a 32–1–1 record as their starting quarterback...
at quarterback,
Joe WashingtonJoe Dan Washington, Jr is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Colts, Washington Redskins, and Atlanta Falcons.-Early career:...
at running back and the
SelmonLee Roy Selmon was a Hall of Fame NFL football defensive lineman.-Early life:Selmon was the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma...
brothers (
Lee RoyLee Roy Selmon was a Hall of Fame NFL football defensive lineman.-Early life:Selmon was the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma...
, Lucious, and Dewey) on defense.
Switzer's teams in the 1970s went a combined 73–7–2 in seven years. In
19781978 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein-American football:...
, Oklahoma would get its third Heisman Trophy winner in running back
Billy SimsBilly Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...
. That year, he set the Oklahoma record for most rushing yards in a season with 1,896, a record that would stand for 26 years. His 1978 season currently ranks third in team history in yards per attempt with 7.41, behind fellow Sooners
Greg PruittGregory Donald Pruitt is a former American football running back in the NFL from 1973 through 1984. He was selected to five Pro Bowls, four as a member of the Cleveland Browns and one as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders, the last one as a kick returner...
and
Marcus DupreeMarcus L. Dupree is a former American football player. He was one of the most highly recruited high school football players ever. He graduated with the first class in Philadelphia that was desegregated for the entire 12 years he went to school...
. Sims also holds the record at Oklahoma for most rushing yards in a career with 4,118. He finished second in the Heisman race the following year,
19791979 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Peter Lüscher, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Austria-American football:...
.
The early 1980s saw the Sooners begin to slip under Switzer. They lost four games in
19811981 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, USA** Women's overall season champion: Marie-Theres Nadig, Switzerland-American football:...
,
19821982 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland-American football:...
, and
19831983 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Tamara McKinney, United States-American football:...
. It was the first time they lost four games in a season since 1970 under Coach Fairbanks. However, eight of those twelve losses came to the likes of USC,
TexasThe Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
,
NebraskaThe Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
and
Ohio StateThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
. They began to turn around in
19841984 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine Skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland...
when they went 9–2–1 and were ranked number six at the end of the season. The 1984 team featured
Buster RhymesGeorge "Buster" Rhymes is a former professional American football wide receiver.Rhymes grew up in Liberty City, an inner-city section of Miami. He graduated from Miami Northwestern High School...
at wide receiver,
Spencer TillmanSpencer Tillman is a former professional American football player who played running back for eight seasons for the Houston Oilers and San Francisco 49ers.-College Football:...
at running back and
Tony CasillasTony Steven Casillas is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League from 1986 through 1997. While at the University of Oklahoma he helped win the 1985 NCAA National Championship. He also won the Lombardi Award in 1985 and was the 1985 UPI Lineman of the Year...
at defensive tackle. Over the next three years, the team continued to grow and went 11–1 each of those three years (with all three losses coming to
MiamiThe Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
), including a national championship in
1985The 1985 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 1985-1986. This year was Barry Switzer's 13th season as head coach. The Sooners ended this season with 11 wins and a sole loss coming to the Miami Hurricanes in Norman, in a game in...
(they finished ranked number three in
19861986 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:...
and
19871987 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:...
). Many great Sooner athletes came through the program during these years, including two-time Butkus Award winner
Brian BosworthBrian Keith "The Boz" Bosworth, is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Oklahoma...
, tight end Keith Jackson and quarterback
Jamelle HoliewayJamelle Holieway is a former quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1985 to 1988. He is considered one of the greatest option quarterbacks in NCAA Division I-A history. Highly recruited from Banning High School under longtime head coach Chris Ferragamo, Holieway attracted...
. While Switzer was not able to match Wilkinson's unimaginable string of 13 consecutive conference championships, he was able to rack up 12 of his own during his career at Oklahoma.
In
19881988 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
, it all came crashing down for Switzer. His team was placed on probation by the NCAA for violating several rules. In a six month time frame, there was a shooting and a rape in the athletic dorm on Oklahoma's campus, Switzer's house was robbed with the help of one of his athletes, and an athlete was caught attempting to sell drugs to an undercover agent. The three year probation included a two-year ban on TV and bowl appearances and a reduction in scholarships from 25 to 18. Nonetheless, the 1988 team established the current NCAA FBS single-game record of 768 yards rushing against Kansas State on October 15, 1988.
Gibbs-Schnellenberger-Blake era (1990–1998)
Switzer was succeeded by his longtime defensive coordinator,
Gary Gibbs-External links:*...
. Gibbs appeared to be a solid choice, having spent more than two decades at OU as a player and assistant coach. He went 44–23–2 in six years, and largely succeeded in cleaning up the program's image. However, even though his rosters were smaller than normal due to the scholarship reductions, Gibbs found it hard to please boosters and administrators with an 8-3 year. Ultimately, it was his record against Oklahoma's major rivals that did him in. Gibbs went 2-15-1 against Texas, Nebraska and Colorado. In addition to his record, he was thought to be uncomfortable around alumni, the media, and with being a head coach in general.
To replace Gibbs, Oklahoma looked towards the seasoned
Howard SchnellenbergerHoward Schnellenberger is an American football coach at both the professional and college level. He is currently in his final season as head coach of Florida Atlantic University, having announced his retirement on August 11, 2011, effective at the end of the 2011 season...
