Greatest OU Running Back Of All Time?

[r5TPsooner]

Vote away SOONERS. This one has to be closer than the last ones.

[r5TPsooner]

It really only comes down to two for me. I never saw Little Joe play except in clips so it's between AD and Billy for me.

[Fraggle145]

Tommy McDonald? I know I mentioned it in the WR thread, but give the man some love...

[NYC Poke]

It could have been Marcus Dupree. Talk about wasted potential.

[JLEW1818]

Billy Sims.
AD

[soonerfan28]

It could have been Marcus Dupree. Talk about wasted potential.

No doubt.

[soonerfan28]

Skills - AD
Stats - Sims

[Harry Beanbag]

Now this one is hard.

[JLEW1818]

AD might have been the biggest name ever to come through Oklahoma.

Billy Sims rushed for 300-yards in three consecutive games, and had four 200-yard games in a single season. Also won a Heisman Trophy. AD was also a freshman when he got second in the heisman voting, Which there is still no freshman ever to win a heisman trophy. Oklahoma got more out of Sims as opposed to Peterson. In the end Sims was a better running back at the University of Oklahoma.

[soonerfan28]

Here's a nice vid. Not very clear though.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iF8rOdKKDac

[JLEW1818]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_rJ1xDBT1jM&feature=related

That will give you some goosebumps too!

[olevetonahill]

I had to go with Lil Joe
It was amazing to see Him run into a pile Of defenders then get loose and head down the sidelines.
Plus He shoulda Had a Heisman aalso

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Jeff Frazier

[r5TPsooner]

IMHO AD is the greatest college player to not win a Heisman. If he had stayed at OU he would have won one at least if he stayed healthy.

[JLEW1818]

if he played every game, stayed all 4 years, and never got hurt. he would have been the best college running back ever.

[Jacie]

if he played every game, stayed all 4 years, and never got hurt. he would have been the best college running back ever.

That is what they say about Dupree. AD had a remarkable freshman year versus a very good 8 games. AD never embarrassed the university or his team. AD belongs in this poll, Dupree shouldn't even be in this thread.

[bstuff1979]

Had to go with Joe Washington, but an argument could absolutely be made for AD or Sims. It could also be argued that Mike Gaddis would be in that group if it wasn't for the injury (I know it isn't the case, but I still blame texas...even if they didn't do anything). Another thing, where's Billy Vessels? Didn't he win some trophy or something?

[Mad Dog Madsen]

IMHO AD is the greatest college player to not win a Heisman. If he had stayed at OU he would have won one at least if he stayed healthy.

I love AD to death but that Darren McFadden guy was a pretty good one too. Seen both of 'em play in college, so I think it's neck-and-neck. I don't think DM will do near as much as in the pros as AD did tho, FWIW.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Kenyon Rasheed

[BoomerJack]

It could have been Marcus Dupree. Talk about wasted potential.

Him and my #1 All-Time flake, Joe Don Looney.

[XingTheRubicon]

I'm guessing Billy Vessels should crack the top 10

[batonrougesooner]

Marcus Dupree should be included in the poll.

[batonrougesooner]

This is a tough one. Billy and Washington are arguably the two best in OU history. Having said that I think AD may have been the best of them all.

[TheUnnamedSooner]

Tommy McDonald? I know I mentioned it in the WR thread, but give the man some love...

I 2nd that. He was one of the first greats.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I'm guessing Billy Vessels should crack the top 10

I can't believe this got to the 2nd page without somebody bringing him up...He definitely should be in the top 5

[soonermix]

if only we would have given it to Renaldo

[mikeelikee]

I love AD, but my vote had to go to Billy Sims. Dude won one Heisman, and should have won two. Friggin' Charlie "Trash can lid" White edged him out in 1979, mainly because he played for the Toejams.

[JLEW1818]

how his BBQ business going

[Fraggle145]

if only we would have given it to Renaldo

REN'ALL-DOE! :D

[Fraggle145]

if only we would have given it to Renaldo

Dont forget about the most explosive RB in college football today! ;)

[insuranceman_22]

Billy Sims was the man.

[King Crimson]

if you lined Sims up in the I and gave him 30 totes a game he would have won the Heisman twice.

Pruitt averaged almost 9 yards a carry as a senior.

[ousoonerfan]

Sims.

[SteelClip49]

Quentin Griffin!!!!!!!!!!

Should have been the Rose Bowl MVP, owned Texas, scored the only TD in the national title game, unselfish, disciplined.

[Pigface1]

Billy Sims got screwed out of a second Heisman. . I think he ran for something like 500 yards in his last two games after the votes were in. Kinda hard to argue with Sims.

[PLaw]

AD might have been the biggest name ever to come through Oklahoma.

Billy Sims rushed for 300-yards in three consecutive games, and had four 200-yard games in a single season. Also won a Heisman Trophy. AD was also a freshman when he got second in the heisman voting, Which there is still no freshman ever to win a heisman tro,phy. Oklahoma got more out of Sims as opposed to Peterson. In the end Sims was a better running back at the University of Oklahoma.

