Oklahoma football: Mount Rushmore of all-time Sooner RBs
By Chip Rouse
Billy Sims
The Oklahoma Football Media Guide describes Billy Sims as an all-time Sooner great who “swept through defenses like a tornado flying across the Oklahoma landscape.”
Sims rushed for 1,896 yards his junior year, in 1978, to lead the nation and record what at the time was the most yards in a single season in program history (it currently ranks second). He averaged 7.4 yards per carry that season and scored 22 touchdowns. He gained more than 200 yards four times in 1978, which still stands as a school record/
His 1978 performance earned Sims the Heisman Trophy, the third Sooner running back to be so honored. He finished his OU career with 4,118 rushing yards, 53 touchdowns and averaged 6.9 yards per carry. His career yardage total and touchdowns, rank second on the all-time OU career list.
Sims came close to becoming only the second college player all-time to win the Heisman in back-to-back seasons. After winning the prestigious award in 1978, he finished second to USC’s Charles White in the 1979 Heisman voting. He is one of just two Oklahoma running backs to achieve unanimous All-America status twice (Greg Pruitt is the other).
I consider Sims not only to rank high among a host of great Oklahoma running backs, but in the top five of the greatest Sooner players all-time.