That is not going to work, Holieway recalled. Coach Switzer always told us, If it is not for the fans, then who the hell are we? NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Jamelle Holieway dazzled the college football world as a true freshman who mastered Oklahoma's dynamic wishbone attack and led the Sooners to the 1985 national championship. I had on a full-length mink. Holieway, who is arguably the best option quarterback ever, did his damage out of the wishbone offense in running for 862 yards and nine touchdowns as a true freshman. In what is referred to as, Game of the Century II, Oklahoma and freshman quarterback Charles Thompson beat Nebraska for the fourth year in a row, 17-7, and clinched its fourth-consecutive Big 8 championship. So it was, OK, whatever we have got to do, we have got to do. He took the blame for things that he didnt do and his reputation was tarnished. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about guard Jamelle Holieway Jr on ESPN. Jamelle Holieway is considered one of the greatest option quarterba In the teams second game against Arizona, he looked somewhat sharper in running for 75 yards on 17 carries, scoring on a 5-yard touchdown scamper and tossing a 43-yard TD. Jamelle Holieway is considered one of the greatest option quarterbacks in NCAA Division I-A history. He is having some very serious heart issues right now. 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. OU legend Jamelle Holieway understands Caleb Williams' early success, Spencer Rattler's fall from QB1. Jamelle Holieway sits on the edge of the couch in his Inglewood home, his eyes fixed on a vision only he can see. Map Locator. On the last play of the regular season, Thompson broke his leg in a 7-3 home loss to seventh-ranked Nebraska. Shop Jamelle Holieway Thomas Lott Bobby Warmack signed Oklahoma OU Sooners Orange Bowl Quarterbacks Champions 11x14 photo COA and more authentic, autographed and game-used items at Amazon's Sports Collectibles Store. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports, Well then, going in to the watch the film, my coach (Switzer) reassured me of one thing: You cant play that sandlot football against Texas, Nebraska, against Miami. Just as he predicted, the colleges came calling. And then he goes and breaks his leg and I get to go in. Holieway was running an option-play to the left and turned to cut upfield. Holieway led the Sooners to an 1110 record under Coach Barry Switzer and won the 1986 Orange Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions for the national championship. Once USC made it clear that it wanted Holieway to play defensive back, it became a two-horse race. I was back to Banning a year ago, Holieway said. That accomplishment is underrated in Sooner Lore. Before I became the starter, I was discouraged. Those were all my boys from Los Angeles and they were more like brothers to me, said Holieway. 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. Jamelle Holiewaywas born in Carson on June 25, 1967. Note this is not an exact home address, rather a location in the vicinity of the listed home address. I ran up a university phone bill of over $1,000. He was being touted as a Heisman Trophy candidate. pic.twitter.com/D0nLQw9go8, Sooner Sports Network (@SoonerSportsTV) July 14, 2020. The decision proved wise. The win returned the Sooners to the top of the rankings and set the stage for another Orange Bowl matchup, this time against No. 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. They finished the year as the #3 team in the Associated Press and Coaches polls. The Los Angeles Raiders invited him to their training camp as a free agent, but cut him during the pre-season. Their only loss was again to Jimmy Johnsons Miami Hurricanes. Now people will see what Im really all about, Holieway told the Los Angeles Times during the summer before his senior season. 1 and won its first eight games, which set up a Bedlam matchup against No. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images). And holy crap, he had wheels. I lived in a Crip neighborhood and there were a lot of drive-by shootings. While the Nittany Lions projected humility, Oklahomas star linebacker Brian Bosworth was holding court poolside with reporters, saying things like, In all humblenesswere bad.. 13 Clemson. "I faked the ball to the. While the majority of them red-shirted as freshman, he played with a towel sticking out of his pants where hed hand-written every one of their names. 1999) brought Oklahoma to the Nebraska 32. I worked so hard to get back because I wanted to play in that game in front of my momma, my family and all my friends.. That was the best time of my life in Miami, Holieway said. Overall, the program was 41-6 during his four years on campus. Find the collection of Jamelle Holieway sports cards online at Beckett.com. Jamelle Holieway. That man has proven that hell always be there for me. Oklahoma football: Which former Sooner QB is Dillon Gabriel most like? You could get caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Holieway still regularly attends Oklahoma games in Norman he will be at the Texas El-Paso game on Saturday and continues to be amazed at the number of fans who approach him with words of appreciation and youthful tales of how he was admired and emulated. 1 Nebraska. 