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Home > Listing Index > Athletes > Billy Sims

Athletes - Billy Sims

Billy Sims (born September 18, 1955 in Missouri) is a former American NFL Pro Bowl, and college, football running back.

Early years

Billy Sims grew up in St. Louis, but in the eighth grade he moved to Hooks, Texas to live with his grandmother. In Hooks he truly blossomed into a star. In three years of varsity football at Hooks High School, he rushed 1,128 times for 7,738 yards.

Football Career

In 1975, he was recruited to the University of Oklahoma by Barry Switzer
. After injuries kept him out of the line-up for most of his freshman and half of his sophomore seasons (rushing for only 545 yards in two seasons plus one game of 1976), in his junior season he cut loose, picking up 1,762 yards on 231 carries for an amazing average of 7.6 yards per carry (160.1 yards and 10.9 points per-game) for the regular season. Including the post-season Sims had 1,896 yards, a total yardage school record that stood until 2004 when freshman Adrian Peterson tallied up 1,925. In 1978 Sims was awarded the Heisman Trophy, only the 6th junior to do so, and was the runner up the following season, in 1979. He also became the first running back in Big 8 Conference (now merged to form the Big 12 Conference) history to rush for 300-yards in three consecutive games, and had four 200-yard games in a single season.

Billy led the Sooners to two consecutive Orange Bowl titles in three straight appearances, after losing to the University of Arkansas 31-6 in 1978, in 1979 he scored two touchdowns in 31-24 win over the University of Nebraska, and in his final game as a Sooner, helped beat Florida State University, 24-7, while rushing for 164 yards. He finished at OU with 3,813 yards, most of that coming in his final two seasons.

As expected Sims was the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft. He spent five years with the Detroit Lions, making the Pro Bowl in 1980, 1981, and 1982. Sims finished his career with 1131 carries for 5106 yards (4.5 yards per carry), and 186 receptions for 2072 yards (11.1 yards per catch). His career ended abruptly midway through the 1984 season when he suffered a serious knee injury in a game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Later years

After his retirement, Sims went into a downward spiral, filing for bankruptcy, a divorce from his first wife, and a 1999 conviction for assaulting his second wife. Sims moved back to Norman, Oklahoma after his first divorce, where for a short period of time, he worked in the Oklahoma athletic department. But troubles there forced him to quit.

Trivia

  • Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995.
  • A hero back home in Hooks, there is a road named Billy Sims and the local library wall is adorned with photos of Sims.

=Stats=====
  • High School (Hooks High School 1972-74)
  • * Consecutive 100-yard games: 36
  • * Total 100-yard games: 38
  • * Total points: 516
  • * Carries-season: 441 (1973; 378 in 1974)
  • * Rushing yards in a seasons: 3,080 (1973; 2,885 in 1974)
  • * Career carries: 1,128
  • * Total yards: 7,738
  • Collegiate
  • * Two-time All-American (1978, 1979)
  • * 1978 Heisman Winner
  • * 1979 Heisman Runner-Up
  • * Walter Camp Trophy (1978)
  • * AP & UP College Player of the Year (1978)
  • * Orange Bowl Hall of Fame Trophy
  • * Big Eight Player of the Year (1978, 1979)
  • * Career carries: 538
  • * Rushing yards per-carry: 7.1
  • * Total yards: 4,118 (4,041 rushing; 3,890 regular season; 3,813 rushing - 77 receiving)
  • * Touchdowns: 52 (50 rushing)
  • * Total point: 312 (126 in 1978, 132 in 1979)
  • NFL
  • * 3-Time Pro-Bowl selection
  • * 32nd - NFL All-Time Rushing Yards Per-Carry (4.515)
  • * 75th, along with Calvin Hill
    & Don Perkins
    , - NFL All-Time Rushing Touchdowns (42)
  • * 92nd - NFL All-Time Rushing Yardage (5,106)

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Billy Sims ]


Some related entries: Ken Boyer | George Gray | Jim Furyk | Patrick Ramsey | Scott Moninger | Fred McGriff | Wayne Franklin | Lou Bierbauer | Everett Case | Michael Tucker | Enos Slaughter

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Billy Sims; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

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