Former OSU head coach John Cooper has been selected for induction in the College Football Hall of Fame. The announcement was made during a noontime press conference. Cooper, who amassed 192 wins in 24 years as a collegiate head coach, stands as the only coach to win the Rose Bowl with both a Big Ten and Pac-10 school. We may be setting a record in Columbus for firing Hall of Fame coaches....in any event, congrats to Coop!
My congratulations as well. Coop's only problem was he had problems winning over TUN and bowl games. He was a great recruiter of NFL talent. He was a true gentlemen and even refused to move from Columbus after he was fired. He continues to applaud the Buckeyes and has an office in the athletic complex. Don
I have to agree his eye for NFL level talent was incredible. I wonder what the problem was with beating Mich, he certainly had equal talent to them every year.
Terry, Good question, no answers. He use to drive me crazy as he paced up and down the sideline, biting his fingernails. Don
One would have to assume that the Um-OSU pressure cooker is an extraordinary one that he just couldn't figure out...obviously. But his record is a remarkable one and one I would challenge anybody to duplicate....he won championships as a captain on his Iowa State team, as an assistant at each and EVERY stop and as a head coach at each and EVERY stop....hardly a coincidence for sure and no doubt the reason for his induction into the HOF! He put together some great, great football teams many of which I was eternally grateful. His 98 Buckeye team was an extraordinary group and I still don't know how Sparty knocked us off in the 'Shoe. But they did....so be it. Thanks Coach Cooper....I'm not certain, but I'm thinking his predecessor has a spot waiting for him when he retires......hopefully, many, many years from now. It's always a good thing when you have one HOF coach replace another....