TULSA, Okla. — Baker Mayfield’s journey – from a walk-on at Oklahoma to Heisman Trophy winner and a projected high pick in this week’s NFL draft – could be a story based in Hollywood instead of Norman.
“Love it. It’s a story, it’s a movie, it’s a TV show. Whatever you want Baker to be,” former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said earlier this month. “His story, it’s incredible. You don’t hear of it much. You don’t hear of it at all. Two-time walk-on to three years as a starter, breaking records, setting the passer efficiency rating, and here hopefully he’ll be a high first-round pick.
“He’s special. That guy’s just incredible. He told everybody what he was when he came here, when he just saw a redshirt freshman win the MVP, Trevor Knight, win the Sugar Bowl, MVP of the Sugar Bowl as a redshirt freshman, beats Alabama, he said ‘I’m gonna go there and play.’ That’s all you need to know.
“Who else does that? You look around the country and most guys are looking for, ‘Who doesn’t have a quarterback?’ That wasn’t him. You know, that’s just how he is, as you guys know now.”
How did Mayfield’s story come together?
2014
It started when he decided to depart Texas Tech, even though he was the Big 12 Conference offensive freshman of the year, and join OU’s program as a walk-on to join a team with quarterbacks Trevor Knight, Blake Bell, Kendal Thompson, Cody Thomas and Justice Hansen. It also began a lengthy process wondering if Mayfield would be able to transfer without penalty since he was a non-recruited student.
Bob Stoops talked about meeting Mayfield during a February team meal.
"I said, 'You didn't even call me. I didn't know you were even coming.' He laughed about it, said he always wanted to be here. So we'll give him that opportunity," Stoops said.
Mayfield wasn't sure of his immediate playing status at the time, but had a perfect debut for OU fans by going 9-for-9 passing for 125 yards with two touchdown passes during the spring game. Said Mayfield: "I was trying to make it like a game-time experience for myself so that I'll have that thought and mentality for the next time I have that experience."
The final word of Mayfield's immediate eligibility came in late September when the NCAA ruled against a waiver on grounds that he was a non-recruited walk-on at Texas Tech, which would allow him to transfer without penalty.
Mayfield helped his team prepare for a road trip to Texas Tech by emulating Davis Webb in practice. As a transfer, he wasn't allowed to travel with the team to any plays, but made his way to Lubbock for the Sooners' 42-30 victory.
Mayfield's contributions to the team -- he was named the scout team's offensive player of the year -- set him up for a record-setting redshirt sophomore season.
2015
Baker Mayfield met the media for the first time since the 2014 spring game while in competition with Trevor Knight, Cody Thomas and Justice Hansen for the starting quarterback job. The future quote machine didn't have bite to his comments, saying "you've got to contain it sometimes," before chuckling.
During the spring game, Mayfield had the most completions (10), threw for the most yards (176) and had the only touchdown pass among OU quarterbacks. But no starter was named at the end of spring.
Mayfield was named the Sooners' starting quarterback late in fall camp. “It’s a dream come true, coming out from when I used to tailgate right here on this patch of grass right here … throw the ball around in my Quentin Griffin jersey, watch Jason White and Mark Clayton play," Mayfield said.
Mayfield was always great at seizing the moment, whether in junior high or high school. "People have doubted me. It’s something that every player carries with them," Mayfield said. "They have an attitude when they step on that field. It developed when I was in high school and it’s carried on since.”
Mayfield led the Sooners to a 41-3 win over Akron in his debut before his breakout game in a double-overtime thriller at Tennessee. The Sooners won 31-24 before Mayfield's heroics in the fourth quarter and overtime to draw the interest of the college football world.
After a 24-17 loss to Texas, the Sooners rang up seven consecutive wins en route to a Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff bid.
Included in the run was a 63-27 win over Texas Tech in Mayfield's first game against his former school. The team also learned to win without him while holding on to a 30-29 victory over TCU when he went out with a head injury. The Sooners claimed their first Big 12 title since 2012 with a 58-23 victory at Oklahoma State.
While Mayfield didn't draw an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony, the quarterback did win the first of two Burlsworth Trophy honors, which is awarded to the nation's most outstanding player who began his college career as a walk-on. He would win in 2016 and be a finalist in 2017.
Oklahoma's season ended one game short of a national championship appearance when the Sooners fell to Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
2016
Mayfield entered spring as the designated starting quarterback but used the 15 practices to mentor incoming freshman quarterback Austin Kendall, who was also the team's only other scholarship quarterback that season. Mayfield was 13-of-18 for 142 yards in the spring game.
Mayfield had a 24-hour whirlwind in the summer. On June 1, the Big 12 voted down a proposal that would allow transfers to not lose a year of eligibility if a walk-on student-athlete. A day later, a modified proposal was passed that allowed Mayfield eligibility in 2017. He would be considered a junior in 2016.
The Sooners suffered a 1-2 start and, after a 45-24 loss to Ohio State, Mayfield promises that he will lead the Sooners back to a Big 12 championship. The road included a wild 66-59 win at Texas Tech in his first return to Lubbock since leaving the Big 12 school. Oklahoma would clinch a second consecutive Big 12 title with a 38-20 home win over Oklahoma State, with Mayfield announcing that he would return for his senior season.
Mayfield drew an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony alongside teammate Dede Westbrook in early December. Neither won, but they loved the experience after finishing third and fourth, respectively, in balloting.
The Sooners beat Auburn 35-19 in the Sugar Bowl to prepare a season filled with high expectations in Mayfield's finale.
2017
Mayfield's final year at OU started rough after being arrested in Fayetteville, Arkansas on four misdemeanor complaints. A police dashcam video was released, and Mayfield immediately apologized as he reached a plea bargin.
Mayfield's final spring game was his worst (11-of-20 passing for 99 yards with an interception), but he spent most of the period building chemistry with new offensive weapons.
Oklahoma ushered in a new era when Lincoln Riley was promoted to head coach after Bob Stoops' surprise retirement. Mayfield on Riley: "He's going to be a great head coach and always will be."
The quarterback picks up one of his top wins when he throws for 386 yards to guide the Sooners to a 31-16 win at Ohio State. He later apologizes for his celebration, which included trying to plant the OU flag on Ohio State's 50-yard line.
He ended his Bedlam career with a 3-0 record after throwing for a personal-best and school-record 598 yards in a 62-53 win at Oklahoma State.
More apologies were made after Mayfield grabbed his crotch and shouted expletives at Kansas' sideline during a 41-3 win. He issued an apology and was suspended from the first series of OU's Senior Day game against West Virginia.
The Sooners would win their third consecutive Big 12 title with Mayfield at quarterback with a 41-17 triumph over TCU in AT&T Stadium. With it came another trip to the College Football Playoff where OU would meet Georgia in the Rose Bowl.
Mayfield also became Oklahoma's sixth Heisman Trophy winner in a runaway vote. It capped a week-long awards ceremony schedule that included stops in Springdale, Arkansas and Atlanta.
The Sooners would lose 54-48 in double overtime to the Bulldogs, ending Mayfield's career at Oklahoma.