John Blake, Oklahoma’s head football coach from 1996 through 1998 has passed away. He was 59.

“We are stunned and saddened by the news of Coach Blake’s passing,” said OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione. “He was never hesitant in displaying love for his family, his players or how much he valued the honor of being a Sooner. His legacy as OU’s first Black head coach in any sport is incredibly meaningful and will live on forever. We offer our heartfelt thoughts and our prayers to his family. He was a Sooner through and through.”

“The thing I’ve always heard about Coach Blake is how much he loved and cared for his players and how those feelings were reciprocal,” said OU coach Lincoln Riley. “That’s such a profound element of the coaching profession — developing bonds with players that extend beyond the field. Our program is very saddened to learn of Coach Blake’s passing and we extend our deepest condolences to his family. Everything I know about him is that he loved being a Sooner.”

Blake was hired at age 34 on Dec. 31, 1995. His three Sooner teams combined for a 12-22 record, going 3-8 in 1996, 4-8 in 1997 and 5-6 in 1998. Many of the players he recruited to OU won a national championship with the Sooners in 2000 under head coach Bob Stoops.

From Sand Springs, Blake was an OU nose guard from the 1979 through 1982 seasons under head coach Barry Switzer, helping the Sooners to a 36-11-1 record during that span. Blake was the school’s first black head coach in any sport passed away.

He began his coaching career at OU in 1985 as a student assistant for the Sooners’ national championship team and was a graduate assistant in 1986. After a two-year stint as a full-time assistant coach at Tulsa, Blake returned to Norman as OU’s defensive line coach in 1989 under head coach Gary Gibbs, and as linebackers coach from 1990 to ’92.

Blake made the jump to the NFL in 1993, serving as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line coach and helping them to Super Bowl titles that season under head coach Jimmie Johnson and in 1995 under Switzer.

After his term as OU head coach, Blake held assistant coach positions at Mississippi State, Nebraska, North Carolina and with the Buffalo Bills. Blake earned his bachelor’s degree in public relations and recreation from OU in 1986.