Oklahoma unveils tribute to Toby Keith ahead of spring game
In the more than two months since country music star Toby Keith passed away, the tributes poured in from his beloved Oklahoma Sooners. This weekend, they will continue to honor him.
Oklahoma unveiled a “TOBY” logo on the 25-yard line at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium ahead of Saturday’s spring game, featuring Keith holding up his fist. It’s the latest gesture from the university after his death in February after a battle with stomach cancer. At OU’s first basketball game after his passing, the Sooner faithful all drank from Red Solo Cups – one of Keith’s biggest hits.
Now, the football team will honor the Moore native and OU superfan.
Keith wore his Oklahoma fandom on his sleeve as he supported the Sooners up until his death at age 62. Not only did he develop relationships with Bob Stoops, Lincoln Riley and Porter Moser over the years, but he also made sure to celebrate the Oklahoma softball team’s third straight national championship a year ago. That night, when the Sooners returned from Oklahoma City, Keith brought the team on stage and sang his hit “How Do You Like Me Now?!” – while holding a Red Solo Cup, of course.
After Keith’s death, Moser offered a heartfelt statement about the impact he had on the Sooner Faithful.
“He is everything you want to be about. He’s Sooner Nation,” Moser said. “To all of his friends around the country, in the music industry, in the sports world, friends in all different things, today we raise a glass to Toby Keith.
“I wish there was something different than water in this glass right now, because he is a true legend, a true friend to everybody, and I just want to say our guys played their hearts out for Toby Keith tonight to get this win, and I know he was looking down on us tonight.”
Even despite Keith’s star power – he had 20 No. 1 hits throughout his career – he was still approachable while attending games as a fan. Sooner Scoop’s George Stoia III shared a story to illustrate that and show just how much Keith kept up with OU athletics.
“Anybody could talk to him,” Stoia said. “He would blend in with the crowd. If you were just to bump into him at an OU football game or OU basketball game, you would think he was just a big OU fan. I remember the first time I met him. Joe Castiglione introduced me to him at a women’s basketball game in 2016 and he shook my hand and said, ‘Hi George, I’m familiar with your work. Keep up the good work.’
“For him to say that to me as a student reporter, I was like, ‘that’s crazy.’ That’s the type of guy he was. Just very easy to talk to. A diehard OU fan. He was one of us. He was somebody that anybody could relate to when it comes to Oklahoma sports growing up in the state.”