{"id":1462,"date":"2015-12-19T16:10:54","date_gmt":"2015-12-19T22:10:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=1462"},"modified":"2022-12-04T22:04:58","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T04:04:58","slug":"greatest-sooner-running-backs-number-ten-joe-don","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=1462","title":{"rendered":"Greatest Sooner Running Backs- Number Ten, Joe Don Looney"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Oklahoma back Joe Don Looney gains two yards in first quarter of Orange Bowl game with Alabama in Miami Jan. 1, 1963. Closing in for the stop is Alabama center Lee Roy Jordan (54) and back Eddie Versprille. (AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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To qualify this ranking of running backs at Oklahoma, I have included only players that I have personally seen in person at the stadium or live on television.\u00a0 I began watching Sooner football in 1958 and my remembrances go back to 1961.\u00a0 With that, I have not included any player before 1961. This is the first part of a series of greatest Sooner football players by position.\u00a0 Please comment on my lists and argue your best Sooners list.\u00a0 There are no right or wrong rankings.\u00a0\u00a0 The lists,\u00a0starting with Joe Don Looney (10th best running back), will include offensive and defensive positions.\u00a0 Statistics, abilities, and overall significance to the OU football program are all included in picking the ten, but when all things are equal, my personal preference is the tie breaker.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Football: Detroit Lions Joe Don Looney (32) in action, rushing vs Washington Redskins at Tiger Stadium.
Detroit, MI 10\/3\/1965
CREDIT: Neil Leifer (Photo by Neil Leifer \/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

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10.\u00a0 Joe Don Looney (1962-1963) All-American 1962<\/span><\/h4>\n
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At 6\u20191 and 230 lbs, Looney was a big man in the Sooner backfield,\u00a0larger than many of the linemen that blocked or tried to stuff him.\u00a0 Add to the fact that he was\u00a0more than likely the fastest player on the field, power and speed with adequate moves made him a breakaway threat when given the ball.\u00a0 Looney\u2019s physical<\/span><\/span> ability was in<\/span> the class of Marcus Dupree and Adrian Peterson. Yes, he didn\u2019t have the\u00a0career of an\u00a0Adrian Peterson or the big\u00a0college games that\u00a0Mr. Dupree had in\u00a0his shortened career at OU.\u00a0 But he was the real deal when motivated and was the best player on the field\u00a0in a college game.\u00a0 Attitude cut his career short everywhere he played, including in Norman as\u00a0Joe Don was as controversial a\u00a0legend OU has ever had, including Mr. Dupree. He\u00a0played on one full season (1962) and\u00a0three games\u00a0in the 1963 season as he was kicked off the team by Head Coach Bud\u00a0Wilkinson for punching an assistant coach.\u00a0 But he was an original punt, pass and kick man, as he made All-America at OU as the country\u2019s leading punter in 1962.\u00a0The 12th pick in the 1964 NFL draft told of\u00a0ability to play\u00a0on Sunday.<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n
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The man\u00a0could win a ball game for his team at any moment.\u00a0 Playing 3rd string in a 3-0 deficit against Syracuse in the home opener in 1962 (his first game at OU) he did just that.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

The Sooners took over with four minutes left in the game. Looney, who had been sitting on the bench all afternoon, told Wilkinson to put him in and he would \u201cwin the game.\u201d Wilkinson relented and sent Looney in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cowan carried around right end for a seven-yard gain on the first play of the drive. Third-string fullback Looney picked up another five yards for a first down at the OU 40. The SU defense then halted Cowan at the line for no gain.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the huddle, Looney told Deere to give him the ball outside and he would score. On the next play, Deere and Looney swung to the left and Deere pitched the ball to his fullback. Looney then cut inside where he appeared to be stopped for a two-yard gain, swamped by Syracuse defenders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, he sprang free and sprinted down the east sideline into the end zone. Halfback Gary Wylie threw a key block on SU\u2019s Don King, the only defender with a chance of catching Looney.<\/span><\/p>\n

The new star was mobbed by teammates in the end zone. Jarman\u2019s kick was successful, and the Sooners took a 7-3 advantage with 2:07 remaining in the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew what play I was going to call when I went into the huddle,\u201d Deere said in the locker room afterwards. \u201cBut as I was walking up to the huddle, Looney leaned over and told me, \u2018Just give me the ball and I\u2019ll score a touchdown.\u2019 So I just gave him the ball.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I watched Mr. Looney in person in Norman, Oklahoma and on live TV.\u00a0 To this day, I remember the heat of the USC game in LA, Looney, Jim Gresham (All-American fullback), and the cast of characters that gave OU the big 17-12 win, a game that Looney scored on a nineteen yard run.<\/span><\/h6>\n

For more information on Joe Don Looney:\u00a0 http:\/\/goldenrankings.com\/footballprofiles5.htm<\/span> and http:\/\/oklahoma.247sports.com\/Board\/86\/Contents\/Joe-Don-Looney-am-alternative-view-from-a-friend-1283954 and Photo credit for top photo.\u00a0 Also:\u00a0<\/span> http:\/\/www.pardonpower.com\/2010\/03\/very-colorful-joe-don-looney.html<\/span><\/p>\n

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Joe Don Looney in uniform in at the USC\/Oklahoma game in Los Angeles, on Sept. 22, 1963\u00a0 Photographer not known.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 To qualify this ranking of running backs at Oklahoma, I have included…<\/p>\n

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