5 Greatest Quarterbacks in Oklahoma Sooners History

Murray would almost certainly rank higher had he spent more time in Norman. Instead, we’re working with just the one season of real work after he served as a reserve to Baker Mayfield in his first year in Norman before taking over in 2017.

It was a heck of a 2017, too. Murray threw for more than 4,300 yards with 42 touchdowns against just seven interceptions while running more than 1,000 yards with 12 more scores on the ground.

The numbers earned him the Heisman Trophy that season and put the Sooners in the College Football Playoff where they lost to eventual national-champion Alabama. 

4. Josh Heupel (1999-2000)

We wouldn’t argue if you wanted to put Heupel as No. 2 on this list. Maybe even No. 1. After the difficulties of the 1990s, Heupel arrived with coach Bob Stoops to return the Sooners to their old glory days.

The Sooners hadn’t had a winning season since 1993 when Heupel threw 30 scores in leading OU to a 7-5 record in 1999. The improvement was clear. Oklahoma won the national championship in 2000 thanks in large part to the signal-caller Heupel led Oklahoma the national championship in the 2000 season.

His total numbers went down as the Sooners could rely more on a running game and a stellar defense, but Heupel still claimed the ring, plus the Walter Camp Award as the nation’s best quarterback and a No. 2 finish in Heisman Trophy voting.

3. Sam Bradford (2006-2009)

A ranking of the best pure athletes in Oklahoma history would almost certainly put Bradford at No. 1. He was a star in football, basketball, hockey, and baseball in his youth before shifting his focus to just hoops and football in his final high-school years.

But as good as he would end up being, he still arrived just down the road in Norman as a three-star recruit. They should have known better. 

Bradford redshirted his first year on campus but immediately became a star when he took the field, throwing 36 touchdowns and breaking several school records. The next year, he threw 50 touchdowns and led Oklahoma to the national championship against Tim Tebow and Florida. He also earned the Heisman Trophy, becoming the fifth player in school history to capture the award.

Bradford would play in just three more games with OU as injuries took their toll his junior season and he went to the NFL after — the No. 1 overall pick to the Rams in 2010.

2. Jason White (1999-2004)

Three national championship game appearances, one win, one Heisman Trophy finalist season, and another Heisman Trophy-winning season. The decoration could barely get any better.

White won that title as a freshman reserve well behind Heupel. When he finally had an opportunity to become a starter, he ripped up his knee. Twice. Actually, one knee each, limiting him to just 147 passing attempts in 2001 and 2002. Miraculously, it was after that that White became a stud. 

He won the Heisman in 2003 with 40 touchdown passes in leading the Sooners to the national title. In 2004, he took the team back to the title game and finished third in Heisman voting.

The knees never truly healed, and White never had much of a shot in the NFL, which, frankly, makes him all the more legendary for his time in Norman.

1. Baker Mayfield (2014-2017)

This wasn’t an easy choice, even if Mayfield’s ubiquity makes him the most famous of the five on this list. His path from walk-on to Heisman winner is the stuff of legend.

Not only did he do that to start his career at Texas Tech, he transferred to Oklahoma without letting Stoops or the coaching staff even know he was coming, thus walking on again. He won the job in 2015 and never looked back, finishing third, second, and first in Heisman voting over his three seasons with the Sooners.

He led the Big 12 in touchdown passes twice and led the nation in completion percentage, yards-per-attempt, and quarterback rating twice, as well.

More than that, Mayfield’s haywire demeanor helped bring Oklahoma back into national relevance after some ho-hum seasons just before his arrival.

More Oklahoma Sooners Rankings

• 10 Greatest Oklahoma Sooners Football Players Ever
• 5 Greatest Running Backs in Oklahoma Sooners History
• 5 Greatest Wide Receivers in Oklahoma Sooners History
• 5 Greatest Defensive Players in Oklahoma Sooners History