In a recent conversation with Morten Anderson, Troy Aikman dishes on his time at Oklahoma and changing times for transferring quarterbacks
The path to victory at the collegiate level is often a tumultuous one with twists and turns, as opposed to a straight path. Rewinding to the beginning, Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman accomplished what many before him had not- entering the transfer portal and succeeding.
“When you look at Oklahoma now, you see all these Heisman Trophy winners and they’re running the offense that I wish I had been running when I was there. The younger generation of kids they don’t remember Barry Switzer and the Wishbone offense and all of those things. Yeah, it would have been nice had it worked out but my time at UCLA was really special.” – Troy Aikman discussed in a recent interview joining Morten Anderson on the Great Dane Nation Podcast
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the Wishbone was an offensive formation at the peak of popularity in college football. Like the name illustrates, a fullback lines up behind the quarterback, with two running backs flanked to either side. The purpose- a run based formation that utilizes misdirection to open holes for running backs.
As history would reveal, Troy Aikman possessed rare arm talent and accuracy. He was wasting away at Oklahoma in a system that did not form to his abilities but stifled them.
“Everybody always asked why I went to Oklahoma with it being a running school but Keith Jackson went as well. So, they had half the class kind of thinking they were going to this Pro style passing attack, the other half of the class was kind of told they were going to run the football. Ultimately that is what they did but my Sophomore year when I was the starter, I was running the Wishbone, so even though I was playing, I wasn’t enjoying the football side of it because I knew I was in an offense that wasn’t really a tailored fit for me.”
Things have a way of working themselves out and for the trajectory of Aikman’s career, the path began to shift for the better his Sophomore year. In 1985, he suffered a broken leg against Jimmy Johnson’s Miami Hurricanes and was out for the year. His backup, Jamelle Hollieway stepped into the starting quarterback role and led the Oklahoma Sooners to a National Championship and earned Offensive Player of the Year. From that point forward, Aikman knew his days of starting were over at OU and confirmed his intention to transfer with Barry Switzer.
“I went into Barry’s office and said ‘Hey, I think I’m going to transfer. I think it’s best for me. I think it’s best for everybody.’ Barry knew that. He was really helpful. He reached out to a number of schools, wanted to know who I was interested in. UCLA was of course one of those. He called Terry Donohue personally, along with a lot of other head coaches. I think deep down Barry felt bad that it didn’t work out. I don’t think he was misleading to me. I don’t think they really knew what they were going to do when I was being recruited. I think it was a bit of relief for him as well.”
The rest is history. As a junior, Aikman led the UCLA Bruins to a 10-2 record and a 20-16 victory over the Florida Gators in the Aloha Bowl. He earned the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
As a senior, he won the Davey O’Brian Award in 1988, as the nation’s top quarterback. A first in UCLA history. Aikman was a Consensus All-American, the UPI West Coast Player of the Year, and finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy that year.
Later in 2008, his accomplishments were immortalized at the collegiate level. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and in Nov. 2014, UCLA retired his No.8 jersey.
Sometimes the risk is worth the reward. He pioneered the road for many quarterbacks that have followed.
“I know we see a lot of these guys move from team to team as you mentioned. Heck, when I did it, very few have done it. I know even that year Barry Switzer talked to the team and he said, ‘when players transfer usually that is the last you ever hear of them.’ So, I always remembered him saying that when I was transferring to UCLA. But now you do see a lot of it. I don’t know if it’s good or bad or not, but I’ve sure enjoyed watching these young players that have gone on and had success… It does seem like there is a lot more flexibility for these quarterbacks and other players to transfer and get to play right away as opposed to what it once was.”
Now, it is common as players move on to find better fits within the college ranks. Many Heisman winners, finalists, and runner ups have followed suit in recent years including Baker Mayfield (Texas Tech to Oklahoma, 2014), Kyler Murray (Texas A&M to Oklahoma, 2016), Jalen Hurts(Alabama to Oklahoma, 2019), Joe Burrow (Ohio State to LSU, 2018), and Justin Fields (Georgia to Ohio State, 2019). Other big names such as Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, and Nick Foles entered the transfer portal during their collegiate careers.
Times are changing and the game of football is evolving with the changes. Transferring for a quarterback is no longer a kiss of death but an opportunity for success at another school. Aikman was one of the first to make a move and have an illustrious career to follow, but he certainly will not be the last as formations continue to shift.
