Member Biography

At Classen High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1944, Jim Owens stood out as an excellent football player, winning high praises as co-captain of the State Championship Team and individual All-State honors. His college career was interrupted by service in the U.S. Navy Air Corps but he entered the University of Oklahoma in time for the 1946 season. He played on the varsity for 4 years, one year under Jim Tatum and three years under Bud Wilkinson, who had this to say about Owens: "He's undoubtedly one of the best football players I've ever coached, both offensively and defensively. He is one of the best tight ends to play college football." This opinion was endorsed years later when Owens was named to the All-Time Bud Wilkinson Era Team at Oklahoma. That's high praise, because Oklahoma had many fine players in those days, when in Owen's last two years the Sooners were 21-1. In 1949, Oklahoma went 10-0-0 in the regular season co-captained by Owens, as the Sooners ran up 364 points against 88 for the opposition. Owens won All- America honors for his excellence on offense, and Oklahoma closed the season with a 35-0 Sugar Bowl victory over LSU. Owens coached the University of Washington 1957-74. His 1959 and 1960 teams won in the Rose Bowl.