Four Oklahoma football coaches make ESPN’s ‘150 Greatest’ list
By Chip Rouse
Barry Switzer ranks 13th on the list. He succeeded Chuck Fairbanks as head coach of the Sooners in 1973 after seven seasons as offensive coordinator. While he was the OC, Switzer installed the iconic Wishbone offense, which over the next decade and a half became more associated with Oklahoma football than any other college program.
Switzer didn’t just want to beat you, he wanted to beat you bad. And his Oklahoma teams did that with great frequency. His winning percentage against ranked opponents was .662, and his Sooner teams won three national championships (1974, 1975 and 1985) and 12 conference championships in his 16 seasons at the helm. His 157 wins is the second most in program history.
The man the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times was once reported to have called the high priest of the church of Oklahoma football, Switzer was known as an outstanding recruiter of high school talent, and some of his best recruits came out of the state of Texas. His career record against Texas, OU’s biggest rival, was an impressive 9-5-2 at a time when both schools were typically ranked every season.