Something Good: Veteran Kicks Field Goal At OU Game, Donates Prize

While most OU fans were consumed with who was going to start at quarterback this past weekend against TCU, Shawn Jones had much bigger concerns. 

It all started with a Facebook post to nominate a hero for tickets to the game and a chance to kick a field goal for a prize. 

“He doesn’t think he needs to be recognized, but I do. So, I nominated him because I believe he’s a hero and so he was selected from that,” said Jennifer Jones, Shawn’s wife. 

Shawn’s West Virginia roots run deep, so he came up with a unique training regimen to prepare for the kick. 

“Me being a hillbilly, I decided I would measure it and just stick, two fishing poles in the ground. Didn’t really get what I was looking for from that,” said Shawn. 

Instead, he got a few lessons with the Westmoore High School field goal kicker. 

Saturday, Shawn was ready for his moment under the lights. 

“So, we went to the back of the end zone, and we walked to the end of the tunnel it was breathtaking,” said Shawn. 

“I tried to stay focused on only the ball and not look at the crowd and not look at the field goal post and I tried to kick it as quick as I could,” said Shawn. 

The prize for a successful kick was free Chick-fil-A for a year, which Shawn had already decided to give away. 

“My first reaction, I mean I’m a Christian, but I said the Lord’s chicken? Cause we eat at Chick-fil-A very often,” said Jennifer. 

But without hesitation Shawn made the call to his pastor soliciting families in need. 

“I don’t know who it went to or anything like that, but he knows who got them,” said Shawn. 

As for Shawn’s field goal kicking career? 

“I wanted to talk to Lincoln Riley and tell him, if he needs someone, if he’s listening, that is accurate from the five-yard line about 35% of the time, I think that I still have eligibility left,” said Shawn. 

Shawn and his family will only be stationed in Oklahoma for another year and a half, but he said they are now lifelong Sooner fans, except when they play West Virginia.