Former OU football coach Barry Switzer's wait to get into the College Football Hall of Fame could be coming to an end.

According to an article in the Tulsa World Sunday, sources close to the Hall of Fame selection process confirmed that Switzer is a strong candidate for election when the names of the new inductees are released this month.

Election to the College Football Hall of Fame is done by the organization's 12-member Honors Court.

Switzer has been eligible for this award on and off since 1991. The first time his name appeared on the ballot was after he retired from OU in 1989.

Switzer was passed over in previous years, even though his credentials were sharp. In his 16 seasons at OU, his record was 157-29-4 and he won three national championships and 12 Big Eight Conference titles.

Factors leading to Switzer's resignation as head coach of the OU football team, according to some, may have cost him from receiving this title earlier. After the 1988 season, OU was placed on NCAA probation, and in a three-week span five players were arrested on felony charges.

His candidacy was then withheld when he became the coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 1994-1997.

Some people believe that he should not be considered for this award because he has been out of the college coaching loop for 12 years.

Joe Castiglione, OU Athletic Director, said that Switzer is more than deserving of this award.

"Switzer's time here is amongst one of the most successful periods in college history. To be at the top for as many years as his Oklahoma teams were is mind boggling," Castiglione said.

Castiglione said that to the average person his records would stand out quickly, but records should not be the only reason Switzer should be inducted.

"Switzer remembers everybody. He should be recognized for the quality of the student athletes that have come from him, how much they value their experience as an OU football player under him and for his re-defining of the word 'team,'" Castiglione said.

Merv Johnson, Director of OU Football Operations, said there are many reasons why Switzer is deserving of this award.

"His record of achievement speaks for itself. There are so many big games that he won that were crucial to the program," Johnson said. Johnson said that Switzer is a very special person to work for as well as play for.

"You can talk to any coach, former and current players, just about everyone who is associated with him, and they have absolutely nothing but great things to say about him," Johnson said. "That says a lot about a man, to have that kind of caliber and stature being said about you could be one of the greatest things."

If Switzer is elected, the induction would occur next December in New York. Ceremonies would occur in the summer of 2002 at the College Football Hall of Fame headquarters in South Bend, Ind.


To learn more about the College Football Hall of Fame, visit http://collegefootball.org.
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