Oklahoma football: Five returning Sooners ready to ramp up their game
By Chip Rouse
Senior fullback Dimitri Flowers
Under head coach Bob Stoops, Oklahoma has had a history of outstanding fullback play as part of the Sooner offense (Matt Clapp, Trey Millard and Aaron Ripkowski of recent note). Senior Dimitri Flowers has been the incumbent at that position the last three seasons for the Sooners’.
The 6-foot, 2-inch, 247-pound senior from San Antonio had his best season as a Sooner in 2016, carrying the ball 22 times for 115 yards and catching 11 passes out of the backfield for a total of 200 yards and four touchdowns. All of his rushing yards last season came in one game.
With Samaje Perine hurt and Joe Mixon unable to play because of a one-game suspension, Flowers started the Iowa State game a year ago at the tailback position and played a major role for the Sooners in registering an important 34-24 road win in what easily could have been a trap game. He caught an 11-yard scoring pass right before halftime to extend a four-point OU lead to a more comfortable 11-point advantage.
Flowers caught a 34-yard touchdown pass in the epic up-and-down, high-scoring shootout with Texas Tech last season, and hauled in a 67-yard catch in the conference-clinching, regular-season finale a year ago against Oklahoma State.
Used primarily as a blocking back in protection of the Oklahoma quarterback, Flowers’ versatility will likely be on display more frequently in 2017.
Good things generally happen when Flowers touches the ball. And as a senior this season, the big fullback is looking to go out on a high note.