Every 1,000-Yard Rusher in Oklahoma Football History

They called it the Oklahoma Drill for a reason:

One runner vs. one tackler. Old-school football. Best man wins.

Oklahoma built its football reputation largely on the legs of its Hall of Fame running backs and its relentless ground attack. That legacy started long before the Sooners joined the SEC in 2024.

Some of college football’s magic names have played running back at Oklahoma, from Heisman Trophy winners Billy Vessels and Billy Sims to Adrian Peterson, who set the Sooners’ single-season rushing yards record in 2004 but was snubbed in Heisman voting.

Here’s a detailed look at the history of Oklahoma’s 1,000-yard rushers.

Oklahoma’s 1,000-Yard Rushers

Oklahoma didn’t produce a 1,000-yard rusher in its debut season in the SEC in 2024, but the Sooners have had 40 in their football history (* indicates player was not in the SEC at the time). Quarterback Jalen Hurts, who did play in the SEC before transferring to Oklahoma, is part of the Sooners’ 1,000-yard club, but he’s not the only quarterback.

Oklahoma’s Single-Season Rushing Yards Record Progression

In 1952, Billy Vessels and Buck McPhail became the first Oklahoma players to rush for 1,000 yards. Vessels finished with 54 more yards than McPhail, thus setting the program record. Here’s a look at every single-season rushing yards record-holder since (bold indicates year the record was broken; * indicates the player was not in the SEC at the time).

Chris Wright

Managing Editor

A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.