, then 61 years old. Schnellenberger had won a national championship at
MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
and turned around a once-moribund
LouisvilleThe University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
program. In the end, he was almost too sure of himself. He was quoted as saying, "They will write books and make movies about my time here." His
19951995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
team started out well, reaching the top 10 after a 3-0 start. However, an embarrassing loss to Colorado on national television started a downward spiral. The Sooners ultimately finished 5–5–1, including only their second losing conference record since World War II. Schnellenberger resigned a month after the season ended. To this day, Schnellenberger is not held in high esteem by Sooner fans, in part because he made no secret of his lack of interest in the program's history. For instance, he vowed to make "Sooner Nation" forget about Wilkinson and Switzer—a boast considered to be almost heretical by the fan base. He ordered numerous old files to be thrown out; instead, they were archived without his knowledge.
For the 1996 season, Oklahoma hired former player
John Blake-External links:...
. Blake was the favorite to succeed Schnellenberger and was backed by Barry Switzer, Steve Owens, and former Oklahoma president
George Lynn CrossGeorge Lynn Cross was a botanist, author, and the seventh and longest serving president of the University of Oklahoma from 1943 to 1968...
. However, many were skeptical of Oklahoma's choice for the new coach. His coaching experience was very limited, especially compared to his predecessor. In his seven-year coaching career (four years at OU, three years with the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and one year at
TulsaThe University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
), he had never been more than a position coach. The skeptics were proven right. In Blake's first season, he went 3–8. It was the worst record, percentage wise, Oklahoma had experienced since 1895 and is tied for the most losses in one year (along with Blake's 1997 squad) to this very day. In his three years at Oklahoma, Blake went 3–8, 4–8, and 5–6. It was the first time since 1922–1924 that Oklahoma had three consecutive losing seasons. Blake's largest contribution to the team was his recruiting. He set the stage by recruiting several players that would help lead the program's resurgence, including J.T. Thatcher, Josh Norman,
Roy WilliamsRoy Lee Williams is a retired American football safety. He played college football at Oklahoma before he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys eighth overall in the 2002 NFL Draft. He spent seven seasons with the Cowboys and earned five straight Pro Bowl selections from 2003–2007...
and
Rocky CalmusRocky Calmus is a retired American football linebacker who played for the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he won the 2001 Butkus Award as the nation's top college linebacker....
. Many of them got a chance to play fairly quickly, since Blake's teams were often out of games early.
Stoops era (1999–present)
The university looked at many candidates to replace Blake. Many big-time college coaches were considered for the post. However, Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione decided to hire a 38 year old defensive coordinator from
FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
,
Bob StoopsRobert 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....
. Mr. Stoops was a former
defensive backIn American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
at
IowaThe University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
under coach
Hayden FryJohn Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
and was his team captain and MVP. Coach Stoops quickly began to build his new program with the promise to help the program regain its former position as a perennial college football powerhouse. On his arrival to campus he would find that for all his predecessor's failings as a head football coach, John Blake had been an excellent recruiter and many of his players were potential stars. Despite the obvious talent already on-campus, no quarterback suitable for the "spread" offense was on the team roster. Stoops would remedy this by signing a little-known junior college quarterback,
Josh HeupelJosh Heupel, , is the current co-offensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. He was the quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners football team in 1999-2000, and led Oklahoma to the 2000 national championship.-Personal:...
, to run his offense. In his first year as head coach, the Sooners showed marked improvement; starting the season with three wins over non-conference opponents amassing 132 points to their opponents' 31. They lost the next two games, which included a 34-30 loss against Notre Dame at
South BendThe city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
and finished the season with an overall record of 7 wins and 5 losses. This success was a breath of fresh air for a program that had fallen from perennial powerhouse to league doormat and those surrounding the Sooner football program expected great things from their new head coach. They would not be disappointed.
In 2000, the Sooners opened the season ranked number 19, the first time they opened the season ranked in five years. The Sooners opened 4–0, dominating their early season opponents by a combined score of 176–51. The annual Red River Shootout against arch-rival the University of Texas would prove to be the first signature victory of the Bob Stoops era. The Sooners dominated the Longhorns by a score of 63-14 in what was then the most lopsided upset in the history of the rivalry. Oklahoma running back
Quentin GriffinQuentin LaVell Griffin is an American football running back.-Early years:Griffin started his football career as a youth playing in the Humble Area Football League.-High school:Griffin starred at Nimitz High School in Houston....
smashed the Oklahoma record for most touchdowns in a game with six scores. The Sooners were now officially back in the hunt for a national title. In the following weeks the team narrowly beat the number two ranked
Kansas StateKansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
41–31 in Manhattan and the following week went on to beat the number one ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers 31–14.
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's
Brent MusburgerBrent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
said that, "The Sooners' October run of burying Texas, Kansas State and Nebraska is one of the greatest 30-day stretches in college football history." The Sooners narrowly escaped a loss at the hands of
Texas A&MTexas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in College Station but they pulled out a victory, winning 35–31 on an interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Torrence Marshall. The team defeated the Kansas State Wildcats for the second time that season in the Big 12 Championship, a victory which propelled the program to its first national title berth since 1985. The Sooners finished the season with a stunning 13-2 win over a heavily favored Florida State team in the
2001 Orange BowlThe 2001 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game and BCS National Championship match between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Florida State Seminoles on January 3, 2001, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
and claimed the
Sears TrophyThe AFCA National Championship Trophy is the trophy awarded by the American Football Coaches Association to the winner of college football's BCS National Championship Game, which determines the national champion for purposes of the Coaches Poll...
