Top 10 OU HBs as of now

[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 Dupree

I 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. Overstreet

I 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

[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
Looney

Looney?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.