Jim Grisham obit

Tributes: Former OU star Jim Grisham dies at 69

 

He was not on the list.

A tribute to people with Oklahoma ties who had a role in sports.

Alabama coach Bear Bryant said Jim Grisham “is as hard a runner as we have ever seen.” Grisham was a consensus All-American in 1963 after playing both fullback and linebacker for the Oklahoma Sooners. The All-State player from Olney, Texas, averaged 5.2 yards per carry over the 1962-64 seasons at OU. He finished with 2,404 yards and 18 touchdowns. Grisham was drafted by the NFL's Minnesota Vikings and AFL's Houston Oilers, although the three-time All-Big Eight selection never played professional football. Grisham earned an industrial engineering degree from OU in 1965 and went to work in that field. He was a North Carolina resident at the time of death at age 69.

Grisham attended Olney High School, where he played quarterback, End, halfback and fullback. As a junior in 1959, he played halfback, helping the team reach the Texas Class 2A semifinal.

As a senior in 1960, he was named the starter at fullback after Harold Phillip graduated. He led his team to a second straight semifinal appearance, while scoring 21 touchdowns and earning All-state honors.

Grisham accepted a football scholarship from the University of Oklahoma, to play under head coach Bud Wilkinson. As a sophomore, he posted 147 carries for 711 yards (4.8-yard average) and 8 touchdowns.

As a junior in 1963, he was named a consensus All-American, playing both offense (fullback) and defense (linebacker). He tallied 153 carries for 861 yards (5.6-yard average) and 8 touchdowns. He rushed for 218 yards and scored 4 touchdowns against Oklahoma State University in the Bedlam Series. He finished second in the Big Eight Conference in rushing behind Gale Sayers.

As a senior, Gomer Jones became the new football head coach of the Sooners. Grisham registered 146 carries for 725 yards (5.0-yard average) and 3 touchdowns, finishing second in the Big Eight Conference in rushing behind Walt Garrison. He was one of four Sooners stars who missed the 1965 Gator Bowl game against Florida State University. Grisham, offensive lineman Ralph Neely, halfback Lance Rentzel and end Wes Skidgel signed with professional teams before the game, and were ruled ineligible for the contest, which Florida State University won 36–19 on the strength of four touchdown catches by Fred Biletnikoff.

Grisham rushed for a school record 2,297 career yards, including a 5.2 yards per carry average and 19 touchdowns in his college career.