Oklahoma Sooners football: 2014 Regular Season Awards
By Joe Buettner
Nov 22, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) runs past Kansas Jayhawks cornerback Dexter McDonald (12) and scores a touchdown during the game at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Breakout Player: Samaje Perine
C’mon, who else would it be?
Samaje Perine entered the 2014 season as a virtual nobody outside of Norman, Oklahoma.
Joe Mixon and Keith Ford were expected to headline OU’s rushing attack, but things quickly changed after Mixon was suspended and Ford wound up on the sideline with an injury that kept him out for a good chunk of the season.
Samaje Perine took full advantage of his opportunity.
No. 32 bullied his way through opposing defenses on his way to one of the all-time best seasons in history for an OU running back.
Perine picked up plenty of postseason praise from the media, including a few All-American nods and Big 12 awards.
Samaje Perine embodied everything an Oklahoma football player stands for. He’s tough, he gets the job done, and he carried himself with the maturity of a veteran.
Who knows how OU’s season shakes up if not for Samaje, who will grace Owen Field for at least two more years.
Next: Special Teams MVP