Tag: Billy Vessels

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in ESPN’s top 25 stadiums

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is one of the most iconic settings in all of sports.

College football is all about the pride, passion, and pageantry of the sport, which is unmatched by anything else. The fans, the atmospheres, and the moments can’t be topped by any other sport, college, or professional.

ESPN took the time this week to rank their Top 25 college football stadiums as the 2024 season approaches in a month and a half.

We asked 14 of our college football writers to rank the best stadiums in the sport. No parameters, no criteria. Writers were asked to submit their top 20 stadiums in order. We then awarded points: 20 for first-place votes, 19 for second and all the way down to 1 point for a stadium voted No. 20. – ESPN

The Oklahoma Sooners play in one of the best stadiums in college football, and ESPN agreed, putting them in the Top 25. [autotag]Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium[/autotag] ranked No. 24 on their list.

Here’s what ESPN’s Dave Wilson had to say about the iconic stadium:

Also known as the “Palace on the Prairie,” the Sooners’ stadium is surrounded by reminders of Oklahoma’s football glory. Outside the south end zone, there are statues of coaching legends [autotag]Bennie Owen[/autotag], [autotag]Bud Wilkinson[/autotag], [autotag]Barry Switzer[/autotag] and [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag]. On the east side, Heisman Park is packed with seven of the Sooners’ [autotag]Heisman Trophy[/autotag] winners: [autotag]Billy Vessels[/autotag] (1952), [autotag]Steve Owens[/autotag] (1969), [autotag]Billy Sims[/autotag] (1978), [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] (2003), [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag] (2008), [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] (2017) and [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] (2018). Amid the Gothic architecture of the surrounding campus, “BOOMER” and “SOONER” ring out, as the Sooner Schooner glides across the field, forming one of the most quintessentially college settings in the country. – Wilson, ESPN

ESPN also gave their ranking criteria for the list, as Oklahoma finished with 40 points, two ahead of Texas‘ Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

In addition, Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium turns 100 years old this season, and the university has a number of different themes and promotions planned out for its centennial season.

The Sooners will begin the season in their home stadium on Friday, August 30th, when they take on the Temple Owls.

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Kyler Murray to be honored in Heisman Park at Oklahoma Sooners’ Spring Game

Athletic Director Joe Castiglione revealed to 94.7 The REF in Norman that Kyler Murray will get his Heisman statue unveiled at the 2023 Oklahoma Sooners Spring Game.

[autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] will be getting his statue added to Oklahoma’s Heisman Park this April at the OU Football Spring Game, Athletic director Joe Castiglione told The REF on Thursday.

Castiglione confirmed the news while on the “T-Row in the Morning Show” with the voice of the Sooners, Toby Rowland. Murray’s likeness being added to Heisman Park will, for now at least, complete the collection of OU’s Heisman Trophy winners outside of [autotag]Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial[/autotag] Stadium.

Last year’s “Pack the Palace” campaign for the 2022 spring game, which involved the unveiling of Baker Mayfield’s statue, was a huge success. Giving Murray his statue a year later as Brent Venables tries to build momentum for his program is a no-brainer.

The 2022 spring game was a good get-right moment for both the football program and its fans. Both of which were still feeling the effect of Lincoln Riley’s departure for USC. That game was the first time a lot of OU fans became reacquainted with Venables since his return to Norman.

Mayfield was on the verge of being traded during his statue unveiling, and Kyler Murray will still be recovering from an ACL tear sustained last December while playing for the Arizona Cardinals.

A former two-sport star at Oklahoma, Murray attended last year’s spring game in an OU Baseball jersey. Murray will be immortalized alongside past Heisman winners Mayfield, [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag], [autotag]Jason White[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Sims[/autotag], [autotag]Steve Owens[/autotag], and [autotag]Billy Vessels[/autotag].

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Caleb Williams among USA TODAY Sports’ top 10 contenders to win the Heisman Trophy in 2022

Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams was listed as one of the top-10 contenders for the 2022 Heisman Trophy by USA TODAY’s Paul Myerberg.

Alabama sophomore quarterback Bryce Young captured the Heisman Trophy after passing for 4,322 yards and 43 touchdowns. Young led the Crimson Tide to an SEC championship and a 12-1 season thus far.

He and Alabama will square off in one of the College Football Playoff’s semifinal games against Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31. Young will have the rare opportunity next season to join Ohio State running back Archie Griffin as the only two-time winners of the Heisman Trophy.

Oklahoma true freshman quarterback Caleb Williams will be a popular pick to capture college football’s coveted individual crown in 2022 as well. USA TODAY Sports listed Williams as one of the top 10 contenders to win the Heisman Trophy next season.

USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg wrote this about Williams’ chances.

Williams will enter next season with enormous name recognition after spending a few midseason weeks as the talk of college football. Being a household name may only get him so far. There are some major questions about the future of Oklahoma’s offense without coach Lincoln Riley and just how strong his supporting cast will be given the rash of transfers and lost verbal commitments since Riley left for Southern California. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

Of course, Oklahoma has since hired Brent Venables as its new head coach and announced Jeff Lebby as the Sooners’ offensive coordinator for next season.

Oklahoma wide receivers Jadon Haselwood and Theo Wease each entered their names into the transfer portal following Riley’s departure to USC. Tight end Austin Stogner did as well.

Haselwood is transferring to Arkansas, Stogner to South Carolina and Wease’s future is still uncertain.

Still, finding skill players to come join Lebby and Williams in Norman shouldn’t be a problem fans have much to worry about with.

Two other Big 12 players made Myerberg’s top-10 Heisman Trophy contenders list for the 2022 season. Texas running back Bijan Robinson and Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn.

Here’s what Myerberg wrote about the Longhorns’ Robinson.

Robinson was one of only a few bright spots during coach Steve Sarkisian’s miserable debut season. Whether the sophomore factors into the Heisman race depends on what sort of growth Texas and the offense makes during a crucial offseason. If Sarkisian can identify a permanent starting quarterback and take the next step in a roster rebuild, Robinson has the ability to run for 1,500 yards with another 500 as a receiver. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

Myerberg discussed Vaughn’s prospects, too.

Robinson may not be the best option at running back coming out of the Big 12, however. The one reliable piece of Kansas State’s offense in each of the last two seasons, Vaughn went over 1,000 rushing yards during the regular season and is leading the Wildcats in receptions for the second straight year. There’s a matter of getting his team into New Year’s Six consideration, but Vaughn’s numbers may speak for themselves. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma has seven Heisman Trophy winners in its program’s history: Billy Vessels in 1952; Steve Owens in 1969; Billy Sims in 1978; Jason White in 2003; Sam Bradford in 2008; Baker Mayfield in 2017; and Kyler Murray in 2018.

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