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. I was on the sidelines cheering, on crutches, hobbling around and wearing a fur coat, said Holieway. A true freshman named Jamelle Holieway replaced Aikman, and on his first play from scrimmage connected on a 19-yard pass to Shepard. That blue El Camino that I was driving around in, with those shiny rims, man, you get caught on the wrong street in L.A. and somebody could put a gun to your head and kill you for it, said Holieway. When that guy hit me, he hit me so hard in my earlobe that its still ringing now! To me, that is some good stuff for your mama to believe in you when you are 15 years old, and it is only me and her.. Holieway, now 49 and. But when the crowds stopped cheering, when they disappeared, when I had to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life, that was tough.. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. I remember Jamelle running in saying Lets roll! running back Spencer Tillman said in the book Wishbone: Oklahoma Football 1959-1985, written by Wann Smith. Iowa. When we went back into the locker room and came out to play the game about 15 minutes later, the field was covered with ice.. Its a very serious injury, Clive Brewster, the head of rehabilitation at Kerlan and Jobe Orthopedics at Centinela Hospital Medical Center, told the Los Angeles Times in the summer of 1988. When I went into surgery, the doctors said when I woke up from the anesthesia, if I had a splint on, that meant that it was a simple scope and Id be back for the Nebraska game in a couple of weeks. Jamelle Holieway (born June 25, 1967) is an American former college and professional football player who was a quarterback for the University of Oklahoma. My dorm was right across the street, so Id sneak back over there at night and use the phone in that office to call everybody I knew back in Los Angeles, he said. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports, Coach (Switzer) said, Ah! 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. Holieway starred at Banning, helped a Pilots team with 13 future major-college players win a Los Angeles City football title as a junior, then was named the LA. Holieway threw a 71-yard touchdown pass in that game to All-American tight end Keith Jackson. Jamelle Holieway. At that time, prior to the advancements of surgical procedures and medical technology, the injury was considered to be almost insurmountable. Holieway dazzled the college football world as a true freshman who mastered Oklahoma's dynamic wishbone attack and led the Sooners to the 1985 national championship. During the 1985-1986 season, Holieway took . Over the next few weeks, the Sooners obliterated Kansas, Missouri, Colorado and Nebraska by a combined score of 157-19. That is how you are supposed to move the team down the field. And when my coach told me that, I knew then, OK, it is not all about what the crowd is saying. I knew we couldnt make a mistake. I could go to some dangerous places and get a pass because the gang bangers knew that I played football. And suddenly, an 18-year-old freshman from Los Angeles was the all-Big 8 quarterback and tasked with fulfilling his teams preseason No. The Tim Lashar kick at the end and (sophomore tight end) Duncan Parham going all wild, throwing his hands up like we just won everything, Holieway said. OU Sooners True Freshman Quarterback Jamelle Holieway Highlights, Jamelle Holieway, Jamelle Hollieway Through The Eyes Extended Trailer, 1986 Orange Bowl #1 Penn State vs #2 Oklahoma 1 of 2, College Football Narratives- Jamelle Holieway a brown fur coat. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. If you move us out there, I can get us a scholarship, and you wont have to pay for me to go to school. And my mama believed in her little 15-year-old boy to do that, and the rest is history. During early practices, I was fourth-string. They moved me to slot receiver, but man, I cant catch, Holieway said through a subtle laugh. It was like a brotherhood. Holieway was crushed when he wasnt selected in the NFL Draft. We have to think that we are going to figure out that jump ball.'. . The recipient of the Sparks phone call was 1980s national championship quarterback Jamelle Holieway. He was concerned with how listless his former star quarterback seemed. Bachi Bus. The scrutiny increased as reports detailed player arrests for violence, weapons and an alleged rape that had taken place under Barry Switzers watch. So my name got brought up enough to keep my name in the loop and for me to be relevant in these times of college football. They did. And Oklahoma has run the wishbone better than anyone in the history of the game.. He zipped around the streets of South Central like a speed-demon in his electric blue El Camino, his bare, muscled chest accentuated by thick, shimmering gold necklaces. Let me tell you what really sparked everything, Holieway said. Hes also working in residential construction, along with a few other side jobs that he can pick up from time to time. With the Oklahoma Sooners going 42-6 in his four years and 28-2 as a starter, Jamelle Holieway led the Oklahoma Sooners to a National Championship in 1985. Eric Bailey Oct 22, 2021 Oct 22, 2021 Updated Nov 27, 2022; 0; 1 of 2 . But with 6:13 to go in the game, Holieway sprinted to the left on a quarterback keeper, was tackled and immediately bounced back up to try and walk off some knee pain. It must have been a grueling wait for the coaches, players and the fan base. I'm asking all my prayer warriors to please say a prayer for former OU quarterback Jamelle Holieway. Highly recruited from Banning High School under longtime head coach Chris Ferragamo, Holieway attracted interest from a swarm of schools. The 71-yard strike gave Oklahoma the lead for good at 10-7. He led the Oklahoma Sooners to a national championship in 1985. People from all over will come by just to say hello because they know that I am in town. 