Top 10 OU HBs as of now

[stoopified]

....Of course this just IMHO and certain to change in the future.
1 Sims
2 Washington
3 Peterson
4 Griffin
5 Owens
6 Vessels
7 Parker
8 Pruitt
9 McDonald
10 Gaddis

Waiting in the wings Murray,Brown.

My Top 10 FBs

1 Carr
2 King
3 Crosswhite
4 Prentice Gautt
5 Heath
6 Wilson
7 McPhail
8 Ivory
9 Moore
10 Runnels

By having a sepearte list for fbs I can list 10 more OU greats.

[badger]

Clap for Matt Clapp!

:pop:

[sooner_born_1960]

I assume you meant RB instead of HB. Pruitt is too low on that list.

[Sooner04]

Greg Pruitt averaged over nine yards a carry in 1971.

Peterson is too high.

Where's Jim Littrell on the FB list?

[TheUnnamedSooner]

Owens and vessels are too low in my opinion. Heisman winners should be at the top.

I agree Peterson is too high. He could have been #1 but the injury bug...

[badger]

Remember that Hello and Goodbye was a Heisman finalist twice. He really was that good... and if anyone has any word that he's back in Norman for autographs or just for fun, please post here so we can go say hi (and bye, lol)

[CrimsonJim]

Good list of backs, but I'm thinkin' more like:

1. Sims
2. Owens
3. Vessles
4. Washington
5. Pruitt
6. Peterson
7. Griffin
8. Parker
9. McDonald
10. Gaddis

[SoonerSoph]

Top 10 in what? Production? Excitement? Skill?
I know I'm young and don't want to rank RBs and FBs I haven't really seen except in old highlights. So here's mine...

1. AD
2. Q
3. Parker
4. Allen
t5. Brown
t5. Murray
7. Runnels
8. Jones
9. Patrick
10. Works

[Curly Bill]

Too bad Gaddis was injured -- he'd be higher up the list than 10th. :(

[badger]

If we're just talking about the since 2000... you know, for us younger fans :D

1. All Day
2. Q
3. Patrick
4. Renaldo
5. Chris Brown
6. Demarco
7. Maduuuuuu!
8. Kejuan


... ok, that's as far as I can remember. Sorry :D

[Sooner04]

Good list of backs, but I'm thinkin' more like:

1. Sims
2. Owens
3. Vessles
4. Washington
5. Pruitt
6. Peterson
7. Griffin
8. Parker
9. McDonald
10. Gaddis
Good list, although I think Owens benefited from Fairbanks' coaching philosophy at the time. I think he had 55 carries one day against O-State.

Little Joe is probably the most underrated, but he couldn't help it. His teams were never on TV and they were so good that he often sat padless on the sidelines for the entire second half.

[aegsm76]

Good list, but here's mine
RB
1. Sims
2. Peterson
3. Washington
4. Owens
5. Pruitt
6. Vessels
7. Q
8. Clendon Thomas
9. Gaddis
10. Parker

FB
1. Carr
2. Wilson
3. King
4. Crosswhite
5. Heath
6. Moore
7. Perry
8. Gautt
9. McPhail
10. Waymon Clark - he was great for one glorious season.

[JLEW1818]

Q contributed more than AD

[Collier11]

....Of course this just IMHO and certain to change in the future.
1 Sims
2 Washington
3 Peterson
4 Griffin
5 Owens
6 Vessels
7 Parker
8 Pruitt
9 McDonald
10 Gaddis

Waiting in the wings Murray,Brown.

My Top 10 FBs

1 Carr
2 King
3 Crosswhite
4 Prentice Gautt
5 Heath
6 Wilson
7 McPhail
8 Ivory
9 Moore
10 Runnels

By having a sepearte list for fbs I can list 10 more OU greats.

Littrell needs to be on the FB list, Q is too high and Pruitt too low, remember Q only had 1 really good year, the other 3 were good but nothing special

[Sooner04]

I weep for days every time I see Peterson listed as one of the top 3 backs in our history.

