Bennie Owen is the most underrated figure in OU athletics history.
You know him as the name behind OU’s playing surface. Owen Field. Head football coach from 1905-26 and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Owen’s 22-year record was 122-54-16. His 1914 (9-1-1) and 1915 (10-0) Sooners brought national acclaim to football on the prairie, as Owen helped pioneer the forward pass.
Owen also was the athletic director for 35 years. He at times was a one-man fundraiser for projects like the OU Fieldhouse, the first OU golf course and even the student union.