Oklahoma football: Eight great books on Sooner gridiron history
By Chip Rouse
“Wishbone: Oklahoma Football, 1959-1985,” by Wann Smith, with Foreward by Jay Wilkinson. University of Oklahoma Press, 2011
Veteran freelance journalist and writer Wann Smith, who I had the pleasure and privilege of working with as contributors to Sooners Illustrated magazine, has written an informative an insightful book that reveals how the triple-option offense that became known as the “Wishbone” forged a remarkable resurgence in Oklahoma football.
As Jay Wilkinson, Bud Wilkinson’s son, writes in the foreward to the book,
"“The Wishbone offense changed the face of college football. The book examines how close Oklahoma’s Wishbone came to being shelved before it became one of the most prolific and explosive attacks in college football history.”"
Smith goes behind the scenes and gives the reader an up-close-and-personal account of the historic events and extraordinary personalities that were integral in sowing the seeds for what can only be described as a renaissance period in OU football history.
“Wishbone” is well researched and masterfully written in a crisp, lively style. One of the appealing aspects of the book is a plethora of well-placed commentary from former players and coaches and situational anecdotes that add valuable perspective to this important period in Oklahoma and college football history.