Lions head football coach Sammy Burnett, assistant head coach David Jones and five Class of 2024 members will represent Brownwood High School in the 87th Oil Bowl Classic at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at Wichita Falls Memorial Stadium.
The five Lion seniors who will suit up in high school action one final time are offensive lineman/defensive lineman Logan Knight, quarterback Ike Hall, offensive/defensive lineman Quinten McCarty, defensive back Morsello Hooker, and linebacker Sam Kallman.
Burnett announced on Wednesday that he will serve as the coach of the West team and is allowed to bring one assistant. The head coaches will be coaching the offenses and the assistants will coach the defense, thus the selection of Jones.
“This has been a lifetime goal of mine as a coach,” Burnett said. “I remember watching Coach Glen West coach in the Oil Bowl when I was a young guy at Kemp and I thought that was a big deal. I marked that as one of my goals and God blessed me with the opportunity. For Coach Jones and I, the blessing is not just coaching the game, but it gives us one more chance to coach some of our kids which I’m so excited about. I’m looking forward to getting to be with them one more.”
According to the official website of the Oil Bowl, the game started as a simple summertime West Texas vs. East Texas high school all-star football game back in 1938. Today, the Oil Bowl is one of the most prestigious postseason all-star games in the United States.
Many Oil Bowlers have gone on to be stars in college and professional football. Steve Owens went from here to win the Heisman Trophy. Others such as Jack Mildren, J.C. Watts, and Steve Largent have not only made names for themselves in football but also in politics. The game has also featured some coaching legends, both in the high school and college ranks.
Texas high school coaching legends such as Gordon Wood, Joe Golding, and G. A. Moore all have coached in the Oil Bowl, as well as Grant Teaff (Baylor), Matty Bell (SMU), Blair Cherry (Texas), Dutch Meyer (TCU), and Jess Neely (Rice). Another coaching legend, Hayden Fry, once played in the Oil Bowl.
Since its inception, the Oil Bowl has raised thousands of dollars for less fortunate children. From 1945 through 2011 net proceeds were divided between Texas and Oklahoma with Texas’ share going to the North Texas Rehabilitation Center in Wichita Falls and Oklahoma’s share going to the Oklahoma Coaches Association charities. From 2012 until 2019, proceeds of the game went to Shriners Hospitals for Children. Beginning in 2020, proceeds from the game go to Maskat Shrine.
From 1945 through 2013, with the exception of one year, the format was Texas vs. Oklahoma. The top high school players from the two states went head-to-head every June for football bragging rights. In 2014 Oklahoma chose not to participate any longer and the game became a regional contest between East and West Texas players. Wichita Falls is the north central point of the region.
Clockwise from top left: Sammy Burnett, David Jones, Ike Hall, Morsello Hooker, Logan Knight, Quinten McCarty and Sam Kallman.