Barry Switzer - Norman, OK - Living Statues on Waymarking.com

This sculpture of former OU and Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer is one of four on the south side of the Gaylord Family OU Memorial Stadium, at the NW corner of Jenkins and Lindsey. Coaches Switzer and Wilkinson are on the east side of the entrance, with Coaches Owen and Stoops on the west side all in grassy areas.

Barry Switzer's bronze statue stands about 6' high, on top of a 3' tall marble base with text on all four sides. The Coach has his hands on his hips, and right leg bent. Just below his shirt collar, from the observer's view, is "Switzer" on the left, and "Oklahoma" on the right. The attire appears to be slacks with a belt, and a collared shirt. He wears a watch on his left wrist, and the ring on his finger has the words "National Champions" and the number 1 in the center.

From wiki:
Barry Layne Switzer (born October 5, 1937) is a former American football coach and player. He served for 16 years as head football coach at the University of Oklahoma and 4 years as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He won three national championships at Oklahoma, and led the Cowboys to win Super Bowl XXX against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only three head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a Super Bowl, the others being Jimmy Johnson and Pete Carroll.

Following the 1966 season, Switzer moved to the University of Oklahoma as an assistant coach under new head coach and good friend, Jim Mackenzie. After Mackenzie died of a heart attack following spring practice of 1967, Switzer continued as an assistant under former University of Houston assistant and new Oklahoma head coach Chuck Fairbanks.

Switzer made a name for himself when he was OU's offensive coordinator by perfecting the wishbone offense and developing it into the most prolific rushing offense in college football history. Under Switzer, the Sooners set an NCAA rushing record of 472 yards per game in 1971 and scored over 500 points in two different seasons, 1971 and 1986. When Fairbanks accepted the position of head coach of the New England Patriots following the 1972 season, Switzer was the obvious choice to succeed him.

Switzer became head coach at Oklahoma in 1973, leading the team to undefeated seasons that year and the next. Oklahoma won national championships in 1974, 1975 and 1985 under Switzer's leadership. The team won or shared in the Big Eight Conference championship every year from 1973 to 1980. During his sixteen years as head coach at Oklahoma, his teams won eight of the thirteen post-season bowl games they played in, and 54 of his players were selected as All-Americans.

Text on plaques attached to the statue:

Barry Switzer

In his 16 years at OU (1973-1988), Barry Switzer compiled a 157-29-04 record. He is ranked first in winning percentage (.837) in Oklahoma football history, and the winning percentage also ranks as the fourth best in NCAA Division 1 history. Switzer led Oklahoma to three national titles: 1974, 1975 and 1985. Under Switzer, the Sooners earned 12 Big 8 Conference Championships and won 8 of 13 bowl appearances.
Switzer was named head coach of Dallas Cowboys in 1994. In 1995, he led Dallas to Super Bowl XXX, in which the Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17. He is one of only two coaches who have won championships in both the NCAA and the NFL.
A native of Arkansas, Coach Switzer graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1960. He played center and linebacker for the Razorbacks and was captain of the 1959 team, which claimed the Southwestern Conference title and Gator Bowl title. In 1966, Switzer joined the Oklahoma staff and was named head coach of the Sooners in 1973. He coached 50 All-Americans, 17 national award winners, 1 Heisman Trophy winner, and more than 100 NFL draft selections.
Switzer has been inducted into the Oklahoma and Arkansas Sports Halls of Fame, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, and the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

side 2:
Barry Switzer
Dedicated November 5, 2011
Oklahoma Centennial '07
A Project of the Oklahoma Centennial

side 3:
Sculpted by Jack Nortz
MTM Recognition
Willis Granite Products Granite, OK

"Grumpy, we love you!"
Skyler, Macey, Jacob, Luke, Laynee, Zachary, Slater, Andrew and Lauren Kaleb



(see gallery for photo of donors)

Visit Instructions:
At least one original photo, taken by the poster, of the statue. No internet photos.

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