Damn tough question - Sims, Washington, Pruitt, Dupree, Peterson, Overstreet. I saw them all.

Pros and cons - who do you figure had the best talent around them? Tough to say, Sims '78 team was loaded, but so was Peterson's '03 team.

Injuries plagued Sims and Peterson, but each had one remarkable year and you could say that Sims had two.

To me, it's 1A and 1B with Sims and Peterson, with Pruitt and Wasington right there. Dupree could have been 1C if he had not been thrown into the fire before he was emotionally mature enough to handle it. Overstreet may have been the most underrated.

BOOMER
PLaw

[KantoSooner]

It's Sims and Peterson in a heat for me,and I saw them both.

But there's a special corner of my heart that wants love for Demond and also (for anyone who saw what he did that half against ASU, what was it, 253 yards in 33 minutes?) that wants some for Dupree, too.

[King Crimson]

Damn tough question - Sims, Washington, Pruitt, Dupree, Peterson, Overstreet. I saw them all.

Pros and cons - who do you figure had the best talent around them? Tough to say, Sims '78 team was loaded, but so was Peterson's '03 team.

Injuries plagued Sims and Peterson, but each had one remarkable year and you could say that Sims had two.

To me, it's 1A and 1B with Sims and Peterson, with Pruitt and Wasington right there. Dupree could have been 1C if he had not been thrown into the fire before he was emotionally mature enough to handle it. Overstreet may have been the most underrated.

BOOMER
PLaw

that's a good post. for today's game AD is obviously the choice (and it's crazy sick how many 50+ yard runs he had)....but "inna day" i go with Billy. He was jaw-dropping to watch in the same way the Gale Sayers highlights are but with power.

Switzer says that if we are on TV in 75 Joe Washington wins the Heisman. now, Barry says all kinds of stuff; but Joe was great.

[JLEW1818]

Damn tough question - Sims, Washington, Pruitt, Dupree, Peterson, Overstreet. I saw them all.

Pros and cons - who do you figure had the best talent around them? Tough to say, Sims '78 team was loaded, but so was Peterson's '03 team.

Injuries plagued Sims and Peterson, but each had one remarkable year and you could say that Sims had two.

To me, it's 1A and 1B with Sims and Peterson, with Pruitt and Wasington right there. Dupree could have been 1C if he had not been thrown into the fire before he was emotionally mature enough to handle it. Overstreet may have been the most underrated.

BOOMER
PLaw

I totally agree.

[bstuff1979]

I can't believe this got to the 2nd page without somebody bringing him up...He definitely should be in the top 5

Actually, I threw that out there...but it is a bit of a shock that only three people even thought of the guy. I haven't seen many Mike Gaddis mentions either, especially bothersome when so many people DO remember Marcus Dupree. At least Gaddis was a solid guy. Not saying that Dupree wasn't, I've never met the guy so I can't say for sure, but he didn't come off as the hardest worker. Gaddis, on the other hand, came off like the type of guy who could have been all-time great as well as being solid off the field.

[aero]

Now this is a good poll. Isn't it fun talking about all of the great players OU has had? Gotta love it. Billy was poetry. Joe was amazing. AD was a nuclear missile. Greg Pruitt was pretty damn good. Kenny King was a stud at fullback. Maybe that's the next poll. I don't really rate Dupree with these guys. No doubt the guy had talent (and size) but....... I'd say Billy, Joe, AD, in that order. AD is right there, but, IMO, the other 2 were pretty special at OU.

[dog-knee]

I just finished voting for my hometown hero, Steve Owens. Fiercest competitor, toughest man (check out how many times he was able to carry the rock against saxet), and best ambassador for his school in this illustrious group. AND he won some award. Oh yeah, and he was the first back to ever have a thousand yard rushing season for the lowly Detroit Lions. Not bad credentials for someone who didn't have the superhuman physical gifts of a Sims, DuPree or a Peterson.

[texas bandman]

I went Sims, I was inschool his jr. and sr. years and he became the benchmark of what I wanted to see in a back. AD was amazing I just wish hewould have had fewer injuries. I was a boy scout usher the year Owens won his Heisman...he worked hard for every yard of every run.

[soonerboy_odanorth]

This is a good poll (pole). My vote is Billy. However, I am surprised that Greg Pruitt has not garnered more votes. Isn't he still the all-time YPC leader?

[Flagstaffsooner]

Silver Shoes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Ms_37TWBI)

[Big Red Ron]

Demond Parker did more with less tha all of of them. I'm not sure he's the best but he was the only reason to watch for a couple of years.

I doubt many of our great backs would have been so great without the teams around them.

[Big Red Ron]

Also, not having James Allen on this list is more than a slight oversight.

[King Crimson]

MHr60rAWs3s&feature=related

this was a great college football game. we had undefeated, numba one Nebraska with Gill, Rozier, Craig, Rathman, Fryer on the ropes. and we were not that good. end of the game, we have the ball inside their 10 down a score and jump offsides...

