The crowd, the fans are everything. Another teammate, Don Smitherman, who came in with Holieways recruiting class, also re-appeared during some of his darkest days. He led the Oklahoma Sooners to a national championship in 1985. Oklahoma, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Colorado, Oregon and USC came after Holieway. It was a lead that they would never relinquish en route to 25-10 victory. From 1985-87, the Sooners finished 33-3 with three conference championships and one national title. Los Angeles County, California, United States. So we got a couple of national championships in our family when we get together for a family reunion.. But with Penn State leading in the second quarter, 7-3, and Oklahoma facing a 3rd down and 24 yards to go from its own 29-yard-line, Holieway made his mark. I loved it because when they talked about Michael Vick, Jamelle Holieways name got brought up, Holieway said. JAMELLE HOLIEWAY Signed 11x14 Photo..OKLAHOMA SOONERS QB Legend..IN PERS. I am like, That must be a cool-ass coach because he is letting these individual people be individuals, but they are still playing good football on the field.. I wasnt sure when, or if, Id get a chance to play., I was far away from home for the very first time, he continued. Once I got inside, next to that heater, Im listening to Coachs halftime speech and thinking, Man, we gotta go back out there? Jamelle Holieway (born June 25, 1967) is a former American college and professional football player who was a quarterback for the University of Oklahoma. The loss dropped the Sooners from third to 10th in the Associated Press rankings. Be the beat for someone you love. With #2 ranked Miami being blown out by #8 Tennessee 35-7 in the Sugar Bowl, the Sooners realized if they beat Penn State, theyd win the National Championship. Jamelle Holieway is a famous American football player. Sign up to receive The Shadow League Newsletter in your inbox. pic.twitter.com/JcLRAIpkxE, Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) December 15, 2021. That was the best time of my life in Miami, Holieway said. Holieway signed with the Sooners and arrived on campus in the summer of 1985. Switzer, one of the most successful coaches in college football history, resigned shortly thereafter. Detroit Lions scout Jerry Neri was optimistic about Holieways NFL prospects. Jamelle Holieway sits on the edge of the couch in his Inglewood home, his eyes fixed on a vision only he can see. I lived in a Crip neighborhood and there were a lot of drive-by shootings. I was back to Banning a year ago, Holieway said. He is the former OU quarterback, the wishbone legend, and in 1985, he became the first true freshman since at least the leather-helmet days to quarterback a team to a national title. Up next was a trip to Florida, where theyd face top-ranked Penn State in the Orange Bowl. Holieway was running an option-play to the left and turned to cut upfield. What do we have here?. With Holieways dazzling mastery of the wishbone offense, it became clear that, no matter how talented a passer Troy Aikman was, his only hope in reclaiming his starting role the next season would be an injury to the flashy freshman. I saw that little safety, I saw (Penn State safety Ray) Isom, No. Lashar calmly drilled the game-winning field goal from 31 yards away. Coach Switzer called timeout and told us we had a chance to make history. And that is what I did. Most casual Oklahoma fans cant recall, all these years later, many specific highlights from his junior season without exerting an effort. Coach Switzer always told us, If it is not for the fans, then who the hell are we? The Hurricanes won that game, 27-14, and Holieway had his year`s worst numbers. He led the Oklahoma Sooners to a national championship in 1985. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Oklahoma quarterback Jamelle Holieway was searching for a teammateany teammatehe had yet to hug when he spotted a beaming Sooner face about to disappear into a tunnel beneath Nebraska's Memorial Stadium. Miami (Fla.) 10-2-0. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. The early 1990s-era Oklahoma Sooners player was part of an alumni-led, word-of-mouth effort to fulfill the wishes of new Oklahoma Coach Brent Venables, who implored the fan base to show up to last Aprils Oklahoma spring game and stressed that former players, no matter the era, were not only welcome back but would be instrumental in what Venables was set to build in Norman. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY NETWORK. Getting cut, that was really tough to handle. It was not until 2018, when Clemsons true freshman full-time starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence with Venables as defensive coordinator joined Holieway in the exclusive club with a national championship. We were a big and fast team, said Holieway. 3 Oklahoma against top-ranked and unbeaten Penn State. Judging by the practice routine in the week leading up to the game, one had to wonder if an appearance from Holieway was the plan all along. The part that really hurt me was when the team ran out of the tunnel at the Nebraska game, said Holieway. Jamelle looked gimpy early on during the season, and lacking his normal instincts, speed, fluidity and explosiveness. I didnt know any different, Holieway said. The song was ubiquitous in Los Angeles at the time as it flooded and dominated the California airwaves. A heart attack occurs when the blood flow that brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. As a sophomore, Holieway again led the Sooners to an 11-1 record and another Orange Bowl victory, this time a 42-8 thrashing of Arkansas. Today, he lives in McAlester with his wife and children and when he is not doting on his three grandchildrenHoney, Prince and Ellie Kay he is heavily involved in youth sports and is a motivational speaker throughout the state of Oklahoma. pic.twitter.com/D0nLQw9go8, Sooner Sports Network (@SoonerSportsTV) July 14, 2020. His face was plastered on magazinecovers. 22, scoot over and start coming down and I just said, Red, red, Y Go, Y Go and that means, (Oklahoma tight end) Keith (Jackson), go run as fast as you can down the middle of the field and I am going to throw it as far as I can and hopefully we connect. That is how that play came about., 88 days until Sooner football. Coach Switzer always said, Theres three teams that we cant lose to: Texas because of recruiting, Nebraska because were the real Big Red, and Oklahoma State, because I cant go anywhere in the state and have a good meal without some damn cowboys harassing me, said Holieway. We know we played OU football., NORMAN, OK APRIL 23: Head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners kneels with former players before the teams spring game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on April 23, 2022, in Norman, Oklahoma. Learn more Product details Date First Available : May 14, 2014 ASIN : B00KBYP5FU The Oklahoma coach and the linebacker he recruited to play for him were both out-sized personalities who delighted in thumbing their noses at the establishment. In contrast to Aikman, Holieway was more of a triple-option . Ou Sooners Spring Football Game. Man, that was our jam! Its funny some of the things that people remember.. Date: 2/4/02. He is having some very serious heart issues right now. 10 Oklahoma to a 35-7 win over Iowa State in the Big Eight opener for both teams. Free delivery for many products! Just get in where you fit in. In addition to his crutches, Holieway packed a second notable accessory for the chilly trip up north. Curvaceous, beautiful women with inviting smiles flirted with him as his car lingered at stop signs and red traffic lights. Quarterback Darian Hagan of the Colorado Buffaloes runs down the field during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Sep 2020 - Present2 years 5 months. In his absence, another young, undersized option wizard, redshirt freshman Charles Thompson, led #2 Oklahoma to an undefeated regular season record and a berth into the National Championship game, which proved to be a titanic matchup in the Orange Bowl against top-ranked Miami, which the Sooners lost, 20-14. A media frenzy ensued, with the program and Barry Switzer being vilified. Penn State had their star linebacker, Shane Conlan, shadowing me the whole game, said Holieway. And the rest will take care of itself.. He said, When we beat Penn State, its ours.. Contribute to The Shadow League today and help us share our narratives. Charges unknown. Net Worth in 2020. Oklahoma Arrest Age: 34. Jamelle Holieway is considered one of the greatest option quarterba You could get caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alabama's Jalen Hurts is two wins away from joining Holieway. It was like a brotherhood. The best competitors like to compete, and to me this is just a game, an inner game. We had a running play called for Spencer Tillman, but when I saw the safety inching closer, I audibled at the line of scrimmage and called an All-Streak., When I dropped back, I saw that nobody was defending the middle of the field in pass coverage, he continued. Just as he predicted, the colleges came calling. On that afternoon of October 19th in 1985, when Jamelle Holieway stepped into the crucible of the Miami game, replacing an injured Troy Aikman in the second quarter, his teammates didnt sense any trepidation. Of course, Holieway isn't just any Sooner fan. And of course it's Keith Jackson again. YOU HAVE 20,000 FOLLOWERS: $100 per post at a $5/CPM. Brian and the Boz: Directed by Thaddeus D. Matula. There was something about playing Miami, because I knew that we had to give our best, Holieway said. Birth Date/Place: June 25, 1967. In 39 games, he had 2,713 yards rushing and 2,430 yards passing for a combined 5,143 yards of total offense -- averaging over 131 yards/game. "I faked the ball to the. And with Holieway at the helm as Aikman was lost for the year, he had the perfect weapon to unleash that could gouge defenses with a short-space-quickness, explosive bursts of speed and a mastery of the sleight-of-hand and misdirection that the offense required. Hes also working in residential construction, along with a few other side jobs that he can pick up from time to time. Oklahoma. So take time out to acknowledge them and to give them praise, too, for cheering for you.'