Roy Williams flew through the air on October 6, 2001 and hit Texas QB Chris Simms. This resulted in an INT to Teddy Lehman, which secured the Sooners' victory. (0:35).
TEDDY LEHMAN WAS AN ALL-American twice at Oklahoma. The Big 12's defensive player of year award, Dick Butkus Award, and the Chuck Bednarik Award were won by the strong linebacker in 2003. He was a second-round NFL draft selection in 2004 and went on to spend six seasons with the Bills, Buccaneers and Jaguars.
He said that the time he is most well-known for, the one he spends every October reliving his childhood, was because he was in the right place at just the right moment. In 2001, he was still finding his feet, rushing the quarterback half-heartedly and counting to three, before looking up at the perfect moment to see history literally fall in his hands.
Roy Williams, his star teammate, took off and both of their names were engraved in the history of the Oklahoma-Texas rivalry. It was at that time that "The Superman Play" was born at Red River Showdown.
Lehman stated that we all owe Roy beer.
This play led to a Lehman touchdown that effectively won the game for Oklahoma. It cemented Williams' legacy of being one of the greatest defensive players in program history.
Twenty years later, Williams' teammates and coaches reminisce about that moment.
Lehman claimed that he could name 100 plays during his career when he performed better as an individual, but all of them pale in comparison.
He laughed and said, "All right," "I'll ride Roy Williams coattails for my whole life,"
WILLIAMS ALWAYS OUTSIDE.
Lehman called his family one day in the summer 2000 to inform them about Oklahoma's current state of affairs.
Lehman was a freshman. He grew up 150 miles east from Norman, Oklahoma in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. He led the Tigers to their state championship game as a senior high school student, recording a record-breaking 151 tackles and rushing for 1,252 yard. He also averaged 39.6 yards per punt, which is a Class 4A record.
Lehman was struck by the things he saw on his first week at campus. He felt the need to share this with his father. One kid from California was dominating all of the player-led practice. His name was Roy Williams.
Williams was one year ahead of Lehman who was a sophomore safety who hit like an linebacker and tracked it like a cover corner.
Lehman stated that "In 7-on-7," typically no one gets a hold of the football. There is no pass rush. It's an offensive drill. "I think I touched only one ball all summer when we were playing 7-on-7."
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Lehman said that Williams was able to walk away with two interceptions and pass breakups in double digits.
He said that it was "a never-ending parade of Roy Williams highlights every single day" and that this was before he ever played in pads.
Williams was named All-Big 12 in that season and helped lead the Sooners to an undefeated record as well as the BCS national title.
Williams's next season was his most memorable. He won the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Jim Thorpe Award, and the Bronko Nagurski trophy in 2001.
Mark Mangino, Oklahoma's offensive coordinator, remembers how difficult it was to play against Williams every practice.
Mangino stated that Williams was disruptive and that his "football ability was unsurpassed."
"He's running backwards at the line of Scrimmage, thudding," Mangino said. Mangino said that he was blitzing the quarterback, slapping him on his butt as he passes." "I mean, on the inside drill, you cannot get by him. Sometimes I would get so mad that I would say, "Roy, you're going to be cut!" He'd respond, "Come on Coach!" "Come and slice me!"
Brent Venables and Mike Stoops, defensive assistants, didn't try and fit Williams in a box. They dropped him back to play more traditional safety roles as much as they pulled Williams down into the box to perform a hybrid position.
Williams was unable to explain, so they invented a new term: "Roy backer."
Andre Woolfolk, a Sooners wide receiver, said that Williams was not the fastest or strongest player. However, he could find a way for you to get the ball. Williams was always there for the ball, "whether it was scooping, causing a turnover, or getting an interception on time."
Woolfolk stated that it reminded him of Ray Lewis, a Hall of Fame linebacker.
"Because Ray Lewis is, like, the greatest athletician in the world. Woolfolk stated that he felt like he knew football. That's how I see Roy. He knew football. He would always find a way to get there, such as, "Oh, man. That's not my guy but downfield and running back is open and somehow, I get there" or "Oh, this guy is in the flat and this corner plays a little deep so I'm just going to steal that thing right now." He was a natural at using the right talent at just the right time. He has played enough football to know exactly what he can do and what he cannot.
Coaches devised a plan to maximize Williams' ability to catch the ball. Sooners receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. thought it was "really strange." Venables told Williams that they would heavily rely on their nickel package, five defensive backs and two linebackers. He also said that they wanted Roy to stay on the field no matter what their personnel was.
"And [Venables] stated, "It's amazing his natural ability to fill that position. Spurrier said, "It's amazing how great his stance was, how good his reads were, and how he could move to the gaps. It was easy to forget that he wasn't a linebacker.
The TEXAS-OKLAHOMA RIVALRY is a unique event, with all its tension. Jack Arute, a long-time sideline reporter who has covered many Sooners-Longhorns games as well as the 2001 contest for ABC, can speak for Jack.
Arute was unable to make any comparisons outside of college football.
