{"id":2622,"date":"2016-06-10T15:49:59","date_gmt":"2016-06-10T20:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=2622"},"modified":"2021-12-17T22:30:37","modified_gmt":"2021-12-18T04:30:37","slug":"the-oklahoma-sooners-greatest-wishbone-quarterback-was","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=2622","title":{"rendered":"The Oklahoma Sooners Greatest Wishbone Quarterback was……………."},"content":{"rendered":"

Feature Photo:\u00a0 Thomas Lott. Sooner great<\/p>\n

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Jack Mildren (center) was the quarterback for Oklahoma\u2019s high-powered offense in 1971, when the Sooners set an NCAA record that still stands, by averaging 472.4 rushing yards per game. (Associated Press\/File 1972)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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I have written a series of the greatest running backs in Oklahoma history (from 1960-) that I have viewed in person or on television.\u00a0 A question came up with some friends on who was the greatest Sooner wishbone quarterback of all time.\u00a0 The fact I was blessed to see all of the Sooner wishbone signal callers from the first, Jack Mildren, throughout the history of the offensive set run by the various coaches of the time, I have an imperfect list of my best.\u00a0 From Head Coach Chuck Fairbanks with his top offensive assistant Barry Switzer, through the years following, Oklahoma might not have invented the \u201cBone\u201d, but it was the Sooners that ran it the best.\u00a0 Out of a high school program in Fort Worth in the mid-fifties Coach Charles \u201cSpud\u201d Cason\u2019s modification of the basic split T,\u00a0 through the the Houston \u201cVeer\u201d under the great Bill Yoeman, a strong\u00a0influence on the triple option of the wishbone, through the work of Emory Bellard as the offensive genius for Daddy Darrell Royal at Texas, this\u00a0running offense\u00a0was the most devastating\u00a0attack of the 1970\u2019s and 1980\u2019s in college football.<\/p>\n

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Jamalle Holiway making the decision to handoff to All-American tight end Keith Jackson verses Oklahoma State Univ.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Running the \u201cpure\u201d option required the quarterback to made three decisions on his own while the play is in motion.\u00a0 The decision of the quarterback to hand off to the fullback at a split seconds notice after taking the snap from the center was the first and most safe option of the offense.\u00a0 A defense giving the fullback openings in the line for the straight blocking assignments by an offensive line, usually undersized but very quick, often fast footed, was part of the option.\u00a0 If that\u00a0could not be slowed or stopped, OU\u00a0tended to render the words \u201cgame over\u201d. Three, four five yards at a pop up the middle and without a stout nose guard and defensive line and backers to stop the belly shot, teams like OU and Texas would pound a defense into submission.\u00a0 Hence, Sooner fullbacks such as Lydell Carr, Leon Crosswhite, and Kenny King became stars in the offense with one hundred yards games the norm on weak defensive teams.\u00a0 Again, it was the best quarterbacks that could made that initial decision.<\/p>\n

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FOOTBALL OU UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 1980: Caption reads \u201cOU quarterback J.C. Watts eludes a final would-be tackler to complete his first-quarter, 42-yard touchdown run Saturday.\u201d Photo taken by Doug Hoke. Photo taken 10-31-1980. Photo was published in The Daily Oklahoman 11-2-1980.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The second and third part of the triple option relied on the speed as much as the decision making of the man running the show.\u00a0 Yes, only the best wishbone operators made the correct decisions on most every play.\u00a0 Does the end come up and try to tackle the running quarterback or does he stay with the looping half-back?\u00a0 With a quarterback that was as fast as a half-back with the moves of only the best runners in the college game, OU\u2019s wishbone quarterbacks lacked only in making a perfect, often blind pitch to the halfback, if he didn\u2019t keep the ball for the run.\u00a0 With OU, having three speed backs with the quarterback and two wishbone half backs, the defense would have to pick their poison. Added that the fullbacks at OU were often speed burners themselves, OU put extreme pressure on the defense on every ruining play they ran the pure option. Added counter plays, sometimes a surprise drop-back pass, the Sooners clicked off historic offensive numbers.\u00a0 Most often when OU got beat running the bone, they beat themselves.\u00a0 Fumbles could beat the best wishbone teams, and that went along with the offense.<\/p>\n

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OU football player Steve Davis in action during the 1975 Orange Bowl. OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVE PHOTO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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A pure wishbone quarterback didn\u2019t have pre-determined run called by the coach, like today. When a Thomas Lott, or Jamelle Holieway, or a Steve Davie started the play, they didn\u2019t know where the ball was going.\u00a0 Once the defense acted on the snap, the quarterback did his mental thing and the play developed.\u00a0\u00a0The quarterback could see if the line was susceptible to the fullback handoff, and when that was working at a good pace, no need to go to option two or three unless points were needed quickly. Kenny King could rip off a fifty yard run as fast as a pitch to a Greg Pruitt or Joe Wiley.<\/p>\n

Examining the best, I have examined other\u2019s list, and those have included J.C Watts, Charles Thompson, Jack Mildren, Jamelle Holiway, Steve Davis, and Thomas Lott.\u00a0 There were others that were excellent runners of the offense, but those six are my choices.\u00a0 In putting them in order, the two most important items, decision making and physical ability, were considered.\u00a0 As a winner, sure, Steve Davis with two National Championships and Jamelle Holiway would be top choices. But to say Jack Mildren was any less because of the loss to Nebraska would be a disservice.\u00a0 Passing was considered, along with the complementing players for each quarterback.\u00a0 Here is my\u00a0 rank:<\/p>\n

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  1. Jack Miidren- best all-around athlete, best decision maker, could make the long throw. And his leadership was the best.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Jamelle Holiway- fast, great decision making, under-rated passer. He was just so good and was a home run threat<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Thomas Lott-\u00a0 best of the running quarterbacks.\u00a0 Strong runner and a good decision maker.\u00a0 A bruising back. Worst passing wishbone quarterback of the group<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Steve Davis-\u00a0 the quarterback that could make the right decision almost everytine.\u00a0 Greatest winning starting\u00a0 quarterback in Sooner history and Nationally at the top division-two National Titles<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
  5. J.C.Watts- versatile player, could run and pass.\u00a0 Often the best player on the field.\u00a0 Tremendous leadership qualities<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Remember, this is just one man\u2019s opinion and many could say my \u00a0#5 J. C. Watts might be someone else\u2019s best and that would not be wrong.<\/p>\n

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    Feature Photo:\u00a0 Thomas Lott. Sooner great \u00a0 I have written a series of the greatest…<\/p>\n

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