. At the end of the season, quarterback Josh Heupel had the top two spots on the list of Oklahoma's season passing records. The championship was the Sooners' 7th national title and their first since Barry Switzer's departure. The team had finally regained its status as a power in the college football world. The stoic coach from Ohio had resurrected a football giant, bringing the once great program back to the pinnacle of college athletics. The Sooners and their fans were hungry for more success and Coach Stoops would deliver.
OU won the 2003 Rose Bowl after the 2002 season, and the team's national success continued in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The 2003 team was the highest scoring squad (at the time) in Oklahoma's storied history, scoring 601 points to their opponents 214. The season included seven games of 50 points or more with the highlights including a 77–0 drubbing of Texas A&M and a 65–13 defeat of Texas. The team, led by Heisman Trophy winner Jason White, was billed as one of "the greatest college football teams of all time." This assumption was short-lived as the Sooners were upset in the Big 12 Championship Game by
Kansas StateKansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
. Due to their impressive strength of schedule, the Sooners were able to retain their position in the polls and their chance for the title. In a warm night in New Orleans, the Sooners were handed their second consecutive defeat and their first title loss; this time to the LSU Tigers squad by a score of 21-14. The heartbreaking defeats shocked the Sooner nation while conversely establishing the team as a perennial title contender. In 2004, the Sooners were able to reach the
2005 Orange BowlThe 2005 Orange Bowl represented the BCS National Championship Game of the 2004 season and was played on January 4, 2005 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida....
undefeated, along with the
USC TrojansThe USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
. Although the Sooners lost in the title game 55-19, USC later vacated the win due to NCAA infractions.
In 2005, Stoops finished the season with an 8-4 record, his worst season record since his inaugural season. Jason White's backup,
Paul ThompsonPaul Thompson is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, was named starting quarterback at the beginning of the season, but was replaced by redshirt freshman
Rhett BomarRhett Matthew Bomar is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
after a season-opening loss to
TCUTexas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
. Paul Thompson was moved to the wide receiver slot for the rest of the season. They started the season 2–3 with additional losses against UCLA (at UCLA) and against eventual national champion Texas. The team started to improve as the season progressed, especially the young Bomar. The next loss came against
Texas TechTexas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and was a controversial loss. Texas Tech's
Taurean HendersonTaurean Lamar Henderson is a multi-purpose running back, who is currently a free agent.-Early life:...
scored on the final play of the game. The play was reviewed by replay officials, but video replays were deemed inconclusive. The touchdown gave the Red Raiders the win, 23-21. It was a setback for the Sooners but they moved on and were able to soundly defeat their instate rival Oklahoma State in Norman by a final score of 42–14. The Sooners finished third in the Big 12 South behind the
2005 Texas LonghornsThe 2005 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Big 12 Conference championship and the national championship. The team was coached by Mack Brown, led on offense by quarterback Vince Young, and played...
(who went on to win the 2005 BCS National Championship) and the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Oklahoma and Texas Tech both had conference records of 6–2, but Texas Tech won the heads up match and thus was placed over Oklahoma). The unranked Sooners would represent the Big 12 in the
Holiday BowlThe Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after...
and they would play the sixth-ranked
Oregon DucksThe Oregon Ducks refers to the sports teams of the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon. The Oregon Ducks are part of the Pacific-12 Conference in the Division 1 of the NCAA. With seventeen varsity teams, the Oregon Ducks are best known for their football team and Track and Field...
. Oklahoma went on to beat the Ducks, 17–14; Bomar was named the Bowl MVP and the Sooners finished the season ranked #22. On July 11, 2007, the NCAA announced that the Sooners would have to vacate all victories from the 2005 season, including the bowl game, due to NCAA violations related to three former players, including Bomar, thereby giving the Sooners an official 2005 record of 0–4. However, on February 22, 2008, the NCAA reversed the decision and reinstated the vacated wins.
2006 was a very tumultuous year for the Sooners. One day before fall practice began, returning quarterback Rhett Bomar and J.D. Quinn, a projected starter on the offensive line, were kicked off the team for violating NCAA rules when they received payment for work they did not do. Paul Thompson, who had played wide receiver in 2005 and had not practiced in the quarterback role for nearly a year, was asked to move back to quarterback which he did. In mid-September, Oklahoma played the University of Oregon for the third time in three years. The Sooners lost this game 33–34. During the game a controversy arose when game officials awarded an onside kick to the Ducks when it should have been Oklahoma's ball. Following the game, all officials were suspended for one game but replay official
Gordon RieseGordon Riese is a former college baseball pitcher in the 1960s who was inducted into the Portland State University Hall of Fame in 1997. He has spent the last 28 years as a Pac-10 Conference football official...
said he would take the year off; later in the year, he would quit completely. Gordon Riese later acknowledged that he knew Oklahoma recovered the onside kick but replay rules prevented him from correcting the on-field officials. A few weeks later, Oklahoma lost to rival Texas. Following these setbacks, the team regrouped and the defense vastly improved. Following the Oregon game, the defense was ranked 97th nationally but by the end of the regular season, they were ranked 17th. Following the Texas game, Oklahoma played Iowa State and soundly defeated them 34–9. However, on the final touchdown drive for the Sooners, star running back Adrian Peterson suffered a broken
collar boneIn human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
when he attempted to dive into the end zone in a celebratory manner. The Sooners would turn to two untested running back to replace the Heisman-hopeful Peterson,
Allen PatrickAllen Patrick is an American football running back and is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma....
