By Darin 
Imagine punting a football over 100 yards in a game! That is precisely the unbelievable feat achieved by Claude Reeds, a legendary fullback from the University of Oklahoma, whose single-game punting record has stood for over a century. Born on November 12, 1890, Reeds’s powerful leg and dominant play not only etched his name into the record books but also established him as the pivotal figure who put the Sooners on the national college football map.
Claude Reeds was an exceptional all-around player for the University of Oklahoma during the early days of the sport. His versatility and strength as a fullback were crucial, but it was his legendary punting ability that earned him perhaps his most famous, and certainly his most enduring, record. In 1911, in a heated contest against arch-rival Texas, Reeds unleashed a kick that traveled an astonishing 102 yards. What makes this record virtually unbreakable is that the field length at the time was 110 yards. Since fields were standardized to 100 yards, the Oklahoma distance punting record of 102 yards will likely remain a unique artifact of early football history forever.
Reeds’s consistent excellence was recognized nationally in 1913 when he became the very first University of Oklahoma player to be selected as an All-American. This achievement was monumental, setting the standard for the 167 Sooners who have followed in his footsteps. His status as the foundational All-American for a program that would go on to become one of the most storied in college football speaks volumes about his trailblazing talent.
For his contributions to the game, both as an incomparable punter and a dominant fullback, the National Football Foundation (NFF) voted to induct Claude Reeds into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1961. He represents the first chapter in the Sooners’ rich football tradition, a true pioneer whose legacy is literally written into the record book with an achievement no one will ever surpass.
Football Accolades and Accomplishments:
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1961).
- University of Oklahoma All-Time Record: Longest Distance Punt (102 yards vs. Texas, 1911).
- First All-American in University of Oklahoma history (1913).
- Fullback for the University of Oklahoma Sooners.