Trio of Former Oklahoma Players Named to College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

Rocky Calmus, Josh Heupel and Dewey Selmon will all be up for induction on the Hall of Fame's 2023 ballot.

A trio of Oklahoma legends move one step closer to college football immortality.

Former Sooners greats Rocky Calmus, Josh Heupel and Dewey Selmon were all named to the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2023 ballot, the National Football Foundation announced on Monday.

Calmus, Heupel and D. Selmon on 2023 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.

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— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) June 6, 2022

“Having a ballot and a voice in the selection of the College Football Hall of Fame inductees is one of the most cherished NFF member benefits,” NFF Chairman and 1989 Hall of Fame inductee Archie Manning said in a release. “There is no group more knowledgeable or passionate about college football than our membership, and the tradition of the ballot helps us engage them in the lofty responsibility of selecting those who have reached the pinnacle of achievement in our sport.”

Calmus, a linebacker for OU from 1998-2001, was a key piece of the Sooners’ defensive resurgence in the beginning of Bob Stoops’ tenure, helping them win the program’s seventh national title.

He finished his career ranked fourth in team history in tackles with 431 and still holds the record for most tackles for loss in Oklahoma history at 59, sacks from an inside linebacker at 14, pass breakups by a linebacker at 26 and fumble recoveries by a linebacker at seven.

Heupel, the Sooners’ quarterback in 1999-2000, was the signal-caller for the aforementioned national title team under Stoops.

The JUCO transfer guided Oklahoma to a 13-0 record in his second year as starting quarterback, winning the national championship and being named the Associated Press Player of the Year, the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Sporting News Player of the Year, the CBS Sports Player of the Year and the Big 12 Player of the Year along the way.

Despite playing just two seasons in Norman, Heupel ranks in the top-5 in team history in passing yards, career completions, passing attempts and passing touchdowns.

Selmon, a defensive lineman from 1972-1975, was an instrumental part of a historic run for the Oklahoma defense and program in the mid-1970’s.

In Selmon’s four years with OU, the Sooners went an outrageous 43-2-1 winning four straight Big Eight titles and two national championships in 1974 and 1975.

He finished his career with 325 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries - with Oklahoma holding a 32-1-1 record with him as a starter.

The announcement of the class will be made early in 2023 with the class officially inducted during the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 5, 2023.

Former OU safety Roy Williams will be inducted as a part of the 2022 class on December 6 of this year.