Tag: Jason White

What happened the last time Oklahoma Sooners played the Alabama Crimson Tide?

Oklahoma Sooners welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide to Norman for just the second time in the history of the two illustrious programs.

There isn’t a much better helmet matchup in college football than the Oklahoma Sooners and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Two of the top five programs in the history of college football are now in the same conference, and they’ll meet for just the seventh time ever on Saturday.

Two teams used to winning, and winning a lot are on opposite trajectories right now. OU started 4-1, but they are now just 5-5 with two games left. Bama lost to Vanderbilt and Tennessee on the road earlier this season, but they’ve righted the ship with some key wins over the last few weeks against Missouri and LSU.

The all-time series between the two teams sits at 3-2-1 in favor of the Sooners. They first met in the Orange Bowl at the conclusion of the 1962 season. Alabama shut out Oklahoma that day, en route to a 17-0 victory. At the end of the 1970 season, they faced off in the Bluebonnet Bowl, with the game ending in a 24-24 tie.

There have been three matchups in the 21st century, beginning with a home game for the Sooners in 2002. Oklahoma won 37-27, highlighted by a couple of remarkable runs by Renaldo Works and a fumble return for a touchdown to seal the deal by Eric Bassey.

The next year, the teams met in Tuscaloosa, with OU winning, this time by a score of 20-13. Of course, the 2003 Sooners would end up in the BCS National Championship Game that year.

Eventual Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] (who was lost to a season-ending injury in the previous year’s game) hit Brandon Jones for a 47-yard touchdown in the third quarter on the game’s most series of plays. That throw immediately followed a gutsy successful fake punt call by Bob Stoops deep in his own territory.

But perhaps the matchup Sooner fans remember the most fondly happened in the Sugar Bowl after the 2013 season. The two-time defending national champion Crimson Tide were heavy favorites that night in New Orleans, but Oklahoma pulled off a huge 45-31 upset win.

Quarterback [autotag]Trevor Knight[/autotag] had the finest game of his career, throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the vaunted Tide defense. OU’s defense harassed Bama QB A.J. McCarron all night, with Eric Striker and Geneo Grissom teaming up for a scoop and score touchdown to end a potential game-tying drive. It was one of the best wins of the late-Stoops era in Norman, as the Sooners took down the No. 3 team in the country on a truly magical and unforgettable night.

However, Alabama currently has bragging rights in this series, as the two programs met in the 2018 [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] Orange Bowl semifinal six years ago. Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] and runner-up Tua Tagovailoa were primed for an offensive shootout in Miami, as Lincoln Riley and Nick Saban met for the first time.

Unfortunately for Oklahoma, this game was essentially over thirteen and a half minutes in, as Alabama rolled to a 21-0 lead, stifling Murray in the process. It was 28-0 Bama before the Sooners finally scored in the second quarter, and the Crimson Tide kept OU at arms length for the rest of the night. Alabama won 45-34, showing off a complete, star-studded team.

Murray and the Oklahoma offense got the Sooners as close as 11 points on multiple occasions, but OU didn’t have a good enough defense to handle Tagovailoa and an excellent Tide offense. Riley was outcoached by Saban, who knew that Oklahoma couldn’t stop his team.

It wasn’t Murray’s finest hour in his final collegiate game before being selected No. 1 overall in the next April’s NFL Draft. Riley would coach the Sooners for three more seasons before bolting to USC. Tagovailoa, Saban and the Crimson Tide were defeated by Clemson in the national championship game, as [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ defense put on a clinic against one of the best offenses in college football.

As the Sooners and the Crimson Tide prepare to meet again, Oklahoma is looking to get their fourth win in the series and improve to 4-1 this century. A performance like Knight’s at the quarterback position, coupled with a vintage 2018 Clemson performance from Alley and the defense would go a long way towards getting Oklahoma to bowl eligibility.

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Jackson Arnold named to Maxwell Award watch list

Heading into his first year as a starter, Jackson Arnold was named to the Maxwell Award watch list.

Heading into 2024, all eyes are on the Oklahoma Sooners and first-year starting quarterback, [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. Arnold, the former five-star prospect will be leading the Sooners into the deep waters of the SEC.

One of the best quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting class and the first commit of the cycle under Brent Venables, Arnold has all the tools to be a success for the Sooners. Quarterbacking OU brings a ton of attention, and Arnold is already on national award radars. On Monday, he was named to the Maxwell Award watch list.

The Maxwell Award is given annually to the nation’s best all around player.

Three Sooners have won the award since its inception in 1937. [autotag]Tommy McDonald[/autotag] (1956), [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] (2004), and [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] (2017) won the Maxwell Award.