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. If you call him during the early evening, after hes gotten home from work, hell ramble on the telephone for as long as you allow, revisiting his days of stardom and winning the National Championship. I aint never played in no snow! And one of the best things that he taught me, that football taught me, was that no matter how hard things get, no matter how hard you fall, you gotta get back up. [2], Later on, Holieway acknowledged that he received favors from school boosters and Coach Switzer, but denied ever receiving any cash payments.[3]. Man, I was a kid from California, he said. His passing efficiency rating was 84.9 over 39 collegiate games. Holieway finished his Sooner career with 2,713 yards rushing on 539 attempts (an average of 5.0 yards per carry) and 32 touchdowns. I was born to run the wishbone option. But my oldest sons are both in college, playing football and basketball. I am going to be sitting on the bench. I knew that if I consistently got us in the right play, the sky was the limit.. 4 Washington in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31 in a national semifinal. You are not going to change. I didnt believe it. But as Holieway surveyed the defense, he called an audible: Right Slot 72 Y Go. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Jamelle Holieway #1 Photo Signed 8x10 Photo w/ COA Oklahoma Sooners 032419 at the best online prices at eBay! You cant jump offsides when it is 4th and 1. He is also ranked in the richest person list from United States. Jamelle Holieway is considered one of the greatest option quarterbacks in NCAA Division I-A history. Miami defeated Oklahoma 20-14 to win the national championship. Curvaceous, beautiful women with inviting smiles flirted with him as his car lingered at stop signs and red traffic lights. On the following possession, Nebraska quarterback Steve Taylor ran out of bounds on two quarterback runs and threw an incompletion, which took hardly any time off the clock and forced his team to punt the ball back to Oklahoma. I get on that bus to get on that plane, and Coach Switzer says, Where did you get that jacket from? I said, Coach, it is going to be snowing up in Lincoln. I brought the neighborhood some pride with what I was doing on the football field., But it was the O.G.s that thought like that, not the younger guys who were willing to do something foolish to get the respect of the big homies and make a name for themselves, he continued. Youre not moving like you used to.. Holieway lost for just the second time as a starter, 23-7, that day and started two more games while alternating playing time with Thompson before his limitations health-wise made it clear that Thompson was the faster, more effective option going forward. ', Holieway also ranks first in program history in number of fur coats worn on the sideline with one, set during the victorious 1987 Oklahoma-Nebraska Game of the Century II clash in Lincoln, Neb.#Sooners https://t.co/AZe52GJby1 pic.twitter.com/DMgokqg4G4, Douglas Miles (@douglasmilesCRG) August 30, 2022. Born June 25, 1967, Holieway grew up in Carson, attending Curtis Junior High and then Banning High School. But underlying neighborhood idiosyncrasies meant that the star quarterback and burgeoning teenage celebrity had to always keep his eyes open and cognizant of his surroundings. Holieway put no credence in the surgeons who told him he might not ever be able to play again. Disclamer: the number about Jamelle Holieway's Instagram salary income and Jamelle Holieway's Instagram net worth are just estimation based on publicly available information about Instagram's monetization programs, it is by no . With future All-American linebacker Shane Conlan shadowing him on every play, Holieway never got his run game off the ground (12 carries, one yard). Jamelle Holieway Oklahoma Sooners Auto 8x10 Color Photo Matted To 11x14. Beginning at their own six-yard-line, the Sooners marched 94 yards, including a 4th-and-1 attempt at their own 15 where a Holieway fumble was negated by a Nebraska face mask penalty. Jamelle Holieway Biography. And the very next chance you get, you have to give your best effort to go forward., Series Intro The Black College Quarterback. All the Sooners, we all try to stick together, Holieway told Stormin In Norman. He does work with the MuscogeeCreek Nation, running football camps and doing some motivational speaking. Contribute to The Shadow League today and help us share our narratives. To give people awe like that is a great feeling. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onOklahoma Sooners and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. 