Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Ranking the Sooners’ six Heisman winners

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 25: Quarterback Baker Mayfield
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 25: Quarterback Baker Mayfield /
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NORMAN, OK – OCTOBER 29: Oklahoma Sooners fans wait to enter the east side of the stadium before the game against the Kansas Jayhawks October 29, 2016 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK – OCTOBER 29: Oklahoma Sooners fans wait to enter the east side of the stadium before the game against the Kansas Jayhawks October 29, 2016 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

No. 5 – Steve Owens, 1969 Heisman Trophy winner, OU running back (1967-69)

Steve Owens rushed for over 1,500 yards in both his junior and senior seasons. The 1968 Oklahoma team won the Big Eight championship, but the 1968-69 Sooner teams were not among the better Oklahoma football teams of all-time. OU was just a combined 13-8 in the ’68 and ’69 seasons.

In his Heisman season in 1969, Owens compiled 1,523 yards rushing and 23 rushing touchdowns. In addition to winning the Heisman that season, he also was awarded the Walter Camp Trophy as the outstanding college player of the year and was a unanimous selection as a First-Team All-American.

Owens, who still resides in Norman, was the second Oklahoma player to receive the Heisman. It came 17 years after Billy Vessels became the first Sooner to win the award, in 1952.

Chuck Fairbanks was the Oklahoma head coach when Owens played, and Barry Switzer was the Sooners’ offensive coordinator.

Owens was Oklahoma’s all-time scoring leader with 57 touchdowns before DeMarco Murray topped that in 2010. He was the NCAA career rushing leader for two seasons with 3,867 yards. Ed Marinaro of Cornell broke that record in 1971.

Owens was a first-round selection of the Detroit Lions in the 1970 NFL Draft, taken with the 19th overall pick.

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