McDonald led the Sooners to an undefeated season and the top offense in the nation, scoring 45.1 points per game. He ran for 852 yards and 12 touchdowns, caught 12 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Mayfield and the Sooners finished third in the nation in his Heisman winning season in 2017. White and the Sooners scored 34 points per game in 2004 en route to a 12-1 season, coming up short in the BCS Championship game against USC.

Arnold has some big shoes to fill, taking over for [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], but the former Elite 11 MVP and Gatorade National Player of the Year has the talent and the intangibles to lead another high-octane Oklahoma Sooners offense.

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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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Can Jackson Arnold be the next great Oklahoma quarterback?

Being the quarterback at Oklahoma brings a lot of pressure and Jackson Arnold is ready to live up to the hype.

Being the starting quarterback at a blue-blood program brings a lot of pressure. Being the starting quarterback at a place like Oklahoma with all of its recent success is another animal all on its own.

That’s what [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] is stepping into. He’s following [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag], [autotag]Jason White[/autotag], [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag], [autotag]Landry Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] and [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag].

That doesn’t even include the guys pre-2000 or even guys like [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag] and [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag]who were extremely talented but finished their careers elsewhere.

Arnold spoke about how much that played into his decision to come to Oklahoma.

“It definitely impacted my decision,” Arnold said. “Just knowing the caliber of QBs that came before me and just knowing that I wanted to be a part of that group really stood out to me. Being in the lineage of Heisman winners is obviously something I want to join and follow those footsteps. This is the place that I wanted to be.”

The thing for Arnold is for him not to try to be too much like them and let that pressure get to him. Instead, he just needs to be himself. That’s what earned him five-star status. It’s why the expectations are so high for Arnold.

He’s got all the talent in the world to be a successful college quarterback. But so much of what goes into playing the position goes beyond the scouting report or the box score. But early in his career, Jackson Arnold has shown he’s capable of overcoming adversity. He’s made up of the right stuff. 2024 is the season we see Arnold have a breakout year.

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Top 20 Oklahoma Sooners all-time in career passing yards

A look at the top 20 passers in Oklahoma Sooners history in career passing yards.

The Oklahoma Sooners have had their fair share of quality quarterback play over the years. That play has earned numerous All-American awards and four Heisman trophies.

Oklahoma has had success with a variety of offensive styles and quarterback play. That shows up when you look at the Sooners’ all-time leaders in career passing yards. Sure you have [autotag]Landry Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], who threw for more than 10,000 yards in their career with the Sooners. Then you have a player [autotag]Jamelle Holieway[/autotag] who is top 20 in both career passing yards and career rushing yards. Holieway and [autotag]Jack Mildren[/autotag] had more rushing touchdowns in their career than they did passing touchdowns.

There is one quarterback inside the top 10 all-time in career passing yards that didn’t play in the last 20 years and that guy is still with the Oklahoma Sooners: wide receivers coach [autotag]Cale Gundy[/autotag]. Gundy is No. 6 in career passing yards. Makes you wonder what kind of damage he could have done in a modern spread offense.

After two seasons in Norman, Dillon Gabriel was productive enough to enter the top 10 in career passing yards at the University of Oklahoma. His 55 passing touchdowns ranks fifth all-time and he finished tied for 17 in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. Gabriel had a prolific career with Oklahoma and now will hope to have continued success with the Oregon Ducks.

Here’s a look at the top 20 Oklahoma Sooners in career passing yards.

Where does Dillon Gabriel rank among the best quarterbacks in Oklahoma history?

Dillon Gabriel was only in Norman for two seasons but where does that put him in OU history?

[autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] wrapped up his final season as an Oklahoma Sooner a couple of weekends ago because he is entering the transfer portal to pursue other options. Gabriel finished his Oklahoma career with 6,828 yards, 55 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 66% passing.

His yardage and touchdown total put him in the top six in OU history. So, where does he rank among the greats that played this prestigious position in Norman? Keep in mind, the Sooners have had four Heisman-winning quarterbacks. Gabriel also only played two seasons in the Crimson and Cream.

So where would he rank among Oklahoma’s best quarterbacks all time? Let’s take a look.

Dillon Gabriel named a finalist for two prestigious awards

Dillon Gabriel has had a great season for the Sooners so far and that has landed him as a finalist of two awards.

[autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] has been as good as advertised this season for the Oklahoma Sooners. He’s currently completing a career-high 71.4% of his passes for 2,302 yards, 19 touchdowns and only four interceptions.

His play this season has earned him a spot as a finalist for two prestigious awards; the [autotag]Davey O’Brien[/autotag] QB Class of 2023 and the Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Gabriel is a member of the 35-player Davey O’Brien QB Class making him an official candidate for the 2023 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, which will be presented on Dec. 8, 2023.

A Sooner has won the Davey O’Brien award six times. [autotag]Billy Sims[/autotag] won the first one in 1978 when it was given to the most outstanding player and not just the most outstanding quarterback. [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] won the award twice, in 2003 and 2004. [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag] won the award in 2008. [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] in 2017, and [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] in 2018.

