Switzer, Barry
Football
b. Oct. 5, 1937, Crossett, AR
A middle linebacker, Switzer captained the Arkansas football team in 1959 and served as an assistant coach at the school from 1960 through 1965. He then became an assistant at the University of Oklahoma.
When Chuck Fairbanks left to coach the NFL's New England Patriots in 1973, Switzer took over as head coach at Oklahoma. A strong proponent of the running attack out of the wishbone T formation, he consistently produced high-scoring teams. Under his guidance, Oklahoma led the nation in rushing offense in 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, and 1986.
Switzer coached three national championship teams, in 1974, 1975, and 1985, and Oklahoma was ranked in the top ten 10 other times during his tenure. Serious problems with Switzer's program arose in the late 1980s. Under fire, Switzer at first refused to resign, but he finally gave up his job after the 1988 season.
The Dallas Cowboys hired Switzer as head coach after Jimmy Johnson resigned in 1993. Inheriting a team that had won two straight Super Bowls, Switzer went 12-4 in his first season but lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game. The following year, though, the Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 to win the Super Bowl.
Switzer resigned after the Cowboys went 6-10 in 1997. He had a 45-26 record overall.
In 16 seasons at Oklahoma, Switzer had a 157-29-4 record. He ranks fourth all-time with an .837 winning percentage. His teams were 8-5 in bowl games. He and Johnson, who were teammates at Arkansas, are the only coaches ever to win a college national championship and a Super Bowl championship.
