Sims, Billy R.
Football
b. Sept. 18, 1955, St. Louis, MO
Hampered by injuries in his freshman and sophomore years at the University of Oklahoma, Sims was the nation's top NCAA Division I runner as a junior in 1978. He gained 1,762 yards on 231 attempts, a 7.6 average, and scored 20 touchdowns. He tied a record by rushing for more than 300 yards in three consecutive games.
One of only six juniors to win the Heisman Trophy as the nation's best collegiate player, Sims was also chosen player of the year by The Sporting News and was a consensus All-American in 1978. He repeated as an All-American in his senior year, when he finished fourth in rushing with 1,506 yards and led in scoring with 22 touchdowns.
A first-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions, the 6-foot, 200-pound Sims gained 1,303 yards in 313 carries, a 4.2 average, and scored 16 touchdowns in 1980. He was the consensus NFL rookie of the year. Sims gained more than 1,000 yards in three of his first four seasons, but suffered a serious knee injury early in October of 1984. He hoped to make a comeback, but the knee did not respond to rehabilitation and he formally announced his retirement in 1986.