Arute described it as watching heavyweights Muhammad Ali or Joe Frazier fight in the boxing arena. He said that neither one of them was going to blink and that they were going to beat each other. He said they didn't like one another but they respected each other for what they did.
Roy Williams, a former Oklahoma safety star, attended the Red River Showdown 10 years after "The Superman Play." J.P. Wilson/Icon SI
Arute stated that Oklahoma and Texas share this kind of relationship.
He said, "You take them 100 miles from their respective campuses." "Then, you take them to the Cotton Bowl, which is in the middle of the Texas State Fair. There's already a quarter million people there and now 100,000 are out for game day."
Each team's bus must navigate through that Dallas mass.
Cornerback Josh Norman stated that the first time you have an interaction with the atmosphere, it's when you enter through the fair. "I can remember my freshman year being like, 'What in?' It's like you're walking through a sea. You're moving through a sea of people. Texas fans will flip you off and spit on you. This is the beginning of what you can expect when you enter the stadium.
Arute believed it was more than a way to rattle players.
He said, "You knew it was going to take the best effort by both sides." This isn’t North Texas State. This isn’t even Nebraska. Okay, here's your archrival."
Woolfolk stated that there was something about it that made you want the horns to fall.
He said, "You just find a way of becoming a Texas hater."
It was so intense that Arute would even walk out of the stadium during the match to feel the emotion.
He said, "It would be just normal play, maybe a stop at third down, and all of the noise from the bowl would spill over onto all of the people who were waiting for corn dog."
The 2001 GAME was no exception. The Oct. 6 matchup was significant, with Texas ranked third and Oklahoma fifth in the nation.
Williams spoke to ESPN in 2011 and said that the Sooners felt overshadowed, having a chip on the shoulder by Chris Simms, their quarterback.
Williams stated that they had "kind of downplayed" Williams. "But we weren’t much for speaking. "We were going to let the field see our talk."
For the better part 3 quarters, neither party flinched.
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma coach, said that he had not seen the famous play by Williams and decided to put it away for the Sooners. Ronald Martinez/Allsport
With only 2:12 left, Oklahoma's head coach Bob Stoops faced fourth-and-16 at the Texas 28 yard line.
The Sooners held a 7-3 lead. Although a successful field goal would give Texas breathing room, a missed touchdown would mean Texas would be in a favorable position to score the go-ahead touchdown.
Stoops sought advice from his brother, Mike, who is also the co-defensive coordinator.
Mike said to him, "Let's poke it down there." "We'll stop them."
Bob chose to punt, despite the fact that it would have been extremely unpopular today. Oklahoma lined up as though it was going for a field goal. But when the ball was handed to the holder, he turned it over to the punter who punted.
Texas' Nathan Vasher took the ball at the 3-yard line, out of sorts.
"What was Vasher doing?" The broadcast's announcer Brent Musburger yelled, "It was heading for the end zone." Oh my!
Gary Danielson, play-by-play analyst, responded that "we said maybe someone would commit a big error." Is that the biggest mistake?
Texas started the drive at the 20-yard mark with a touchback and Texas took over. Texas was backed up at its own 3-yard line end zone.
Both sides huddled together after a timeout was called. Oklahoma's defense carefully watched Texas.
Oklahoma was one step ahead the Longhorns all day, knowing their tendencies based upon personnel and formation. Lehman saw Texas running back Brett Robin getting ready to go on the field. He told the linebacker that it was likely to be a pass. He said that the probability was about 90%.
Lehman stated that they are going through all the calls if they send in 12 personnel. This is what they will do if they are in 11 personnel. We believe they are coming out in 11 personnel. Mike Stoops and Brent Venables are standing in the huddle, Bob said "We're coming with an alitz."
The play was called "Slamdogs". Williams would blitz and shoot between the tackle and left guard.
Bob Stoops grabbed Cory Heinicke, a defensive end, and said that he shouldn't bother digging in the dirt. He instructed Heinicke, to move faster into coverage, to stand and then fall back once the ball was snapped. This would cut off Simms' throwing path to Texas' top receiver Roy Williams.
For Sooners fans, it was a relief that Williams did not receive any last-minute advice.
Williams, who had made a similar defensive call earlier on in the game and left his feet during a tackle, had violated one of the cardinal football rules. Williams had leapt to attempt to make a tackle and lost leverage. He was quickly taken out of play by a block at the knees.
It's easy to wonder if that was a set-up.
Mike Stoops stated that Roy has exceptional instincts and that you shouldn't overcoach him. "He made the right decision, he did what he believed was right."
Williams was quick and aggressive, and he easily cut through the offensive line to get to Simms. Robin dived at Williams' knees to get the cut block. But the running back was empty.
Williams flew through the air to interrupt Texas quarterback Chris Simms' throw. This resulted in an interception return that led to a touchdown for the Sooners in their 14-3 victory in 2001. John Biever/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Williams was already flying high overhead.
