Sooners Hand Football Duties Over To Dallas Assistant Blake

University of Oklahoma officials, after being burned by an outsider, turned to one of their own Sunday when they hired John Blake as the Sooners’ next football coach.

Blake, 34, enjoyed widespread fan support during the search and had the strong backing of Dallas Cowboys coach and former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer, who was on hand for the announcement. Blake replaces Howard Schnellenberger, who resigned under pressure Dec. 18 after a 5-5-1 season.

“Nothing means more to me than having this opportunity to get back to the people and the place that’s always been there for me,” Blake said.

The emotion of the moment was evident a couple times. Blake choked up when he thanked and hugged his parents, James and Dorothy, and again when he thanked Switzer.

Blake played defensive line at Oklahoma from 1980-83. He later spent two years as a graduate assistant under Switzer, one year at Tulsa, and was a full-time assistant for four years under former coach Gary Gibbs.

For the past three years, he has been defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys.