Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
A Q & A with former OU coach Barry Switzer
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Saturday, Feb 25, 2006 - 11:49:38 pm CST
For 16 seasons, Barry Switzer commanded a college football powerhouse at Oklahoma. During his tenure, the Sooners captured 12 Big Eight championships and three national titles. Last week, the 68-year-old Switzer — one of two head coaches to win both a college national championship and a Super Bowl — came to Lincoln to help raise money for old friend Tom Osborne’s bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Still as charismatic and gregarious as ever, Switzer touched on several subjects, ranging from politics to recruiting to whether the Huskers’ old option attack would still work in today’s college game.
Ever consider delving into politics yourself?
“I’ve been asked to run for office several times. I’ve often thought about that. I’ve always thought I was kind of too selfish. I was not wired to be a public servant. I think it takes a special person to be a public servant, to be in political office. I want to do things on my pace, on my time, when I want to do them. You can’t do that when you represent constituents. ... You know what, years and years ago, an old politician said to me, ‘Coach, you ought to be running for politics.’ I said, ‘I’m not qualified to be a politician.’ He said, ‘Hell, it only takes 51 percent of the vote to become qualified for politics!’ ”
So, what keeps you occupied these days?
“I’m involved in a lot of different things. Real estate. Health care. Various business ventures that require my time. Right now, I’m leaving for Mexico. There’s a really neat little place we go called San Miguel.”
Aren’t you also involved in the restaurant business?
“Yeah, you interested in buying one?” (chuckles)
Enough small talk. Let’s get down to it: Could Osborne’s option-heavy playbook still work well in the college game?
“Hell yes. If you don’t think Tom’s players and his coaching staff and his system could succeed today, you don’t know the game of football. How do I know? Well, I coached for a lot of years. I know what works and what doesn’t. You look at the service academies (Army, Air Force, Navy, et al). Their offenses give them an opportunity to have success with inferior talent. If they didn’t run it, they wouldn’t gain a yard. Not a yard. So, if you have superior talent like Nebraska did — Tommie Frazier, Lawrence Phillips, all of those great linemen — then you can win big doing what Tom did. You’re damned right his playbook could win today.”
Your personalities are almost opposite . . . What led to your bond with Osborne?
“It all goes back to the 1960s when we were coaching. He was an assistant at Nebraska when I was (an assistant) at Oklahoma. We went to clinics, Big Eight meetings, national conventions. We knew who we were for 40-something years. We became head coaches the same year. We inherited great programs, schools with great tradition, and we took advantage of it. We were able to build on it and keep it rolling. Something just grew through a period of time. ... I’ll tell you, though, I drank more beer with Bob Devaney than I did with Tom. You can quote me on that. If Bob were here, he’d say the same thing.”
How often do you correspond with Osborne?
“I never write anybody. I never had a secretary. I can’t type. I’m old-school. (But) I’m glad they have cell phones now, because I wear them out. I wish they had those things when we were recruiting. Boy, I would’ve been something with those things.” As for his contact with Osborne, “We talk on the phone. Every few months we visit about certain things and touch base. Basically, it’s been about athletics, sometimes about politics.”
Wow, recruiting without cell phones. What a concept, huh?
“I used to pull over about every 10 miles and use pay phones by the side of the road. It was kind of dangerous in some places, like going into a ghetto in Houston. Recruiting in general — it was like the Wild West back then. There weren’t nearly as many restrictions.”
You came to Lincoln for a day last week. Went to a press conference, a fund-raising reception, attended a basketball game with Osborne. ... Did you enjoy your stay?
“People in Nebraska always have treated me well, always have made me feel welcome. I like spending time with Tom. He’s a great man. There’s nothing pretentious about him. He has no ego. I came here because I believe in what he’s doing. I’d like to say that I was a part of it.”
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Saturday, Feb 25, 2006 - 11:49:38 pm CST
For 16 seasons, Barry Switzer commanded a college football powerhouse at Oklahoma. During his tenure, the Sooners captured 12 Big Eight championships and three national titles. Last week, the 68-year-old Switzer — one of two head coaches to win both a college national championship and a Super Bowl — came to Lincoln to help raise money for old friend Tom Osborne’s bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Still as charismatic and gregarious as ever, Switzer touched on several subjects, ranging from politics to recruiting to whether the Huskers’ old option attack would still work in today’s college game.
Ever consider delving into politics yourself?
“I’ve been asked to run for office several times. I’ve often thought about that. I’ve always thought I was kind of too selfish. I was not wired to be a public servant. I think it takes a special person to be a public servant, to be in political office. I want to do things on my pace, on my time, when I want to do them. You can’t do that when you represent constituents. ... You know what, years and years ago, an old politician said to me, ‘Coach, you ought to be running for politics.’ I said, ‘I’m not qualified to be a politician.’ He said, ‘Hell, it only takes 51 percent of the vote to become qualified for politics!’ ”
So, what keeps you occupied these days?
“I’m involved in a lot of different things. Real estate. Health care. Various business ventures that require my time. Right now, I’m leaving for Mexico. There’s a really neat little place we go called San Miguel.”
Aren’t you also involved in the restaurant business?
“Yeah, you interested in buying one?” (chuckles)
Enough small talk. Let’s get down to it: Could Osborne’s option-heavy playbook still work well in the college game?
“Hell yes. If you don’t think Tom’s players and his coaching staff and his system could succeed today, you don’t know the game of football. How do I know? Well, I coached for a lot of years. I know what works and what doesn’t. You look at the service academies (Army, Air Force, Navy, et al). Their offenses give them an opportunity to have success with inferior talent. If they didn’t run it, they wouldn’t gain a yard. Not a yard. So, if you have superior talent like Nebraska did — Tommie Frazier, Lawrence Phillips, all of those great linemen — then you can win big doing what Tom did. You’re damned right his playbook could win today.”
Your personalities are almost opposite . . . What led to your bond with Osborne?
“It all goes back to the 1960s when we were coaching. He was an assistant at Nebraska when I was (an assistant) at Oklahoma. We went to clinics, Big Eight meetings, national conventions. We knew who we were for 40-something years. We became head coaches the same year. We inherited great programs, schools with great tradition, and we took advantage of it. We were able to build on it and keep it rolling. Something just grew through a period of time. ... I’ll tell you, though, I drank more beer with Bob Devaney than I did with Tom. You can quote me on that. If Bob were here, he’d say the same thing.”
How often do you correspond with Osborne?
“I never write anybody. I never had a secretary. I can’t type. I’m old-school. (But) I’m glad they have cell phones now, because I wear them out. I wish they had those things when we were recruiting. Boy, I would’ve been something with those things.” As for his contact with Osborne, “We talk on the phone. Every few months we visit about certain things and touch base. Basically, it’s been about athletics, sometimes about politics.”
Wow, recruiting without cell phones. What a concept, huh?
“I used to pull over about every 10 miles and use pay phones by the side of the road. It was kind of dangerous in some places, like going into a ghetto in Houston. Recruiting in general — it was like the Wild West back then. There weren’t nearly as many restrictions.”
You came to Lincoln for a day last week. Went to a press conference, a fund-raising reception, attended a basketball game with Osborne. ... Did you enjoy your stay?
“People in Nebraska always have treated me well, always have made me feel welcome. I like spending time with Tom. He’s a great man. There’s nothing pretentious about him. He has no ego. I came here because I believe in what he’s doing. I’d like to say that I was a part of it.”
ower