, a junior, and Chris Brown, a freshman. The Sooners did not miss a step. The team went on a seven game winning streak to finish Big 12 conference play 11–2. This streak included road wins over a couple of ranked opponents, Texas A&M and Missouri. The defending national champions Texas Longhorns were favored to win the Big 12 but they suffered two losses to finish their regular season which sent Oklahoma to the Big 12 Championship game against a former rival, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Sooners defeated the 19th ranked Cornhuskers 21–7 to win the Big 12 title for the fourth time under Bob Stoops, automatically sending them to the
Fiesta BowlThe 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl was a college football bowl game played as part of the 2006–2007 Bowl Championship Series of the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
. The Sooners lost in overtime, on a two point conversion play by a score of 43–42 to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
The 2007 Oklahoma team opened up with a home game against the University of North Texas and soundly beat them 79–10. The 79 points scored by OU was the most in the country for Week 1. In Week 2 the Sooners played a much tougher opponent in the University of Miami. However, the results seemed to show a mismatch, as OU easily defeated the Hurricanes 51–13. In Week 3 the Sooners got the best of Utah State with a 54–3 thrashing. Week 4 matched OU up with an in–state foe, the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. Just as it had been all season (except for the Sept. 29 loss at unranked Colorado), the Sooners put up another dominant performance with a 62–21 victory. In Week 5 (September 29, 2007), the #4 Sooners saw their National Championship hopes take a hit as they lost to 2–2 unranked Colorado in Boulder 27-24 after leading in the second half by a score of 24-7. The Sooners only had 234 net yards compared to Colorado's 379 net yards. The 2007 match-up between Oklahoma and Texas on Oct. 2007 was predicted to be the #3 game to watch in 2007 by SI.com's "Top 20 Games To Watch In 2007" list. The University of Oklahoma football team proved itself worthy of the top ten rankings when it defeated Texas 28-21 at the Red River Rivalry. The Texas Longhorns played up to their potential when they answered almost every point during the October 6 game. In the end Colt McCoy along with Jermichael Finley and the Longhorns could not withstand the adamant pressing of Sam Bradford, Demarco Murray and the Sooners. Oklahoma would go on to lose to an unranked Texas Tech team in an upset, although this was not enough to keep them from the Big 12 championship. They would go on to defeat Missouri in the Big 12 championship game and win the Big 12's automatic BCS berth, playing West Virginia University in the Fiesta Bowl. For the second consecutive year Oklahoma would lose to an underdog opponent in a BCS bowl game, although this game was not as close as the previous year. Oklahoma was down 14 points at halftime and never pulled close than 20–15, eventually losing 48-28.
The Sooners opened 2008 ranked fourth in both the Associated Press Poll and the USA Today Coaches' Poll. Opening with back to back home victories against Chattanooga and Cincinnati and scoring over 50 points against both opponents would vault Oklahoma to number two in both polls, coupled with, then number three, Ohio State's loss and a lackluster victory by, then number two, Georgia over South Carolina. A road victory at Washington where the Sooners again scored more than 50 points, a home victory over then undefeated and 24th ranked Texas Christian University, and a road win at Baylor resulted in Oklahoma being ranked number one in both polls after then-ranked number one USC tumbled after a defeat at Oregon State. The Sooners had defeated each of their first five opponents by 25 points or more before facing then-number five Texas. In a see-saw battle where Oklahoma would take their last lead at 35–30, Texas would come from behind with 15 unanswered points to upset the Sooners at a neutral field by a final score of 45-35. The Sooners could muster up only 48 rushing yards while giving up 161. Also of note, the Sooners failed to convert on three fourth down attempts and Bradford threw two interceptions. Oklahoma would fall to number four in the AP Poll and number six in the USA Today Poll, while the Longhorns would be the new number one team in both polls. The game would result in controversy later in the season. Oklahoma would rebound by defeating then-ranked sixteen Kansas at home and a road win at Kansas State. By the Week 8 rankings, Oklahoma would be ranked fourth in the AP Poll, fifth in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, and debut at fourth in the BCS behind undefeated Texas, Alabama, and Penn State. The Sooners would then go on to defeat their next three opponents by more than 30 points each, scoring 60 or more points. A home victory over Nebraska, and road wins at Texas A&M and then-ranked #2 Texas Tech would result in some controversy. Along with an upset of Texas at the hands of Texas Tech and a previous loss by Penn State against Iowa, Oklahoma was ranked 3 in the Associated Press Poll and number 2 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll ahead of Texas. However, Texas would be number two in the BCS followed by Oklahoma at number three. Alabama would hold number one in all polls with an undefeated record. Closing out the season with a win against Oklahoma State and Alabama's loss to Florida would leave the Sooners at number two in the Associated Press poll, and number one in both the USA Today Coaches' Poll and the BCS. The result of the three-way tie between Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech in the Big 12 South standings, where each team suffered one loss at the hands of the other, would be the cause for many fans, particularly Texas fans, to cry foul. The Big 12 tie-breaker in this scenario was for the team with the highest BCS ranking to go on to play for the Big 12 Title. , Beating 19th ranked Missouri in Kansas City assured Oklahoma of a number one ranking in both the USA Today Coaches' Poll and the BCS, despite a number two ranking in the Associated Press Poll. Texas would finish number three in all polls, rendering them ineligible to play in the title game. Additionally, quarterback Sam Bradford would win the Heisman Trophy and be named the Associated Press Player of the Year for the 2008 season. On January 8, 2009, the Sooners were defeated by the Florida Gators for the BCS Championship at Dolphin Stadium in Miami by the score of 24-14. This was the fourth time that the Sooners were playing for the National Championship under Coach Stoops. This was the third defeat in the title game under Stoops, the previous two losses in the national championship games were to USC and LSU.
