NORMAN – The University of Oklahoma mourns the passing of John Blake, OU’s head football coach from the 1996 to 1998 seasons and the school’s first black head coach in any sport. He was 59 years old.
Blake was hired at 34 on December 31, 1995. His three Sooner teams combined for a record of 12-22, going 3-8 in 1996, 4-8 in 1997 and 5-6 in 1998. Many of the players OU recruited won a national championship with the Sooners in 2000 under head coach Bob Stoops.
From Sand Springs, Oklahoma, Blake was an OU nose guard from the 1979 to 1982 seasons under head coach Barry Switzer, helping the Sooners to a record of 36-11-1 during that span.
He began his career as a coach at OU in 1985 as a student assistant for the Sooners National Championship team and was a graduate assistant in 1986. After a two-year stint as a full-time assistant coach in Tulsa, Blake returned to Norman as OU defensive line coach in 1989 under head coach Gary Gibbs, and as linebacking coach from 1990 to ’92.
Blake made the jump to the NFL in 1993, serving as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line coach and helping them secure Super Bowl titles that season under head coach Jimmie Johnson and in 1995 under Switzer.
Following his tenure as OU head coach, Blake held assistant coach positions in the state of Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina and with the Buffalo Bills.
Blake earned his BA in Public Relations and Recreation from OU in 1986.
Statement by OU President Joseph Harroz Jr .:
“I join the entire Sooner Nation in mourning the passing of Coach Blake. His years of service at our college and Sooner football were critical to the success of our program and the impact it had on our student athletes is indelible. My more Sincere condolences and prayers go out to the Blake family. “
Statement from OU Vice President and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione:
“We are shocked and saddened by the news of Coach Blake’s passing. He never hesitated to show love for his family, his players, or how much he valued the honor of being a Sooner. His legacy as OU’s first black coach in any sport is incredibly significant. and he will live forever. We offer our most sincere thoughts and prayers to his family. He was sooner from start to finish. “
OU Head Soccer Coach Statement Lincoln Riley:
“What I always heard about Coach Blake is how much he loved and cared for his players and how those feelings were reciprocal. That is such a profound element of the coaching profession: developing relationships with players that extend beyond the field. Our El The program is saddened to learn of Coach Blake’s passing and we extend our condolences to his family. All I know about him is that he loved being a before. “
