Former OU Quarterback Steve Davis Dies In Indiana Plane Crash

Former OU quarterback Steve Davis was one of two people killed in a plane crash late Sunday afternoon near the South Bend Regional Airport. The St. Joseph County's coroner's office identified the dead as Steve Davis, 60, and Wesley Caves, 58.

The men were on board a small jet from Jones Riverside Airport in Tulsa that crashed, hitting at least three homes. 

Two people on board the private jet survived the crash. They have been identified as Jim Rodgers and Christopher Evans, according to South Bend Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Maggie Scroope.

3/17/2013 Related Story: Small Jet From Tulsa Crashes At South Bend Airport, Killing Two

Rodgers was listed in serious condition, and Evans was in fair condition. Scroope did not have their hometowns or their ages. Two people on the ground were also injured.

The pilot of the Beechcraft Premier 1 reported an electrical problem right before hitting those homes in South Bend.

The jet is registered to a company owned by Caves. The company does business in Tulsa as DigiCut Systems, making window film and paint overlay for autos.

3/18/2013 Related Story: Tulsa Business Owner Killed When Plane Crashes Into Home

Steve Davis was the starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners in the mid 1970s. With Davis at the helm, the Sooners won the National Championship in 1974 and 1975. During his career in Norman, Davis and the Sooners were 32-1-1.

Davis was MVP of the 1976 Orange Bowl, which gave the Sooners the 1975 national championship, the fifth for the program. As the starting quarterback, Davis was 32-1-1, holding OU's record for career wins by a starting quarterback until Landry Jones broke the record this season.

At the sports animal in Tulsa, the comments from callers weren't about the NCAA tournament, but rather the passing of an Oklahoma legend.

Kevin Ward, Program Director for 97.1 The Sports Animal, said he pursued Davis for five years, before finally getting him on his Monday sports segment.

"He would come with a binder of information. He was so prepared, most prepared guy I've ever seen," Ward said.

Former head coach of the OSU Cowboys, Pat Jones, said he and Davis were friends long before they got behind the mic, something Davis did for 18 years, with ABC, working as a sideline reporter and color commentator.

Davis also worked as color commentator for CBS Sports college football telecasts in the 1980s.

As important as football was to Davis, it was his faith that sticks with his friend and former NFL player Jean Barrett.

"He probably had as much to do with initiating FCA in Oklahoma as anybody," Barrett said.

Barrett said he spoke with Davis at church the morning before his plane went down.

"The only consolation, as a Christian, is that we know that Steve is in heaven today, and we celebrate in that," Barrett said.

Former OU Head Coach Barry Switzer commented on the quarterback's death on Twitter:

I'm saddened by the loss of Steve Davis. Great role model for young people on & off the field. He was my 1st QB & had an outstanding career.

Davis was born in Sallisaw and lived in Tulsa. He attended First Baptist Church.

According to fire officials in South Bend, the jet was eight miles west of the airport when the pilot reported electrical problems. The FAA reports the jet touched down one time then started to climb again before crashing into the homes.

A preliminary report on the crash is expected in seven to 10 days.