The 2009 season was a challenge for the Sooners. After losing star quarterback Sam Bradford in the first game, and eventually for the whole season, freshman quarterback Landry Jones had to take over. The Sooners ended up with a total of fifteen injuries at the end of the season. The season ended in a 8-5 record. The Sooners went on to beat Stanford in the El Paso Sun Bowl 31-27, setting them up for a title run in the 2010 season.
The 2010 season turned out to be much more successful than the 2009 campaign. The Sooners ended the season with a record of 12-2 and became the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl champions by defeating the University of Connecticut by a score of 48-20 in Glendale, Arizona. This was the first BCS bowl game victory for Bob Stoops and the Sooners since the 2003 Rose Bowl. Marquee victories for the Sooners in 2010 were against the Florida State University Seminoles, Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma State Cowboys and Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Bedlam match-up between the Sooners and Cowboys proved to be the decisive game in who would represent the Big XII South in the conference championship game. The Sooners defeated the Cowboys in a high scoring affair 47-41. The Sooners went on to win the Big XII Championship game 23-20, the final match between conference rival the University of Nebraska.
With star players, Landry Jones, Ryan Broyles, and Travis Lewis coming back for the 2011 season, there are high expectations for Bob Stoops and his Sooner football team. They will begin the season ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches polls. The Sooners became the first teams to reach the top ranking in the Associated Press poll 100 times since the poll began in 1936. Under Stoops, OU has been ranked No. 1 more weeks than they have not been ranked in the top 25. They were able to accomplish this feat without even stepping foot on the field, as they had their bye week this weekend. Their upcoming early season match-up with fellow top five team Florida State proves to test the Sooners, as they look to prove that their #1 ranking is warranted. As the Sooners played well the first few weeks the Sooners were thought to be out of the National Title race with a heartbreaking loss to the unranked Texas Tech Red Raiders snaping a 39 game home win streak. However, the Sooners bounced back the following few weeks to become ranked fifth in the country despite losing star reciver Ryan Broyles only to lose to Baylor for the first time in school history.
The football program remains the primary breadwinner for the Oklahoma athletic program. It accounts for 70% of the Athletic Department's income but just 30% of its expenses.
Record book
- Oklahoma has the most 10+ win seasons (32) and 11+ win seasons (20) of any program, as well as the fewest losing seasons (12) of any program.
- Oklahoma has been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
(100 weeks)and No. 1 in the Top 5 (374 weeks) more than any team.
- Oklahoma has been ranked No. 1 in all three polls this season, including their 10th appearance as No. 1 in the preseason, another record.
- In the "modern era", which is post-World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Oklahoma has the most wins with 567, and the highest winning percentage (.763) in the country (through 2011 Fiesta Bowl).
- Oklahoma has the most wins and best winning percentage in college football over the last 75 years (1935-current).
- Oklahoma is the only school to have played in all five BCS bowl games (Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar and BCS Championship).
- Oklahoma is the only school to have four coaches with at least 100 wins each (Stoops, Switzer, Wilkinson, Owen).
- Oklahoma has had at least one first team all-conference player in 95 of the 96 seasons it has played in a conference.
- Most modern era NCAA-recognized titles with 16.
- Oklahoma holds the NCAA record for most consecutive victories with 47-straight (1953-1957).
- Oklahoma has scored more points than any team in college football history with 31,436 (through the 2011 Fiesta Bowl).
- No program has more unanimous All-Americans than Oklahoma. OU and Notre Dame have 31 all-time.
- ESPN ranked Oklahoma as the most prestigious college football program overall since the advent of the AP Poll in 1936.
- Oklahoma had an NCAA-record 768 rushing yards in 1988 against Kansas State
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
.
- Most weeks ranked No. 1 in the BCS
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
with 20 weeks (through 2010 season).
- Most weeks ranked in top 5 in the BCS with 46 (through 2010 season).
- Oklahoma has the most rushing yards in a season with 5,635 in 1971, which was 470 yards per game (12 games)
- Oklahoma holds the NCAA record for the most points scored in a single season with 702 points through 12 games in the 2008 season (58.5 points per game).
- Oklahoma holds the record for scoring 60 or more points for five consecutive games
- Oklahoma holds the record for most lopsided instate rivalry with a record of 82-16-7 (as of the end of the 2010 regular season) over Big 12 Conference opponent Oklahoma State
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
. In fact the rivalry is so lopsided that Oklahoma has shut out"Shut Out" is a single from the Paul Jabara album of the same name and features special guest vocals by Donna Summer. On the album, it is used as the first half of a medley another with another song called "Heaven is a Disco."...
