Barry Switzer (born October 5, 1937) is a retired American coach best known for his work in football. He was born in Crossett, Arkansas and spent a coaching career that included both professional and college levels, spanning more than three decades. Switzer is part of a small group of head coaches who have won both a college national championship and a Super Bowl, and he finished his college tenure with one of the higher winning percentages in the sport’s history.
Early life and playing days
After completing high school, Switzer enrolled at the University of Arkansas, where he played on the football team in the late 1950s. Following graduation, he served briefly in the United States Army before returning to Arkansas to begin a coaching career as an assistant.
Rise at Oklahoma
Switzer joined the coaching staff at the University of Oklahoma following the 1966 season and succeeded to the head coach position in 1973. Early in his tenure Oklahoma produced consecutive seasons without a defeat and captured successive national titles; the program added another national crown during the 1980s. He left Oklahoma in 1989 with a record that included 157 victories, 29 defeats and 4 ties.
NFL head coach
In 1994 Switzer moved to the professional ranks as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Under his direction the team won Super Bowl XXX, the championship concluding the 1995 season. Switzer stepped away from coaching after the 1997 campaign.
Honors and later work
Switzer was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001 in recognition of his accomplishments at the college level. He later joined the broadcast side of the game, beginning work on the NFL pre-game show for FOX television network on September 9, 2007.