"Little Joe" Washington, star running back, grew up in Port Arthur, Texas, and graduated from Lincoln High School. He was coached by his father, Joe Washington, Sr. Although Little Joe grew up a UT fan (he used to salute when Darrel Royal's TV show aired), his high-school sweetheart attended Texas Women's University in Denton so Joe decided to play for the Oklahoma Sooners instead. Joe married his sweetheart and became one of the all-time great players in Sooner history.

Called "my greatest player" by Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer during his induction to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, Washington showed he was something special from the very start. During his first scrimmage with the freshman in 1972, Joe's first carry was for an 80-yard touchdown against the Sooner's first string defensive line. That year, he ran for 630 yards - - all as a ball carrier from scrimmage.

In 1973, the sophomore Joe had settled in and was ready to really run. That year he rushed for 1,173 yards. After his junior year, Washington made every All-America team going; AP, UPI, NEA, Football Writers, Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News, and Football News. He had rushed for 1,321 yards, run returns for 512 yards, and had stacked up 14 touchdowns. He was the Washington, D.C., Pigskin Club's Player of the Year and was honored by both the Columbus, Ohio, and Cleveland, Ohio, Touchdown Clubs. He came in third for the Heisman Trophy behind Archie Griffin of Ohio and Anthony Davis of USC.

Washington's finest day as a collegiate athlete came on October 19, 1974, in a game against Colorado. By the end of the first half, Joe had carried 13 times for 126 yards and 3 touchdowns. At the end of the day, he had rushed for 211 yards in 19 carries (at 11.6 yards per carry) and made 4 touchdowns. 51,777 fans in Colorado's Folsom Field saw the final score: Sooners 41, Buffalos 0.

Little Joe was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on August 20, 1993. During his acceptance speech, he thanked coach Switzer for allowing him to wear his trademark silver shoes, which he wagered Darrel Royal would never had done.

Washington went on to play in the NFL, drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 1976. He moved to the Baltimore Colts in 1978, where he stayed through the 1980 season. He then played for the Washington Redskins from 1981 through 1984 and spent one season with the Atlanta Falcons before retiring in 1985.