OU Football: Three-Headed Sooner Monster Wreaks Havoc on Opponents

NFL fans remember the 1990s glory days of the Dallas Cowboys featuring the super star offensive trio of Aikman-Thomas-Irvin they called the “Three Amigos.” OU football has its own Fearsome Threesome that very well could lead the Sooners back to the College Football Playoff in 2016.

Nov 21, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon (25) eludes a tackle attempt by TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Montrel Wilson (20) during the third quarter at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Most three-headed knockout punches in college football come from the offensive construct of an outstanding running back, a sure-handed, speedy wide receiver and, the most important element of all, a quarterback that can will a team to championships with his leadership skills, determination and athletic talent and ability.

Last season, All-Big 12 wide receiver Sterling Shepard was part of this mix, but he has moved on to display his pass-catching and route-running skills on a bigger stage known as the NFL.

Oklahoma’s three-way knockout punch in the coming season resides behind the line of scrimmage in the Sooner backfield. Get used to the acronym M-P-M because that’s what Oklahoma opponents are going to get an extra heavy dose of this fall in what will surely be one of the most potent offensive attacks in all of college football.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield, along with the running back tandem of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, combined for 6,207 of OU’s 6,893 total offensive yards last season, which ranked as the seventh best in the nation. In addition to 2,102 net rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, Perine and Mixon also accounted for 463 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Mayfield, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and who finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting last fall, was the man pulling the trigger at the center of the Oklahoma offense last season. He alone accounted for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns through the air and another 405 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground .

Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers linebacker B.J. Goodson (44) and safety T.J. Green (15) tackle Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) in the first quarter of the 2015 CFP Semifinal at the Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

All three are back for at least one if not two more seasons, and that spells a heap of trouble for Big 12 defensive coordinators, who are tasked with finding ways to slow down or contain this explosive, modern-day triple-option offensive attack.

In case you missed it, ESPN.com college-football writer Travis Haney has come up with a top-25 ranking of teams with the best offensive triplets in college football. The Clemson Tigers (QB Deshaun Watson, RB Wayne Gallman and WR Mike Williams) sit at the very top of that list, followed by No. 2 Oklahoma. Baylor (QB Seth Russell, RB Shock Linwood and WR KD Cannon), USC and North Carolina round out the top five teams on Haney’s list.

Four other Big 12 teams made the Top-25 ranking of teams with the best offensive triplets. Texas Tech (QB Patrick Mahomes, RB Justin Stockton and WR Derrick Willes) came in at No. 6, Iowa State No. 15 (QB Joel Lanning, RB Mike Warren and WR Allen Lazard), West Virginia No. 21 (QB Skyler Howard, RB Rushel Shell and WR Shelton Gibson) and Texas No. 21 (QB Shane Buechele, RB Chris Warren III and RB D’Onta Foreman).

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