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University of Oklahoma Athletics
In the Center of Things
December 02, 2007 | Football
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The National Football Foundation.
A note fell out, stating: The National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame congratulate Tom Brahaney from the University of Oklahoma as an inductee into the 2007 College Football Hall of Fame.
Brahaney's reaction -- "Wow."
Tom Brahaney played as a center for the University of Oklahoma from 1969 to 1972. Thirty-five years later, his hard work was finally recognized by an organization set out to find those who exemplify scholarship, citizenship and athletic ability.
On December 4, Brahaney was honored with 13 other men as a member of the 2007 class of College Hall of Fame inductees in New York City at the Waldorf Hotel. Next summer, he will be enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Ind. He joins 22 other Sooners who have been inducted since 1951.
In order to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a player must meet five criteria. First, the player must have been named a first team All-American. Second, his final year in college football had to have been at least 10 years earlier. Third, he must exhibit demonstrated citizenship, "carrying the ideals of football forward." Fourth, he has to have played in the last 50 years. Finally, he cannot currently be playing in a professional football league.
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This year, 75 players and eight coaches were on the ballot for the Hall of Fame. Twelve thousand people voted, narrowing the field to 12 players and two coaches. Overall, 813 players and 173 coaches have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Compared to the 4.7 million players who have played college football, only 1.7% of former collegiate football players are inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
"The College Football Hall of Fame is a great honor," Brahaney said. "I can't tell you how surprised I was and still am. But I have always been a team man. We had a really good offensive line, and I really was just a part of a system."
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"Jack [Mildren] was the first one to call and congratulate me," Brahaney stated. "I remember driving down the road in the pouring rain, and my phone just kept ringing. It was crazy."
Former coach Barry Switzer was also in line to give his congratulations.
"[Brahaney] was one of the great players who played the college game," Switzer said. "I am happy for all my players and always want to be one of the first to congratulate them. I was happy and proud that he was going to represent the University of Oklahoma [in the Hall of Fame]."
Yet the mild-mannered Brahaney is unaccustomed to being in the spotlight.
"I'm a quiet guy," Brahaney continued. "My work keeps busy, but that day, everyone was excited. At the end of the night, my cell phone battery was dead. It was barely staying on. That's definitely unusual for me."
Brahaney described the honor as "popping up out the blue 35 years after leaving OU." Although unexpected by Brahaney, others were not as surprised about his induction.
"He was a leader of the offensive line," Switzer said. "His line established a record that will probably never be broken. He is certainly deserving of this honor. He was an outstanding player and person in all forums."
Still, how did we get here from there?
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Born in October of 1951 in Midland, Texas, Brahaney always remembered football being a factor in his life - a driving force.
"As a kid, I played in the yard," Brahaney said. "There was sandlot football all the time. Then that progressed into high school. That led to playing for a major university. That led to the professional circuit. OU football has always been good to me."
As a quiet, reserved center from a small town in Texas, the choice of a college destination came down to two schools: the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma. In reality, Brahaney had already made his decision.
"Texas recruited everyone, and I was not sure if they cared one way or the other if I attended their university," Brahaney said. "I just had a feeling that OU would be a better fit. OU seemed very interested in finding a center and getting me. But they were also recruiting several other centers."
Brahaney soon proved he deserved to be here. His freshman team went undefeated. Halfway through his sophomore year, he nabbed the starting spot in the lineup. As a senior, he was named a captain for the team, along with fellow Hall-of-Famer Greg Pruitt.
"Personally, that is one of the most memorable moments of my college career," Brahaney said. "I enjoyed the camaraderie. It is what I miss most. It was a great honor to be captain. All I did was exert some leadership and do what I was told on the field."
His ability to lead was noticed by his coaches as well as his teammate and former quarterback Mildren.
"Tom was a smart guy and an intelligent player," Mildren said. "He possessed both strength and agility. Everything he did was right. He was never in trouble on or off the field."
The team that Brahaney was a part of in the early 1970s was a special one, setting the stage for an amazing decade of success for the Sooners. While they did not win a national championship, they finished second in both 1971 and 1972 and the foundation was set for future championships later in the decade.
Two other notables stand out from his time at the University of Oklahoma: OU's switch to the wishbone formation and the 1971 OU - Nebraska game, better known as "The Game of the Century."
In 1970, head coach Chuck Fairbanks, at the urging of his offensive coordinator Switzer, made the decision to switch to the wishbone formation and unveiled it against archrivals Texas Longhorns.
Featuring a wide receiver, a tight end and three running backs who are lined up behind the quarterback, the offense led to wide open offensive shows. Although the Sooners didn't initially have great success with their maneuvers, they gradually improved and ultimately the OU wishbone became legendary for its ability to chew up rushing yards and score touchdowns.
"We got a little better each game throughout 1970," Brahaney said. "And by the end of the next season, we were leading the nation in rushing yards."
Brahaney and his line used 'the bone' to earn their starting spots and continue to improve the Sooner offense. Under the leadership of quarterback Mildren, Brahaney and the Sooners made it to the Big Eight showdown game against Nebraska.
"We knew it was a huge game," Brahaney said. "I don't remember much about the week before the game because as an offensive lineman, you aren't involved in the media. That was reserved for the backs and coaches. All I knew is that it was No. 1 versus No. 2."
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For Brahaney, the game was one of individual triumph as Rich Glover, a defensive tackle for the Cornhuskers and the Outland Trophy winner, said that Tom Brahaney was the best center he had faced. Brahaney's teammates agreed.
"One of the hardest things ... to do is chronicle who is the best then and now," Mildren said. "It is hard when there have been so many good ones for so long. But Tom Brahaney, he is definitely one of the best."
With the Sooners' team success came individual honors for Brahaney. He was a consensus All-American in both 1971 and 1972. He was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, which is given to the Lineman of the Year. In addition, he was a two-time All Big Eight selection. His line helped the 1971 Sooner football team set a record for total yards in a season (6,683) that still stands today.
Now, thirty-five years after leaving the University of Oklahoma, he is being honored for his great achievements.
"He deserves to be in the Hall and it is been well earned," Mildren said. "In my opinion, he was the best center in football history. I realize there were plenty of great ones. It might be the fact that I played with him that makes me think of him as the best. If not the best, he is one of the best."
The other members inducted alongside Brahaney are: Doug Flutie (Boston College), Ahmad Rashad (Oregon), Anthony Thompson (Indiana), Dave Brown (Michigan), Jeff Davis (Clemson), Johnnie Johnson (Texas), Rex Kern (Ohio State), Wilson Whitley (Houston), Reggie Williams (Dartmouth), Richard Wood (Southern Cal) and Chris Zorich (Notre Dame). Two coaches will also be inducted: Herb Deromedi of Central Michigan and Joe Paterno of Penn State.
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Story by Meredith Noonan | OU Athletics Media Relations
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