12 Oklahoma State in Norman. The best competitors like to compete, and to me this is just a game, an inner game. Jamelle looked gimpy early on during the season, and lacking his normal instincts, speed, fluidity and explosiveness. I just left high school and now were on TV? And I would have given it all I could. But the ironic thing about that is, here they did change, and my cousin (1990 national champion) Darian Hagan goes there a year later. He made it back by the opening game of his senior year, against North Carolina, but was now alternating possessions at quarterback with Thompson. Check out Jamelle Holieway's College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits and More College Stats at Sports-Reference.com Who do you think got to ride around in a cart to drive Coach Switzer around? 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). LOS ANGELES SEPTEMBER 24: Fullback Leroy Holt #39 of the USC Trojans runs out of bounds against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Coliseum on September 24, 1988 in Los Angeles, California. In contrast to Aikman, Holieway was more of a triple-option . And living where I lived, I couldnt walk around with my burgundy Oklahoma shirts or outfits. I am always the last one on the bus, Holieway said. Went to Banning Senior High. Lashar calmly drilled the game-winning field goal from 31 yards away. But Charlie Evans would be pleased at the sight of the Spirit of Oklahoma Football Camp, with Jamelle Holieway . Here is Part II of our feature story on the University of Oklahoma's Jamelle Holieway. Holieway graduated with a 31-3 record as a starter, was a two-time all-Big 8 quarterback and totaled over 5,000 total yards (2,713 rushing, 2,430 passing). From 1985-87, the Sooners finished 33-3 with three conference championships and one national title. [1], Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 02:57, "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", "TOTALFOOTBALLSTATS.COM - Oklahoma Sooners", Jamelle Holieway Career Stats, Oklahoma Sooners, Holieway's 71 yard touchdown pass to Keith Jackson in the 1986 Orange Bowl National Championship Game, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jamelle_Holieway&oldid=1140653779, Big Eight First Team All-Conference QB (1985), Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year (1986), Big Eight First Team All-Conference QB (1986), This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 02:57. If you have heard of Holieway, you have heard the story. People recall the flashy full-length mink, the diamond earrings and the bright smile, but they dont remember the hurt that was masked by all of those exterior accessories. His former teammate who went on to the NFL, defensive back Rickey Dixon, reached out to him a few years back, sensing that he needed some support and encouragement. Its an inner soul game. When I woke up, I had on this big cast and was like, Awww man! Id never been injured before.. The Citrus Bowl loss was also the last game for Switzer at Oklahoma, who was forced to resign the following summer after the program suffered a serious string of criminal incidents involving its players. Alabama's Jalen Hurts is two wins away from joining Holieway. 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. That would be the ultimate for me, and especially for my mother.. Hes been a coach, a father and a friend to me since I was 18 years old. With Jackson streaking down the near sideline, Holieway fired the ball over Thomas at the Nebraska 35, Jackson tipped the ball to himself, corralled it and raced to the 14-yard line with nine seconds left. 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. Miami led by as many as 20 points that day in its 27-14 victory. On Popular Bio, He is one of the successful American Football Player. After beating Oklahoma State 13-0, they destroyed SMU 35-13 the following week. (Joe Skipper / Associated Press) It would be easy for Jamelle . Holieway's favorite moment of the 1985 season came in the Orange Bowl, when he tossed a perfect, 71-yard touchdown strike to Keith Jackson that gave Oklahoma a lead over the Nittany Lions for good. When I was going through my difficulties, he sat me down and we talked. Despite being thrust into the national spotlight, knowing that he would be navigating one of the best teams in America for the rest of the season, Holieway was incredibly homesick. And of course it's Keith Jackson again. And when I tell you I loved it, I wanted to be a coach right then and there if this is all it takes to coach, all the press conferences and seeing all these different sites because he was Coach Switzer and I am the quarterback. Id like to win the Heisman, he told SI in August of 1987. 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. It is really cool to have Banning and Carson get together.. Who is the greatest freshman Sooner of all time? Today, Holieway lives in a small town in Oklahoma. 