Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Mount Rushmore 10 of Sooner GOATS of modern era

By Chip Rouse

KEYSTONE, SOUTH DAKOTA - JULY 02: The busts of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln tower over the Black Hills at Mount Rushmore National Monument on July 02, 2020 near Keystone, South Dakota. President Donald Trump is expected to visit the monument and speak before the start of a fireworks display on July 3. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
KEYSTONE, SOUTH DAKOTA - JULY 02: The busts of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln tower over the Black Hills at Mount Rushmore National Monument on July 02, 2020 near Keystone, South Dakota. President Donald Trump is expected to visit the monument and speak before the start of a fireworks display on July 3. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) /
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Nov 1971; Unknown location, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oklahoma Sooners running back Greg Pruitt (30) on the sidelines during the 1971 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1971; Unknown location, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oklahoma Sooners running back Greg Pruitt (30) on the sidelines during the 1971 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 6 — RB Greg Pruitt

Greg Pruitt will always be remembered as one of the great running backs at Oklahoma, a school that has produced some of the best running backs to ever play the college game. The irony of that is that Pruitt was recruited as a wide receiver. When the Sooners switched to the Wishbone offense in 1970, however, they needed more running backs than wide receivers.

At 190 pounds, and probably less in 1970, Pruitt lacked size for a prototypical running back in a triple-option offense, but he made up for it with great speed and shiftiness. That first varsity season, Pruitt rushed for 241 yards in 11 games. The following year, in 1971, he busted out for 1,760 yards and 18 touchdowns. His production declined a little in the 1972 season, but he still produced 938 rushing yards.

In three OU seasons, Pruitt ran for 3,122 yards, 11th best in school history, but his 7.40 yards per carry average still stands as an Oklahoma career best. His 4,431 all-purpose yards ranks seventh among the Oklahoma career leaders.

Pruitt was a two-time consensus All-American while at OU and finished third in 1971 and second in 1972 in the Heisman Trophy voting.

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