1973 Oklahoma Sooners football team

Last updated

1973 Oklahoma Sooners football
Oklahoma Sooners Logo 1966-79.png
National Champion(CFRA, Sagarin)
Big 8 champion
Conference Big Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 2
APNo. 3
Record10–0–1 (7–0 Big 8)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Galen Hall (1st season)
Offensive scheme Wishbone
Defensive coordinator Larry Lacewell (4th season)
Captains
Home stadium Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (capacity: 61,836)
Seasons
  1972
1974  
1973 Big Eight Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Oklahoma $ 7 0 010 0 1
No. 7 Nebraska 4 2 19 2 1
No. 18 Kansas 4 2 17 4 1
No. 17 Missouri 3 4 08 4 0
Oklahoma State 2 3 25 4 2
Colorado 2 5 05 6 0
Kansas State 2 5 05 6 0
Iowa State 2 5 04 7 0
  • $ Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1973 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. Oklahoma participated as members of the Big Eight Conference and played its home games in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium where it has played its home games since 1923. [1] The team posted a 1001 overall record and a 70 conference record to earn the Conference outright title under first-year head coach Barry Switzer. [2] [3] This would be the first of eight consecutive Big Eight Conference championships for the Sooners with Switzer as head coach. [2]

Contents

The team was led by three All-Americans: Rod Shoate (Oklahoma's second three-time All-American) [4] the oldest of the Selmon brothers, Lucious, [5] and Eddie Foster. [5] The Selmon brothers Lucious, Lee Roy and Dewey started on the defensive line. [6] The team went undefeated on a schedule that included seven ranked opponents (In order, #1 USC, #17 Miami, #13 Texas, #13 Colorado, #10 Missouri, #18 Kansas, and #10 Nebraska). Five of these opponents finished the season ranked. The team tied with USC in the second game of the season before winning nine consecutive contests. It began the season ranked number 11 and steadily climbed in the polls as the season progressed. [3]

Joe Washington led the team in rushing with 1173 yards, Steve Davis led the team in passing yard for with 934 yards, Tinker Owens led the team in receiving with 472 yards, Davis led the team in scoring with 108 points, Shoate led the team in tackles with 126, and Randy Hughes led the team in interceptions with 5. [7]

Prior to the season in August, the Sooners were put on probation by the Big Eight Conference, which included a two-year ban on bowl appearances, and a two-year ban on television appearances (1974, 1975). [8]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 15at Baylor *No. 11W 42–1441,573
September 29at No. 1 USC *No. 8T 7–783,986
October 6No. 17 Miami (FL) *No. 6W 24–2062,040
October 13vs. No. 13 Texas *No. 6 ABC W 52–1372,032
October 20No. 16 Colorado Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 3
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
W 34–761,826–62,580 [9]
October 27at Kansas State No. 3W 56–1429,523
November 3 Iowa State No. 3
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
W 34–1761,876
November 10at No. 10 Missouri No. 3W 31–365,515
November 17No. 18 Kansas No. 3
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK
W 48–2060,961–64,122
November 23No. 10 Nebraska No. 3
  • Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • Norman, OK (rivalry)
ABCW 27–062,257
December 1at Oklahoma State No. 2W 45–1850,964
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[3]

Personnel

1973 Oklahoma Sooners football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
OL 74Jerry ArnoldJr
RB 20Bob BergJr
WR 82 Billy Brooks Jr
RB Grant Burget
RB Waymon Clark
OL Kyle Davis
QB Steve Davis
OT 77Eddie Foster (C)Sr
RB Jerry Foster
RB Randy Harris
QB 7Scott HillFr
WR Wayne Hoffman
RB David James
RB Steve Jenkinson
RB Jim Littrell
QB Jeff Mabry
RB Danny McClure
RB Joe McReynoldsSo
WR 11 Tinker Owens So
OL John Roush
RB Clyde Russell
RB Joe Washington
OL Terry Webb
RB Tim Welch
RB Gary Young
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DE 88Gary Baccus (C)Sr
DL Jimbo Elrod
DB Randy Hughes
DB Durwood Keeton
DB Terry Peters
DB Ken Pope
DB Clyde Powers
DT 91 Dewey Selmon So
DT 93 Lee Roy Selmon So
NG 98 Lucious Selmon  (C)Sr
LB Rod Shoate
LB Dave Smith
DL Mike Struck
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K Tony DiRienzo
K 8Rick FulcherSr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Roster

