Over the last two decades, Oklahoma football has been known more as a factory for Heisman-winning quarterbacks who go on to become No. 1 overall draft picks in the NFL.
But there was a time in the not-that-distant OU gridiron past when the Sooners were better known for recruiting and developing outstanding running backs. That tends to be a natural byproduct of running a wishbone offense — at least Oklahoma’s version of that offense.
In all candor, we could build several Mount Rushmore-like monuments memorializing the great history of Oklahoma running backs, but for this exercise we have narrowed it down to the four that we feel are the best of the best to represent the Crimson and Cream.
The Sooners’ first three Heisman Trophy winners (Billy Vessels in 1952, Steve Owens in 1969 and Billy Sims in 1978) were all running backs.
Oklahoma and Ohio State are tied for the most unanimous All-Americans in college football history, each with 35. Six of the Sooners’ 35 were running backs, but only one OU running back (Adrian Peterson) has achieved unanimous All-America status since 1978.
Here are the four from Oklahoma’s long and rich history of outstanding running backs that we believe stand head and shoulders above the rest: