The Oklahoma football program has no shortage of legendary players to walk the halls in Norman. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a breath of fresh air when those who used to don the crimson and cream earn recognition well after their playing days. On Monday, a trio of former Sooners players found themselves on the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame ballot, led by longtime linebacker Rocky Calmus and quarterback and current Tennessee Volunteers head football coach Josh Heupel.
Joining Calmus and Heupel on the ballot is former Oklahoma defensive back George Cumby. From 1976 to 1979, Cumby earned Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year twice, became a two-time First-team All-American, and posted 405 tackles, the fifth-most in team history. Cumby played eight years in the NFL, including an All-Pro season in 1982 with the Green Bay Packers.
Former Oklahoma Football LB Rocky Calmus: Looking for Inclusion in College Football Hall of Fame
After a storied college career with the Oklahoma football program, linebacker Rocky Calmus is again looking to enter the College Football Hall of Fame. Calmus stared at Oklahoma, especially during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. The Sooners won the title in 2000, going a perfect 13-0 with the defense allowing only 14.8 points per game, the seventh-lowest average in the country. Calmus earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors for his efforts. The team leader in tackles, Calmus was also a consensus All-American.
However, the Tulsa native saved his best for his senior season in 2001, posting 117 tackles while winning the Butkus Award and Jack Lambert Trophy, recognition given to the top linebacker in the country. He finished his incredible four-year stint with Oklahoma as a two-time Consensus All-American, a national champion, and top five in program history regarding tackles.
Josh Heupel: Stellar Tenure with Oklahoma Sooners
While linebacker Rocky Calmus led the Oklahoma football defense during their BCS Championship run in 2000, quarterback Josh Heupel took the charge on offense. Heupel posted elite-level numbers in 2000, his final with the Sooners, throwing for 3,392 yards and 20 touchdowns against 14 picks. He completed 64.7% of his passes, the best mark in the country while throwing for a Big 12-best 30 touchdowns. He trailed only Texas Tech’s Kliff Kingsbury regarding most passing yards in the conference.
Heupel threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions in the Big 12 Conference Championship before helping lead the team to a win over Florida State in the BCS Championship. Heupel won numerous awards, including AP College Football Player of the Year and Walter Camp Player of the Year.
Heupel shined in 2000, but his best statistical season came in 1999, his first as a starter with the Sooners. He threw 30 touchdowns, the fourth most in the country, with only Marshall’s Chad Pennington having more all-purpose touchdowns.
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