Any reader of this blog (and there aren't many of them!) know that I've been a fan of the Oklahoma Sooners since before I can remember. So I do come from a particular set of biases regarding the events of the past weekend.
I am stunned that two Sooners won the Heisman trophy in back to back seasons. I was surprised enough by the ascension of Baker Mayfield last year but I never expected Kyler Murray to be so good. They proved everyone wrong.
I am very impressed with their persistence. I was skeptical when Mayfield transferred in, I was thinking he was going to be a distraction. I thought surely there was a reason why Tech never offered him a scholarship. After all, Kliff Kingsbury is supposed to be some kind of quarterback guru and if he let him walk, then there must be good reason. Mayfield played with a chip on his shoulder and blew everyone away. Bake is still proving the naysayers wrong with his play in the NFL.
I felt the same way about Kyler. I incorrectly assumed that a big program like Texas A&M led by another quarterback guru like Kevin Sumlin could not have been wrong in allowing Murray to transfer. Once again, I thought we were getting someone else's leftovers. And when it came to light that he was planning on only playing one year for OU so he could play major league baseball, I questioned his commitment to the Sooners.
How many times can I say I was wrong? A lot, apparently.
I expected a drop-off after last year's Heisman winner graduated. But wow, in many ways, Murray's Heisman season was even more impressive than Mayfield's.
I give my Aggie and Tech friends a hard time about squandering future Heisman trophy winners. That's gotta sting. But what persistence both these guys have. Everyone doubting them. Making the big decision to transfer to another school, then excelling beyond all expectations and winning what is arguably the most prestigious individual trophy in sports.
Amazing, impressive and historic.
