De'Mond Parker

[zyxquark]

What a gyp for him. He was as good a running back as we just about ever had only when he came thru we stunk it up thoroughly through no fault of his. He was fantastique and I for one remember how great he was. then he left one season early, which is understandable, but if he would have waited he would have caught year one of stoops and we would have challenged for the south just from having him ALONE. Same for justin fuente--a talent we wasted through idiotically bad coaches. we apologize.

[yoshibootz]

I miss that slanted OU symbol, my dad gave me a hat with that on it when i was like 11, or 12. I still have it 12 years later but it i cant fit it no more.

[foomantx2008]

This was great rhombic! I was not living in Oklahoma those years so, I never got to see a lot of games. Thanks for making this available for us all. Parker was one of the best ever at OU. To do what he did with those teams was nothing short of spectacular. By the way, OU was never embarassing or bad, we just took a break at let some of the other schools catch up to our Dominance. More to come...BOOMER!

[CrimsonKing07]

To all those who are second guessing what could have been had he stayed and Griffin didn't have to lose his redshirt I would like to point out that it cuts both ways. Sure we would have been better in 2003, but we would have been starting a TB in 2000 who had no game experience. What if Griffin is just a little less prepared in 2000 and we don't win it all? I would have enjoyed seeing what he could have done in a Mike Leach offense with a well coached team, but it worked out alright for us.

[Sirscorps]

If this kid would've been able to keep his nose clean, him & Ahman Green would've made an almost unstoppable backfield in GB. Sure, he had an ACL injury too but.....is it that difficult to stay clean when you're that talented & have that much potential????

/& getting pd. well.

[yangoholic]

Better Than A.P. Fo Sho!

[Sooners7x]

@yangoholic If by AP, you mean Allan Patrick, then I agree!

[midnightrider1100]

I remember him but going back and looking at the hilights, I am stunned. I knew he was good then but now when I watch those cutbacks, I"m thinking how good OU could have been with a decent gameplan and a soundly coached team. On film he looks like he would have been a great wishbone back in the Switzer years or a great tailback on a Stoops team.

[kettap3]

He made them look so stupid @5:47. Coldest improv i've seen in a while

[piercematt]

I remember him so well. He could make a OU loss have some excitement. I remember when we were getting beat all those years that he could always make a crying 6 year old (me) immediately stop crying and yell and scream and cheer! I still hate those losses we had.

[MrLightbryt]

call me what you want but the sooners had some good running backs in the 90's. Parker, James Allen, and Jerald Moore were some beasts!!!

[Ballinb4time030]

ha this is crazy, i was too lil to know that he was one of the greatest ou backs cus he's my brother n he didnt act like he was all that great but after seeing these videos i see y becuz his teamed sucked big time

[youngjocksta]

what happen to parkers nfl career with the packers

[Sirscorps]

@youngjocksta I was so happy that GB had drafted Parker in 1999 because GB had never had a back like Parker. He got some playing time as a rookie & had 1 135yd. game @ Chicago, in the rain but didn't so much else & didn't get much playing time. He played a little in 2000 & then blew out his knee. Then sometime after that, he got busted for having some pot on him. Shortly after, GB cut him. It's too bad cause to have him & Ahman Green as the main rb's would've been something pretty special.

[soonergaret]

Chew on this......Peterson and Demond each played three years. Demond from 96 to 98 and Peterson from 04 to 06. I think we all know who was surrounded by better players.

Career #'s - Demond Parker had 574 rushing attempts for 3,403 yards, averaging 5.88 yards per carry, while scoring 21 career touchdowns.

Adrian Peterson had 747 rushing atempts for 4,045 career yards, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, while scoring 41 career touchdowns. Just some food for thought.

[jimn35]

I hear ya, Demond did not have the blocking the others did. I know why he missed the last 4 games of his junior year. ..still, 1000+ yards in just 7 games is pretty damn good.

[soonergaret]

Demond Parker is the only reason I watched OU play in the 90's. I wish there would of been a way to have the TV let me know when OU's offense had the ball, so I could of skipped all the other horrific football being played in those days.

[jimn35]

Demond did all this with an O-line that sucked as bad as they have this year. IN my book, Demond is up there with Murray and Brown, Spencer, Q, and AD.

[soonergaret]

@jimn35 Demond is way better than Murray and Brown......Have a little respect bro.

Better than Q too, but that is up for debate.

[youngjocksta]

y the fuck is Ou runnin the ball out of shotgun damn near the whole game that is depressing murray need to see wat parker did in a miserable year of bs loses

[wadeccockrill]

Man he was good! A definite over-looked player. I remmember being a little kid and watching this guy, Jarold Moore, and James Allen all around the same erra. OU allways had extraordinary tallent.

