With a proud tradition dating back to 1895, a worldwide following of rabid, devoted fans, and an ever-growing list of national championships, Oklahoma Sooners football is one of the most elite programs in collegiate sports. Throughout the years, the players who have worn the familiar red helmet and jerseys, the coaches who have led them into battle, and the games in which they participated have shaped the sport that millions of fans enjoy today. Oklahoma won its first conference championship in 1915 and nabbed its 40th and most recent one in 2006 on its way to yet another BCS bowl game.
Jim Dent's The Undefeated details the winning and powerful history of the Oklahoma Sooners' run of glory. For three perfect seasons (1954-1956), the Oklahoma Sooners won every football game they played--home or away--and over the course of five years they won 47 straight games. This awesome record was the product of a genius and masterful coach named Bud Wilkinson and the spirited young men he led. The Undefeated will detail all the thrilling action on the field during this record winning streak, but it will also reveal all the behind-the-scenes tumult and pressure swirling around it. Dent presents an absorbing character study of the brilliant, complex coach who engineered it all - Bud Wilkinson, the on-field genius whose starched-shirt public persona hid a man of many secrets and an in-depth look at a state and its people still suffering from a Depression hangover and an identity crisis, who took up the Sooners football banner almost as a religious cause. Through it all, the young men who accomplished this amazing feat shine in vivid life.
Sooner fans, this is the one you've been waiting for--a book written by a die-hard fan, for die-hard fans. Chock-full of action photos, these pages capture the excitement and the glory of a century of Sooner football. The Die-Hard Fan's Guide to Sooner Football takes you on a tour through the long, proud history of the OU football program, from the birth of Sooner football in Bud Risinger's barber shop, through the dynasties of Bud Wilkinson and Barry Switzer, to Bob Stoops's powerhouse teams of today. Here you will find vintage reports on the Sooners' very first football games, in-depth details about OU's historic Wishbone offense, and a close-up look at OU's seven--count em, seven--national championship teams.
Since 1895, the University of Oklahoma football program has amassed some impressive numbers: seven national championships, 47 consecutive wins, 44 conference championships, 28 bowl wins, five Heisman Trophy winners, and more than 150 All-America players. In Legends of Oklahoma Sooners Football, Ray Dozier profiles 36 players and coaches who provided the talent and inspiration that put Sooner football on the national sports landscape. Many of those legends played before the dawn of the television era, but standouts such as Forest “Spot”Geyer, Tommy McDonald, Prentice Gautt (the first black football player at the University of Oklahoma), Clendon Thomas, and Bob Kalsu remain alive and well in the hearts and minds of loyal Sooner fans. The legends of Sooner stars such as Steve Owens, Joe Washington, Jack Mildren, the Selmon brothers, Billy Sims, Greg Pruitt, Tony Casillas, Brian Bosworth, Adrian Peterson, and Sam Bradford continue to grow with time. Coaching legends include Bennie Owen, Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer, and the all-time leader in wins, Bob Stoops. Legends of Oklahoma Sooners Football chronicles the players, coaches, rivalries, and events that transformed a club team that played its first games on a dusty territorial prairie into a national powerhouse. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
The Oklahoma Football Encyclopedia is an historical description of every University of Oklahoma football game from the beginning in 1895 through today. Learn how the team got its start and how Coach Bennie Owen laid the foundation for the Sooners to become one of the most respected teams on the college football scene. Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer, and Bob Stoops later directed the Sooners to college football’s elite prize. Wilkinson was a great teacher of the Split-T formation, which guided the Sooners to three national championships, 72 consecutive conference games without a loss, and a major college winning streak. Switzer, a master recruiter, implemented the Wishbone formation, which brought another three national titles and 12 conference crowns to Norman. After the Sooner football program had dropped to mediocrity status, Stoops turned the program around and won the national championship in his second year at the helm. This book, now in its second edition, provides insight into Sooner Magic. Many OU football teams appeared to have a supernatural force carry them to victory when victory was not assured. Was it sleight of hand? Smoke and mirrors? No, just pure talent and inspiration helped push the Sooners to the overwhelming tradition the teams have displayed on the gridiron.
This title introduces fans to the history of the Oklahoma Sooners football program. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a timeline, team facts, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
With the popularity of Texas football across the country at its height, this account" "details the roots of the Longhorns' glory, their modern-day triumphs, and everything in between for the legions of Texas fans everywhere. The book goes back in time to the early years of Texas football and traces its footsteps to becoming a powerhouse on the college football scene, recounting the greatest moments in the team's lore and covering the intense rivalries with Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
The story of Sooner football from those who lived it The most outstanding voices of the University of Oklahoma football tradition come together in this collection of stories. Sooner fans will relish the intimate stories told by Barry Switzer, Bob Stoops, Steve Owens, Billy Sims, Josh Heupel, Jason White, and other figures they have come to cherish. One phrase, one season, or one particular game cannot capture the spirit of Sooner football; instead, the student-athletes and coaches who made the magic happen over the decades blend their experiences to capture the true essence of their beloved school.
An inside look at big-time college football by a former University of Oklahoma player offers a look at coach Barry Switzer, NCAA rule violations, and the permissive lifestyle
"An insider's story of ... University of Oklahoma Sooners from 1994 to 1999 ... [by] the only NCAA Division 1 football player to have played under four head coaches during his tenure ..."--Jacket flap.
