SPRING REVIEW

SOUL
SEARCHING
A FORMER OU ATHLETE’S THOUGHTS &
PRAYERS ON THE ISSUE OF RACIAL INJUSTICE

KEYS TO OU’S FOOTBALL SUCCESS IN 2020

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MAGGIE NICHOLS’ UNFORGETTABLE CAREER

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 JUNE-JULY 2020 WHAT’S INSIDE

Josh Norman

Alex Grinch

8 Keys To Success: OU football’s Checklist for Success in 2020

While there is still plenty of uncertainty over the state of college football in
2020 — thanks to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic — at some point there
figures to be a season. Oklahoma has won five consecutive Big 12 champi-
onships and will almost certainly be favored to bring home a sixth. But it
certainly won’t be easy and there are plenty of question marks for Lincoln
Riley’s Sooners entering the season. To begin this issue, we take a look at 10
keys — from the development of Spencer Rattler to the need to force more
turnovers and navigate a tough mid-season stretch — for OU to produce
another successful season, extend its streak of Big 12 titles and make what
would be a fourth consecutive College Football Playoff appearance and its
fifth in the last six seasons. - By Ryan Aber
26 Josh Norman: Former OU receiver shares thoughts on racial injustice
Three weeks after George Floyd was killed in front of several witnesses during what
should have been a routine arrest by Minneapolis police officers, Josh Norman still
had not seen the graphic video that sparked protests and Black Lives Matter rallies
all across the country. He read about the incident and talked to people about it, but he
could not bring himself to watch officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s neck
and literally squeeze the life out of him. “I couldn’t bring myself to watch it,” said
Norman. “My first introduction to it was seeing the still image of it, and I read some-
one’s description of what happened. I broke down in tears just reading the descrip-
tion, especially when they said he was calling for his mother.” Not exactly the type
of admission one might expect from a guy who was listed at a healthy 6-foot-2 and
238 pounds during his four seasons as a tight end in the NFL. - By Jay C. Upchurch

CeeDee Lamb Ethan Downs

Maggie Nichols

14 The Draft: Moving On Up 20 Recruiting: Ethan Downs 32 The Maggie Nichols Effect
Four Sooners selected by NFL teams – By John E. Hoover Weatherford star is Norman bound – By Michael Kinney OU gymnast left lasting impression – By Tyler Palmateer

7 King’s Corner Courtney Paris

Personal reflections from legendary coach Barry Switzer

SPRING REVIEW
24 2020 Oklahoma Football Schedule
38 Second Chance: Softball Seniors
Sooner Trio set to return for one more ride - By Bobby Anderson
42 Welcome Back: Courtney Paris
Former All-American returns to join coaching staff - By Ryan Aber 42
SOUL 48 To the Point CHECK US OUT @
SEARCHING
A FORMER OU ATHLETE’S THOUGHTS &
PRAYERS ON THE ISSUE OF RACIAL INJUSTICE An insider’s look at Sooner athletics - By Guerin Emig
KEYS TO OU’S FOOTBALL SUCCESS IN 2020
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ON THE COVER
This issue features an in-depth conversation with former OU receiver
and NFL tightend Josh Norman, as he shares his thoughts on racial For more information or to
injustice. (Design and photography by Joshua R. Gateley. Assisted by subscribe, visit us online at
Marcus Graves.)
SoonerSpectator.com
 Go Team! CONTRIBUTORS
Printed in the U.S.A.

Thank You! Ryan Aber

An Oklahoma City native, Ryan Aber has covered OU football and men’s basketball for The
Oklahoman since 2013. He’s worked at the newspaper since 2006, covering high schools,
A publication of Redzone Publishing, LLC
PO Box 3485 • Edmond, OK 73083
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minor-league baseball and minor-league hockey, as well as OU football recruiting before
® moving to the OU beat. Aber is a Northeastern State University graduate and previously email: jayupchurch@soonerspectator.com
worked at daily newspapers in Muskogee, Fort Smith, Ark., and Springdale, Ark.
J.D. Power has awarded Shelter Insurance® “Highest in Customer June-July 2020 Volume 16, Number 3
Satisfaction Among Auto Insurers in the Central Region” 3 out of 4 years. Publisher
Rob Noller
Guerin Emig Editor-in-Chief
Jay C. Upchurch
Thanks for your vote of confidence. We’ll keep up the good work! Guerin Emig had abbreviated stints as a sports writer in Guthrie and Enid before a 4-year
stay at The Norman Transcript. He currently serves as a columnist for the Tulsa World and
Design & Layout Joshua R. Gateley
he is in his sixteenth season of covering OU football this fall. A University of Kansas grad, Copy Editor
Diana B. Jones
Guerin is married to Christy, his high school sweetheart from Tulsa Booker T. Washington. Contributing WritersRyan Aber
They have two children, Gretchen and Holden, and when he’s not spending time with the
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customers’ satisfaction with their auto insurance provider. Visit jdpower.com/awards Eric Bailey
Susan Grossman Guerin Emig
Susan Grossman is a seasoned journalist who has covered everything from architecture, to Susan Grossman
crime and fashion on local, national and international levels. She enjoys telling the stories
John E. Hoover
that might not otherwise be told, especially when it comes to sports. Locally, she has worked
for The Norman Transcript, as managing editor of Oklahoma Gazette, at the University of Michael Kinney
Oklahoma in marketing and public relations and is now the director of development for the Phil Owens
Myriad Gardens Foundation.
Tyler Palmateer
Berry Tramel
John E. Hoover Contributing Photographers Joshua R. Gateley (cover), Ty Russell,
John Hoover is publisher of the Sports Illustrated affiliate SI Sooners. He previously worked
Scott Smith Steve Copeland Billy Doyal J.D. Johnson Keith Cosby as a sports talk radio host and columnist for The Franchise. Prior to that, he was an award- The University of Oklahoma
Moore Norman Oklahoma City Norman Ada winning sports writer and columnist during a 31-year career in the newspaper business, Advertising Sales Mel Johnson (c) 918-625-8183
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Central University alumnus and worked at daily papers in Ada, Okmulgee amd Tahlequah.
Gary Noske (c) 405-417-1407

SoonerSpectator.com
Michael Kinney Sooner Spectator (ISSN 1554-7760) is published 10 times a year (January, February,
Michael Kinney is a Norman-based freelance writer who previously worked at the Norman Tran-
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his general interests include college and pro football and basketball, and he has covered every November and December) by Redzone Publishing, LLC. PO Box 3485, Edmond, OK
sport on the planet. Michael is a Lawton, Okla., native and was a member of the Eisenhower High 73083.
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LEGENDARY OU FOOTBALL COACH TALKS ABOUT
DEALING WITH A PANDEMIC AND MISSING SPORTS
®
I n each new edition of Sooner Spectator, we ask
coaching legend Barry Switzer to share his
thoughts on a variety of topics, ranging from
football to food to his favorite anecdotes. In the latest in-
stallment of King’s Corner, Coach shares his thoughts on
the COVID-19 situation and much more.
Sooner Spectator: How have you and your wife Becky
spent your extra time together during the Covid-19
quarantine situation?
Barry Switzer: Honestly, we both stayed pretty busy at
home even before all of this — so we sort of already had
a plan in place with our dogs and other things. Becky has
still been able to go out to the Ground Zero non-profit
training center for dogs, so she’s been able to still make
that happen. And she’s done some amazing things with
making our yard that much more beautiful. It’s probably
affected me more than it has her. I’m involved in several
businesses that require me to travel to various places, and
I’ve pretty much had to curtail all of that. I’ve been out of
the house just a couple of times since March 11, which is
what, around 12 or 13 weeks? I haven’t shaved in all of
that time, so I have a pretty good beard going. I did at-
tend a funeral in May, but that’s about it. I have learned
to Zoom and do conference calls over the phone and com-
puter, so at least I’ve been able to stay connected and keep
up that way with some of my meetings. As things start to
open back up, I’ll probably be doing a lot more traveling
and things for business.
SS: How much have you missed watching and follow-
ing live sports over the past three months?
Switzer: I keep up with a lot of sports but I don’t real-
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KING’S CORNER BARRY SWITZER
ly follow them all that closely. I don’t watch a lot of
baseball, unless it’s the World Series. For me, I haven’t
missed all that much. And I really haven’t gotten into
watching all of the reruns that everyone has been
showing in place of the live stuff. I’ve just tried to stay
busy with everything else, and I’ll definitely be ready
for football season when it finally gets here. I hate that
so many of the other sports have been shut down, but
football is the one that matters most to me.
SS: Are you worried about whether or not they will actu-
ally have a football season in the fall?
Switzer: I believe there is going to be a season. I feel like
pretty much everything points to that happening, as
long as the virus cases keep going down. I know all
of the athletic directors and coaches are looking at
all of the options, trying to figure out the best way to
make that happen and keep everyone safe. It’s pretty
critical that they have a season because football pays
for so many athletic programs and scholarships at so
many schools. If they can only get so many fans in
the stadiums, then they’ll have to find a way to make
up for it with pay-per-view and other options. Half
filled stadiums is the norm for a lot of programs, but
definitely not OU. I’m confident they’ll figure it out.
SS: You have always been outspoken on race relations in
college athletics and in life. What are your thoughts
on the George Floyd situation in Minnesota?
Switzer: I feel like 90 percent of the nation probably feels
the same way that I do — that those four police of-
ficers should be prosecuted to the full extent of the
law. Without a doubt. It’s probably greater than
90 percent, but I’m guessing there are 10 percent of
dumbasses out there who just don’t get it or don’t
care to get it. Unfortunately, this situation isn’t any-
thing new. We’ve been dealing with racism and hate
in this country for a long time. It’s something that we
all have to learn from and we all have to work on to-
gether if we ever want to get past it. That is one thing
I love about sports, there is great diversity there and
a community with coaches and athletes that doesn’t
involve a lot of that outside stuff.
Barry Switzer is not only the winningest coach at OU
(.837 winning percentage), but he also owns the best
winning percentage in Dallas Cowboys history (.634).
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 9
 PRESENTED BY

