Jack Mildren

Larry Jack Mildren (October 10 1949 - May 22 2008) a native Texan, was a popular All-American quarterback at The University of Oklahoma in his college years, and professional football player with the Baltimore Colts and New England Patriots, a oil company owner, and was elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, and enjoyed a career as a successful bank executive in Oklahoma.

Mildren was born in Kingsville, Texas, and attended Cooper High School in Abilene, leading the Cougars to the Class 4A state championship game in 1967 against Austin Reagan High School. In one of the most memorable moments in Texas high school football history, with time running out and Cooper down by a single point, Mildren drove the Cougars to the Reagan one-yard line, only to be stopped short of the goal line on a quarterback sneak as time expired. Mildren notoriously waved the field-goal team off the field prior to the sneak, wanting to win the game with a touchdown.

In football, Mildren is perhaps best known as the "Godfather of the Wishbone" going back to his quarterbacking days at the University of Oklahoma (1969-71). Introduced at OU in 1970 by Mildren's coach, Chuck Fairbanks, success of "The Bone" pivoted on a quarterback with a rare combination of quickness, strength and intelligence. Posting a mediocre 6-4 record in Mildren's sophomore year and off to a lackluster 2-1 start in 1970, Fairbanks' Sooners installed the option offense during the two-week period between a 23-14 home loss to Oregon State and the annual Cotton Bowl clash against arch-rival Texas. Despite losing 41-9 to the Longhorns (who had run the wishbone to a national title the previous season), the Sooners quickly turned their season around, going 5-2-1 after the gutsy switch, and also ushered in a period of rushing dominance seldom seen before or since.

Mildren set records in his 1971 senior season that have since been exceeded. The Sooners posted an 11-1 record, with the wishbone averaging a remarkable 472.4 yards rushing per game. Mildren set records for most rushing yards in a season (1,140; 1971), most career touchdown passes (25), and season passing efficiency (209.0; 1971). That same season, OU fell just short of a national championship, losing 35-31 in Norman, Oklahoma to eventual champ Nebraska in what was billed as the Game of the Century. The defending national champion Cornhuskers gambled defensively by taking halfback Greg Pruitt out of the action and forced Mildren to defeat them virtually on his own. He almost did--throwing two touchdown passes as well as running for two more, accounting for twenty-eight points against the #1 defense in the country.

Mildren was named both All-American quarterback and Academic All-American his senior season. He was also named the 1972 Sugar Bowl MVP after the Sooners' 40-22 victory over the Auburn, a game OU led 31-0 at halftime.

After his collegiate days, Mildren joined the ranks of the pros for three seasons, playing defensive back for the Baltimore Colts and New England Patriots.

In 1990, Mildren became the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. In 1994, he ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate for Governor of Oklahoma, losing to Republican Frank Keating.

Mildren served as the Vice-Chairman for the Arvest Bank Group, and as an announcer for Jox 930 WKY - Oklahoma's oldest radio station - which is an all-sports radio station in Oklahoma City. He was also a regular contributor on WWLS The Sports Animal, having a regular segment with Al and Jim (The Total Dominance Hour), and also was a valued member of The Sports Animal's Gameday coverage of OU Football.

Mildren had three children; Leigh Woody (married to Russell Woody), Lauren Ford (married to Adam Ford) and Andrew Mildren (married to Caroline Mildren). Leigh and Drew reside in Oklahoma City while Lauren and Adam reside in Washington, D.C. He also had a grandson, Jacob Mildren Woody and a granddaughter, Elizabeth Grace Mildren, by the time of his death.

Jack succumbed to his two-year battle with stomach cancer on May 22 2008.