The search for a new coach did not go well. There was a decline from the pinnacle of college football’s ultimate heights in Wilkinson’s later years and what was perceived as a collapse of the venerated program under Gomer Jones. This left the Sooners in a difficult position as their inquiries to potential coaching candidates were not well received. The favorite of everyone in the state was Texas head coach Darrell Royal and many were both genuinely surprised and insulted that he had no interest in leaving his ultra-successful Texas program to lead his alma mater. Rising young coaches Vince Dooley of Georgia and Doug Dickey of Tennessee also declined. Without being able to attract a “name” coach, President Cross went to thirty-five year old Arkansas assistant Jim Mackenzie, a former Bear Bryant All SEC tackle at Kentucky who served as an aide to Frank Broyles at both Missouri and Arkansas. As the assistant head coach for Broyles, he was a rising star but not particularly known outside of coaching circles and at first, not a popular choice. However, Mackenzie assembled a staff of assistants that in many ways altered the face of the college game and began the resurrection of Sooner football fortunes. His first hire was Barry Switzer, a former Arkansas tackle who played for him while Mackenzie was on Broyle’s staff. Mackenzie was instrumental in convincing Switzer to enter the coaching profession upon his termination from military service and he was considered to be the best recruiter on the Arkansas staff that led the Razorbacks to Southwestern Conference glory. His defensive coordinator was Pat James, a former Kentucky teammate who helped to build the great Alabama defenses of the early to mid-sixties. Ballyhooed Kentucky high school coach and a University Of Kentucky assistant under Charlie Bradshaw, Homer Rice took over the offense and would become the University Of Cincinnati’s head coach in ’67. The receivers’ coach was Galen Hall, the former Penn State great who later would be O-coordinator under Barry Switzer at OU and Florida’s head coach. Larry Lacewell directed the freshmen squad, a stepping stone to being Switzer’s defensive coordinator for the OU glory years of the seventies. After a head coaching stint at Arkansas State Lacewell served the Dallas Cowboys as their Director Of Scouting for many seasons. Chuck Fairbanks came on as secondary coach and would succeed Mackenzie while Port Robertson, a holdover from the Wilkinson-Jones era, provided the steadying hand of disciplinarian and father-confessor, the one coach who was most fondly remembered by almost every member of the team. Mackenzie, perhaps to emulate the headgear of the terrific Razorback squads he worked with under Broyles, introduced a red helmet. On each side he added a white rounded “OU” logo and added white “NCAA style” two-inch identifying player numerals to the rear of the shell. To overcome what he perceived as a dearth of quality players, Mackenzie instituted an accelerated conditioning program similar to that used at Arkansas and the squad lost an aggregate 1,000 pounds of body weight. The 6-4 finish was a somewhat inconsistent ride that included huge wins over rivals Texas and Nebraska but a bitter 15-14 defeat by in-state foe Oklahoma State. QB Bobby Warmack was the number-two total offense leader in the Big Eight, supported by HB Ron Shotts who led the OU rushing game with 535 yards, swift wingback Eddie Hinton, and All Conference end Ben Hart who played a season with the Saints. The offensive line was led by tackle Bob Kalsu and All Big Eight selection Ed Hall while lightning-quick All American noseguard Granville Liggins propelled the defense. Switzer used his recruiting acumen to bring in a talented group of freshmen that included three future NFL number-one draft choices; Steve Owens, Jim Files, and Steve Zabel. The future looked bright for the 1967 season, especially after Mackenzie was named Big Eight Coach Of The Year. Unfortunately, Mackenzie, a long-time heavy smoker who had gained weight in his first season at the OU helm, had ignored the early signs of impending heart disease. Upon his return from a recruiting trip on April 28, 1967, Mackenzie suffered a fatal heart attack and tragically died at the age of thirty-seven. Four days later Chuck Fairbanks was promoted and named as OU’s new head football coach. 

If interested in any of these OU helmets please click on the photos below.