W hile there’s still plenty of uncertainty

over the state of college football in
2020, at some point there figures to be
a season.
Oklahoma has won five consecutive Big 12
championships and will be favored to win a
sixth. But it won’t be easy and there are plenty
of question marks for Lincoln Riley’s Sooners
entering the season.
Here’s a look at 10 keys — from the devel-
opment of Spencer Rattler to the need to force
more turnovers and navigate a tough mid-sea-
son stretch — for OU to have a successful sea-
son, extend its streak of Big 12 titles and make
what would be a fourth consecutive College
Football Playoff appearance and a fifth in six
seasons:

Photo by Joshua R. Gateley


1
QUARTERBACKS, QUARTERBACKS,
QUARTERBACKS
Always at the top of mind is
quarterback play. While there’s
no reason to doubt the position under
the offensive-minded Riley, this will
still be a big change. Presumed starter
Spencer Rattler is just a redshirt fresh-
man, and though he certainly looks the
part of a star quarterback, he has never
played meaningful snaps in a college
game. Riley’s other quarterbacks — Bak-
er Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen
Spencer Rattler
Hurts — all had significant Division I ex-
perience before arriving at OU. The Soon-
ers’ schedule isn’t quite the easy ramp-up that last year’s
was, so Rattler — or Tanner Mordecai if he pulls the upset
— will need to be sharp from the get-go.
2
WIDE RECEIVER DEPTH
There’s no denying the talent the Sooners have at
wide receiver, but like at quarterback, much of it
is unproven. Charleston Rambo is the leading re-
turner with 43 catches for 743 yards and five touchdowns
last year. Behind him, though, things are thin, especially
with the loss of Jadon Haselwood, presumably for the
year after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during the
offseason. Another of the Sooners’ three five-star receivers
from the 2019 signing class, Trejan Bridges, is also expect-
ed to miss the first five games of the season due to a sus-
pension that also cost him the ability to play in the Peach
Bowl. Freshman Marvin Mims
and the third of that five-star
trio — Theo Wease — will need
to play key roles early. UCLA
grad transfer Theo Howard,
if he can get and stay healthy,
figures to be in the rotation as
well.
3
BE STRONG UP FRONT
Though it was still really good,
the Sooners’ offensive line last
season wasn’t quite as strong
across the board as it was the year before
when OU won the Joe Moore Award as the top
line in college football. Barring injury, OU fig-
ures to be in contention for the award again.
Creed Humphrey anchors an offensive line
that returns all five starters. Left tackle could
Photos by Joshua R. Gateley
be a spot that’s up for grabs after Erik Swen-
son, who’s returning, and the now-departed
R.J. Proctor rotated last season. Adrian Ealy
Delarrin Turner-Yell
KEYS TO SUCCESS
might’ve been OU’s most consistent offensive lineman
last season when he was healthy. The Sooners might have
the most depth they’ve had up front in awhile but keep-
ing Humphrey, Ealy and co. healthy will go a long way
toward determining just how good OU’s offense can be.
4
GET TO THE QUARTERBACK
With Neville Gallimore and Kenneth Murray
having graduated and Ronnie Perkins among the
likely suspended players to start the season, OU’s
defense will need to find different ways to get a consistent
pass rush. The most obvious candidate there is Jalen Red-
mond, who moved inside last season and led the Sooners
in sacks. Marcus Stripling and LaRon Stokes figure to be
key to getting after quarterbacks, especially early in the
season when Perkins is sidelined. Junior college defensive
lineman Perrion Winfrey needs to make an immediate im-
pact as well. OU hasn’t had much success with junior col-
lege defensive linemen in recent years, but Winfrey will
have to make an important contribution for the Sooners to
be improved defensively. When Perkins returns, he’ll play
a big pass-rushing role as well.
5
FORCE MORE TURNOVERS
Forcing turnovers was a major point of emphasis
for the Sooners during Alex Grinch’s first season a
year ago. That emphasis failed to produce results,
though, with OU forcing just 11 turnovers. That number
has to be better, especially with an offense that — while
it’s still expected to be explosive — could take at least a
small step backwards this season. A turnover — even if it
didn’t officially count as one — helped the Sooners escape
against Iowa State last season and in tight games could
make a big difference once again. OU has to capitalize on
any chance for turnovers, some-
thing it didn’t do often enough
in 2019.
6
CULTIVATE SECONDARY DEPTH
While Oklahoma had a
strong three-man rotation
at cornerback last season,
things were much more pre-
carious at safety and nickel. That was
exposed in the Peach Bowl as Delarrin
Turner-Yell’s injury and Bookie Radley-
Hiles’ ejection made it tough for the
Sooners to cover LSU’s receivers. Out-
side of Parnell Motley, the group returns
intact. Woodi Washington, who saw his
most significant action in the Peach Bowl
and though he struggled at times, also
showed promise in others, could be one
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 13

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and safety, will be a boost to depth as well. The Sooners
Texas • Arkansas • Colorado • Arizona • California need to have a rotation on the back end like they had else-
where on defense last season.
7
REPLACE KENNETH MURRAY
No player improved more on last year’s defense
than Murray, who became a first-round draft pick
under Grinch and Brian Odom. But now the Soon-
ers must fill that significant hold at middle linebacker.
DaShaun White is the obvious choice, shifting over from
the weakside spot he held a year ago. Another intrigu-
ing option there is sophomore David Ugwoegbu, who
saw time as a freshman from the rush linebacker spot.
Ugwoegbu showed promise there but might be better
equipped to handle the middle, much like Murray, who
moved from the outside in once he arrived in Norman.
Whoever mans the position, though, needs to be a strong
leader on defense and show versatility.
8
NAVIGATE THE NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
There’s still some question about what the non-
conference schedule will look like but if it’s
played as scheduled, it could be a bit of a bear.
Missouri State doesn’t figure to offer too much resistance,
but the other two games could be treacherous. Tennessee
has some momentum, winning its final six games of 2019.
Though none of those games were against ranked oppo-
nents, the Volunteers are making progress under Jeremy
Photos by Joshua R. Gateley
Pruitt. Army loses its quarterback as well as the national
leader in solo tackles but the Black Knights’ triple-option
scheme is still difficult to prepare for in a one-game sce-
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Austin Stogner
nario. The Sooners escaped in overtime in 2018 at home,
and Army will again be a challenge.
9
SURVIVE OCTOBER
In 2019, November was the Sooners’ toughest
month with Iowa State, Baylor, TCU and Oklaho-
ma State on the schedule. OU came through that
unscathed after a late October loss at Kansas State to make
the College Football Playoff once again. This time around,
October figures to be the toughest month. The month
starts off with Baylor at home, followed by Texas, a trip to
Iowa State and Bedlam in Norman before wrapping up at
TCU. While the Sooners will still be favored to make the
Big 12 Championship Game, any of those opponents have
a chance to get there as well. The road games could be par-
ticularly tricky, with Iowa State having plenty of returning
experience and the Horned Frogs having a chance to be a
dangerous opponent this season.
10
STAY HEALTHY
This one holds true every year but it’s there
for a reason. OU has been able to avoid inju-
ry at quarterback since Riley’s arrival — save
for one game where Baker Mayfield missed time in the
second half. They’ll need to keep that good fortune going.
Running back Kennedy Brooks, tight end Austin Stogner
and and the starters in the secondary figure to be particu-
larly important to keep healthy in 2020.
Ryan Aber is an OU beat writer for The Oklahoman.
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 15
 PRESENTED BY
K enneth Murray’s goals were bigger than
himself.
Play college football. Be an All-American
linebacker. Become a first-round NFL Draft pick.
In accomplishing all three, Murray hopes his
high tide can raise all boats.
“I wanted to be that guy to get OU back on
the map defensively,” said Murray. “We hadn’t
had a first round pick since 2010, Gerald McCoy.
We hadn’t had a linebacker go first round since
1984, Jackie Shipp. So just seeing those people,
all that time, it definitely was time for OU to have
another first-rounder.”
Murray went to the Los Angeles Chargers
with the 23rd pick in this year’s draft. He was
one of four Sooners selected, joining wide receiv-
er CeeDee Lamb (first round, No. 17 to Dallas),
Jalen Hurts (second round, No. 53 to Philadel-
phia) and Neville Gallimore (third round, No.
82 to Dallas) and keeping alive college football’s
longest streak with at least four players being se-
lected in the draft.
CeeDee Lamb Kenneth Murray Jalen Hurts Neville Gallimore
Photos by Joshua R. Gateley
Several other Sooners remain hopeful for a
shot in free agency, including cornerback Parnell
Motley, who was immediately signed by Tampa
Bay. The NFL’s offseason wheels have virtually
stopped turning because of the Coronavirus pan-
demic, however, so other players like wide re-
ceiver Lee Morris, wide receiver Nick Basquine
and offensive lineman R.J. Proctor are in limbo.
After Murray was picked, he met with me-
dia via video conference and described the mo-
ment he was overcome with emotion when he
heard his name called on TV.
“It was surreal,” said Murray. “It was a mo-
ment I would even act out as a kid. Just to actu-
ally have it happen is just such a blessing. So sur-
real. Just really, really crazy when I got the call.
When I knew I was fixing to get drafted and to
finally hear my name get called across the screen,
and see how happy it
made my family, it was
just such a blessing. I cried
quite a bit. It’s something

