Oklahoma football countdown: The No. 7 in OU gridiron history
By Chip Rouse
The countdown for the season kickoff of Oklahoma football is now at seven days — one week from today — which has us thinking about what the number seven represents in Sooner football history.
The most obvious reference to the No. 7 in OU football history is number of football national championships by the Sooners, the most recent being in 2000 in Bob Stoops second season as head coach.
Seven is the fewest number of games Bob Stoops won in 18 seasons at Oklahoma. His 190 wins total is the most by any head coach in OU football history.
Seven also represents the number of Heisman Trophy finalists Oklahoma has produced since the 2000 season.
There have been 77 all-time consensus All-Americans at Oklahoma.
Some Sooner players of relatively recent seasons who wore the jersey No. 7 include defensive back Brandon Everage, who player for Oklahoma and coach Bob Stoops from 1999 to 2003. He won a national championship ring as a member of the Sooners’ undefeated 2000 team. Everage life was tragically cut short when he drowned in 2011.
No. 7 DeMarco Murray rushed for 3,685 yards in four seasons at Oklahoma (2007-10), which ranks as seventh best on the Sooner career rushing leaderboard. Murray has been in the NFL six seasons and is currently with the Tennessee Titans. He was the NFL rushing leader in 2014 while with the Dallas Cowboys.
Corey Nelson, a linebacker on the 2010-13 Oklahoma teams wore the No. 7 jersey number while at OU. Nelson is now in the National Football League with the Denver Broncos.
Today the No. 7 is worn by two-time All-Big 12 First Team cornerback Jordan Thomas. His 17 pass-breakups last season tied for third most in a single season in program history. His 1.5 passes defended per game in the 2016 season ranked fifth nationally.