Mike Gaddis...R.I.P.
- Thread starter Senior Sooner
- Start date
I never forget Bedlam in 1988. Barry Sanders was the second best running back in the stadium; Gaddis was better--at least on that particular day. I believe he could've been all time Sooners top five if not for the knee injury.
Sad to hear this news. He was a super star that had his career derailed by injuries. RIP Mike.
Too young to die and hopefully his greatness will never be forgotten.
Prayers to his family.
Thank you for the video my friend Veritas.
I wish Mike Gaddis had not gone down with injury in the 1989 Texas game because of the cheap artificial turf in the Cotton Bowl.
He was having a great day in that game and maybe his absence was the reason OU lost 28-24 in the closing minutes on a 4th down pass.
Gaddis had gained 829 yards through that 6th game vs Texas and he missed the last 5 games of the 1989 season and all of the 1990 season...so it is very possible he would have had over 4,000 rushing yards.
His absence from the middle of the 1989 season and all of the 1990 season surely was a factor in Coach Gibbs' lackluster coaching record at OU.
Besides having to survive the effects of OU's 1989 three year long probation, Gibbs had his franchise running back out for 16 games.....a running back that Switzer claimed was the greatest back he ever recruited, instate.
I think of the close games OU lost during the last 3 years Gaddis was at OU and I believe at least 4 losses could have been due to his absence.
Unlike Looney and Dupree who had abbreviated Sooner careers due to attitude issues, Gaddis had a serious career-altering injury and courageously returned in 1991 to gain 1,240 yards and 14 touchdowns.
When I recall the great backs at OU, I put Gaddis near the top. He may have surpassed all of OU's rushing leaders...easily.
Thanks for the memories, Mike Gaddis.
He was having a great day in that game and maybe his absence was the reason OU lost 28-24 in the closing minutes on a 4th down pass.
Gaddis had gained 829 yards through that 6th game vs Texas and he missed the last 5 games of the 1989 season and all of the 1990 season...so it is very possible he would have had over 4,000 rushing yards.
His absence from the middle of the 1989 season and all of the 1990 season surely was a factor in Coach Gibbs' lackluster coaching record at OU.
Besides having to survive the effects of OU's 1989 three year long probation, Gibbs had his franchise running back out for 16 games.....a running back that Switzer claimed was the greatest back he ever recruited, instate.
I think of the close games OU lost during the last 3 years Gaddis was at OU and I believe at least 4 losses could have been due to his absence.
Unlike Looney and Dupree who had abbreviated Sooner careers due to attitude issues, Gaddis had a serious career-altering injury and courageously returned in 1991 to gain 1,240 yards and 14 touchdowns.
When I recall the great backs at OU, I put Gaddis near the top. He may have surpassed all of OU's rushing leaders...easily.
Thanks for the memories, Mike Gaddis.
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Good thoughts. I've always believed that had he not been injured, Mike would have been the standard to which all of the OU (at least) running backs would be compared.
Media Coverage of Mike's passing has been very limited. Here are some additional comments. Also, a couple of my friends 'in the know', have learned that his cause of death was a failed kidney transplant, but this is UNDOCUMENTED. IMO, Mike was among OUr BEST...although, sadly, he was another coulda, woulda, shoulda player...
https://legacy.newsok.com/obituarie...KSAqAoMr1729hQJEKuw0faLCGaA49myxoCNZ8QAvD_BwE
https://legacy.newsok.com/obituarie...KSAqAoMr1729hQJEKuw0faLCGaA49myxoCNZ8QAvD_BwE
