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Oklahoma football: Betcha didn’t know this?

By Chip Rouse

Jan 1, 2003; Pasadena, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Antonio Perkins (28) in action against the Washington State Cougars during the 2003 Rose Bowl at the Rose Bowl. The Sooners defeated the Cougars 34-14. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Network
Jan 1, 2003; Pasadena, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Antonio Perkins (28) in action against the Washington State Cougars during the 2003 Rose Bowl at the Rose Bowl. The Sooners defeated the Cougars 34-14. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Network /
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There has not been a punt or kickoff return for an Oklahoma football touchdown since the 2016 season.

The last time an Oklahoma Sooner returned a punt for a touchdown was six seasons ago when wide receiver Dede Westbrook fielded a Kansas punt at his own 29-yard line and broke off a 71-yard run to the house early in the first quarter to give OU a quick 7-0 lead. It not only was Oklahoma’s last punt return for a touchdown, but it was the only punt-return touchdown of Westbrook’s collegiate career.

The all-time Oklahoma record for punt-return touchdowns is held by Antonio Perkins, a defensive back on the 2000-2004 Sooner teams. Perkins returned eight punts for touchdowns in his OU career, including three in the same game. In a 2003 game against UCLA, Perkins took three punts to the house and recorded 277 punt-return yards, both NCAA records, in a 59-24 win over the Bruins.

Perkins also returned another punt for a touchdown that season, giving him a total of four for the season, which was also an NCAA record.

In his OU career, Perkins totaled 1,445 yards in punt returns and a program-best 12.79 yards per return.

Perkins is one of three Oklahoma players to return a punt 91 yards for a touchdown, and that is not the longest punt returned for a touchdown in Sooner history. Tommy McDonald (1954-56) and Jalen Saunders (2012-13) joined Perkins in that department. Eddie Hinton (1966-68) returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown, and that still isn’t the longest in program history.

The longest punt return for a touchdown in Oklahoma football history belongs to Darrell Royal, who played quarterback and defensive back under Bud Wilkinson at OU from 1946 to 1949 and also did a pretty good job returning punts. In 1948, he returned one 96 yards for a touchdown.

Jack Mitchell, who backed up Royal at quarterback over those same years, ranks second all-time at OU in punt-return touchdowns with seven.

Perkins’ eight punts returned for a touchdown stands second all-time in the NCAA record book to Dante Pettis of the Washington Huskies (2014-17). Perkins is tied in second place with former Texas Tech and New England Patriots star Wes Welker.

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