High school. (Joe Skipper / Associated Press) By David Wharton Even injured. Leroy was an amazing fullback and wed practice the ride-and-decide every day for hours. So it was, OK, whatever we have got to do, we have got to do. The reason being, Coach Switzer tore his knee up at the Nebraska game. ''He believed in me as a baby, as a young man, and I was up here with grown men,'' Holieway said. 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. He made me want to go put my damn helmet on one more time and play, Holieway said. He goes on and on about Barry Switzer. And given the opportunity, I did pretty well.''. Good luck to Jamelle Holieway. A Lashar field goal cut the Oklahoma deficit to 17-10 with 10:39 to play, but the Sooners fumbled the ball away twice on their next two chances to drive for the tying score. Finding info on his life after the Sooners is difficult; many sources mispell his name "Holloway" instead of "Holieway," and there is just not a lot info on the internet from those pre-www days. Coach Ferragamo would set up the projector for us and we would watch a ton of film, said Holieway. Johnson andSwitzer once worked together as assistants at Oklahoma in the early 1970s and Jimmy later coached at in-state rival Oklahoma State, where he was winless in five tries against Switzers powerhouse Sooner program. During his senior year of high school, his father was sent to prison after being convicted for the illegal trafficking of alcohol. In 39 games, he had 2,713 yards rushing and 2,430 yards passing for a combined 5,143 yards of total offense -- averaging over 131 yards/game. His mother taught him, at an early age, the need to be mobile and self-sufficient. I immediately upon reading your version of the above, visualized an internal organ flopping around on a highway. It is not all about the cheering. And when Colorado and Coach (Bill) McCartney said he was going to change to the wishbone, I am like, You just want me there. Switzers background was unique, and his rapport with African-American playersunequaled. ''I didn't want to stay in Norman when they had away games because it was a ghost town back then, and everybody went their separate ways.''. Sorry Berry, I also thought Jamelle had the liver for dinner that night that Terry mentioned. homes for rent in leland for $600; randy deshaney; do numbers come before letters in alphabetical order Lashar field goal later in the quarter. These type of articles are your best Berry. During his junior year, Banning was returning its starting quarterback, so Jamelle was relegated to being a backup. He never thought about Aikman's shadow when he took over. My foot got stuck in the turf in the season where they sewed it together, Holieway said. Tim Lashar kicked four field goals, Sonny Brown intercepted two passes and Holieway etched his name in the history books forever as the first true freshman starting quarterback to lead his team to a national championship, 25-10. I had some great coaches and mentors that took me under their wing, said Holieway. Jamelle Holieway played professionally for the National Football League's Los Angeles Raiders (1989-1990) and the Canadian Football League's British Columbia Lions (1991-1992). He also practiced those moves within the tight confines of his small home. It was a distinction that Holieway shared with no one for the next 33 years. He spent all day with the team and never asked for anything in return! Holieway and Oklahoma had national title aspirations again in 1986, but a road loss to Miami in the third game of the season kept the Sooners outside the title chase for the duration of the season. Holieway said gaining the team's confidence wasn't all that difficult, so long as he did his job. It was the first time that hed ever seen snow. Holieway, now 49 and living in Quinton, Oklahoma, has enjoyed watching Hurts from afar and sees similarities in their skills and situations. There are few stories regarding Oklahoma football more remarkable than the one authored by Holieway. In order for that bowl matchup to have national championship implications, the Sooners would have to defeat both Oklahoma State on the road and SMU in the home finale. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Please pray that all goes well. Went to Banning High, Banning CA. Against the Sooners fierce, top-ranked defense during fall practices, Holieway had been successful in marching a team of back-ups up and down the field. Holieway was not interested. I knew we couldnt make a mistake. As a kid, he would walk out of his home with a .22 pistol and a kerosene lamp to escort his mother and grandmother to the outhouse, protecting them against venomous Copperhead snakes. Holieways adopted state once cheered him. One of his favorite adventures was taking the two buses over to The Forum, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, and sneaking into the games. He's fired up about Caleb Williams.. Of course, Holieway isn't just any Sooner fan. 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). We understood every situation based on how a defense played us. Holieways chauffeur duties extended from the golf cart to the car that shuffled Switzer from one bowl week commitment to another. Last evening Jamelle came and spoke to a group of our young graduating seniors in Konawa, OK. I pushed myself. It was just me and him that whole time during that Orange Bowl, Holieway said. But, Holt said, I think hes finding his way into the community., And the OU community remains dear to Holieway. And me being from California, we have got to be flamboyant. She couldnt stay, but for her to come all the way across town to see me play for five minutes, that meant the world to me. We went 11-0 the next year and I ran for 325 yards in the city championship, but we wound up losing. In California, I had to grow up fast, Holieway said. He expects Hurts and the Crimson Tide to claim the championship. Coach Switzer always told us, If it is not for the fans, then who the hell are we? There was something about playing Miami, because I knew that we had to give our best, Holieway said. Heres whats interesting. It is all about how you are being a general amongst this team and moving down the field and getting us in the right plays. He was like, If the defense does this, what do you do? One night in LA, I went to dinner with Holieway, OU recruiter Scott Hill and booster Jay Thomas, back when recruiting dinners were allowed and media illumination was encouraged. [2], Later on, Holieway acknowledged that he received favors from school boosters and Coach Switzer, but denied ever receiving any cash payments.[3]. Holieway began playing organized sports when he was around seven years old. Former University of Oklahoma quarterback Jamelle Holieway and a female companion were arrested Sunday afternoon on a complaint of shoplifting at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in McAlester. And I would have given it all I could. 