Game summaries

At Baylor

#11 Oklahoma Sooners at Baylor Bears
1234Total
#11 Oklahoma21140742
Baylor006814

[10]

At USC

Miami (FL)

1234Total
Miami (FL)7130020
Oklahoma7014324

[11]

vs Texas

#6 Oklahoma Sooners (2–0) vs. #13 Texas Longhorns (2–1)
Period1234Total
Oklahoma 714141752
Texas 330713

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

  • Date: October 13
  • Game time: 12:30 p.m.
  • Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C)
  • Game attendance: 72,204
  • TV: ABC
  • Box Score

Worst loss in Darrell Royal's coaching career [12]

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
OklahomaPassing Steve Davis 5/6, 185 Yds, 2 TD
Rushing Joe Washington 12 Rush, 117 Yds
Receiving Tinker Owens 4 Rec, 163 Yds, 2 TD
TexasPassing Marty Akins 5/9, 64 Yds, INT
Rushing Roosevelt Leaks 20 Rush, 82 Yds
ReceivingPat Kelly4 Rec, 71 Yds

Colorado

1234Total
Colorado70007
Oklahoma7771334

[9]

At Kansas State

1234Total
Oklahoma211414756
Kansas St077014
  • Date: KSU Stadium
  • Location: October 27
  • Game attendance: 34,500

[13]

Iowa State

1234Total
Iowa St1430017
Oklahoma7137734

Joe Washington 136 Rush Yds [14]

At Missouri

#3 Oklahoma Sooners at #10 Missouri Tigers
1234Total
#3 Oklahoma7312931
#10 Missouri30003

[15]

Kansas


Nebraska

#10 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #3 Oklahoma Sooners
1234Total
#10 Nebraska00000
#3 Oklahoma1406727

[16]

At Oklahoma State

#2 Oklahoma Sooners at Oklahoma State Cowboys
1234Total
#2 Oklahoma71471745
Oklahoma State0331218

[17]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
PollPre12345678910111213Final
AP 11 т1198 (1)6 (1.5)63 (8)3 (8)3 (9)3 (7)3 (10)3 (9)2 (20)2 (16)3 (16)

Awards and honors

Postseason

NFL draft

Seven Sooners were selected in the 1974 NFL Draft. [22]

RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL Team
485 Durwood Keeton Defensive back St. Louis Cardinals
5110Gary BaccusLinebacker New York Giants
5119 Clyde Powers Defensive back New York Jets
9227Ken PopeDefensive backOakland Raiders
12296Eddie FosterTackle New England Patriots
14349David SmithLinebacker Philadelphia Eagles
16399 Lucious Selmon Defensive tackleNew England Patriots

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References

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  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "All-American: Lucious Selmon". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  6. Seays, Lillian (2005). "LEE ROY SELMON: Small Town Boy-Next-Door Makes Good". Onyx Magazine. Archived from the original on October 30, 2006. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  7. "2009 Football Record Book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. p. 164. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  8. "Oklahoma on probation for 10 grid infractions". Nashua Telegraph. (New Hampshire). Associated Press. August 9, 1973. p. 15.
  9. 1 2 "Sooners cruise by Colorado; Buckeyes, Michigan triumph". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 21, 1973. p. 4B.
  10. "Powerful Sooners Rip Baylor in 42-14 Game." Palm Beach Post. 1973 Sept 16.
  11. Palm Beach Post. 1973 Oct 7.
  12. "Sooners Slam Texas, 52-13." Palm Beach Post. October 14, 1973
  13. "Sooners Crush Wildcats." Palm Beach Post. 1973 Oct 28.
  14. "Sooners Get Past Cyclones." Palm Beach Post. 1973 Nov 4.
  15. "Powerful Sooners Rip Missouri, 31-3." Palm Beach Post. November 11, 1973
  16. "Nebraska vs. Oklahoma 1973 -- HuskerMax".
  17. "Sooners Corral Cowboys." Palm Beach Post. December 2, 1973
  18. "All-American: Eddie Foster". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
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  22. "1974 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.