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Oklahoma Football: Did You Know This?

By Chip Rouse

Dec 12, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Alabama running back Derrick Henry name appears on the Heisman Trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the trophy during the 81st annual Heisman Trophy presentation. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Alabama running back Derrick Henry name appears on the Heisman Trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the trophy during the 81st annual Heisman Trophy presentation. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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In addition to seven national championships, Oklahoma football also proudly boasts five Heisman Trophy winners.

The last two OU players to be awarded the Heisman Trophy – college football’s most prestigious individual award, recognizing the best college player in the country for a particular season – were both quarterbacks during Bob Stoops’ time as head coach at Oklahoma.

Former Sooner signal-caller Jason White won the Heisman in 2003 and Sam Bradford took home the award for the 2008 season.

And the number of Sooner quarterback winners of the highly coveted college prize easily could have been three were it not for Josh Heupel, the quarterback in Stoops’ first two seasons at OU, finishing second in the Heisman balloting in 2000 to Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke.

The Heisman Trophy has been awarded 81 times since 1935, when Jay Berwanger, a halfback for the University of Chicago, became the first recipient of the honor.

Jan 3, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford (7) prior to the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Jan 3, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford (7) prior to the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O /

Thirty-three players who have won the Heisman were quarterbacks. That represents 40 percent of the total number of Heisman winners. Coincidentally, that is the same percentage of Sooner players who have won the Heisman Trophy. Before White and Bradford won the Heisman, three other Oklahoma All-Americans won the award.

Billy Vessels was the first Sooner to be awarded the Heisman. Vessels, a halfback, won the award in 1952. Steve Owens, a consensus All-American at running back, was the winner in 1969 and the great Billy Sims received the Heisman in 1978 and came close to winning it again in1979, but lost out to Charles White of USC.

The likenesses of all five Oklahoma Heisman winners are on display in the form of bronze statues in what is known as Heisman Park, located outside of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium along the east side of the stadium.

And one other important fact regarding Oklahoma’s Heisman Trophy winners. The Sooners five Heisman winners ranks fourth among all schools.

Notre Dame, USC and Ohio State have each won the award seven times. In the case of Ohio State, six former Buckeyes have won the award, with Archie Griffin the only player in history to have won the Heisman in back-to-back years (1974-75).

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