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RIP Grant Burget

Grant was a freshman, my soph year. I was the manager that year for the freshman team, the Boomers. The two coaches were Don Jimmerson and Jerry Pettibone. Liked both of those guys. We were running the same offense as the varsity in the 4 game schedule, which meant the "Diamond Tee." I believe Grant was the tailback. We went 2-2 with OSU having a quality team after OU's killer recruiting classes the previous two seasons. First Mildren and then Wylie's. We lost in Lubbock and at home to OSU.

Grant really didn't get playing time until his fourth year junior season, after Wylie and Pruitt graduated. Joe Washington was one wishbone halfback, and Grant split time with Tim Welch on the other side. They were in the same recruiting class, but Welch had played without redshirting at fullback before then. Neither of them ever lost to Texas. Another running back was Bob Berg.

Lucious Selmon and Gary Gibbs were in that class. So were longtime college coach Ken Pope, and future Giant Clyde Powers. I used to have the whole roster memorized by number, but those days are long gone. Grant was a high school phenom who racked up all kinds of yards at Stroud. I'm thinking over 6000 hs rushing yards, but wouldn't bet the house on that.

Grant was a good guy, though I never knew him well. That was back in the day when we had 45 recruits in a class, and freshman couldn't play on the varsity. I believe the freshman quarterback was James Stokely, a name most Sooners either never heard of, or have forgotten.

There were so many guys from my four years that didn't make it to 70. Way too many didn't make 60. It makes me feel really old. I'll be 70 this summer. RIP Grant Burget. One of the good guys. I've heard he's been in poor health for a while, so this didn't surprise me, but still it saddens me.

Thanks for posting.
 
Great post, Plaino.
Grant Burget suffered a season-ending leg injury in the 1973 opener at Baylor, won by OU 42-14, after he had carried 4 times for 30 yards.
He returned in 1974 to run for 379 yards and 8 TDs and I recall seeing him score in the opener vs Baylor (the 1974 SWC champion), a game won by OU 28-11 as OU lead by only 7-5 to start the 4th quarter.
I regard Wylie (1971-72) and Burget (1972-74) as the last of the really significant white running backs (halfbacks) in OU history. The wishbone of the Switzer era was built around very fast halfbacks and black players made it happen.
Under Switzer, OU's recruiting was opened up to black athletes like never before and it brought the great decade of the 1970's to OU.
I often wonder what OU might have done had it opened its recruiting more to black athletes a decade earlier. Gautt, Hinton, Liggins, and McQuarters were good players, but when they played, blacks were the exception and not the norm.
I have always regarded Prentice Gautt as one of my top three Sooners ever. As a youngster, I had Gautt's picture taped to my bedroom wall. All I saw was a great player. His race was never considered, in part, thanks to my parent's influence.
 
Grant was a freshman, my soph year. I was the manager that year for the freshman team, the Boomers. The two coaches were Don Jimmerson and Jerry Pettibone. Liked both of those guys. We were running the same offense as the varsity in the 4 game schedule, which meant the "Diamond Tee." I believe Grant was the tailback. We went 2-2 with OSU having a quality team after OU's killer recruiting classes the previous two seasons. First Mildren and then Wylie's. We lost in Lubbock and at home to OSU.

Grant really didn't get playing time until his fourth year junior season, after Wylie and Pruitt graduated. Joe Washington was one wishbone halfback, and Grant split time with Tim Welch on the other side. They were in the same recruiting class, but Welch had played without redshirting at fullback before then. Neither of them ever lost to Texas. Another running back was Bob Berg.

Lucious Selmon and Gary Gibbs were in that class. So were longtime college coach Ken Pope, and future Giant Clyde Powers. I used to have the whole roster memorized by number, but those days are long gone. Grant was a high school phenom who racked up all kinds of yards at Stroud. I'm thinking over 6000 hs rushing yards, but wouldn't bet the house on that.

Grant was a good guy, though I never knew him well. That was back in the day when we had 45 recruits in a class, and freshman couldn't play on the varsity. I believe the freshman quarterback was James Stokely, a name most Sooners either never heard of, or have forgotten.

There were so many guys from my four years that didn't make it to 70. Way too many didn't make 60. It makes me feel really old. I'll be 70 this summer. RIP Grant Burget. One of the good guys. I've heard he's been in poor health for a while, so this didn't surprise me, but still it saddens me.

Thanks for posting.
I love the history from those who were there. Thank you Plaino. šŸ˜
 
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