Fansided

25 worst college football coaching hires in history

By Nicholas Ian Allen

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 1: Head coach Mike Price of the Washington State University Cougars manages the game from the sidelines during the 89th Rose Bowl game against University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003 in Pasadena, California. Oklahoma defeated Washington St. 34-14. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 1: Head coach Mike Price of the Washington State University Cougars manages the game from the sidelines during the 89th Rose Bowl game against University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003 in Pasadena, California. Oklahoma defeated Washington St. 34-14. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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2 Nov 1996: Oklahoma Sooners head coach John Blake confers with an official during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Nebraska won the game, 73-21.
2 Nov 1996: Oklahoma Sooners head coach John Blake confers with an official during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Nebraska won the game, 73-21. /

13. John Blake, Oklahoma

  • Hired: December 1995
  • Fired: November 1998
  • Record at Oklahoma: 12-22 (.353)
  • Career head coaching record: 12-22 (.353)

In some ways, it made perfect sense. John Blake was a defensive lineman for Barry Switzer at Oklahoma from 1979-82. Though his time in Norman didn’t coincide with one of Switzer’s three national championships, Blake was a standout for the Sooners and coached four seasons for the school, as well as in the NFL with Switzer’s Dallas Cowboys.

The hope, after six mediocre seasons (by OU standards, at least) under Gary Gibbs, and a 5-5-1 campaign under Howard Schnellenberger, was that Blake could restore pride in the Sooners faithful and make Oklahoma a national title contender again. Unfortunately, it worked out in almost exactly the opposite fashion.

Wins over rivals Texas and Oklahoma State couldn’t take the sting off a 3-8 record in Blake’s first season at the helm, which was also the program’s first in the Big 12. The Sooners lost four in a row to start the Blake era, including three games against WAC opponents.

Blake improved Oklahoma’s record in each of the next two years, but topped out at 5-6. A five-game losing streak in 1998 sealed his fate. When the dust settled, Oklahoma had a 12-22 record across Blake’s three seasons at the helm – the worst three-year stretch ever for the Oklahoma football program.

However, as a silver lining, Blake didn’t leave the cupboard bare for his successor, Bob Stoops. Blake recruited many players that would become part of the Sooners’ national championship squad in 2000, including defensive stars Rocky Calmus and Roy Williams.

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