He was announced as a top-10 finalist for the [autotag]Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award[/autotag] on Tuesday. That award is given to the top quarterback who is a college senior or fourth-year junior on schedule to graduate with their class. White is the lone Sooner to win the award.

Gabriel is certainly deserving of both of those awards. Per a release from the University of Oklahoma, He ranks in the top 10 nationally in points responsible for per game (20.2; third), total offense (324.5 yards per game; fifth), pass completion percentage (.714; eighth), passing efficiency rating (169.6; ninth) and passing touchdowns (19; 10th). He also leads the Big 12 in passing offense (278.8 yards per game; 13th nationally) and yards per pass attempt (9.1; 14th nationally).

He has a big opportunity to build upon his stellar season with a rivalry game this weekend.

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Oklahoma is ‘QBU’ but where do they stand in ESPN’s ‘Position U’ rankings?

The Sooners have been spoiled with a ton of elite players at just about every position, here is how they stack up all-time, according to ESPN’s “Position U” rankings.

Let’s face it, Oklahoma fans have been spoiled by the quarterback place since the turn of the century. From [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag] to [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] to [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag] to [autotag]Landry Jones[/autotag] the Sooners have witnessed some fantastic quarterback play..

Arguably, the best of the bunch came recently with [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag], [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag], and [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] for a season.

It’s one of the reasons [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] has been so heavily criticized. Sure, he has his flaws, but he’s a very good quarterback who should end up top 10 in the NCAA in career passing yards. He could even pass Mayfield at No. 7 if he has a decent year.

While he’s a good college quarterback, he’s not all-time great like his predecessors. But it is all of the success that has Oklahoma holding onto the top spot as “QBU” in ESPN’s updated position U rankings (ESPN+)

Dillon Gabriel was a solid addition to Oklahoma’s QB legacy, which includes Heisman Trophy winners Jason White, Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, along with runner-up Jalen Hurts, but it’s hard not to consider the one who got away. When Lincoln Riley left for USC, he took Caleb Williams with him, and the Trojans’ new star won the Heisman last season. That cut Oklahoma’s lead at QBU in half from 2022, setting up a potentially huge swing next year, should Williams go No. 1 overall in the NFL draft, as many pundits expect. – David Hale ESPN

That last line however is key. The USC Trojans are No. 2 on the list. They have a guy who could win a second Heisman or, at the very least, go first in next year’s draft.

 

Video: Fighter disqualified for cup repeatedly falling out of boxer shorts in bizarre scene

Just when you think you’ve seen it all in MMA…

Just when you think you’ve seen it all in MMA, a detached protective cup determined the result of a fight.

Fans who watched Flex Fights: Tiki Takedown 25 in Patchogue, N.Y. were treated to that exact unusualness Saturday during an amateur flyweight bout between [autotag]Tommy Cox[/autotag] and [autotag]Jason White[/autotag].

According to the broadcast’s announcers, James Leonelli and Charlie Quinn, from the time of the fighters’ pre-fight checks, it was evident something was wrong with White’s cup.

“I want to point out how much Jason, the fighter in white, was fiddling with his cup,” one announcer said before the fight started. That’s a distraction. It’s not in there properly. Again, fighters: Invest the money. They’re not expensive.”

The first cup drop took place at the two-second-mark of the first round, as the piece of protective plastic equipment fell to the canvas. White hopped up, out of frustration. The overseeing ISKA official retrieved the cup and handed it back to White, who inserted it back down the trunks, only to have fall out seconds after the action resumed.

According to the Unified Rules of MMA, “a Male mixed martial artists shall also wear the appropriate groin protection.” While New York’s amateur bylaws may have its own unique language, after the cup dropped to the canvas a second time, the official disqualified White. Cox was declared the winner without having even thrown a strike or attempting a takedown.

Visibly disappointed, White crumpled to the canvas, as Cox shrugged his shoulders.

Check out the unusual sequence in a video clip posted below (per Harry Mac).

Six Oklahoma Sooners included in ESPN’s top 75 QB’s of the 2000’s

Six Oklahoma Sooners were included among ESPN’s top 75 quarterbacks since 2000.

Oklahoma’s history of quarterback play is well known at the college football level. Oklahoma and Notre Dame are the only schools with four Heisman trophy winners at the QB position.

The end of the century saw football as we know it change from a run-first style to a game that emphasized balance and explosive plays generated by the passing game. The late Mike Leach brought the air raid to Oklahoma, and it has permeated throughout college football.

Oklahoma’s offensive identity since the turn of the century has been dynamic and explosive. At the core was innovative play calling and extraordinary quarterback play. It should be no surprise that six Oklahoma quarterbacks are ranked in ESPN’s top 75 quarterbacks of the 2000s rankings (ESPN+).