Gibbs Can’t Dispel Switzer Shadow : Controversy Continues as Coach Takes Over at Oklahoma

Gary Gibbs officially took over as football coach at the University of Oklahoma Wednesday but the controversy generated by the program under longtime Coach Barry Switzer continued.

On a day that the Dallas Times Herald was reporting that the school had dropped plans to give Switzer a lie-detector test when he resigned, and that former assistant coach Scott Hill had become the target of an FBI drug investigation, university regents meeting in Oklahoma City approved Gibbs’ hiring and gave Switzer a $225,000 settlement.

The settlement includes a $145,000 payment on June 1, 1990, and also provides that Switzer be paid a salary of $7,250 a month while on special assignment until Feb. 1.

The regents approved a salary of $88,000 for Gibbs and an identical salary for basketball Coach Billy Tubbs. Switzer had been making $87,000.

Switzer, who resigned after six months of turmoil, had four years left on his roll-over contract. Since January, the football program has been on three years’ probation by the National Collegiate Athletic Assn., and five football players have been charged in incidents involving guns, drugs and sexual assault.

The Times Herald said that the lie-detector test was to have been part of an internal investigation conducted by the university, apparently in connection with an annual report required by the NCAA under terms of the school’s probation.

The newspaper said that the test, described as a series of questions concerning what Switzer knew and when he knew it, was canceled when he told university officials last Friday that he would resign on Monday.

The paper also quoted a source as saying that FBI agents, headed by the same investigator involved in the undercover case that led to the arrest of starting quarterback Charles Thompson in February, were “getting close” to concluding their investigation of Hill, who resigned under pressure earlier this year. Thompson later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Athletic Director Donnie Duncan said in Oklahoma City that he was unaware of any internal investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson declined comment on a possible drug investigation and Dan Vogel, an FBI spokesman, would neither confirm nor deny that one was in progress.

The Times Herald said it was believed that Switzer knew of an investigation that could implicate Hill. However, Switzer was out of town and not available for comment.

In announcing sanctions against the Sooners, the NCAA had criticized Switzer for not having enough control over the program. Gibbs has promised to maintain stricter control.

“I will be in complete control of the football program,” he said. “I’m responsible for the football program at the University of Oklahoma.”

But he added, “I’m not going to stand here and say we’re not going to have a problem.”

He also said: “We’ve got to remove that cloud, that uncertainty of ‘What’s going on down there? Who’s in control?’ ” Gibbs said. “We’re a bunch of good guys. All we’ve got to do is the right thing.”

When asked how he would handle disciplining his players, Gibbs said, “That’s an easy question. You do what’s right. You don’t do what’s wrong.”