Mangino stated that "he took a calculated risk." But you can see that his legs are coiled when he leaps. He didn't say "Well, I think that I'll jump up into the air," He is like springs moving over the line of Scrimmage."
Williams later stated that he felt "like i was floating in the air forever."
Williams was able to hold his body horizontally and extend his arms in front of him. He looked almost like Superman without the cape.
His timing was impeccable, diving-bombing Simms as he was beginning his throwing motion.
Williams stated that Simms would have fallen back further if Williams had said so.
This opened up the door to Lehman's great moment.
Lehman stated that he didn't realize he had left his feet. "I believe I only kind of saw him pass by Chris Simms' backside as the ball kinda flipped up in midair. ... "The ball appeared, and I grabbed it."
Lehman made the intercept -- which could easily have been ruled as a fumble -- then ran into the end zone for touchdown, icing it all. With 2:01 left, the score was 14-3.
Lehman stated that "fortunately, I didn’t have the time to think about" it. "If I had thought about it, it would have been dropped."
Ironically, Bob Stoops didn't see any of this. Mangino and Woolfolk did not see it either.
Stoops stated, "My eyes are dead on Cory." "I see Cory up there and I'm like, "Yes!" He did it!' Cory drops a lot and then everything explodes. Everyone is going insane. I have no idea what happened. I didn't even see the blitz. I was looking at the D-end. So I was watching the D-end.
Mangino stated, "We're all looking at each other on the bench." "The offensive children are waiting to return on the field. But before they cheer, they look around at each other as if they just witnessed that happen. It was amazing."
Woolfolk stated, "All I hear it a roar that is going the opposite direction." "I said, "Whoa!" Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Then, I turn around, and I'm like "Oh, my God."
Woolfolk stated that he would watch the play hundreds of time trying to figure out what it was.
Woolfolk stated, "Roy knew that I had one chance to win this and I'm going all out." "And after you have played for a while, you get a certain emotion. It's the one that makes you want scratch, claw, and fight. He knew the jig was up. I know I'm here and can only soar to the top. Or I'm going be dead in water filling a gap. He wanted to do more than that. He wanted to be great."
Arute likened Williams' effort with Kirk Gibson's walk off home run in 1988 World Series.
"What was Jack Buck saying? Arute replied, "I don't believe the things I just saw." "That's exactly what I thought."
Norman stated that the play was on par with the Joe Washington punt return or the Keith Jackson reverse.
He said, "You can go back as far to my recollection in the 1970s and watching all the great things in the 1980s and 1990s, and it still stands up as one of the top five Oklahoma plays." Because it is iconic and because of the impact it had on the game. This play almost won us the game.
Lincoln Riley, the current Oklahoma coach, will be playing No. 21 Texas was in high school in West Texas at the time Williams took control of the 2001 Red River Showdown.
Riley stated that he was aware it was a significant play at the time, but its importance has grown over time.
He said, "The more you saw it over the years and viewed the replays, the more you were amazed at how much it took Roy to make that play." It was an amazing play. It was a great game. Although it would have been great at any time, in such an important moment, and in a game that is so crucial every year, it was just magnified."
In the excitement of "The Superman Play", Texas' first play after pick-six was overlooked: Williams intercepted Simms for the win. Ronald Martinez/Allsport
Bob Stoops stated that what's next is what has been lost over time.
Williams won the victory by intercepting Simms four times after the kickoff.
Stoops stated that Williams was a "lucky" coach in both Oklahoma and Florida. "He is by far and away the most outstanding defensive player I have ever coached in all aspects -- coverage skills, tackle, maybe the best at the blitzing, whatever was asked of him."
Mangino recollects that the team broke up into smaller groups to view film on Monday.
When he heard the cheers and laughter from the hallway, he said that he was certain of the play being played in the defensive meeting room.
Mangino stated that Roy was humble and not proud. He enjoyed it.
Williams chose to go pro instead of returning for his senior year.
Spurrier also left the NFL to join his father in Washington at the end the season. Spurrier recalls Marvin Lewis, the defensive coordinator, asking him lots about Williams in the days leading up to the draft.
Spurrier stated, "He was as good as a defensive player that I've ever seen,"
Washington traded down from No. Williams was traded down from No. 18 to 32. Williams was not able to make it. The Cowboys took him with the eighth pick. He would be selected for the Pro Bowl five more times.
"I recall Marvin telling me, many years later, 'You know? Spurrier stated that we should have found a way for him to be drafted.
Spurrier was eleven years later with his father, this time at South Carolina. The viral moment when defensive end JadeveonClowney broke the offensive line and launched himself into Vincent Smith's chest, destroying the football, was the best of the 21st Century.
Spurrier stated that Clowney's play is as good as Williams'.
Spurrier stated, "Honestly, that Oklahoma-Texas match, that meant more."
Lehman has been unable to go October without hearing about the play for over 20 years. He said it was strange because he believes he was fortunate to have been able to witness Williams' greatness. Lehman was in the right place at just the right time.
