When you think of the Oklahoma Sooners, you think of Brian Bosworth.
The College Football Hall of Famer is one of the biggest names in college football history and was a major talking point during the 1980s as the star linebacker of the Barry Switzer-led Sooners. Bosworth obviously stood out due to his play and as a national champion, but also due to his outlandish personality and rebellious nature.
The 61-year-old is also known these days as the sheriff in the Dr. Pepper “Fansville” commercials that have aired since 2018, making him a mainstream name among the current generation of college football fans.
The current Sooners team has had a disappointing season after a College Football Playoff appearance last year. After acquiring notable transfers such as quarterback John Mateer, the Brent Venables led squad was expected to make more noise in the SEC, but instead they’ve had an up-and-down 2026 season as they head into their rescheduled home tilt against the Ole Miss Rebels.
The Sooners are currently 5-4 and mostly playing for pride and a good bowl bid at this stage of the season. One of the more notable storylines is the change at offensive coordinator to Jason Witten, a Dallas Cowboys great and one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Witten began the season as the Sooners’ tight ends coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator on an interim basis prior to their game against the Florida Gators.
Witten led the Sooners to a ball control, ground-and-pound offense that resulted in a 23-7 victory over a top 25-ranked team.
Brian Bosworth on Jason Witten’s Impact: Instilling Identity With Toughness
“I think going back to the basics of what Jason has been successful in his career, it starts with toughness and physicality,” said Bosworth in a one-on-one interview of the Sooners’ identity with Witten leading the way. “If your offensive line feels like they’re given permission to be tough, then they’ll adopt a toughness. AI think that’s what was lacking because they just didn’t know: Are we a passing team? Are we a running team? We’re a part-time running team. Are we mostly a passing team? And that’s kind of what it felt like. And it seemed from an outsider’s perspective that the offense was a little confused on their identity, and they couldn’t really pinpoint who they were. So Jason comes in and inserts his personality and his work ethic, and the guys bought into it, and I think that’s why Brent went with him as the play caller.”
Witten is basically vying for the full-time offensive coordinator position as this is an audition for him over the last few games of the season. The Sooners will obviously have some turnover heading into next season with Mateer and star wide receiver Isaiah Sategna wrapping up their senior seasons, but they have the seventh-ranked recruiting class for 2027, which bodes well for their future in the SEC.
Finding stability and an offensive identity under Witten could pave the way for a more successful 2027 season, especially with the College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams next year.
Brian Bosworth Unveils Dr. Pepper Water Tower in Norman, Oklahoma
As mentioned before, Bosworth is known to many present day college football fans for his role in the Dr. Pepper series of commercials known as “Fansville.”
Originally debuting in 2018, the campaign and series of commercials remains as popular as ever nearly a decade later and is a staple of watching a college football game. This season saw the inclusion of controversial college football head coach, Lane Kiffin, which saw him star in a commercial alongside Bosworth.
Leading into the Sooners’ game against the Rebels, Dr. Pepper debuted a water tower in Norman, Oklahoma featuring their logo nearby Oklahoma’s home stadium, Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony that featured local politicians and key executives from Dr. Pepper with the Sheriff of “Fansville” leading the way of course.
“After much anticipation and celebration of college football, Fansville has decided to put one of their iconic landmarks right here in Norman, Oklahoma,” said Bosworth. “That’s the water tower that we all see on TV during the commercials, and this is just a celebration of what Dr. Pepper has committed to the college football world and recognizing another successful traditional program.”
Bosworth said Dr. Pepper was his favorite drink while growing up and it’s been a dream to become the staple of the “Fansville” commercials in his post-playing career.
“Every time you take on any project you want to put your heart and soul into it, and you want to make sure that it resonates with those that you’re speaking to,” said Bosworth. “In this case, the idea was absolutely perfect. Creating a Fansville environment for college fans to identify with the things that happen with them personally. Interacting with them on a level that when they see the commercials, they understand the emotion. They’re not alone. The holding of the breath after every play, with anticipation of a successful play, and the disappointment when your team loses, but the hope that they’ll come back. Having a brand that is synonymous with greatness. It’s the oldest soft drink brand in our country, and they’ve been with them along the way the entire time. I think hand in hand, it shows that the fans are appreciated, and Dr. Pepper is right there with them.“
Bosworth spent a few years in the NFL as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, but he’ll always be best known and appreciated for his time as a member of the Sooners. It was in Norman that Bosworth became a national name and was a two-time Butkus Award winner and unanimous All-American.
While appearing for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the Dr. Pepper Water Tower Tailgate during the weekend, it’s clear that Bosworth is still well remembered and respected in Norman four decades after he starred for the Sooners.
“I think their expectation of excellence and understanding that over decades of dominance that they feel like their teams should certainly show up every Saturday, and they feel like they’re part of that success,” said Bosworth of what makes Sooners fans stand out. “They’ve gone through the ride, and it’s not unlike most college football teams that have a lot of passion. Their fan base is a big reason behind that. You can’t play on a field with an empty stadium. That fan base does energize the players and the coaches, and it makes the opponent that comes in feel like they are appreciated for the effort that they come in. But it really is down to a fan base and feeding that fan base.”
Sooners Great Brian Bosworth Gives His Blunt Take on Jason Witten