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). LAWRENCE, Kan. Jamelle Holieway is like every Sooner fan. His teams were perpetually competing for championships as he continuously ran circles and scampered around players who were markedly bigger and stronger. It must have been a grueling wait for the coaches, players and the fan base. An Aikman-led victory over Texas (14-7) set the stage for the well-documented October 19 visit from unranked Miami. 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. With Oklahomas stingy defense going up against a team averaging close to 40 points per game, something was bound to give. And that is what I did. Holieway still credits Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer for showing confidence in him. Another one of the great plays in #Sooners history. Holieway threw a 71-yard touchdown pass in that game to All-American tight end Keith Jackson. That was a face mask that gave us a first down.. He has a lovely young wife who assists him and a beautiful young son. Just there for you no matter what.. Middle class blacks scattered as well and in the early 1970s, the areas manufacturing base began an abrupt decline. 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. The 1985 Oklahoma Sooners entered the football season overflowing with much more than hope and optimism. And then he goes and breaks his leg and I get to go in. He freely admitted to making lots of bad decisions, and asked the young people to not make the mistakes he had made. Post author: Post published: April 2, 2023 Post category: what did the kickapoo tribe believe in Post comments: where can i cash a check from edward jones where can i cash a check from edward jones It is humbling, Holieway said. Contribute to The Shadow League today and help us share our narratives. 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. The Holieway-led Sooners would go on an epic run through the 1985 season, winning their next seven games after the Miami loss. Clad in his original Oklahoma road-white 1986 Orange Bowl jersey which was used just for a bowl week photo opportunity as the Sooners wore their crimson jerseys in the game that year Holieway gathered before the scrimmage at midfield with all of the other former players as Venables spoke passionately about their importance to the program. So I know when he speaks to his own team, he kind of reminds me of (former Oklahoma Coach Barry) Switzer when it comes to motivation. Just a bit of constructive criticism Only thing missing was the fur coat & purse. In Oklahoma, it was totally different. ''I think of how hard it is for any quarterback to do it (win a national title),'' Holieway said. Not an upstanding person any longer. The 5-foot-11 field general stepped in after Troy Aikman went down with a broken leg during a loss to Miami early in the season, and the Sooners didn't miss a beat after that game. Hurts has only spoken to reporters once so far this season and isn't expected to be available until next week before the Peach Bowl. Watch the full 1986 @OU_Football Flashback vs Nebraska, 10 pm @BallySportsOK pic.twitter.com/sl1bKpM0dU, Sooner Sports Network (@SoonerSportsTV) September 9, 2021. 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. Holieway then turned his focus to Oklahoma, which not only had a long, successful track record of winning big with the triple-option offensive attack but a charismatic coach in Barry Switzer who was not threatened by players who wished to display some personality. Troy broke his leg, Switzer told him. Oklahoma, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Colorado, Oregon and USC came after Holieway. He is having some very serious heart issues right now. Thats probably where all my moves first came from. So, how much is Jamelle Holieway worth at the age of 55 years old? You can read it here. ', 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. I personally think if he could have gone pro, he would have been one of the best. But Holieway was not as green as has often been portrayed. While Mitchel possessed both the superior size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds compared to 5-11, 175 for Holieway) and speed (a 4.27-second 40-yard dash vs. Holieway's low 4.5), it was Holieway that . Throughout the remainder of this college football season, The Shadow Leagues series, The Black College Quarterback, will examine some of the most talented and impactful signal callers of the 80s and 90s. Now Im grown up., Holieways lifelong friend, former Southern Cal fullback Leroy Holt, said hes glad Holieway never returned to California. He underwent reconstructive knee surgery shortly after the injury, and rehabilitated in the offseason. But now, it's a coin toss.''. Aikmans main target in the passing game was Keith Jackson, the best tight end in the country. In a matter of four minutes of game time, the stunned Nebraska crowd had gone from sensing victory to settling for a tie to a shocking defeat. I didnt want the fast pace, Holieway said. I am going to be cold. 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. Maybe Holieway felt invincible in Oklahoma. The ancillary effects of the abandonment, rising unemployment, escalating crime, violence and poverty, along with the distending narcotics trade, were all critical elements in the augmentation of the Bloods, Crips and overall gang culture. But the Watts riots in 1965 led to white flight and businesses being abandoned. But maybe thats part of the problem. I saw that little safety, I saw (Penn State safety Ray) Isom, No. So therefore, it was only Colorado or Oklahoma. That is not going to work, Holieway recalled. Ou Sooners Spring Football Game. Your email address will not be published. I use his highlight film to inspire a young man that plays on an adult semi pro team that i coach in the bay area. After Jerome Brown, who was a beast by the way, sacked Troy, I heard Coach Switzer yell out, Jamelle Holieway! Went to Banning Senior High. You couldnt make that pivotal mistake. So we've got three things going.''. He recorded 32 rushing touchdowns and 22 passing scores with 15 interceptions. With four daysleft until the start of another Oklahoma football season, we continue our countdown to Saturdays season-opening game. My team was so good, we were better than the JV team at my school, said Holieway. Lets Roll! 1 Nebraska. What a tandem we had with Jamelle and Eric Mitchell back then. I knew that it was a national-televised game, Holieway said. 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. The Watts riots in 1965 led to white flight and businesses being abandoned the community., and the! Spent all day with the team 's confidence was n't all that difficult so. Oklahomas stingy defense going up against jamelle holieway heart attack team averaging close to 40 points per,! Young son how hard it is not going to work, Holieway said an... 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