Oklahoma State more times (28 - not including 0-0 ties) than Oklahoma State has won against Oklahoma with the Sooners winning the last 8 games in a row.
- In the 2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, Oklahoma became the only school in the history of the NFL DraftThe National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
to have three players selected in the first four picks of the draft.
Current coaching staff
| Name | Position |
Bob StoopsRobert 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....
|
Head Coach |
| Jay Norvell Jay Norvell is a football coach and former player.He played at the collegiate level at the University of Iowa. He also played linebacker in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears for one season....
|
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach |
| Josh Heupel Josh Heupel, , is the current co-offensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. He was the quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners football team in 1999-2000, and led Oklahoma to the 2000 national championship.-Personal:...
|
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| Brent Venables Thomas Brent Venables is an American college football coach.He is currently the associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the University of Oklahoma Sooners football team. In 2006, he was one of five finalists for the prestigious Broyles Award for the nation's top...
|
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach |
| Bobby Jack Wright -External links:*...
|
Assistant Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Ends Coach |
| Cale Gundy Joseph Cale Gundy is a former American football quarterback that played for the Oklahoma Sooners from 1990–1993. He is now the running backs coach for the Sooners. His brother Mike is the head football coach at Oklahoma State University.He lives in Norman, Oklahoma with his wife Kristy and his...
|
Recruiting Coordinator/Running Backs Coach |
| Bruce Kittle |
Tight Ends & Offensive Tackles Coach |
| James Patton |
Centers & Guards Coach |
| Jackie Shipp Jackie Renardo Shipp is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League. He is currently the defensive line coach for the Oklahoma Sooners football team. He has been on the Sooners' coaching staff since the arrival of Bob Stoops in 1999.Shipp played high school...
|
Defensive Line Coach |
| Willie Martinez |
Defensive Backs Coach |
Coaching history
The team has had 21 head coaches. Oklahoma started organized football with the nickname Sooners in 1895. The Sooners have played in more than 1,100 games in a total of 113 seasons. In those seasons, eight coaches have led the Sooners to postseason bowl games: Tom Stidham,
Jim TatumJames M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
,
Bud WilkinsonCharles Burnham "Bud" Wilkinson was an American football player, coach, broadcaster, and politician. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1963, compiling a record of 145–29–4. His Oklahoma Sooners won three national championships and 14...
,
Gomer Jones-External links:...
,
Chuck FairbanksChuck Fairbanks is a former American football coach, a head coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. The offensive and defensive systems he introduced and helped develop have proven influential in the NFL....
,
Barry SwitzerBarry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
,
Gary Gibbs-External links:*...
, and
Bob StoopsRobert 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....
. Eight coaches have won
conferenceAn athletic conference is a collection of sports teams, playing competitively against each other at the professional, collegiate, or high school level. In many cases conferences are subdivided into smaller and smaller divisions, with the best teams competing at successively higher levels...
championships with the Sooners:
Bennie OwenBenjamin Gilbert Owen was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball...
, Stidham,
Dewey LusterDewey William "Snorter" Luster was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1941 to 1945, compiling a record of 27–18–3...
, Tatum, Wilkinson, Fairbanks, Switzer, and Stoops. Owen is the all-time leader in games coached and years coached, while Switzer is the all-time leader in wins and
winning percentageIn sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
.
John HartsJohn A. "Jack" Harts was a student and teacher at the University of Oklahoma from Winfield, Kansas. He was also the first coach of the Oklahoma Sooners football team in 1895. At the university, he taught elocution. He was the primary organizer of that first team made up of students and Norman,...
is, in terms of winning percentage, the worst coach the Sooners have had; he lost the only game he coached, giving him a .000 winning percentage.
John Blake-External links:...
has the lowest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game with .353.
Of the 21 Sooner coaches, Owen, Lawrence Jones, Tatum, Wilkinson, and Switzer have been inducted in the
College Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. Wilkinson, Switzer, and Stoops have each received National Coach of the Year honors from at least one organization. The current coach is Bob Stoops, who was hired in December 1998.
Conferences
From its inaugural season in 1895 until 1914, Oklahoma played as as independent. In 1915, it became a charter member of the Southwest Conference. In 1920, it transferred to the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Oklahoma has remained with this conference through its various name changes (
Big Six-Business and industry:* Big Six banks of Canada* Big Six law firms * What were the United States "big six auditing firms" , now the big four—see Big Four auditors* The "Big six" major film studios...
1929,
Big Seven-In sports:* Big Seven , the seven major international ice-hockey teams* Big Seven, an unofficial name the Mountain States Conference, also known as the Skyline Conference, from 1938 to 1946...
1948, Big Eight 1959, Big Twelve 1996) until the present day.
Championships
The Oklahoma Sooners have been a dominant program in every conference they have participated in, from the
Southwest ConferenceThe Southwest Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States from 1914 to 1996. It consisted of schools mostly in the state of Texas and one in Arkansas, with historical members in Oklahoma....
to the
Big 12 ConferenceThe Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
. The team has captured 43 conference titles, including 14 in a row between 1946–59, and the seven national championships: 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000.
