PLAYER PROFILE

Rags to Riches for Upstart RB Whaley

Lindyssports.com Staff

July 21, 2012 at 8:13 pm.

Peter G. Aiken-US PRESSWIRE

From sandwich slinger to scholarship superstar, Dominique Whaley’s journey at Oklahoma has been the stuff of which Hollywood movies are made.

Whaley grew up an Army brat in Germany, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma. He played slot receiver in high school in Lawton, Okla., and was an all-state defensive back, but Whaley didn’t go to camps, wasn’t recruited and only got academic offers from two NAIA schools.

After his freshman season at Langston (Okla.) University, he quit football and, with his mother and stepfather deployed in Iraq, returned to Texas to help his grandma care for his younger siblings.

Whaley tried to walk on at Baylor, where junior high pal Robert Griffin III was a star quarterback, but got a “no thanks.” So he played one last card and got a walk-on tryout at OU. His workout numbers rivaled, and even surpassed, those put up by Adrian Peterson, so the Sooner coaches gave him a shot.

Whaley walked on in 2010 and spent a year working literally across the street at Subway to help pay for school — carrying footballs during the day and cutting foot-longs at night.

He was a walk-on in 2011, too, when he rushed for 131 yards and four touchdowns in the season-opener against Tulsa. He added 109 yards and two TDs against Ball State, then busted open a victory over Texas with a 64-yard touchdown. Against Kansas, he carried 30 times for 165 yards and a touchdown.

“He’s a guy that has excellent vision,” Bob Stoops said.

“He’s a very dependable and hard-working guy that has talent. He’s got excellent speed. He is probably a low-4.4, high-4.3 guy. He’s got a 40-inch vertical jump. He’s gained about 20 pounds since he’s been here, so he’s gained strength to run through some tackles. He’s just worked his way into being a solid player.”

Whaley’s clock struck midnight, however, against Kansas State. On the game’s first snap, away from the play, a Wildcat linebacker fell onto Whaley’s legs from behind. Whaley suffered a fractured ankle and was lost for the season. After the game, Stoops announced Whaley would get a scholarship for his senior year.

Whaley still led the Sooners in rushing in 2011 with 627 yards (89.6 per game, 5.5 per carry) and nine touchdowns. He spent the offseason rehabbing and hopes to return to full strength by September.

“I’ll keep working at it,” Whaley said.

Of course. Just not at Subway.

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