. But he was far from the electrifying, mesmerizing Jamelle. He made me want to go put my damn helmet on one more time and play, Holieway said. They were ranked #3 in the nation. Prior to the injury, he was being projected as a legitimate running back prospect in the National Football League. Just to see where we are on the radar.. And when he was talking and his motivation and the way he was speaking, man, he was speaking to us. Theres no other rush like it in the world. Fatty, cholesterol-containing deposits build up over time, forming plaques in the heart's arteries. That is when Holieway engineered a play that will be remembered forever in Oklahoma history. Josh Heupel Jamelle Holieway Davis Arnold Harris Signed Ball Oklahoma So. There were many well-publicized incidents, including a number ofarrests over the years that involveddrinking, drugs and motor vehicle violations. I got in and I just matriculated down the field and I only got applause when we got the touchdown. Even injured. Jamelle Holieway is considered one of the greatest option quarterbacks in NCAA Division I-A history. With four daysleft until the start of another Oklahoma football season, we continue our countdown to Saturdays season-opening game. Colorado won the game 10-9. And here I am, just a little 18-year-old snotty-nosed freshman. Oklahoma's Jamelle Holieway is the only true freshman quarterback to lead his team to a national title, Georgia's Jake Fromm could be the second Oklahoma quarterback Jamelle Holieway (4). Tim Lashar kicked four field goals, Sonny Brown intercepted two passes and Holieway etched his name in the history books forever as the first true freshman starting quarterback to lead his team to a national championship, 25-10. I made that a priority.. There are few stories regarding Oklahoma football more remarkable than the one authored by Holieway. HS coach Chris Ferragamo older brother of Vince Ferragamo Nebraska QB @OU_Football https://t.co/69xZp61LSR, Barry Switzer (@Barry_Switzer) June 9, 2018, I said, Mama, I can get a scholarship,' Holieway recalled. In order for that bowl matchup to have national championship implications, the Sooners would have to defeat both Oklahoma State on the road and SMU in the home finale. 5 Nebraska. Especially this time, because I am on crutches. At the time of his graduation, he was third in school history in passing yards behind Bob Warmack (3,744 from 1966-68) and Jack Mildren (3,092 from 1969-71). More Info. He played two seasons of pro ball in the Canadian Football League for the British Columbia Lions, three years in Spain with the Euroleague, and returned to Oklahoma, where he played semi-pro ball until the age of 32. Jamelle Holieway the "Wishbone Magician" is FIRST true freshman to lead a team to the National Championship. 1 and won its first eight games, which set up a Bedlam matchup against No. Against Iowa State, the week after the loss to Miami, Jamelle started and played slightly more than a half. The Los Angeles Raiders invited him to their training camp as a free agent, but cut him during the pre-season. I had to talk to my people back in Cali. In a matter of four minutes of game time, the stunned Nebraska crowd had gone from sensing victory to settling for a tie to a shocking defeat. I dont care if there are no ticks on the clock and it is the last Hail Mary, we have to think that we are going to win that. While Mitchel possessed both the superior size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds compared to 5-11, 175 for Holieway) and speed (a 4.27-second 40-yard dash vs. Holieways low 4.5), it was Holieway that gained the approval of Switzer through the split-second decision making he displayed in preseason scrimmages. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. 