[rammdacc]

One more thought: Bob Stoops' first year as coach @ OU would have been D.P. senior year. Instead of playing his senior year he opted to play in the NFL for Green Bay. That year OU went 7 - 5 with LITERALLY NO RUN GAME (no disrespec to Q. Griffin). Can you Sooner fans imagine how good we would have been Stoops' FIRST year if DeMond had stayed for his senior season.

[jimn35]

Demond rushed for over 1000 yds in 7 games his jr year. His ribs were broken in a fight with the other RB, Anthony Fassond. If Demond would have stayed, Q would have kept his red shirt and had 1 more yr to play, Then there wold have been no gap between Q and AD. Sooners might have won it all in 1999 too,

[soonerguy44]

Q's redshirt was burned because Mike Thorton was injuried

[soonergaret]

@rammdacc That was the worst decision Parker ever made. Had he stayed at OU in 1999, OU would of made a run and Demond would have made more money.

[jim8569]

@rammdacc remember, they had to pull Q out of redshirt about what, like 6 or 7 games into the season because of injuries? Think about this. If they don't do that, he's on the '03 team against LSU for the title, think things could've been different? I think so. Wierd how injuries and early departures can change the fortunes of a team.

[thekurtamus]

@rammdacc

We forget that OU started the '99 year with Michael Thornton as TB. Griffin was pulled out of redshirt late in that season when Thornton got hurt. Think of the trickle down effect... OU probably would've been better in '99 with Parker, plus, Griffin would've been around for the 2003 season, when we fell apart late because we had NO running game. Just a thought...

[ruscopcoltrain]

@rammdacc I'll do you one better. Q had to break his redshirt in 99 because Michael Thornton was injured. If Parker had stayed, there's a good chance Q wouldn't have had to do that, which would mean he would have been around an extra year. Can you imagine if we'd still had Q in 2003 with White, Clayton, Jones, Wilson, and that defense? No way we lose to LSU.

[rammdacc]

Okay I hope I don't make any ex-OU players mad but all 3 years John Blake was @ OU D.P. was his starting running back and whats amazing is Blake's last season he won 5 games...with DP as his ONLY real threat...thats how amazing this kid was.

[Soonerborn03]

How John Blake managed to have such miserable offenses with this guy on the team is beyond me.

[charlesricky]

@gmoyer12 yah were you the guy that cost parker those touchdowns against texas that year he rushed for all those yards no offense but the reason we were no good those years is because the oline was to incostient

[gmoyer12]

I was injured at cal berkley. didn't play at texas that year.

[animal029]

Holy crap! I have never seen a highlight video this impresive. Spectacular vision, speed, agility, power, and will. He's in my top four Sooner-backs ever.

[stybarrow]

i cant tell you how many great runs of his were called back due to penalties like, too many players on the field, holding, lining up in the neut zone, etc.

[rammdacc]

OMG you are so right stybarrow!! One of the most frustrating things about being a Sooner fan back in those days was, when we did good a great play out of DeMond or someone else, it would get called back 2/3 of the time on a holding, illegal proceedure, too many men on the field, illegal motion, illegal substitution, etc. penalty. I saw DeMond have numerous (how many?) 50+ yard runs called back on penalties. Imagine him on a good OU team....we can only wonder how good he really would have been.

[sirjew]

i remember being at games back then and watching it take 3 sometimes more guys to bring him down.  real hard runner

[ad287]

Great player, bad era. Had Parker played in the Switzer or Stoops era, he would have gotten just as much attention as Simms or Peterson. He was special, and WE knew it. And for the record, Bob Stoops is a lost fucking soul without his brother Mike. I don't give a shit if we're winning 12 games a year. Those games aren't against the big boys, we're just beating up on weaker teams. We don't have the coaching anymore to beat a USC, Florida, LSU, or Texas. Wilson and Venables are a joke.

[youngjocksta]

no dude i dont see the players showin any emotion to win it all , like vince young wanted it pat white , reggie bush , percy harvin , teebow , bradford has to step up as a leader he has all the skill but kant push his team , also ppl leave early as hell in OU Curtis lofton should have come back an Malcolm Kelly he miss to str8 bowl games no loyalty to the program when it matters OU has to win it all this yr or idk wtf goin own atleast Gerald McCoy an Gresham came back thats a sign from Bradford

[cmdsooner]

do you honestly think that bob's and mike's defensive views are that different? love mike but it would be no different with him here... that "joke" that you say wilson is just set a record for the most points scored in one year and venables does an awesome job of coaching the defense. it's just hard for dumbasses like you to connect the dots and figure out that more scoring = more possessions for the opposition, and more possessions for the opposition = more points given up

[etool782]

I think he has been the most exciting RB Oklahoma has had. From an overall skill set, AD is clearly off the chart. But Parker was just something special and wish he could have played in a Mike Leach offense.

