TULSA, Okla. (Dec. 17) – Former Central Oklahoma head football coach Gary Howard was selected to the Tulsa Public Schools Athletics Hall of Fame it was announced last weekend.
A prep standout at Tulsa Central High School, Howard went on to play at Arkansas and helped the Razorbacks win a Southwest Conference title while participating in two Sugar Bowls.
He came to UCO in 1968 as defensive coordinator and served in that role until taking over the head coaching duties in 1977. Gary spent the next 26 years with the Bronchos, compiling a 162-105-6 record and becoming the school's all-time winningest coach.
Howard led the Bronchos to the 1982 NAIA national championship and coached seven of UCO's 10 playoff teams, four in NAIA (1979, '82, '83 and '85) and three in NCAA Division II (1996, '98 and '99). His 1998 and '99 teams won the only two Lone Star Conference titles in school history.
UCO won seven-plus games 13 times during Howard's tenure and he coached 50 All-Americans as head coach. Gary was inducted into the UCO Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 and was named one of the LSC's top 75 coaches and players during that league's 75th anniversary in 2006.
Howard will be inducted during a banquet on Thursday, Jan. 24 at the Doubletree at Warren Place. There will be a reception at 6 p.m., followed by a banquet at 7 p.m.
Reservations for individual seating or tables can be made by calling Lisa Norman at the TPS Athletics office at 918-746-6453 or by e-mail at normali@tulsaschools.org. Seating is limited to 500 for the banquet.
