Husker Killers: Elvis Peacock
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March 7, 2008 by
Former NBA star and coach Paul Westphal once said in praise of Pete Maravich, that “only one guy got to be Elvis and only one guy got to be Pistol Pete�. In the 1970’s only one team got to have Elvis (Peacock), and that was Oklahoma.
Elvis Zaring Peacock faced the Huskers four times from 1974 to 1977, and he scored at least one touchdown in every game (all Sooner victories). He scored the go-ahead touchdown in 1974 in the fourth quarter in a game in Lincoln. A year later, he extended a four-point lead to eleven early in the fourth quarter in Norman. The Sooners were national champions in each of those seasons. But it’s 1976 that still gives Huskers night terrors.
Peacock is credited with giving birth to the dreaded “Sooner Magic�. In 1976, OU came to Lincoln and found themselves trailing 17-7. With under three minutes remaining, and the score 17-14 in NU’s favor, Peacock took a hook and lateral down to the NU 3-yard line. Peacock then scored with 30 seconds remaining to give the Sooners the victory. Peacock ran for two other touchdowns that day, including a 50-yard burst that accounted for all of the Oklahoma scores.
In the 1977 Sooner rout, Peacock scored OU’s first two touchdowns which was all OU would need that day as the Sooners held the Huskers to only seven points.
Only one Sooner got to be Elvis (as Billy Sims found out a year later). Thank God.
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Greg Morrow Mar 07 08
That offense was just amazing to watch! Both pretty and horrifying, simultaneously (pretty horrifying!) At least against Nebraska it seemed to gurantee 4 yards a pop, even when well defended with Nebraska's DE's standing up in the 5-2. The '78 team had, to me, one of the best backfields ever. Thomas Lott (my favorite Okie QB), David Overstreet, Kenny King, Billy Sims....
That '76 season was especially disappointing for me, since it was only my second season following the team, game by game and Nebraska was already a preseason No. 1. But, the team was 8-2-1 by the time of the Okie game. (Didn't Nebraska finish 4th or 5th in conference that year?) My lasting image of that game was Vince "The Prince" getting whacked in the back as time was running out.
Oklahoma didn't have a great team themselves, that year. They did clobber an outmatched Wyoming in their bowl.
But again, just enough of Switzer's "Sooner Magic."
ze bop Mar 10 08
i dont even want to revisit any husker killers after the season we just endured, so no comment...
yo, zE