COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : Cowboy Assistant Gets Oklahoma Job

Oklahoma officials, after being burned by an outsider, turned to one of their own when they hired John Blake, defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys, as the Sooners’ next football coach.

Blake, 34, replaces Howard Schnellenberger, who resigned under pressure Dec. 18 after a 5-5-1 season.

Blake played defensive line at Oklahoma from 1980-83. He later spent two years as a graduate assistant under Switzer, one year at Tulsa, and was a full-time assistant for four years under former coach Gary Gibbs. He has been with the Cowboys the past three seasons.

Blake, who joins Bob Simmons of Oklahoma State as the only black coaches in Big Eight history, received a five-year contract with a base salary of $115,000 per year.

He said he would remain on the Cowboys’ staff as long as they stay alive in the playoffs.