It would have been scary.

[PuffMoney23]

:53 broken ankles

[scylineridge]

DP, northside all day. BTW all day.  Dogg Pound all day

[youngjocksta]

the past 10/11 years he is like the 4th best OU rb Peterson , Griffin , Murray , Parker , Patrick, Brown , Jones

[NBAnOKC]

demond parker was the shit. i still wish he woulda stayed longer

[networkingtoo]

best running back i ever played against....imagine this of all the great sooner backs he had more yards but olayed on losing teams just imagine if he had a better team and coach he is a great college running back and he knew it too

[alexhp91]

damn..if he was just ONE year younger AND if he stayed in school, he would be wearing a National Championship ring on his finger

[Intellektual1]

Man if De'Mond knew there was a video of his highlights with this goofy ass cut playin' in the background he'd puke.

[dirtroadlegend]

He does know and has posted on here. I was greatly appreciative that someone made this of him.

[jturpen2]

RW McQuarters was a teammate of his in high school but would have chosen OU if he they had Blake according McQuarters as he was not sold on Schnelleberger. Plus Demond got in trouble with marijuana in the NFL as a Green Bay Packer. Jared Allen was another solid running back that was more like a power back. Though Blake brought in some talent but didn't know how to coach it up.

[dauntedpigeon]

It's a shame he didn't have the frame for his running style. I mean, it isn't a bad thing he seemed to be more of a power runner because he sheds a ton of tackles, but with the elusiveness he shows on some of his cuts if he had breakaway speed there would of been many runs where literally no one laid a finger on him. Great Running back this guy was.

[jkdet]

Man if he would have stay another year or so no tell what could have happened with Stoops on the scene. BOOMER SOONER FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alexhp91]

I don't think De'mond Parker could have won the 5 games they lost that year..haha

he would have been a beast to single-handedly reverse 5 losses....haha

[NBAnOKC]

he was

[pimpin2334]

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP HERE WE COME YESSIR. mizzou gonna get it next weekend.

[alexhp91]

hahaha

nice try buddy

[427ST]

Bob Stoops inherited John Blake's Recruits! Stoops is a great coach,..but it was Coach Blake who was quietly rebuilding the Sooners. De'Mond Parker,..one of the greats. Now it's DeMarco's turn.

[alexhp91]

Blake didn't bring in Josh Heupel, Quentin Griffin, Andre Woolfolk, Antwone Savage, Curtis Fagan, Trent Smith, Derrick Strait, or Brandon Everage......Bob Stoops did

they were ALL members of the 2000 National Championship Team

in fact, the only 2 players on that team to mention, that Blake actually DID recruit were Rocky Calmus and Torrance Marshall

both good players, but to say Stoops "inherited" the team is just idiotic

[networkingtoo]

man stoops inherited that team and coached them like he was coaching high school and won the championship...he fucking sucks cock..im so tired of him going and getting his ass kicked just cause he wont let a black qb get out if the pocket...he wont adjust so the defense gets their asses kicked every year.....if he cant win the way he wants to he will get his ass kicked just like parcells...damn right those were blakes players i knw for a fact! the dam statue of liberty play?where is sooner magic

[kidrodelo5]

John Blake was a horrible coach, a great recruiter make no mistake, but bad coach. In 2000 Bob had all that talent and had solid coachin around him, OU hasnt been the same since Mike Stoops left.

[networkingtoo]

I barry cant take another year of his gay ass coaching ....all the talent in america and being so stubborn he'll take a ass whipin

[NBAnOKC]

i like bob but i kinda agree, in 2000 we had a lot of good coaches. now we got better teams and just bob. 2n2= no offense to brent v

[NBAnOKC]

your an idiot. even bob said the players were here just not in the right position

[networkingtoo]

man dude had cats playing everywhere..kickoff,special teams,offense..etc...to me that was the only year he really coached...now he just sets up a system and if we cant win this way oh well....i get paid the university gets paid,and were ranked high in th epre season to do it all over again...we recruit well...but we would have to have the best damn team in school history to beat a coach who is coaching,cause a stoops will not adjust,he acts like its a 7game series....

[ndnredman]

it's seems that way .

[scylineridge]

If you have never coached, head coached, in the NCAA, please don't speak about what stoops is not doing.

[Ballinb4time030]

preciate ya showin luv to my big bro, how did u get all these highlights?

[ThunderSooner2835]

It surprises me that we were that bad even with him. It was the coaching that sucked.

BOOMER!

[brothacoffee]

Quentin Griffin, Adrian Peterson, Billy Simms, Joe Washington, Greg Pruitt, Steve Owens, Marcus Dupree are the great running backs in Sooner history. I guess some folks have forgotten about Demond Parker. I consider Parker as one of the greats, but due to him playing during the John Blake era others don't talk about him to much. He was very exciting to watch.