I’ve been dreaming about all my life.”
Murray arrived at OU as an outside linebacker and
rush end, but he ended up playing middle linebacker for
all three seasons in Norman. His overall athletic ability,
football IQ and attitude and determination will allow him
to play at whatever position the Chargers have an open-
ing.
MERCHANT PROCESSING / CARD ACCEPTANCE BUSINESS & PURCHASING CREDIT CARDS REMOTE DEPOSIT “It’s helped me become a better linebacker and a bet-
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proved on all three years in college.”
Chargers GM Tom Telesco described Murray as hav-
ing “a really violent mentality,” while head coach Anthony
Lynn said Murray was like the “old-school linebackers.”
“His tape is pretty easy to watch to see how explosive
(he is) and how much range he has,” Telesco said at a draft
WE'VE GOT IT night press conference. “He’s one of those guys that, be-
tween scouting staff and coaching staff — boy, there was a
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Lamb went to the Dallas Cowboys with the 18th overall pick.
100 percent buy-in to add him to this football team.”
Dallas’ draft addition of Lamb and Gallimore essen-
tially makes them the Oklahoma Cowboys. Earlier in the
offseason through free agency, the team added former OU
quarterback/tight end Blake Bell and former All-Ameri-
can defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.
Dallas had Lamb rated as a top 10 pick and the sixth-
best player available, so when he fell to the Cowboys at
No. 17, they put aside their initial plans to draft a defender
and instead plucked the most dynamic offensive talent
left in the draft.
“You can’t have enough playmakers,” said new Cow-
boys coach Mike McCarthy during a video call. “Any time
you add a playmaker to your offense, it creates more op-
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portunities for everybody else.”
Lamb’s talents could not be ignored.
“The right thing to do is always pick the best foot-
Photos by Joshua R. Gateley
ball player,” said executive vice president Stephen Jones.
“That’s what we did today.”
12201 N. MAY AVENUE Jones said having immediate access to so many Soon-
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er games on TV kept the Dallas brain trust alerted to what
a special talent Lamb is.
“You’ve always kind of had an eye on CeeDee and all
the success that he’s had in big games,” said Jones.
Added McCarthy, “He’s a dynamic football player.
He carries that alpha status.”
Lamb said during a radio interview on 105.3 The Fan
in Dallas that he didn’t see himself falling to the Cowboys,
but he’s glad he did.
Lamb’s addition to the Dallas roster makes the NFL’s
No. 1 offense (yards per game) even more explosive.
Quarterback Dak Prescott led the NFL in passing yards
last season, running back Ezekiel Elliott leads the NFL in
rushing yards since he came in four years ago, and wide
receiver Amari Cooper has produced four 1,000-yard sea-
sons in his five-year career.
Lamb played all over the field at OU, including out
Murray is the first OU LB taken in the first round since 1984.
wide, in the slot or from anywhere in motion.
“I’m very comfortable in the slot,” Lamb told report-
ers on a conference call after his pick. “I’m very versatile,
and I can’t wait to be out there.”
Hurts’ pick was surprising because the Eagles last
year locked up starting quarterback Carson Wentz to a
long-term deal that will pay him $128 million. Most teams
don’t seek backup quarterbacks with a second-round
pick, but Philadelphia won a Super Bowl two years ago
with backup Nick Foles filling in for Wentz — who has
been injured frequently early in his career.
“No team has gotten more value from the quarterback
position than the Philadelphia Eagles,” Eagles GM Howie
Roseman told media after picking Hurts. “We look at this
pick as somebody who is really a tremendous player and
person, and that’s what the draft is about. The draft isn’t
about just doing whatever is best for a team in the short-
term. The draft is about making smart, long-term deci-
sions for your organization based on the priorities that
you believe are key to winning football games.
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 19

Gallimore led the OU defense with seven QB hurries in 2019.
“ UNFINISHED PRODUCT. MY
CEILING IS SO HIGH. I KNOW THAT. THE
BEST FOOTBALL HASN’T COME OUT OF
ME YET, BUT IT’S COMING, AND IT’S
COMING SOON.”
“We felt like (Hurts) was a proven winner, a guy who
is an incredible teammate. He’s going to strengthen that
quarterback room. … This gives us another weapon.”
Early talk surrounded Hurts’ immediate role with the
Eagles. If he’s Wentz’ backup, does he play a “slash” role,
like New Orleans has created for Taysom Hill? In three
seasons, Hill has 590 yards from scrimmage and scored
nine touchdowns. His presence has occasionally been in-
strumental in the team’s success.
“They picked me. I’m an Eagle,” Hurts told reporters
after his pick. “I’m an Eagle, and it’s a blessing. Looking
The Touchdown Club of Oklahoma is an independent organization of Sooner Football fans whose sole purpose is to support the forward to what’s to come. I will control my work, my ef-
fort, and put in everything I possibly can to this organiza-
University of Oklahoma Football Program through annual member donations. Our members have supported OU Football for
tion. I’m just excited.”
73 years and will continue to support the Sooners through the 2020 football season and well into the future. Hurts said he was thankful for his one year spent
learning under Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma.
“The biggest thing at Oklahoma was having an op-
Since its inception in 1947, the Touchdown Club has provided the OU Athletics Department with: portunity to go out there and play, having an opportunity
to showcase my abilities and what I learned those pre-
Every playing surface on Owen Field since the early 70s More than $6 million in total donations to OU Football
vious three years, and apply those new things I learned
Scholarship assistance to countless student-athletes Participation with the Oklahoma Chapter of the National from Coach Riley to the game,” he said. “Look where we
Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame are now, you know?”
$1.25M in donations toward the Touchdown Club Legacy Gallimore, a Canada native from Ottawa, Ontario,
Lobby in the Barry Switzer Center. A donation of $500,000 toward Headington Hall couldn’t believe his good fortune to play for America’s
Team, especially the part where he gets to learn the craft
from a master like Gerald McCoy, the third pick in the
Photos by Joshua R. Gateley
Funding for the Touchdown Club Football Scholarship Annual Sponsorship of the Football Awards Banquet
2010 draft — and, like Murray said, the Sooners’ most re-
Upgrades to the Mosier Indoor Facility, weight rooms Funded the National Football Foundation College Hall of cent defensive first-rounder.
and other facilities Fame OKC Chapter Switzer Scholar Athlete Award “When you go to the University of Oklahoma and
For information on becoming part of THE tradition that is the Touchdown Club of Oklahoma, along with member
benefits, contact us at (405) 840-1460 or visit www.outdclub.com.
MOVING UP
Hurts was taken in the second round
by the Philadelphia Eagles.
you want to play defensive line, that’s one of the main
guys that gets brought up in terms of who you  want to
compare yourself to,” Gallimore told media on a draft
night video call. “Just studying, being a fan of his game, I
knew very quickly if I wanted that opportunity to play at
the next level, he was one of the guys I would have to just
look at and see what his approach was and everything.”
When the Cowboys got Gallimore with the 82nd pick,
he got the phone call from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones,
then a quick call from McCoy. But then Gallimore got a
completely unexpected message on Twitter — from none
other than Joe Montana.
“Believe me, being the 82nd pick in the draft ain’t
so bad,” Montana tweeted at Gallimore. “But, don’t let
where you were chosen define you — be a sponge, soak
up everything. Work hard and when your chance comes,
show ‘em what you can do.”
Gallimore intends to do just that. After timing 4.79
seconds in the 40-yard dash at 304 pounds at the NFL
Scouting Combine, Gallimore is eager to see what he’s ca-
pable of.
“Unfinished product,” he described himself. “My
ceiling is so high. I know that. The best football hasn’t
come out of me yet, but it’s coming, and it’s coming
soon.”
John E. Hoover is publisher of SI Sooners /
AllSooners.com, a Sports Illustrated affiliate.
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 21
 PRESENTED BY

JAKE’S RIB

than Downs has always been a goal-oriented person.

