The Holy Trinity of Oklahoma: Bud, Barry, and Bob. The trio top the list of Oklahoma head coaches in ESPN’s 150 greatest coaches…
The Holy Trinity of Oklahoma: Bud, Barry, and Bob.
The trio top the list of Oklahoma head coaches in ESPN’s 150 greatest coaches in college football’s 150-year history.
Bud Wilkinson just missed out on making the top five, coming in at No. 6. Not only did he lead the Sooners to a 47-game win streak from 1953-57 but also a 31-game win streak from 1948-50. Wilkinson’s use of the Split T formation drew from then Missouri head coach Don Farout, dominating the Tigers and nearly everyone else with the formation. Wilkinson is tenth all-time in career winning percentage, touting a 145-29-4 record (.826) and won three of Oklahoma’s seven national championships (1950, 1955, 1956).
The King comes in at No. 13. Barry Switzer’s brashness was always backed up with his teams’ play. With a .622 winning percentage against ranked opponents, Switzer’s Sooners of the ’70s and ’80s were going to do one thing and one thing only: beat their opponent’s ass. Thanks to Switzer, Oklahoma fans can claim the 1974, 1975 and 1985 national championships as well as their cult following of Brian Bosworth.
Bob Stoops rings the bell as the No. 29 best coach of all-time. Stoops, who is the coach of the XFL’s Dallas Renegades and not the Florida State Seminoles, won the seventh national championship for the Sooners following the 2000 season. Besides the lone BCS crystal ball, Stoops never had a losing season with 14 of his 18 teams winning at least 10 games.
Other coaches with Oklahoma ties to make the list include No. 68 Lynn (Pappy) Waldorf (Oklahoma City Univ./ Oklahoma A&M), No. 82 Jim Tatum (Oklahoma, 1946), No. 93 Howard Schnellenberger (Oklahoma, 1995) and No. 115 Bennie Owen (Oklahoma, 1905-26).
For the full list, click here.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