1s that week against Miami, Holieway said. MUSKOGEE, Oklahoma -- Former University of Oklahoma quarterback Jamelle Holieway is in the Muskogee County jail after being arrested on warrants out of McIntosh County. Jamelle Holieway was a 18 Year old True Freshman who answered the call and led OU to a National Championship. We all got matching gold chains with the initials CLH, which stood for Computer Love Homies, said Holieway. Holieways chauffeur duties extended from the golf cart to the car that shuffled Switzer from one bowl week commitment to another. But Charlie Evans would be pleased at the sight of the Spirit of Oklahoma Football Camp, with Jamelle Holieway . Lashar field goal later in the quarter. January 1, 1986; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oklahoma Sooners running back Jamelle Holieway (4) celebrates defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl 25-10 at the Orange Bowl. He led the flames in scoring, rebounds and field goal percentage in his first year at Bethesda University, on the year he averaged 13.1 ppg while shooting 56% on the year and a team high 5.5 rebounds a game. #Gatewood @GotBoz44 #EddieWally #1987OUNeb @Barry_Switzer @SpenceTillman @EarlJoh26055677 pic.twitter.com/hTzhvYx5id, Wallis Marsh (@WallisMarsh) August 30, 2022. The NCAA came in there and investigated it like it was some major violation. With Mitchel now at tailback, Holieway returned under center one final time as a Sooner in a 13-6 Citrus Bowl loss to No. With Tennessee handily beating second-ranked Miami in the Sugar Bowl, a win over Penn State would give Oklahoma the national title. I guess that is why I dont like Clemson to this day, because they beat us the last game.. Jamelle Holieway had an excellent game, he made some unbelievable plays, said Switzer after the game. For 33 years, he held the distinction of being the only true freshman starting quarterback in the history of the game to lead his team to a national title. In some ways, Barry Switzer and Brian Bosworth were made for each other. View an animation of blood flow between the heart and lungs. To me, that was Sooner Magic,' Holieway said. But the hardest part was coming out after halftime. Holieway was crushed when he wasnt selected in the NFL Draft. Oklahoma's Wishbone Option Wizard Remains the Only True Freshman to Ever Quarterback a Team to the National Championship Then pop, there it goes and I just remember Pat Jones being the first one out there saying, Stay down, son.'. My foot went inside the turf and it slid, so it just took all of the traction out of the bottom. In 1985, we exploded as an offensive football team, led the nation in rushing, and never looked back.. Oklahoma, 3-1, amassed 426 yards . Throughout the remainder of this college football season, The Shadow League's series, The Black College Quarterback, will examine some of the most talented and impactful signal callers of the '80s and '90s. Jamelle Holieway (born June 25, 1967) is a former American college and professional football player who was a quarterback for the University of Oklahoma. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about guard Jamelle Holieway Jr on ESPN. He is the only one who has silver shoes like nobody else. That threw me back, and then I saw Thomas Lott with the bandana. Jamelle Holieway. (Jamelle Coaching at his football camp, Photo Credit: The Oklahoman). His decision to play for the Sooners came at the last minute, as he had a three-year-old sister that he didn't want to leave behind. A native of Carson, California, Holieway convinced his mother, Charlie Mae Harris, to move into a school district that would allow him to play football at Phineas Banning High School in Wilmington, Calif., for Coach Chris Ferragamo. Get the latest news, stats and more about Jamelle Holieway on RealGM.com The face mask on fourth down on the short side of the field where Broderick Thomas grabbed by face mask. They lifted weights, sprinted in the shallow water of the Pacific Ocean and threw the football around for hours, dreaming about what the future held for them through this violent and unforgiving game that they all loved. $140 per post at $7/CPM. At that time, prior to the advancements of surgical procedures and medical technology, the injury was considered to be almost insurmountable. It is something that Coach Switzer, to be the great coach that he is because, for whatever reason, I practiced with No. When the team traveled to Stillwater to play one of their fiercest rivals, Oklahoma State, Holieway was in shock at what greeted him. His passing efficiency rating was 84.9 over 39 collegiate games. Ive seen a lot of guys make it back, but other guys dont.. You would think being relegated to spectator as his team competed for a national championship for Holieway. Holieway had professional opportunities with the Los Angeles Raiders of the NFL, the CFLs British Columbia Lions and an American football league in Spain before he finally hung up the pads for good. 12/6/01. If I had to do it all over again, I would have redshirted, took it, enjoyed the moment and then come back a little bit healthier the next year.. 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