E On or off the field, when the Weatherford, Okla., product sets his sights on
something, he doesn’t stop until he gets it.
It’s one of the reasons Downs has been able to transform himself into a top-
caliber defensive end during his time at Weatherford High School. It is also why he
will be taking those same talents to the University of Oklahoma as part of its 2021
recruiting class.
Downs is currently the No. 1 ranked prep prospect in Oklahoma, according to
Ethan Downs
247Sports. He also is the No. 23-ranked weakside defensive end in the country, and
has accumulated offers from LSU, Nebraska, Baylor, Penn State, Oklahoma State
and Texas.
But throughout the recruiting process, Downs has patiently waited on one
school to pull the trigger.
“After my sophomore year and that summer came around, and we went to
several different schools, I was getting offers from schools around the country.
I was going to these camps and getting noticed and just racking them up,” said
Downs. “I was like, ‘Man, OU’s been my favorite school since I was a kid, and I still
haven’t got an offer from them, and I really just want to dig in, and I want to make
that happen for myself.’”
So Downs decided to show the Sooners they needed him.
“When I went to summer camp, I just put it all out there,” said the 6-foot-4,
235-pounder. “I told the coaches I’m going to put it all out there. And I remember
after that camp and showing the coaches what I had, and I worked with Coach
(Calvin) Thibodeaux, and he would line me up, coach me up, put me through a
drill, and I would do it. Everything he said do, I did it to my best effort.
Photo by Joshua R. Gateley
 RECRUITING: ETHAN DOWNS

“Coach (Lincoln) Riley afterwards, he said it gave him like a brotherhood. That’s how we bought it together, and
goosebumps seeing every coach out there looking at me we made it to the championship, which is something that
and Coach Thibs working just nonstop. He said he hasn’t every team dreams of doing. But I sincerely thought that
seen Coach Thibs put a kid in a camp like that through we were a championship team when we bought in like
that kind of pressure. He said, ‘You sailed through all the that. Every team goes through that, and we were able to
pressure, and that’s why we’re offering you.’” push through that and buy in together and we got to the
Downs waited until Oct. 9 to announce that he had title game. It was awesome.”
committed to Oklahoma. It was also a growing year for Downs, individually.
“They knew that I loved Oklahoma, and they wanted He entered the 2019 season looking to recapture a bit of
me to show them what I had,” said Downs. “I showed the intensity he played with when he was younger.
them that I had the heart to do it and that I had the guts, “Every year, I go back and I watch my film. I was just
that grind, that effort to put it all out there. And I think I seeing other things that I could be faster at, quicker at or
did that at the camp, and that’s what they liked.”
According to Downs, the OU coaches see him at de-
fensive end or maybe even an outside linebacker. He sees
himself fitting right into coach Alex Grinch’s scheme —
no matter where they want him to play.
“I want to be one of those athletes who flies around
and just attack, attack, attack,” said Downs. “Playing at
the high school level, I am generally faster trying to chase
down guys running across the field, just being that ath-
lete, being that force to reckon with — and that’s what
they want at the college level too, so I think I’ll fit right
in.”
But before Downs packs his bags for Norman and the
OU campus, he has some unfinished business left in his
prep career. Coming off a junior season that saw him help
lead the Eagles to the 4A state title game, he’s hoping for
even bigger things in 2020.
“He really had a great season,” said Weatherford
coach Reagan Roof. “He played four different  posi-
tions on offense and four different positions on defense
throughout the season.  He was dominant on both sides
of the ball.”
The championship game went down to the wire,
but Weatherford dropped a tough 9-7 decision to Po-
teau.
“We realized, okay, this is our one shot, and we
got to put it all out there. And I think we did. Pote-
au, the team we played against that won the champi-
onship, did the exact same thing, and it was just a great
game,” said Downs. “It was defenses blowing each other
out and offenses trying to get an inch at a time, and it was
just old school football. It makes you love the game.”
It also made Downs realize the journey to get to the
game was just as valuable. It has not been an easy road for
him and his teammates, and at times, it looked like they
might not even make it.
But Downs said that is where they really learned
about each other and he learned to become a stronger
leader.
Photo by SixStarFootballOK

“Last season’s team was kind of in conflict all the way

up until state,” said Downs. “I think a lot of the drama and
a lot of the inside conflicts just left, and it became more

As a junior, Downs helped

lead Weatherford to the Class
4A state title game in 2019. SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 25
 RECRUITING: ETHAN DOWNS

Downs is a consensus top-three prospect in Oklahoma going into his final prep season at Weatherford.

SEPTEMBER 5 SEPTEMBER 12 SEPTEMBER 26 OCTOBER 3

MISSOURI STATE TENNESSEE @ ARMY BAYLOR

OCTOBER 10 OCTOBER 17 OCTOBER 24 OCTOBER 31

TEXAS @ DALLAS @ IOWA STATE OKLAHOMA STATE @ TCU

NOVEMBER 7 NOVEMBER 14 NOVEMBER 21 NOVEMBER 28

@ WEST VIRGINIA KANSAS STATE KANSAS @ TEXAS TECH

ALL TIMES TBA

stronger at,” said Downs. “And the one thing I recognized
this year, not too long ago, is my freshman year I was al-
ways having to prove something. Being an underclass-
man and coming up and competing with juniors and se-
niors and being younger than everybody playing varsity, I
had to always prove and hold my position. I just saw that
it was raw, it was competitive, it was me doing the best
I could at all times and not worrying about catching my
breath to the next play or not worrying about switching
sides on offense or switching sides on defense or anything.
“I tried to apply that last year.”
Downs is going through the same process this year.
He is watching film and discovering ways to improve for
his senior season.
However, the process has been much different this
time around. The impact of COVID-19 has altered his nor-
mal routine. It has forced him and every other athlete in
the country to be self-accountable.
“He is the type of kid that I know has been finding
a way to work out through this layoff,” said Roof.   “He
will be ready to go.  I would like to see him become even
Photo by Joshua R. Gateley
will feed off his leadership and effort.”
What makes it particularly difficult is that Downs
doesn’t know for sure if he will even get to play football
his senior season. After all spring sports in the state were
shutdown due to the spread of COVID-19, that left the
door open that once the new school year rolls around,
there is no guarantee a plan will be in place that allows
high school athletics to resume.
“If football doesn’t come around, if it’s closed down,
of course I’m going to be upset, but it’s not the end,” said
Downs. “I trust God and what he has in plan for me and
what he has to hold my future. But I sincerely think I was
supposed to play football to impact people in my commu-
nity and people that may look up to me, so I can be that
example and I can share God to the world.
“The dream is to get to the NFL where so many peo-
ple look up to a player or an athlete in motivation or just
in awe, and I want to be that example to kids that they
can look up to me and try to follow the same God lov-
ing and God trusting role of impacting other people in the
world.”

more dominant on the field but also off the field as the
team leader his senior year.  He has earned so much re- Michael Kinney is a Norman-based freelance writer and reporter.
spect from the players and coaches that I believe the team

SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 27
 JOSH NORMAN
FORMER OU RECEIVER SHARES HIS THOUGHTS
AND PRAYERS ON THE ISSUE OF RACIAL INJUSTICE
T
hree weeks after George Floyd was killed in
front of several witnesses during what should
have been a routine arrest by Minneapolis po-
lice officers, Josh Norman still had not seen the
graphic video that sparked protests and Black Lives Mat-
ter rallies all across the country.
He read about the incident and talked to people
about it, but he could not bring himself to watch officer
Derek Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s neck and literally
squeeze the life out of him.
Norman has seen it before — too many times.
“I couldn’t bring myself to watch it,” said Norman.
“My first introduction to it was seeing the still image
of it, and I read someone’s description of what happened.
I broke down in tears just reading the
description, especially when they said
he was calling for his mother.”
Not exactly the type of admission
one might expect from a guy who was
listed at a healthy 6-foot-2 and 238
pounds during his four seasons as a
tight end battling middle linebackers in
the National Football League.
But Josh Norman isn’t just some
former tough-guy athlete who sits
around reminiscing about the four let-
ters he earned at Oklahoma or the key
role he played as a wide receiver on the
Sooners’ 2000 national championship
football team.
Norman played at OU from 1998 to 2001. hurt and the pain of the whole situa-
A nice bit of history, for sure. But
he’s so much more than all of that.
Since retiring from football, Norman has spent the
past 15 years demonstrating a vast array of other skills,
ranging from top-notch music producer to successful
high school and college football coach to bachelor’s de-
gree-earning student to fledgling wings chef. He married
the former miss Jessica Leidy in 2018 and he is currently
working on his master’s degree in business administra-
tion.
This fall, Norman is slated to start his first season as
head football coach at Southmoore High School, and he’s
Photos courtesy of the Norman Family Archives
even considering opening up his own Oklahoma City-
based restaurant at some point in the not-too-distant fu-
ture.
Not bad for a humble black kid from Midland, Texas,
just trying to make his way in the world.
Ironically, Norman’s hometown has been dealing
28 2020 SPRING REVIEW
with its own racially-charged controversy after a civil
rights attorney contended that a 21-year-old black man
was targeted and wrongfully arrested by local police.
Norman’s brother, John, is the District 2 City Councilman
in Midland and he has advocated giving minority citizens
a bigger voice in situations like this.
“I feel like, for me, what has happened nationally has
been compounded by what has happened back in Mid-
land. There is a lot going on there and with my brother
being the councilman in that district, it kind of hits home
with me,” said Norman, who turns 40 in July. “The com-
bination of all of that has really been hard to see and un-
derstand.”
Sooner Spectator editor Jay C. Upchurch talked with
Norman in early June to get his per-
spective on many of the things that
have transpired since George Floyd’s
arrest and subsequent death on May 25.
Sooner Spectator: How have you han-
dled all of the thoughts and emotions
that have been swirling around you
in the aftermath of the George Floyd
slaying?
Josh Norman: That first week after it
happened was really hard, but the sec-
ond week was tremendously difficult
for me — extremely emotional in so
many ways. I couldn’t seem to get the
tion out of my mind. I cried numerous
times as it continued to weigh heavy on my heart. I tried
to work to keep my mind off of it, but I just couldn’t get
past it. My thoughts keep coming back to that.
SS: The collection of emotions from people has ranged
from anger and sadness to hopelessness and fear,
and everything in between. What elements of that
mix have found their way into your thinking?
Norman: Well, I’m just not an angry person, in general, so
there have been very few times that I would say that
I was angry. More than anything, I’ve been heavy-
hearted and hurt. Those are the main emotions that
I have dealt with. I was talking to my mother-in-law
the other day about personality types and things like
that. And she and I are the exact same type on the
Myers-Briggs (personality) test. And one thing about
our personality type is that we carry the burden of
Norman and his wife Jessica will celebrate their second wedding anniversary in October; (middle)
known as J.Lee The Producer, Norman has forged a successful career in the music business.
other people’s emotions. So there was a point dur-
ing that second week that I basically had to log off
of social media and just decompress because I found
myself reading all of the posts about other people’s
adverse experiences with the police, and it just started
to wear on me and tear me down. There are so many
people who have dealt with bad situations and were
fortunate enough to live to tell about it.
SS: None of that stuff makes you just a little mad?
Norman: I can honestly say that my faith controls that
side of me. It really does. I feel like my relationship
with the Lord has a restraint on that part of me. I’m
so thankful to have that because without it, God only
knows what it might lead me to in times like this. I
totally understand the anger that some people expe-
rience. Totally. They see people who are constantly
oppressed, constantly stepped on and constantly de-
graded — and it seems like they can never get ahead.
It’s one step forward and two steps back. And then
you see those same people getting killed on camera
and it seems like there is no justice, and it brings you
to the point of just wanting to scream.
I suppose if there is one thing that does make me mad,
it’s when people try to justify something like (George
Floyd being killed). Or people who are so aloof when
it comes to dealing with these types of terrible situ-
ations and the negative impact it has on black com-
munities.
SS: We talk about the progress that has been made over
time where race relations are concerned, but then
this horrific situation plays out for the world to see.
Does that make you lose faith in people?
Norman: No, it doesn’t. The truth is, not everybody is
like that. I was having a conversation with someone
the other day and I told him that I felt the Midland
police department has lost the trust of the people on
the East side and South side of Midland. And he was
upset because he felt like I was saying that all of the
officers who work for that police department are bad.
But that’s not what I was saying at all. The truth is,
there are only a few bad ones. But like Chris Rock said
in a very comical way recently — there are just some
professions where you simply can’t afford to have
any bad ones. Even if one of the commercial airlines
has one bad pilot out of every 10, that’s a really bad
situation for a lot of people. It’s the same thing with
law enforcement officers, you can’t afford to have
even one bad one because we all have seen what can
happen. When people are dying and people are being
murdered, something has got to change. I have faith
that people want to help make that change happen.
SS: In your mind, how do we begin to actually change
the culture and the way some people think about
people of color?
Norman: Well, you’re never going to change everyone.
There has always been some form of racism and big-
otry in the world, and I hate to say that there prob-
ably always will be. But that doesn’t mean we have
to stand by and not do anything about it. One way is
to vote your conscience and what’s in your heart, and
not base your vote on how it is going to affect you
financially. I know that’s a hard one. I have friends
who I know genuinely care about this situation. But
when they go to vote, they are going to be swayed by
their economic beliefs before anything else. I recently
had a conversation with one of my friends who I love
dearly and trust with all of my heart, but who I know
has that conflict when they step into the voting booth.
I just told them straight up that I don’t believe that is
the Christian thing to do, knowing that you are going
to put economics over social justice.
SS: Having participated in sports over a large portion
of your life and been a part of that culture — do
you believe society can learn any important lessons
from sports?
Norman: I definitely believe there are certain principles in
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 29

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now stick with us!
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“
I THINK IT STARTS WITH DEFINING WHAT LOVE IS
AND HOW WE CAN APPLY IT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOVE, WHAT DOES
THAT REALLY MEAN? PERSONALLY, I PREFER TO TAKE ON THE BIBLICAL
DEFINITION. LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, MIND AND SOUL.
LIKEWISE, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
sports that apply to everyday life. Truthfully, I have
probably played with some guys in the past who had
extreme racist viewpoints and who had very bigoted
viewpoints. However, there is something positive to
be said for working with people who have different
views than yourself. There is something to be said
about a leader who is able to bring people together
from different backgrounds and with different views
to try to find a way accomplish a common goal. And
that’s kind of where I feel like we are right now —
how do we all come together to find a way to make
this work better? You might believe (Colin) Kaeper-
nick’s kneeling is disrespectful to the flag, while I be-
lieve he is kneeling to bring awareness to social injus-
Credit tice. How do we discuss this without being mean and
Union hateful toward each other? That’s what has to happen
if we want to earn each other’s respect, even if we do
disagree.
SS: When you are looking at the ugliness of racism and
social injustice, what is the first thing that comes to
mind as a potential solution?
Norman: There is really no one thing that comes to mind
immediately. It’s such a complex condition of the
heart. And we use the term ‘racism’ a lot of the time
out of context. We use it often when what we are re-
ally talking about bigotry. Racism is a condition that
describes the power and ability to control people
through systems. When we start talking about racism
and social injustice, you look at the ideology of some-
JOSH NORMAN Q&A
one who wants to use the word ‘thugs’ instead of
‘protesters.’ How do we change that? You look at the
ideology of a place that had a system in place going
back to the Jim Crow days where someone like my
grandfather — a man I knew for 25 years of my life
— went to the war and came home and couldn’t even
purchase a home in certain areas. The effects of those
laws can still be seen and felt generations later. Obvi-
ously, finding solutions to some of those issues isn’t
easy. It’s going to take people sitting down and hav-
ing serious and heartfelt discussions with each other.
SS: The last few days, you have seen social media posts
quoting Dr. Martin Luther King and others echoing
the sentiments of Malcolm X. When you start to ex-
amine their words and search for answers, where do
love and compassion fit into the equation?
Norman: I think it starts with defining what love is and
how we can apply it. When we talk about love, what
does that really mean? Personally, I prefer to take on
the Biblical definition. Love the Lord with all of your
heart, mind and soul. Likewise, love your neighbor
as yourself. Look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 where it
says love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it
does not boast, it is not proud. That’s the way I de-
fine love. Love endures all things. Love never fails.
Love conquers all. I think it is especially important
in the context in which we are speaking — the verse
says, ‘It does not rejoice in wrongdoings, but rejoices
with truth.’ We can all be patient and kind and work
 JOSH NORMAN Q&A

Norman wore No. 31 as a freshman in 1998 and

GO
eventually developed into a major contributor
on OU’s prolific offenses in 2000 and 2001.
and operate with humility,
SOONERS! and bear all things and be
hopeful and endure a lot
of things — but in the end,
we have to be able to rejoice
with truth. My faith drives
Over 50 locations me to seek the truth. And I
in Oklahoma to serve you.
have a very strong convic-
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1-800-4-SHERWIN and not speak out. Like
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sherwin-williams.com me, the teachings and the
word of God are the driv-
ing force in everything I do. And
love is obviously a key component in
those teachings, and in how we all can
try to find answers to questions about ra-
cial injustice.

SS: Having watched the protests and rallies

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Norman: I felt like that was a big step. It was like a huge Christian faith is very complex. As Christians, we
display of humanity. Anytime I see protesters and are called to act with compassion, called mourn
police officers together, I always want to talk to the with those who mourn, called to hope, called to be

From Oklahoma City to Fort Worth. officers and remind them that they are human, too.
I understand that they have a job to do and if people
break the law then they have to respond accordingly.
We’ve got you covered! But all too often, it seems like they respond with so
much violence and force. We have to tap into the hu-
man aspect of those situations more.
SS: Are you hopeful that racial injustice can become a
thing of the past?
Norman: I am always hopeful. Always. Over the past cou-
ple of weeks, a lot of my white friends have reached
out to me and said they don’t know exactly what to
do, but just wanted to let me know they love me. I
posted a note on Facebook that read, ‘Deep, meaning-
ful, non-profitable relationships with people of color
is a good start.’ If you have someone like that in your
life, have a conversation about race with them. If you
have someone like that in your life but feel you can’t
Sit back, relax and enjoy the unique scenery have that conversation, your relationship probably
isn’t as deep and meaningful as you think. And if you
unfolding outside the windows of don’t have someone like that in your life, you’re prob-
Photos courtesy of the University of Oklahoma
truth seekers and truth tellers, called to seek justice,
called to abhor what is evil, called to hold on to what
is good, love with brotherly affection, called to bless
those who persecute you, called to love our enemies,
called to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep
with those who weep — just to name a few. All of
that brings on a burden of so many emotions. But it’s
our faith in Christ that allows us to cast those bur-
dens on Him. In the end, there is always hope because
of what Christ has done. And honestly, it’s knowing
that this is temporary that gives me hope for eternity
with Him. And I’ll close with 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 as a
comfort to those who may be struggling, ‘We are af-
flicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but
not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed.’
As for me, my hope is in the Lord.
— Jay C. Upchurch

Oklahoma’s Heartland Flyer, as it takes you ably more influenced by racism than you think.

from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth, SS: Final thoughts?

and five destinations in between! Norman: My worldview is shaped and defined by my
Christian faith. And contrary to popular belief, the

1-800-USA Rail www.heartlandflyer.com www.amtrak.com

SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 33
 PRESENTED BY

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Julia Chew Agency
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his spring was about to turn summer, when Maggie Nichols found her-

T self babysitting. She didn’t have a ton of experience doing it.