[JLEW1818]

As a sophomore at Oklahoma, Griffin ran for 783 yards and 16 touchdowns and added 45 receptions for 406 yards. He was an All-Big 12 first team selection and was named to the Big 12 All-academic team, his first of three consecutive nominations to both squads. Junior totals were 182 for 884 with 9 TDs on the ground with 55 for 448 and 2 TDs as a receiver, and as a senior totaled 287 carries for 1,884 yards with 15 scores, placing him second in the league for rushing. Also caught 35 passes for 264 yards with three additional scores. The three-year starter helped his school win a national championship in 2000 and he finished fourth in school history in career rushing yards (3,756), third in touchdowns (44) and chose to preserve Billy Sims record and finish second in all-purpose yards (4,973).

[Pricetag]

Littrell needs to be on the FB list, Q is too high and Pruitt too low, remember Q only had 1 really good year, the other 3 were good but nothing special
Do you mean Seth? I never saw his dad play, but Seth is definitely deserving of at least an honorable mention for fullbacks. I'll always have a ton of respect for the guy for coming to OU even though they sucked. In the beat down at Nebraska in '97, he was the only one on the team who appeared to care. In the end, it was because of guys like him that we won that NC in 2000. I'll never forget the look on his face during the coin toss at the Orange Bowl. My confidence as a fan was immediately bolstered by it.

[Jacie]

Another toot for big Steve Owens. You'd think that other teams might have done a better job containing him since they knew he was likely to get the ball, yet he still managed to run over and through them (a sort of 60's version of Marcus DuPree without the issues).

Can you imagine one of OUr backs getting 55 carries in a single game today?

Neither can I.

[Collier11]

Do you mean Seth? I never saw his dad play, but Seth is definitely deserving of at least an honorable mention for fullbacks. I'll always have a ton of respect for the guy for coming to OU even though they sucked. In the beat down at Nebraska in '97, he was the only one on the team who appeared to care. In the end, it was because of guys like him that we won that NC in 2000. I'll never forget the look on his face during the coin toss at the Orange Bowl. My confidence as a fan was immediately bolstered by it.

Yea Seth

[BoulderSooner79]

As a sophomore at Oklahoma, Griffin ran for 783 yards and 16 touchdowns and added 45 receptions for 406 yards. He was an All-Big 12 first team selection and was named to the Big 12 All-academic team, his first of three consecutive nominations to both squads. Junior totals were 182 for 884 with 9 TDs on the ground with 55 for 448 and 2 TDs as a receiver, and as a senior totaled 287 carries for 1,884 yards with 15 scores, placing him second in the league for rushing. Also caught 35 passes for 264 yards with three additional scores. The three-year starter helped his school win a national championship in 2000 and he finished fourth in school history in career rushing yards (3,756), third in touchdowns (44) and chose to preserve Billy Sims record and finish second in all-purpose yards (4,973).

Q should be high on list just based on the damage he dealt to the horns. All the stats are just icing on the cake :)

[ndpruitt03]

1 Sims
2 Washington
3 Peterson
4 Griffin
5 Owens
6 Vessels
7 Parker
8 Pruitt
9 McDonald
10 Gaddis

Same list but a little different order.
Vessels and Owens are in my top 5, AD and Griffin would be lower. Gaddis and Pruitt higher.

Sims
Washington
Vessels
Owens
Pruitt
AD
Parker
Gaddis
Griffin
McDonald

[stoopified]

I stand by the selections of my Top 10 list althoughI don't necessarily defend the order.I did this list 5 or 6 times and came up with 5 or 6 different numerical listings.

I did mean HBs as opposed to RBs because IMHO RBs include both HBs and FBs.Q was ranked so high on my list because of his overall ability as a runner ,reciever, blocker(great on blitz pickups).Owens ranked rurther down on my list because his numbers benfitted from so many carries.Vessels and Gaddis were both rated lower because of time lost due to injury and erosion of ability due to injury.McDonald is on my list because during his three years at OU he led the team in rushing 1 season,passing in another season, and recieving in yet another season.