On July 15, 2007, Berry Tramel of
The OklahomanThe Oklahoman is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the entire Oklahoma City area.-Ownership:...
(celebrating 100 years of
OklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
statehood) named the 2000 Oklahoma national title victory against the
Florida State SeminolesThe Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
as the greatest sports event in state history.
Stadium
The Sooners play their home games at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The stadium was formerly called Oklahoma Memorial Stadium but the administration decided to add 'Gaylord Family' to recognize the contributions made by
Edward K. GaylordEdward King Gaylord , often referred to as E.K. Gaylord, was the owner and publisher of the Daily Oklahoman newspaper , as well as a radio and television entrepreneur. Born in Kansas and educated in Colorado, he worked on several publications before moving to Oklahoma and buying an interest in the...
and his family over the years (estimated at over $50 million). The playing surface is called Owen Field after Bennie Owen, Oklahoma's coach from 1905 to 1926. The stadium was built in 1923 with an original capacity of 500. In 1925, 16,000 seats were added and 16,000 more seats were added in 1929 bringing the total capacity to 32,000. The stadium has had a natural grass playing surface for the majority of its existence. The stadium had an
artificial turfArtificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
from 1970 to 1994. The stadium had a major renovation in 2003 when a new upper deck was added to the east side of the stadium, adding over 8,400 new seats. The current capacity is 82,112, which makes it the 14th largest college stadium in the U.S. and second largest in the Big 12 Conference. Despite the official capacity, the Sooners average 84,561 in attendance for the 2006 season, nearly 2,500 over capacity.
School colors
Oklahoma's official school colors are crimson and cream. These colors were picked in 1895 by May Overstreet, the only female faculty member at the time. The colors were her own personal choice and she decided on them after viewing many color samples and materials. After her decision, the colors were brought in front of the student body who enthusiastically approved of her selections. In recent years, red and white have sometimes replaced crimson and cream.
Mascot
Oklahoma has had several mascots. The first was a
Boston terrierThe Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. Color and markings are important when distinguishing this breed to the AKC standard. They should be either black,...
named Mex. Mex was a stray dog found in Mexico during the
Mexican RevolutionThe Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
by Mott Keys, an
armyAn army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
hospital
medicMedic is a general term for a person involved in medicine, especially emergency or first-response medicine, such as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or a military member trained in battlefield medicine. Also the term is used toward a Nurse in pre-hospital care and/or emergency...
. Keys'
companyA company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
adopted the dog and Keys took the dog back to
Hollis, Oklahoma-Additional information:Hollis is a close-knit community which only has one stoplight at the corner of Highway 62 and Highway 30, the only two main highways that pass through the town. It features the Hollis Municipal Airport located north of the town on Highway 30 and the Hollis Livestock...
when he completed his duty. When Keys was enrolled in the University, he took Mex with him to Norman. With his experience as an army medic, Keys landed a job with the football team and a residence at the
Kappa SigmaKappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
fraternityFraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
house. Mex's main duty during games was to keep stray dogs from roaming the field. He wore a red sweater with a big "O" letter on the side. Mex received national attention in October 1924 when the Oklahoma football team lost a game against
Drake UniversityDrake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
. Mex was lost when the team boarded a train in
Arkansas City, KansasArkansas City is a city situated at the confluence of the Arkansas and Walnut rivers in the southwestern part of Cowley County, located in south-central Kansas, in the central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,415....
. The media blamed the loss on the field on the loss of their mascot. Mex was found later by two Oklahoma graduates. Mex died of old age on April 30, 1928. The campus was closed and classes were canceled on the day of his funeral. He was buried in a casket somewhere under the stadium.
Never an official mascot, Little Red began appearing at games in 1953. He was an
IndianThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
who wore red tights,
breech clothA loincloth is a one-piece male garment, sometimes kept in place by a belt, which covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks.-History and types:Loincloths are being and have been worn:*in societies where no other clothing is needed or wanted...
and a war bonnet and was portrayed by Randy Palmer. In April 1970, Little Red was banished by Oklahoma president J. Herbet Hollomon. The student court issued a temporary restraining order to keep Little Red from appearing at Sooner games. Despite this order, Palmer showed up as Little Red for the 1970 season opener where he was met with cheers from the crowd. When Palmer was
draftA draft is a process used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Russia and the Philippines to allocate certain players to sports teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players...
ed after the 1971 season, no one showed up for try-outs to replace him.
The current mascot for Oklahoma is the
Sooner SchoonerThe Sooner Schooner is the official mascot of the sports teams of the University of Oklahoma Sooners. Pulled by two white ponies named Boomer and Sooner, it is a scaled-down replica of the Conestoga wagon used by settlers of the Oklahoma Territory around the time of the Land Run of 1889...
, a
conestoga wagonThe Conestoga wagon is a heavy, broad-wheeled covered wagon that was used extensively during the late 18th century and the 19th century in the United States and sometimes in Canada as well. It was large enough to transport loads up to 8 tons , and was drawn by horses, mules or oxen...
similar to the primary method of transportation used by early settlers in Oklahoma. The Schooner is driven by two white
poniesA pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
named
Boomer and SoonerBoomer and Sooner are two mascots of the University of Oklahoma and its sports teams, the Oklahoma Sooners. The main mascot present at football games is the Sooner Schooner, a Conestoga wagon, pulled by two crème white ponies, Boomer and Sooner...