But it was a duty, not a service.
Nichols was watching after the daughter of longtime Oklahoma gym-
nastics trainer Jenn Richardson, whose husband, Dave, died in 2019 following a
battle with cancer. His death shook the Sooners, who went on to win the national
title in his honor.
If there was anything Nichols relished as her star rose in NCAA gymnastics,
it was having a team — teammates and coaches who could be depended on like
family. The bonds were different from those in elite gymnastics.
“Girls coming into school didn’t get that team atmosphere; our team was
really close,” said Nichols. “When he passed, we were really close with Jenn and
Dave as well … It’s kind of special, that closeness, with the trainers and coaches
and families.
“To have a bigger purpose is incredible.”
It explains why Nichols’ leaving college — though she expected to eventu-
ally anyway — in the manner she did was so difficult.
She led the country with five Perfect 10s this season and had 22 for her ca-
reer when everything came to an abrupt end due to the coronavirus pandemic,
just weeks before what would have been her final NCAA championship.
She was chasing the career Perfect 10 record, but remains stuck in second
place behind the 28 set by UCLA’s Jamie Dantzcher.
OU was ranked No. 1 the entire season and would have been the heavy fa-
vorite to capture its second consecutive national championship.
Nichols, otherwise known as “Swaggie Maggie,” was the two-time defend-
ing national all-around champion. With another title, she would have joined
Photo by Joshua R. Gateley

Kentucky’s Jenny Hansen as the only women to three-
peat in NCAA history.
In a blink, those hopes were dashed.
There was no final national championship run, no
more flocking interest toward Nichols’ dominance in the
gym. OU’s final regular-season meet at Minnesota was
sold out — all 14,625 seats at Maturi Pavilion purchased.
OU coach K.J. Kindler called this “The Maggie Nich-
ols Effect.”
During Nichols’ freshman season, a road meet at West
Virginia became sold out, and she spent more than an
hour signing autographs after.
The college experience didn’t fade quickly.
“It took me a while to wrap my head around every-
thing that was going on,” Nichols said of the NCAA can-
celations post-pandemic. “It’s been strange finding stuff
to do, ways to stay busy, ways to continue working out
and staying in shape.
“It’s been weird not putting on a leotard every day. It
was very sad at first.”
After OU’s final practice, she and her teammates
gathered.
“We hung out for a while after practice,” she said.
“Everyone came over to my house and we kind of just
had dinner together, just kind of hung out and talked, just
relaxed. You know, just be by each other through this time
that we all needed, and I think that was really good for
our team. Everyone was very, very sad. Just because we
Photo by Joshua R. Gateley
weren’t at our best yet, but we were still No. 1, and I think
we had so much left to show everyone and we were still
climbing up that mountain. We were almost at the top.”
Julia Chew Agency
405-329-3311
juliachew.com
THE MAGGIE NICHOLS EFFECT
In May, Nichols was named the 2020 Big
12 Female Athlete of the Year, marking the
second time she has won the award.
Nichols did what she could to speak out for athletes
who were not granted waivers to return for another year.
Ultimately, the NCAA only granted that allowance for
spring sports.
So she moved on.
When most people began quarantining, Nichols
could have gone back home to Minnesota, but Norman
was home enough for her. She goes on long walks. She
watched ESPN’s “The Last Dance,” fitting because of the
comparisons between her and Michael Jordan.
Otherwise, she’s tried to keep away from the televi-
sion.
For her next act, she’ll work as a student assistant
coach at OU next season while continuing her education.
“It’s just exciting that I get another year to be with the
team,” said Nichols. “I may not be competing and I have a
different role. And also I think it’ll be a great experience to
be taught by the best of the best from K.J., (and assistants)
Tom (Haley) and Lou (Ball) are the best coaches in the
country. I mean, not being biased or anything. I truly think
they’re the best coaches all around. And so being able to
be taught by them and learn the ropes from them, I’m just
very excited for that experience, learning the behind-the-
scenes of everything that goes on.
“But yeah, I’m very excited to take on that role and
get experience with that.”
There will also be internships, she hopes, and shad-
owing opportunities in media.
“I’m looking into sports broadcasting or reporting in-
ternships. None of those plans have changed,” she said.
“It’s been nice to research different opportunities [right
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 37
 THE MAGGIE NICHOLS EFFECT
Julia Chew Agency
405-329-3311
juliachew.com

“
I TOOK A STEP BACK AND CAN LOOK AT
MY LAST MEET, MY LAST SEASON AND MY WHOLE
CAREER, EVEN BEING CUT SHORT I DON’T THINK IT
COULD HAVE ENDED ANY BETTER.”

now]. I’m thinking about broadcasting, so any experience

in the field I can get is great, because I haven’t had the op-
portunity to do so in my career, I’ve been very busy.”
Nichols will continue serving as an advocate for
sexual assault victims, as one herself. An April debut of
Netflix’s  “Athlete A,” a documentary detailing how she
became the first athlete to report Larry Nassar’s abuse to
USA Gymnastics as a sophomore in 2018, was canceled
due to the pandemic. It is still slated to premiere in
June.
Nichols calls the piece “powerful.” Sometimes gym in Minnesota.
she was apprehensive to follow through with each But one of Trautman’s best memories was when the two were at the U.S.
and every interview request for the documentary, National Team training center in Houston, trying to qualify for an elite event
she said, debating with her mom, Gina, if she wasn’t in Jesolo, Italy. Trautman had never competed that far away as a gymnast
feeling up to it. before.
These were the challenges she faced while com- “When we were there, she just mentored me through the whole process.
peting at OU. While setting a feverish pace with her Training days, how the competition would work,” said Trautman. “Watch-
gymnastics — breaking records and chasing others — she ing her work, watching her compete, it was amazing to see. You could see
lived on center-stage between the gym and her place with- that hard work pays off. And for us to do that together was special.”
in the #MeToo movement. A huge following watched ev- The list of Nichols’ best moments is long. She remembers the first Per-
erything she did. fect 10 she scored as a freshman; that whole year, really, was an eye opener.
“Some people don’t enjoy the spotlight, but she does. “Just competing with a team,” she said. “Before school, I wasn’t part of
She thrives in it,” said Kindler. “I think that she can com- a team atmosphere. Every single time I went out and competed it was for
municate that to her audience, and that’s why people fall something else.”
in love with her. She just eats up those moments.” Which helps explain why months after her college career ended, she
That ability spurred a huge moments in gymnastics. was juggling a phone interview while watching a friend’s baby. Nichols
For the past eight seasons, no NCAA gymnast except gave OU so much during her time there, but she isn’t done giving.
Nichols has scored a 39.900 or higher. In 2017, she became Twenty-eight of OU’s 37 team scores of 198 or better in program history
the first person since 2009 to break that mark and has have come since Nichols arrived. The Sooners won two national titles and
done it three times since. came within a whisker of a third.
OU tried to rest her body last season, and even then But the school gave back.
she was always racing to the top against herself. On “Being at Oklahoma is just really special. This school is one of a kind,”
what would become OU’s senior night against Michi- said Nichols, who finished her collegiate career with 30 All-America honors.
gan on March 6, she scored a Perfect 10 on vault and “It is hard to think about moving on, knowing I didn’t get that last vault in
put up the nation’s second highest all-around score or that last bar and beam and floor routine. But for me after everything hap-
this season at 39.850. The NCAA high this season is pened I took a step back and can look at my last meet, my last season and
39.900, also belonging to Nichols. my whole career, even being cut short I don’t think it could have ended any
Photo by Joshua R. Gateley

Nichols’ senior night stood out to OU teammate better.”

Olivia Trautman, who has known Nichols for years
dating back to their time training at Twin City Twisters Nichols ranked fourth all-time Tyler Palmateer is the sports editor for The Norman Transcript.
in NCAA career perfect 10 scores.

