Forty years ago last spring, Billy Tubbs arrived in Norman, and OU basketball never was the same.
Fast and fun. High-scoring and high-achieving. Nationally-known.
When Tubbs was hired on April Fool’s Day 1980 to coach the Sooners, he declared what most coaches at sleepy programs declare. That things were going to be different.
But few coaches ever delivered like Tubbs, whose teams set scoring records and won Big Eight championships and became routine Final Four contenders.
Tubbs died Sunday at the age of 85. Tubbs is survived by his wife, Pat Tubbs; son Tommy Tubbs of Oklahoma City and daughter Taylor McDaniel of Norman.