Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Baker Mayfield’s Parents Might Be a Little Torn on Saturday

By Chip Rouse

Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first half of the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Duyos-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the first half of the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Duyos-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

James and Gina Mayfield, parents of Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, will have an allegiance dilemma on Saturday.

Nov 28, 2015; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates with the fans in the crowd following the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Sooners defeated the Cowboys 58-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates with the fans in the crowd following the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Sooners defeated the Cowboys 58-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Mayfields both attended the University of Houston, and James played for the Cougars. You can bet, though, that the proud parents will be seated among the Sooner faithful on Saturday at NRG Stadium in Houston when No. 3 Oklahoma squares off with No. 15-ranked Houston.

James played quarterback and was a punter at Houston from 1967-69, according to a feature article in the August issue of ESPN the Magazine. Two longtime, childhood friends, Rex Norris and Charlie Sadler ended up as coaches at OU in the 1970s, and it wasn’t long after that happened that Baker’s parents began following and became fans of the Sooners.

Not surprising, then, that Baker, despite growing up just outside of Austin, Texas, home to the University of Texas, in nearby Lake Travis, grew up rooting for Oklahoma.

The younger Mayfield led his Lake Travis High School team to a 25-2 record in two seasons as the starting quarterback and a Class 4A state championship in 2011, capping a perfect 16-0 season.

After high school, Baker’s preferred destinations to play college football were TCU or Oklahoma, but the only scholarship offers he received were from Florida Atlantic, Rice, New Mexico and Washington State.

But as we all now know, he ended up at none of the above, electing instead to walk-on at Texas Tech. He earned the starting quarterback job, and things appeared to be going well. Mayfield started the first five games for the Red Raiders in 2013, winning four of the five, before suffering an injury against Kansas in his fifth collegiate game. He was replaced by fellow freshman Davis Webb (now the QB at California) and would see action in only three more games that season.

The rest, as they say, is history. Texas Tech’s loss has been Oklahoma’s great blessing. Mayfield is not only playing for his favorite team as a child, but leading that team to great things on the field.

I suppose his parents could come out a winner either way on Saturday, but they’ve pretty much hitched their wagon to the team in the crimson and cream colors. And they’re just fine with that.

Home/OU Football