Merry Christmas, Mr. Ripkowski
Published: 12/21/2012 3:23 PM
Last Modified: 12/21/2012 3:23 PM
This will be it for me until after Christmas, so let's leave something pleasant behind until then...
Oklahoma had its football banquet last week, and Bob Stoops doled out the Derrick Shepard Walk-on Player of the Year Award to fullback Aaron Ripkowski.
That seemed totally fair, since Ripkowski spends all of his time bashing into defenders out of the Sooners' Belldozer and Diamond formations. This despite sustaining a back injury in the 2011 Bedlam game. (Think it's painless putting your body through car-wreck collisions? Try it after you've busted up your back.)
So Ripkowski accepted the award and, well, let him tell you what happened next...
"He called me up for the Derrick Shepard Award, and he also announced they were giving me a ride and everything."
Ripkowski was getting a scholarship.
Stoops said he had pretty much told Ripkowski he was getting one, but to make it official in front of the whole team was pretty cool.
"I love it," said Stoops. "He never asked, but we recognize and always have here guys that are making a strong contribution and feel they should be rewarded for it when they do. 'Rip' has a lot of great years in front of us with us."
His time will be made a little easier from now on.
"Financially is probably the biggest struggle," Ripkowski said. "It's not too bad on me; my parents spoil me, but it's still a big weight lifted off my shoulders."
Ripkowski says he'll be treated the same going forward as he was when he was a walk-on. Still, there's nothing wrong with a little somethin' for the effort.
Especially when the effort is so obvious.
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