[olevetonahill]

Silver Shoes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Ms_37TWBI)

Thats what Im talking about .
He seemed to float thru the D like a Ghost :cool:

[Flagstaffsooner]

Thats what Im talking about .
He seemed to float thru the D like a Ghost :cool:


"He's smoother than smoke through a keyhole."
-- Darrell K. Royal


x

[Remembering Tom Stidham]

Billy Vessels was the best I ever saw in Norman.

[OUcharlie]

Billy Sims, no doubt about this..

[r5TPsooner]

Demond Parker did more with less tha all of of them. I'm not sure he's the best but he was the only reason to watch for a couple of years.

I doubt many of our great backs would have been so great without the teams around them.


I thought that Gerald Moore fits into that category too.

[Big Red Ron]

I thought that Gerald Moore fits into that category too.
He does but he split carried with Allen. "Thunder and lightning."

Parker did it by himself, with no line, no QB, no defense and no coaching. Just a badass Mo Fo runnin for his life.

[Big Red Ron]

The main man!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oc_TAY44IWg

[r5TPsooner]

Justin Fuente was in way over his head

[Big Red Ron]

Justin Fuente was in way over his headHis 40 time was generously listed at 5.0. Dude looked like he was running in sand. Poor dude.

[r5TPsooner]

His 40 time was generously listed at 5.0. Dude looked like he was running in sand. Poor dude.


Quick sand.:D

[Big Red Ron]

Quick sand.:DWhat's funnier is that Blake had him running the option. Doh

[stoopified]

Tommy McDonald? I know I mentioned it in the WR thread, but give the man some love...I would definitely agree,he should in the TOP 10 at least.

IMHO if you substitute McDonald for Wilson and Vessels for Carr,I think the players listed in this poll are the top10 in OU history.The only debatewould be the order.

On the other hand Carr and Wilson could join Kenny King,Leon Crosswhite,Buck McPhail as the top fullbacks in OU history.

[soonerfan28]

I'm guessing Billy Vessels should crack the top 10

I know a guy who blocked for him in high school and said he could have ran a 4.4 or better. Not bad for a guy that played in the 50's.

[Big Red Ron]

I know a guy who blocked for him in high school and said he could have ran a 4.4 or better. Not bad for a guy that played in the 50's.Dale Depue?

[soonerfan28]

Dale Depue?

His name was Tate Hager.

[stoopified]

I would definitely agree,he should in the TOP 10 at least.

IMHO if you substitute McDonald for Wilson and Vessels for Carr,I think the players listed in this poll are the top10 in OU history.The only debatewould be the order.

On the other hand Carr and Wilson could join Kenny King,Leon Crosswhite,Buck McPhail as the top fullbacks in OU history.How could I forget Leon MULETRAIN Heath among top fullbacks?

[Bone]

AD

[MorningStar]

Sims was the best at OU and was probably the most versatile with vision, cuts, breakaway and low running style taken together to be superior to AD. AD is right there with him and might surpass Billy if he had stayed healthy. AD easily has the best combination of breakaway speed and strength of any OU back that I've seen, with the possible exception given to an in-shape Dupree. AD would have been an awesome addition to the 2003 squad!

Next tier is Joe Washington.....Gaddis might have been in this level (or better)if he had stayed healthy. I'd also put Q in this group (the vision, cuts and acceleration this dude had was every bit a good as Little Joe's). Too bad Q didn't have top-end breakaway speed. Of course, Q apparently did not have the return skills that Joe had.

In my mind, these were the elites at OU. From Pruitt on back, I really can't judge since this was before my time.

[okieslp]

If totin' the rock is the only qualification, I go with Sims one and AD two. If you bring in the return game, I gotta go Little Joe one and AD two. Any way you slice it, we have had some real studs running downhill at OU!

[KingBarry]

Look, AD is one of the greatest players to carry the ball in college (and may be on his way to such status in the NFL) but I can't put him among the top 2 or 3 all time greats because his opportunities were limited by injury and an early exit. And in the two shortened seasons, we seem to have lost more games with AD than without.

It would have been great to see him have one full season as an upper-classman/team leader type, as the guy that could have taken over a game.

I'd go with Steve Owens (iron man and one-man offense in '69), Billy Sims, Joe Washington. And those are just the "my lifetime" guys.

Hard to stack them all up from the pre-Switzer days to now.

By the way, you want to talk about "Running Back U," OU has got a pantheon of all-time greats at the position. At a bunch of schools, Q would get attention as a best ever, and here he doesn't get a sniff. We've got a Heisman winner (Vessels) and a Maxwell winner (McDonald) who barely get mentioned.

[stoopified]

By the way, you want to talk about "Running Back U," OU has got a pantheon of all-time greats at the position. At a bunch of schools, Q would get attention as a best ever, and here he doesn't get a sniff. We've got a Heisman winner (Vessels) and a Maxwell winner (McDonald) who barely get mentioned.Very true.