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. In our practice film, I was taught if I saw their free safety start cheating over coming to the tight end, if that safety starts moving from the middle of the field down to the box, he is going to come on the blitz, Holieway said. Even with the prolific quarterbacks that arrived on campus with the hire of Bob Stoops as head coach in 1999, Holieway still ranks 17th in passing yards in program history. And I have a four-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son. Holieway finished the game with 110 rushing yards via 25 attempts and the two scores as the 27-7 win clinched a Big 8 title and berth in the Orange Bowl. He is from United States. But he proved that he was far from a one trick pony on a third-and-24 from his own 29 yard line, when he hit star tight end Keith Jackson on a 71-yard bomb to put Oklahoma up 10-7. Jamelle Holieway the "Wishbone Magician" is FIRST true freshman to lead a team to the National Championship. Charges unknown. He loved his players and would do anything to help anybody. In some ways, Barry Switzer and Brian Bosworth were made for each other. Against Iowa State, the week after the loss to Miami, Jamelle started and played slightly more than a half. My foot went inside the turf and it slid, so it just took all of the traction out of the bottom. I just played and I was happy to play and be a part of a team and not even thinking I am the leader, Holieway said. A heart attack occurs when an artery that sends blood and oxygen to the heart is blocked. My foot got stuck in the turf in the season where they sewed it together, Holieway said. In this Jan. 1, 1986 file photo, University of Oklahoma quarterback Jamelle Holieway (#4) looks for an open man as his team battles Penn State University in the Orange Bowl in Miami. Miami, FL 1/1/1986. Went to Banning High, Banning CA. Sep 2020 - Present2 years 5 months. He was a brilliant runner with polished ball-handling skills, a. 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. I could have redshirted that year, but we were scheduled to travel out to Los Angeles to play USC at the Coliseum, said Holieway. Under Review. We went to see Zapp and Roger in concert and jammed to that song all summer.. Tulsa World file Jamelle Holieway two days before turning 51 years. Hes too talented of a runner not to be taken by somebody.. Oklahoma 1 View Arrest Age: 34. He rehabbed like a man on a mission. If I could play Miami every game, me personally, I would have played them every game. American gridiron football player (born 1967) American football player. NewsOn6.com. Death Date/Place: Related To: Other: Hometown listed in 1985 media guide is Carson, but Banning High School is located in nearby Wilmington. So we got a couple of national championships in our family when we get together for a family reunion.. 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. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. 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. He reconnected, worked out and partied with his former Banning High School teammates, whod sat out their redshirt season while watching him win a national title. His face was plastered on magazinecovers. Hell also ask you to hold on several times, where he can be heard patiently and playfully interacting with his two youngest children, cooking them dinner, putting on their favorite cartoons, or trying to comfort them through their tears. I have a ninth grader playing high school football and he is going to be really good. Holieways Banning High School team had 14 players in his graduating class that received major, Division I football scholarships. Highly recruited from Banning High School under longtime head coach Chris Ferragamo, Holieway attracted interest from a swarm of schools. He said, Yall see Holieway? I got to run first-team offense with Troy right there. Against Iowa State, the week after the loss to Miami, Jamelle started and played slightly more than a half. (Jamelle Coaching at his football camp, Photo Credit: The Oklahoman). Another teammate, Don Smitherman, who came in with Holieways recruiting class, also re-appeared during some of his darkest days. "I was going to the left side," Holieway says. Jamelle Holieway is an American former college and professional football player who was a quarterback for the University of Oklahoma. Thanks to a defense that kept giving its offense the ball back, Oklahoma got a last chance at a game-tying drive with 4:10 left. He led the Oklahoma Sooners to a national championship in 1985. In 1985, we exploded as an offensive football team, led the nation in rushing, and never looked back.. Getting cut, that was really tough to handle. But the transition into responsible adulthood was filled with bumps and bruises. Through the air, he threw 257 times, completing 117 passes for 2,430 yards with 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Since then he has learned that he has heart disease and only about 15% of his heart is functioning. Prior to his junior year, Sports Illustrated named him as one of the top ten players in the country. He recorded 32 rushing touchdowns and 22 passing scores with 15 interceptions. I've been determined over the last few years to get my good name back. Holieway signed with the Sooners and arrived on campus in the summer of 1985. The Sooners started at their own 34-yard line with 50 seconds left, but only got to their 45 with just 18 remaining ticks on the clock. I had to bring out that L.A. swag and give the homies back in L.A. something to talk about. To me, that was Sooner Magic,' Holieway said. Oklahoma Sooners news fromFanSided Daily, Oklahoma football: Three biggest 2022 storylines as Sooners get set to open new season. Coach Switzer and I still have a strong relationship. Thompson, however, broke his leg on the final play of the Nebraska game on November 19, 1988, so Holieway became the starter again for the Citrus Bowl vs. Clemson, in a 136 loss on January 2, 1989.