Billy Sims Billy Ray Sims ( born September 18 , 1955 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League ( NFL ) for five seasons during the 1980s . Sims played college football for the University of Oklahoma , where he was a two - time consensus All - American , and won the Heisman Trophy in 1978 . He was the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft , and played professionally for the NFL ' s Detroit Lions . Early years . Sims was born in St . Louis , Missouri , but in the eighth grade he moved to Hooks , Texas , to live with his grandmother . In three years of varsity football at Hooks High School , he rushed 1 , 128 times ( a state record at the time , currently second behind Robert Strait ) for 7 , 738 yards , including 441 carries in 1973 ( another state record at the time , currently tied for second behind Ketric Sanford ) . He continues to hold the state record for most consecutive games with 100 yards or more , 38 ( 1972 – 1974 ) . College career . Sims attended the University of Oklahoma , where he played for coach Barry Switzer ' s Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1976 to 1979 . After injuries kept him out of the lineup for most of his freshman and half of his sophomore seasons ( rushing for only 545 yards in two seasons plus one game of 1976 ) , he rushed for 1 , 762 yards on 231 carries as a junior , an excellent average of 7 . 6 yards per carry . Per game , he averaged 160 . 1 yards and 10 . 9 points during the regular season . Including the postseason , Sims had 1 , 896 yards , a total yardage school record that stood until 2004 when freshman Adrian Peterson ran for 1 , 925 . In 1978 Sims was awarded the Heisman Trophy , becoming only the sixth junior to do so . He was runner up the following season in 1979 . In 1979 against then - unbeaten Nebraska , who had the No . 1 rushing defense in the country at the time , Sims ran for 247 yards and helped the Sooners to a 17 – 14 win . He led the nation in rushing with 1 , 896 yards and had 22 touchdowns . He also became the first running back in Big 8 Conference ( now merged to form the Big 12 Conference ) history to rush for 200 - yards in three consecutive games , and had four 200 - yard games in a single season . After losing to the Arkansas Razorbacks 31 – 6 in 1978 , Sims led the Sooners to two consecutive Orange Bowl titles in three straight appearances . In the Orange Bowl following the 1978 season , he scored two touchdowns in a 31 – 24 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers . In his final game , he ran for 164 yards as Oklahoma defeated the Florida State Seminoles 24 – 7 . Sims ended his career at OU with 3 , 813 yards ; most of those yards came in his final two seasons . Professional career . Sims was the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft . He spent his career with the Detroit Lions , making the Pro Bowl in 1980 , 1981 , and 1982 . Sims led Detroit to the playoffs in 1982 and 1983 , but they would go on to lose in the first round in both appearances . In the 1983 wild card game at Candlestick Park against the San Francisco 49ers , Sims ran for 114 yards on 20 carries , but Joe Montana would lead the 49ers to a comeback victory , as Detroit kicker Eddie Murray missed a field goal in the waning moments . Sims ' career would ultimately end midway through the 1984 season when he suffered a catastrophic knee injury in a game against the Minnesota Vikings . Sims finished his career with 1131 carries for 5106 yards ( 4 . 5 yards per carry ) , and 186 receptions for 2072 yards ( 11 . 1 yards per catch ) . Sims remains a beloved former sports figure in Detroit . His number " 20 " would go on to be worn five years after his retirement by Barry Sanders , and is currently retired as an unofficial " Triumvirate " of the greatest Lions in the modern era to ever wear the number , which also includes Hall of Fame defensive back Lem Barney . He was given the nickname " Kung Fu Billy Sims " by ESPN ' s Chris Berman , after a game where the Detroit Lions played the Houston Oilers . In the NFL Films highlight , rather than be tackled during a rushing attempt , Sims ran at , jumped , and , while fully airborne , kicked the Oiler ' s tackler in the head . Life after football . In 2007 , a bronze statue of Sims was dedicated on the University of Oklahoma campus in Heisman Park , commemorating his 1978 award . The life and one half size statue was created by Sculptor Jim Franklin in his Studio in Perry , Oklahoma . The bronze was cast by the Bronze Horse Foundry in Pawhuska , Oklahoma . He has enthusiastically began the " Boomer ! Sooner ! " Oklahoma cheer immediately following the naming of the winner at the Heisman Trophy induction ceremonies of the two most recent Oklahoma Sooner winners , Jason White and Sam Bradford , and held up a sign reading " Boomer " during the 2009 Heisman ceremony . He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995 . A hero in his hometown of Hooks , Texas , there is a city road named Billy Sims Road and the local library wall is adorned with his photos . Today , Sims commits himself to maintaining his 35 plus Billy Sims Barbecue restaurants with Co - Founder , Jeff Jackson . The restaurant focuses on serving the highest quality barbecue while the atmosphere captures the career triumphs of Billy Sims .