John Jacobs

John Jacobs began his era at the University of Oklahoma in 1912 when they ran on horse tracks and touched hands in relay races. Before his 46 season coaching reign with the Sooners from 1922-1968, Jacobs held the intercollegiate record in the 120 and 220-yard hurdles, high jump and broad jump and won 16 first place honors with only one-second-place finish.

His outdoor teams won 19 consecutive duals and earned conference titles in 1935, 1961, and 1962. His indoor teams swept the Missouri Valley and Big Six conference championships, despite not having an indoor facility. He developed six Olympians, including Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame inductee, J.W. Mashburn. Actor Dennis Weaver also trained for the 1948 Olympic national tryouts under Jacobs.

He first coached high school football in Oklahoma and Texas before hired to coach at OU in 1922. His football team in Sherman, Texas won the state championship.

He was honored as Track Coach of the Year in 1955 and is a member of the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame, the old Oklahoma Athletic Hall of Fame and the Drake Relays Hall of Fame. Jacobs resigned as head track coach at age 65. He died June 3, 1978, at age 86. He was married to Daphne Dodson and has two sons.