. In 2005, the university also introduced two costumed mascots also named Boomer and Sooner to serve as mascots for football games and events that do not permit a covered wagon.
Heisman Trophy
The
Heisman TrophyThe 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...
is awarded annually to the nation's most outstanding college football player. Five Oklahoma players have won the Heisman Trophy, six more finished runner-up.
| Year | Player | Position | Points |
| 1952 |
|
Halfback |
525 |
| 1954 |
|
Center |
838 |
| 1969 |
|
Running back |
1,488 |
| 1972 |
Greg Pruitt Gregory Donald Pruitt is a former American football running back in the NFL from 1973 through 1984. He was selected to five Pro Bowls, four as a member of the Cleveland Browns and one as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders, the last one as a kick returner...
|
Running back |
966 |
| 1978 |
|
Running back |
827 |
| 1979 |
|
Running back |
773 |
| 2000 |
|
Quarterback |
1,552 |
| 2003 |
|
Quarterback |
1,481 |
| 2004 |
|
Running back |
997 |
| 2004 |
|
Quarterback |
957 |
| 2008 |
|
| Quarterback |
1,726 |
Bold indicates winner
Other awards
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>
| Maxwell Award The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
Best player |
| 1956 |
Tommy McDonald - RB |
| 2004 |
Jason White - QB |
| Walter Camp Award The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
Best player |
| 1969 |
Steve Owens - RB |
| 1978 |
Billy Sims - RB |
| 2000 |
Josh Heupel - QB |
| Dick Butkus Award The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
Best linebacker |
| 1985 |
Brian Bosworth |
| 1986 |
Brian Bosworth |
| 2001 |
Rocky Calmus |
| 2003 |
Teddy Lehman |
|
>
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
Best defensive player |
| 2001 |
Roy Williams - DB |
| 2003 |
Derrick Strait - DB |
| Chuck Bednarik Award The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
Best defensive player |
| 2003 |
Teddy Lehman - LB |
| Davey O'Brien Award The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
Best quarterback |
| 2003 |
Jason White |
| 2004 |
Jason White |
| 2008 |
Sam Bradford |
| Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's outstanding senior quarterback in college football. It was established in 1987 by a foundation named for Johnny Unitas , the Hall of Fame quarterback who played his college career at the University of...
Best senior quarterback |
| 2004 |
Jason White |
|
>
| Jim Thorpe Award The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
Best defensive back |
| 1987 |
Rickey Dixon |
| 2000 |
Roy Williams |
| 2003 |
Derrick Strait |
| Lombardi Award The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
Best lineman or linebacker |
| 1975 |
Lee Roy Selmon - DT |
| 1985 |
Tony Casillas - DL |
| 2003 |
Tommie Harris - DL |
| Outland Trophy The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
Best interior lineman |
| 1951 |
Jim Weatherall |
| 1953 |
J.D. Roberts |
| 1975 |
Lee Roy Selmon |
| 1978 |
Greg Roberts |
| 2004 |
Jammal Brown |
|
>
Associated Press College Football
Player of the Year AwardThe Associated Press College Football Player of the Year award has been awarded annually since 1998 to the most outstanding collegiate football player in the country. The winner is chosen by a vote of AP sportswriters and sports editors from throughout the country.-Winners:-Winners by school:...
Most Outstanding College Football Player |
| 2000 |
Josh Huepel |
| 2003 |
Jason White |
| 2008 |
Sam Bradford |
| Mosi Tatupu Award The Mosi Tatupu Award was given annually to the College Football Special Teams Player of the Year by the Maui Quarterback Club and the Hula Bowl, from 1997 to 2006....
Best Special Teams Player |
| 2000 |
J.T. Thatcher |
|
All-Americans
Every year, several publications release lists of the their ideal "team." The athletes on these lists are referred to as All-AmericansThe College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
. The NCAA recognizes five All-American lists. They are the Associated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, American Football Coaches AssociationThe American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
, Football Writers Association of AmericaThe Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
, The Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
, and the Walter Camp Football FoundationThe Walter Camp Football Foundation is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA. The organization also presents various awards.-Awards:*Walter Camp Player of the Year*CT Player of the Year...
. Some of these also have levels such as a first team All-American, or second team, or third team. A consensus All-American is determined using a point system; three points if the player was selected for the first team, two points for the second team, and one point for the third team. Oklahoma has had 152 All-Americans (74 consensus) in its history.
See also
- The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band
The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band, known as "The Pride", is the student marching band for the University of Oklahoma Sooners.-Early years:The Pride was founded in 1901 as a pep band to play at Sooner football games...
- RUF/NEKS
The RUF/NEKS are an all-male student pep squad for the University of Oklahoma.-History:The earliest years of this student organization are not well known. The RUF/NEKS began in the late 1910s. In December 1915 at a basketball game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma A&M a group of football players were...
- OU Chant
The OU Chant is the alma mater of the University of Oklahoma.The chant was written in 1936 by Jessie Lone Clarkson Gilkey, the coach of the OU girl's glee club from 1936 to 1938. It is played by The Pride of Oklahoma and sung by fans and alumni during pregame festivities prior to home football...
- List of Oklahoma Sooners in the NFL Draft
External links