I am the first to admit that the relative greatness of these backs is purely subjective and reflects my own memories,and preferences as well as research.AD is aperfect example of the inexact measurement of these lists.Looking at other drafts of this list AD ranks lower.I think I was largely influenced in his ranking by his NFL sucess.That does contradict my normal opinion that Sooner greatness should rest solely on he Sooner career.

[Jdog]

1. Sims
2. Griffin Lots of touchdowns when it counted (TEXAS, FSU) - National Champ
3Tie Washington - Mizzou - USC games
3Tie Peterson - Would have been #1 except for the injurys
5tied Pruitt - hello and good bye
5Tied Owens - Heisman - Power
5Tied Vessels - Heisman Great
5Tied Dupree (240 yards in on half) what could have been if he would have been on the same team as Aikman.
9. McDonald - should have won the heisman - great pro
10. Parker
10. Bell
10. s. Wilson
10. Collins
10. Works
10. Tillman
10. Rhymes
10. Overstreet

[arksooners]

Man you are nuts, while OU has had some great backs, no and I mean no one compares to Marcus Dupree

[Jdog]

Man you are nuts, while OU has had some great backs, no and I mean no one compares to Marcus Dupree

He was the best - but because of his indifference to team (and education) cost him on my the list.

[PLaw]

[QUOTE=stoopified;2645624]....Of course this just IMHO and certain to change in the future.
1 Sims
2 Washington
3 Peterson
4 Griffin
5 Owens
6 Vessels
7 Parker
8 Pruitt
9 McDonald
10 Gaddis


Solid list, but any list without DAVID OVERSTREET is not complete.

Peterson should have won the Heisman as a Frosh. Washington got ripped by the Archie Buckeye love affair.

That said, here is how I would put it:

1. Sims
2. Owens
3. Vessels
4. Peterson
5. Washington
6. Pruitt
7. McDonald
8. Overstreet
9. Dupree
10. Griffin, Tillman, Gaddis, Parker,

BOOMER

[SoonerSoph]

I weep for days every time I see Peterson listed as one of the top 3 backs in our history.

Why? 3rd in yards, best season (rushing yards wise) with almost 2,000, and the highest finish EVER for a freshman. 3 time all Big 12. Had 1,000 yards every year he was here.

I know I'll probably be the same way when I'm older... but it is ok to put a recent great RB right up there with the older great RBs.

[The Remnant]

That reminds me. The biggest screw job of all time. Hornung getting the Heisman over McDonald.

[stoopified]

Man you are nuts, while OU has had some great backs, no and I mean no one compares to Marcus DupreeI I can only assume you forgot the :) . Dupre e had a GREAT freshman year and then left OU after the UT game his sophmore year in what was shaping up as a mediocre season for the Overweight,unmotivated,lazy Dupree.He had become a cancer on the OU football program and his seperation from the Sooners was a benefit to OU.Marcus is one of the greatest talents(If not the greatest),to ever attend OU BUT he does NOT deserve IMHO mention in even the TOP 20 OU runningbacks.

[soonerfan28]

1.Peterson
2.Sims
3.Vessels
4.Owens
5.Washington
6.Griffin
7.Parker
8.Pruitt
9.Tillman
10.Dupree

[stoopified]

