**ESPN ANNOUNCEMENT: Oklahoma Sooners to Honor Heisman Winner Billy Sims with Statue at Memorial Stadium**
*May 17, 2025 – Norman, OK* — ESPN has reported that the University of Oklahoma will immortalize one of its football legends, Billy Sims, with a larger-than-life statue outside Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The official unveiling is scheduled to take place this fall, coinciding with a major Sooners home game, in what is expected to be a momentous celebration of the 1978 Heisman Trophy winner’s enduring legacy.
Sims, one of the most electrifying running backs in college football history, starred for the Sooners from 1975 to 1979. His 1978 season, where he rushed for 1,762 yards and 20 touchdowns, earned him college football’s highest individual honor and cemented his place in OU lore. Sims remains the school’s second all-time leading rusher, with 4,118 career yards, trailing only Samaje Perine.
Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione praised Sims in a statement: “Billy is a pillar of Oklahoma football. His passion, talent, and dedication exemplified what it means to wear the crimson and cream. Honoring him with a statue is not just about his Heisman Trophy—it’s about the joy he brought to fans and the example he set for generations.”
The statue will join a revered collection of Heisman honorees already cast in bronze at Heisman Park, adjacent to the stadium. Sims will take his place alongside other Sooner legends such as Steve Owens, Jason White, Sam Bradford, and Baker Mayfield.
For Sims, the announcement marks a deeply emotional milestone. “To be honored in this way by a school and a fan base that gave me so much—it’s overwhelming,” Sims said in a press release. “This university changed my life. I’m proud to be a Sooner, always have been, and always will be.”
Head Coach Brent Venables also praised the decision, calling Sims “a beacon of Sooner greatness and a relentless competitor who helped define the standard of excellence here in Norman.”
The unveiling ceremony is expected to attract former teammates, fellow Heisman winners, university officials, and thousands of fans. The event will include a tribute video, speeches from prominent figures in OU history, and a halftime ceremony during the game.
This statue is more than a tribute to athletic excellence—it’s a permanent reminder of the golden legacy of Billy Sims and his place in the heart of Sooner Nation. As ESPN noted in its report, few players have left as indelible a mark on college football history as the Sooners’ No. 20.
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