[makestoms]

Actually there was a player that was a teammate of Parker's that is still starting in the NFL. Remember Baltimore Ravens Kelly Gregg?

[HighHeadJim]

He was definitely one of the best OU running backs in history, and still holds a state record in high school track and field. Stoops sure missed out on him when he left early. I think he could've won the heisman his senior year with the season we had, and he would've put our team over the hump that year. If you remember 99', every loss that we had was a close game that we could have won.

[sooner1429]

He seems to be forgotten but he was the only sunshine in otherwise dark years! Thanks for posting the video!!

[Shabutie545]

him and james allen were my favorite in the 90's, and there weren't many

[timmyc54]

He was all over the highlights on espn when he actually got to play for the pack. Levins had to get hurt for him to play. I remember a shot of him fanning his "hot" feet.

[StuUngar]

More elusive than AD.

More powerful than Q.

Severely underrated.

[miksta03]

what a damn shame. Most of these badass runs were usually called back for some dumbass holding call on the opposite sideline or an illegal formation. He, James Allen, and Jarrail Jackson don't get enough credit as OU running backs. With the low talent and bad coaching that they dealt with, all consistent 1100 yard rushers (net, even after the penalties). Boomer!!!

[jewstin2]

good grief, he was fast. absolute stud.

[soonerbadass]

Born in Oklahoma aka the sooner state, we can say we all we want.

[arkboyslim]

I'm a Sooner. Therefore I believe I am entitled to use "we" when describing my school's team.

[stalemate360]

did he do anything in the nfl

[jcobra67]

People keep saying how good would we have been in 99 with Demond. Well how good would we have been 2003 with Quentin? If Demond stays for 99, then we don't have to burn Q's redshirt. In 03 he would have been a senior with that amazing passing attack. We would have beat KSU and LSU with Q and have #8.

[jdfirebomb]

a lot of truth in that... its a shame we burned Q's redshirt for what, 4 games in 99? but its all good, im sure he doesn't have regrets and neither should we. and demond leaving early was the best thing for his daughter at the time, gotta respect that.

[sooner5900]

but if Q didnt play in '99 - then maybe he doesnt make some of the huge plays that changed games in 200 when we won the Title - its a whole game of "what if's" lol

[kimborampage]

dont say we..ur not on the team

[sooner5900]

I sure hope your not replying to me with that comment, kimbo...

[kesha0123]

This is demond and i would like to thank the person that made this video. Man if i could do it over again i would have stayed for the 99 season.

[ginyuwinarticle]

Thanks 4 the memories Demond!

[oujon77]

Where was the runs from his redshirt year againest San Diego St.??

[rustyshackleford918]

Talented. He just came a decade too early.

[jdfirebomb]

i swear i've watched this thing like 10 times. demond was probably one of my all-time fav players! on the very last run of the video, against baylor, it seriously looks like he jukes and breaks the DB's leg!

[jdfirebomb]

you can just imagine what 1999 would have been like in stoops first year if parker had stayed. 'ouskull' you're right, we just weren't very well coached back then.

[hoopsaustin]

OMG it kills me that he left early

[ouskull]

One thing I'm seeing is a LOT of him having to dodge his blockers instead of use them.  If he, and his blockers, had been exposed to ANY coaching, he would have looked downright Little Joe'ish.

[jdfirebomb]

he was on the packers for a while, actually got a few starts and looked really good in a few games. i remember he got hurt halfway through the 97 season and i swear he woulda won the heisman despite how bad we were!

[BlueandGoldirish]

What happend to this guy when he was drafted?? and i googled him and it says he was on the Bills

[ad287]

Parker was an amazing back, and he racked up all those yards while playing on our worst teams ever. Who knows what he would have done with offensive lines like Griffin and Adrian's. He wasn't the physical freak that Peterson is but honestly he was just as good of a back.

[massnole]

Never should have gone pro early.

[coolspud11]

demond parker is the MAN...

one thing though: at the beginning of the video, it should be said that stephen alexander was also a gangster in the '90s.

[EvilHudsonLTJ]

Well said, K-Ball... well said

[99bringit]

Still one of my favorite sooners of all time. When things were bleak, it gave me something to look forward to.

[soonersam90]

Demond was my first memory of OU football. I just wished he had just stayed one more year and played on the 1999 team.

[HazMatCFO]

Look at that crazy play at 5:14

[darthlauderdale]

OMG, I forgot how good that guy was, I was just a kid when i saw him play

[kansasooner]

is and always will be the man.

[StoopTroup]

Demond sure could light it up...

Good Video...

BOOMER SOONER ! ! !

[MadDogMadsen]

Very nice! Not a big fan of the music tho...