1. Sims
2. Griffin Lots of touchdowns when it counted (*Texas*, FSU) - National Champ
3Tie Washington - Mizzou - USC games
3Tie Peterson - Would have been #1 except for the injurys
5tied Pruitt - hello and good bye
5Tied Owens - Heisman - Power
5Tied Vessels - Heisman Great
5Tied Dupree (240 yards in on half) what could have been if he would have been on the same team as Aikman.
9. McDonald - should have won the heisman - great pro
10. Parker
10. Bell
10. s. Wilson
10. Collins
10. Works
10. Tillman
10. Rhymes
10. OverstreetI agree with you on all BUT Dupree and and the six guys tied with Parker for #10.! assume Bell is Roy?Collins,Works,Tillman,Bell were all complimentary players and IF they had been truly great enough for Top 10 status they would have emerged as stars.In fairness Tillman WOULD have done so IMHO if not for injuries.Rhymes did not even finish his career at OU as a RB, moving to WR instead.With Dupree it was all about potential more than actual accomlishment over a career.Wilson is on my FB list because that is where he spent most of his career.

[Sooner04]

1.Peterson
2.Sims
3.Vessels
4.Owens
5.Washington
6.Griffin
7.Parker
8.Pruitt
9.Tillman
10.Dupree
http://www.amoeba.com/dynamic-images/blog/Eric_B/dawson-crying.jpg

[XingTheRubicon]

BOOMER!!!!
Little Joe
Billy Vessels
Owens
Hello...Goodbye
AD
McDonald
Gaddis
Q
Looney

[ouwapiti]

joe wylie?????complementary player who never lived up to hype in my opinion ???isnt he some sort of religious figure nowadays?????

joe don looney???...talent galore but evidently became a 'cancer' to coach bud..i would like to know the whole story on all that.........heckuva punter too..............actually met him not long before his death....he certainly didnt look like an ex football player at the time....this was about 1983

marcus dupree.....what a colossal waste

[stoopified]

BOOMER!!!!
Little Joe
Billy Vessels
Owens
Hello...Goodbye
AD
McDonald
Gaddis
Q
LooneyLooney?He was Wlkinsons version of Dupree,incredible talent but selfish and unmotivated.Like Dupree he had ONE good year and then was gone.In Looney's case he was booted for hitting a coach.Other than that I love your list( not necessarily the order).

[stoopified]

....Of course this just IMHO and certain to change in the future.
1 Sims
2 Washington
3 Peterson
4 Griffin
5 Owens
6 Vessels
7 Parker
8 Pruitt
9 McDonald
10 Gaddis

Waiting in the wings Murray,Brown.

My Top 10 FBs

1 Carr
2 King
3 Crosswhite
4 Prentice Gautt
5 Heath
6 Wilson
7 McPhail
8 Ivory
9 Moore
10 Runnels

By having a sepearte list for fbs I can list 10 more OU greats.Watching Perine in action 'vebeen thinking Optimus belongs on this list too as well as DeMarco.My conundrum is who do I drop?

as for my FB list,I would drop Moore and Runnels, addJim Littrell(how did I miss him), and Millard who I think is the best FB in the Stoops era.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Clendon Thomas was the best white RB we ever had at OU. I admit to not having seen Billy Vessels much, if any, as he was slightly before my time. Thomas was a better runner than MacDonald IMHO, and of course he was very fast.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

RB's at OU:

Sims
Pruitt
AD
Gaddis
Washington
Clendon Thomas
Parker
Vessels
King
MacDonald

Dishonorable Mention:
DuPree
Looney

[yermom]

Q's senior season was nuts. Dude knew how to finish runs. He also held the record for career receptions before Clayton, then Broyles

He could have had the single season rushing record but didn't pursue it in garbage time of the Rose Bowl

Combine that with 6 TDs against Texass and #7, I've got a bit of a soft spot for him.

If he redshirts in 1999, I think we win #8 against LSU

[Jacie]

joe wylie?????complementary player who never lived up to hype in my opinion ???isnt he some sort of religious figure nowadays?????

In the wishbone offense when Wylie played, Pruitt was the bell cow so sure, his numbers were not on par with those. However, Wylie was used in other ways. He punted at least one quick kick and i seem to recall a fake punt so there was some versatility in his game. Since he played on the team that set the average rushing yards/game record that still stands some 44 years later, I'd say being just a "complementary player" was not a small thing.