{"id":1648,"date":"2016-01-21T18:00:45","date_gmt":"2016-01-22T00:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=1648"},"modified":"2016-02-11T11:09:23","modified_gmt":"2016-02-11T17:09:23","slug":"greatest-sooner-running-backs-number-three-adrian-peterson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=1648","title":{"rendered":"Greatest Sooner Running Backs, Number Three: Adrian Peterson"},"content":{"rendered":"

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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 Sooner players.\u00a0 There are no right or wrong rankings.\u00a0\u00a0 The lists,\u00a0started 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.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Adrian Peterson\u00a0 (All American, 2004)<\/span><\/h4>\n
As a freshman, Adrian Peterson had a record breaking season\u00a0of 1925 yards on the ground\u00a0\u00a0and finished\u00a0as the\u00a0runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting.\u00a0 HIs sophomore and junior season were beset with injuries, yet he amassed 1000\u00a0seasons to add to his fabulous first year total.\u00a0 Talent wise, Peterson, as a college player, was in the class of Sooner Billy Sims.\u00a0 A\u00a0fast, strong and devastating runner\u00a0to the defense, AD lived up to “All Day”.\u00a0\u00a0The Palestine, Texas recruit\u00a0went to the NFL after that junior season and improved into one of the all time runners in the history of the League, that would include\u00a0Emmett Smith, Jim Brown, OJ Simpson, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson, and Walter Payton.\u00a0 I have Adrian Peterson as the 3rd greatest Sooner running back (while in Norman), but adding his\u00a0NFL career, he could become\u00a0the greatest rusher (in yards)\u00a0in the League when he is finished.\u00a0 He has mentioned that he wants to be that man and hopes to play into his middle to late\u00a0thirties.<\/h6>\n

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