38 2020 SPRING REVIEW SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 39

 t was last August when Shannon Saile, Giselle
I Juarez and Nicole Mendes gathered at the local
Olive Garden to break breadsticks.
The mood was light — even a little giddy — as
the only seniors on Oklahoma’s softball team talked
about what was ahead for their final season together.
They plotted a course, shared mental notes, rel-
ished the carbs and most of all, just celebrated the
journey that had brought them to that point.
A couple months later, Mendes, a three-year
starter and the longest-tenured player on head coach
Patty Gasso’s roster, would go down with a knee in-
jury.
A month into the season, Juarez could no longer
ignore the pain in her throwing arm, and the two-
time All-American opted for surgery on March 6, her
mother’s birthday.
Saile, meanwhile, was asked to shoulder a big
portion of the pitching load while guiding an inexpe-
rienced staff to a solid 20-4 start.
That’s when the season came to an abrupt halt
due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which basically
forced the NCAA to shut down all spring and winter
sports.
Juarez had stitches. Mendes still had a limp and
Saile was wondering how her softball career could
end like this.
She was shell-shocked.
“It really didn’t make sense. For a while, I didn’t
really comprehend what was going on,” said Saile,
who was 8-3 during the abbreviated 2020 season. “At
first, I was really, really down and sad because I was
going 24/7 with softball and school and doing what
we usually do, and then it came to an extreme halt.
“Literally, within an hour it was, ‘We’re not go-
ing to play this weekend,’ then it was, ‘We’re not go-
Giselle Juarez ing to play this season.’”
Nicole Mendes
Shannon Saile Saile held out hope the NCAA would grant an-
other year of eligibility. She relied on Gasso’s positive
words to get her through, all the while knowing there
was a possibility her career had come to an uncer-
emonious end.
Fortunately, things worked out. The NCAA
granted spring seniors another year of competitive
eligibility. 
Saile got on the phone with Mendes and Juarez,
and in April, the trio announced via Twitter their in-
tention to return together for one more shot at their
senior year.
“I’m excited because for a moment there I
thought I was going to be the only senior,” said Saile.
“We were really upset because we didn’t think we
were going to have our year together. It feels like
we’re getting another shot to do something that we
were meant to do together.”
Of the three, Mendes is the planner. 
The Texas native has got goals and milestones
stored in her head and a definite idea of how things
in her life are going to go.    
During the break, she traveled back and forth
from Houston to Norman. Classes were all online.
Marita Hynes Field was closed and workouts can-
celed.
“Probably the weirdest experience I’ve ever
had,” said Mendes, a career .357 hitter with the Soon-
ers. “I’ve had online classes in the past so it wasn’t
something I wasn’t used to. But all of my classes on-
line — that was a little different. It was hard to stay
motivated until the end because we weren’t doing
anything.”
She found herself going to Reaves Park across
the street from the OU Softball complex and hitting
balls off a tee.
With virtually every hour accounted for as a stu-
dent-athlete, Mendes found herself for the first time
with time to kill.
“In some ways, it was like a reality check,” she
said. “Growing up with sports, you’re used to a rou-
Photos by Joshua R. Gateley

YO U R TA BL E
I S WA I T I N G
tine and a schedule and certain things. I feel like in life, yes,
once you get a job and graduate you’ll have a schedule but
it won’t be like the way college was set up. There’s going to
have to be a lot more motivation on my part.
“It was really tough at first. Once I got over the shock
of everything, it was tough to maintain that schedule and
motivation. But I think it was a great reality check, not just
for me but a lot of student-athletes all over the country.”
As the country moves through this pandemic together,
mental health experts are identifying feelings many are ex-
periencing as symptoms of grief, as life has seemingly been
forever changed.
“Even though it didn’t get dark for me, I feel like I
did struggle with some mental health issues of being frus-
trated out of my mind that I had just rehabbed and now I
was just sitting there,” said Mendes. “I kind of had a game
plan of once I finished this year, this is how things are go-
ing to go.”
Mendes hit .348 and had a career-best 39 RBI as a junior.
Lists and schedules are life for Mendes. So without a
schedule to thrive on she had to create her own.
“I like making lists. I thought maybe I could make a
list of wake up, eat breakfast, watch a movie, do rehab, hit
… all the things I wanted to do during a day,” she said.
“I’m a big-time checklist person and that made me feel a
little bit better and made me feel like I was getting stuff
done.
“It made me organize it but I definitely realized I was
going to have to surrender some things and have to let go
of the control of what I thought was going to happen, think
is going to happen and be flexible.”
Juarez remembers being in denial when Mendes tore
her ACL.
“Me and Shannon were like, ‘All right, it’s me and
you. We’ve got to represent,’” said Juarez. “Then I had my
surgery and it was Shannon leading the team as a senior
and leading the pitching staff. It was just surreal. It kind
Photos by Joshua R. Gateley
of unraveled.”
A medical redshirt for Juarez was largely a foregone
conclusion but there were still two other people in the se-
SECOND CHANCE
nior equation.
She said the three quickly arrived at the decision that
another year together was just destiny.
“It’s been a blessing that all three of us are now able to
finish out together,” said Juarez. “When we went to dinner,
we were super excited. We knew our paths had led to us
three going out together and ending our careers together.
“We would have never thought of Nicole’s ACL, my
arm and then COVID.”
For Gasso, she’s had no choice but to be flexible with
all of it.
As for how she’s handled it all, she says her lawn and
garden have never looked better.
“I know a lot of people feel this way but I feel more
busy now than I did during the season and I don’t know
why,” said Gasso. “Maybe it’s because when I’m out on
the field I don’t feel like I’m working. When I’m at home
on these Zoom calls — you can’t move and you have to
Juarez finished 28-4 in her first season with OU in 2019.
sit there for an hour and a half and you’re at the mercy of
whoever is talking. That to me is a little more work, and
I don’t mind work — but this time of year is (usually) so
much fun and competitive and you get captured in all of
the excitement and it’s definitely kind of a downer not
having that in my life.”
Seeing her seniors come back brings a smile to her
face. Seeing her team come back will be “excited chaos.”
Mendes can’t wait either.
“To be able to have the potential to finish our senior
year and play it all together and play not only for each oth-
er but for the team — I would rather it end this way and I
know they would as well,” said Mendes.
“We’ve created a bond with this senior class and it’s
something really special. We’re going to end it side-by-
side.”
Bobby Anderson is a locally-based freelance writer who previously
worked for The Norman Transcript and The Norman Oklahoman.
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 43
Sherri Coale is bringing back former
All-American Courtney Paris to join her
coaching staff; (left) they enjoy a moment
on the OU bench during Paris’ final
collegiate season in 2009.

herri Coale’s current players hadn’t reached middle school by

S the time Courtney Paris’ electric career at Oklahoma wrapped

up.
But Coale makes sure they’re plenty familiar with the stars of
the Sooners’ past.
“It just sort of wraps around our players every single day,” said
Coale.
Paris’ picture is among other notable alumni adorning the walls
of OU’s film room. Inside that room, Coale regularly shows the team
highlights from the Paris-led teams that went to two Sweet 16s and a
Final Four.
They know about Paris’ program best 2,729 career points and
2,034 rebounds, becoming the first NCAA player regardless of gender
or division to have at least 2,500 points and 2,000 rebounds in a career.
“Those stories are part of the lure of our program so even if they
maybe didn’t watch Courtney play, they know of her and they know
her game,” said Coale. “It’s very much an, ‘Oh wow,’ moment for our
players.”
That moment came in May when Paris joined Coale’s staff as an
assistant coach.
Paris doesn’t have any coaching experience but as her playing
career wound down recently, first in the WNBA and then overseas,
she started embracing the idea of coaching.
“I was just thinking all the time, ‘I’m not young, I’m not 25, I’ve
gotten older, my career’s gotten harder, things are starting to hurt,’”
said Paris. “So you start thinking about the future more.”
Paris still loved being part of a team and she’d embraced the
mentorship role she’s taken with Turkish pro team Ormanspor as she
guided former Notre Dame star Arike Ogunbowale through the open-
ing steps of her professional career.
“I enjoyed mentoring her. I enjoyed working with the coach and
watching film,” said Paris. “I wasn’t necessarily saying, ‘I want to go

Photo courtesy of the University of Oklahoma

be a coach,’ (but) when Coach Coale presented the opportunity to me
it was like this made perfect sense to me.
“I love Oklahoma, I believe in Oklahoma so this was an easy
move for me to make.”
 WELCOME BACK

“ WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO

The sport has changed significantly since Paris’ days
starring for the Sooners. True post players are becoming
rarer.
But Paris said she won’t have a problem adjusting,
HEAR FROM BOTH OF
saying the time she spent with the Storm playing with
6-foot-5 star Breanna Stewart helped her prepare for the
THESE GUYS, COURTNEY
modern game.
“Not your traditional post player,” Paris said of Stew-
AND JACKIE, IS REAPING THE
art. “But now I’ve gotten to watch her work every day. I’ve
gotten to see how she functions, and now you go to these
REWARDS THAT THEY WERE ABLE
kids who maybe they’re not back-to-the-basket post play- TO AND SETTING THE RECORDS
ers and you still have something to offer them because
you’re playing around the best players in the world who AND ALL THE THINGS THEY’VE
are in the position they’re trying to be in.”
Coale thinks Paris will be a key to getting the Sooners DONE FROM A STATISTICAL
back on track to make the Final Four for the first time since
2010, the year after Paris’ Sooners career ended. STANDPOINT, ALL THE AWARDS
“It’s more about who she is than what she has done,”
said Coale. “But sometimes what you’ve done is what THAT THEY’VE RECEIVED, IT ALL
opens the door for someone to find out who you are. She
has that. She has that door-opening capability. What kid GOES BACK TO HOW YOU WORK
in America is not going to take a call from Courtney Paris?
Her name enables her to have access to conduits for kids, EVERY DAY.”
and then it’s really about who she is. When she talks about
our program, she’s not reading a script and she’s not fol- better testimony.”
lowing a document. She’s talking about her life. There’s Standout players often don’t make the best coaches.
not a more sincere and authentic conversation to be had But Paris’ unique career arc figures to help her over-
than the one anyone can have about our lives. We know it. come that.
We lived it. It’s our journey. When she shares her journey, After starring with the Sooners, Paris was the No. 7
the added benefit for us is that it’s our journey. That’s the overall pick in the WNBA Draft but it wasn’t until five
one we are selling. years later that she became a regular starter in the league.
“The alignment there is just something you can’t get, Twice, she led the WNBA in rebounding with the Tulsa
no matter how skilled a communicator that someone else Shock. In 2018, back to a bench role, she helped the Seattle
is. To have lived this and walked this path, you can’t get a Storm win the WNBA title.

SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 47

Finished with her playing career, Paris is set to join an OU staff that includes Jackie
The University of Oklahoma would like to thank our Stiles (below), another former All-American well respected in coaching circles.
Premier Partners for their continued support of the
SOONERS
“It gave me this perspective,” Paris said of her pro-
fessional career. “I played every single position on every
single team, as far as my role on the team, and it taught
B O O M E R S O O N E R me so much.
“It’s hard to tell kids, ‘Well, I know how it feels,’ when
you don’t know how it feels. It’s hard to relate to the play-
er that’s not playing when you’re the star player. But now
I can relate to every situation, because I played every role.
I just feel like it’s gonna help me in this situation.”
And Coale has seen traits in Paris that will make her
an effective coach.
“She certainly has the ‘it’ factor. There’s no doubt
about that,” said Coale. “Every great player doesn’t nec-
essarily make a great coach. Sometimes it’s hard for great
players to be great coaches because they can’t understand
why something was so easy for them and so hard for
everybody else. The great coaches have connectability.
They’re sticky. They draw people to them and connect to
them. And she has the ‘it’ factor in spades, so no doubt in
my mind she’ll be terrific in this role.”
One thing is for sure, Coale’s staff would be favored
in an on-court matchup against any staff in women’s col-
lege basketball.
Jackie Stiles ended her collegiate career at what was
then Southwest Missouri State as the sport’s all-time lead-
ing scorer. Nineteen years later she remains third on the
Photos by Ty Russell and courtesy of the University of Oklahoma
list.
Graduate assistant Amanda Thompson is in the top
five on OU’s career list for both rebounds and blocks.
Then there’s Paris, who was the first four-time Associ-
ated Press and USBWA All-American in women’s college
basketball history.
“There’s no staff in America that wants to play our
staff five-on-five,” said Coale. “Forget about it. Just forget
about it.
WELCOME BACK
“I’ll be smart enough to receive the inbounds pass
and throw it to one of them and let them go to work.”
But more than some fantasy coach-as-player basket-
ball game, the addition of Paris to a staff that already in-
cluded Stiles figures to be a big draw for recruits.
Though those players definitely never watched Stiles
play in college, and likely never watched Paris, they still
cast a long shadow based on their accomplishments.
“I would think that for any offensive-minded player,
they would think, ‘I won’t get much better tutelage than
those two,’” said Coale. “What you’re going to hear from
both of these guys, Courtney and Jackie, is reaping the re-
wards that they were able to and setting the records and
all the things they’ve done from a statistical standpoint, all
the awards that they’ve received, it all goes back to how
you work every day.
“It was not a genetic predisposition. Yes, Courtney
has amazing hands and those come from God. There’s
no doubt about that. And she has a strong stature which
made her a great physical presence in the post, and Jack-
ie has quickness. There are things that are (natural) but
both of them became all-time greats because of how they
worked at their craft and because of how they were able
to get people to play with them and for them and not just
alongside of them and I think that is the magic for great
players.
“That is the magic. So, if you play in our program,
you get a front-row seat to the magic. I think that will be
as much of a draw as the records that they hold or the
points that they’ve scored. They know how to get it done
collectively with the team.”
Ryan Aber is an OU beat writer for The Oklahoman.
SOONERSPECTATOR.COM 49
TO THE POINT
IN THE THROES OF THIS PARALYZING PANDEMIC,
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO MISS EVEN THE LITTLE THINGS
W
e miss the obvious stuff. The touchdowns at
Owen Field, the 3-pointers at the Lloyd Noble
Center and the home runs at L. Dale Mitchell
Park and Marita Hynes Field.
We should appreciate all of that more deeply when the
games return.
We miss the little things that aren’t as obvious, as well.
We should appreciate them, too, when we get to see them
again.
Here are the little things I’ve been thinking about the
past several weeks…
There’s a moment during the Oklahoma football pre-
game when the skill position players are already warming
up and they notice a rumbling coming from the tunnel. It’s
the big fellas, the linemen and linebackers.
The crowd notices, too, and you get an adrenaline rush
that isn’t what it is for the players, but is pretty darn cool
just the same. Kickoff is that much closer.
Most of you observe Lon Kruger as he coaches the
Sooners from their bench. When basketball returns, get to
the arena an hour earlier than usual and watch him sit on
that bench with one leg crossed over the other, as serene
as can be, surveying the court as players go through their
warm-up.
I used to keep an eye on Bob Stoops before road football
games. He’d walk onto the field after the team’s arrival at
the stadium and plant himself on the one of the benches on
OU’s sideline. He’d stretch his arms across the back of the
bench and strike a cool but confident pose.
I get the same vibe from Kruger. His personality is 180
degrees from Stoops’ and yet he projects a familiar assured-
ness. There might be a connection there to his 645 victories.
I miss seeing Kruger. I miss hearing Jim Miller, the pub-
lic address announcer for OU football and men’s basketball
games.
I’ve heard that voice — ”Iiiiit’s football tiiiiiiiiiiime in
Oklahomaaaaaa!!!!” “Buddyyyyyy Hieeeeeeeeeeeeeeld!!!!!” —
for so long that I take it for granted. I promise not to do
that if Owen Field reopens and Miller welcomes back even
a portion of Sooner fans.
He and Radio Voice of the Sooners Toby Rowland are
the narrators for OU’s athletics soundtrack. I still catch T-
Row on his KREF morning show, but I miss Miller.
I miss going to the OU Softball Complex, especially as
I write this column.
It’s Memorial Day weekend. For years that signaled the
Sooners were playing for a Super Regional championship
and a spot in the Women’s College World Series. Since I was
on the beat and lived a bike ride from Marita Hynes Field, it
signaled it was time for me to go to work.
The games between the lines were always a lot of fun
to cover, but there was something about sitting outside to
cover them. I loved being on the concourse between grand-
50 2020 SPRING REVIEW
HELPING OUR
COMMUNITY
stands, soaking up some sun and even more of the atmo-
sphere.
I can get outside for the pandemic, but it’s not the same
as being at an OU softball game with the stakes rising with
LEARN
every pitch.
Back inside, I miss a signature of Sherri Coale’s Sooner
basketball teams — the acknowledgement from the shot-
FOR LIFE
maker to the teammate who set up the shot with her assist.
It’s nothing more than one player extending her arm Through the Learn for Life program, Bank
and pointing a finger at another. A subtle gesture that of- of Oklahoma helps bridge the gap between
young people’s perceptions regarding
ten goes unnoticed, particularly as Coale has coached for so
finances and reality.
long and so many of her players’ buckets have been set up
with an unselfish extra pass. Each year, more than 300 Bank of Oklahoma
Well, one acknowledgement deserves another. I prom- employees invest in thousands of Oklahoma
ise to appreciate this simple act of gratitude when Lloyd children teaching them financial skills such
Noble has reopened for business. as budgeting, how to maximize their earning
I miss Mark Williams’ men’s gymnastics teams doing potential, smart spending, and the value of
something remarkable, not so much because of the achieve- donating.
ment; his nine national championships speak boldly for
By teaching kids the critical financial skills
themselves.
they need, our employees set the foundation
I just like having an excuse to call and talk to him. for a healthy financial future for children and
I’ve talked to Williams since I was a cub reporter at the our community.
Norman Transcript. I know from years of experience he is
about the most gracious, thoughtful coach a writer can en- We are grateful for the opportunity to help
counter. and give back in order to make Oklahoma a
I realize many of you appreciate him for his work bring- better place to live, work and raise a family.
ing home those championships. You root for a team, and
pay money to see it, you’d like that team to be successful.
I get that.
My dealings with the Sooners are more dimensional.
I rely on them for my job. The easier coaches in particular
make it for me to do that, the better my product.
Williams has always made it easy. I appreciate that
about him.
For years, I appreciated driving down Imhoff on Friday
night or Sunday afternoon in the spring and stopping my
Civic at the crosswalk outside L. Dale Mitchell Park so fans
could cross from the parking lot.
I appreciated driving down Imhoff Friday night or Sun-
day afternoon in the fall and catching a glimpse at the soccer
in progress at John Crain Field.
I’m in Tulsa now, but I’ll never lose the feeling of driv-
ing across campus to get home on Westbrooke Terrace and
noticing the games going on. That stays with a guy. I’m
thinking about that now and realizing how sad I’d feel driv-
ing home if I still lived in Norman.
What I’m saying is I appreciate a lot that goes on at
OU. I always have. I guess I didn’t fully realize it until the
pandemic struck and took so much, even the little things,
away.
Guerin Emig is a columnist for The Tulsa World.
www.bankofoklahoma.com
© 2019. Bank of Oklahoma, a division of BOKF, NA. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
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