Barry Switzer aiding Texas College with weight room project

Coach Barry Switzer

TYLER, Texas  --  Barry Switzer was always comfortable on either side of the Red River and Friday was no different. The charismatic Switzer came to Tyler to help his former player, Texas College football coach George Cumby. 

The former Dallas Cowboys and University of Oklahoma football coach is a natural-born speaker who lets his emotions show through at times. His affection for Cumby, a two-time All-American at OU who he recruited out of Bishop T.K. Gorman, was quite apparent as Switzer teared up at times when speaking of the former NFL first-round draft choice. 

Switzer was in town to help Cumby and Dr. Dwight J. Fennell, Texas College president, raise money for a weight room for the TC campus. He spoke to community leaders, along with alums from OU, Texas, Texas Tech and others, at Willow Brook Country Club.

Switzer said he can get the weight equipment, and the school just needs the funds for a building. He said he would raise $50,000 and he already has pitched in $5,000 himself.

“George was one of the special players,” Switzer said of Cumby, who is from Moore Station near Chandler. “If I’ve got a place in my heart for special players, it is George Cumby. He is a wonderful man, a minister, football player, coach, mentor, just a wonderful, wonderful person.

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TC NOTES: If you would like to donate to the weight room project, send checks to Texas College, Office of the President, 2404 N. Grand Ave., Tyler, Texas 75702-9703. Also write attention: Athletics.