Sooners’ radio voice marks first five years
TOBY ROWLAND CALLS HIS FIVE YEARS AS OU RADIO VOICE ‘JUST WONDERFUL’
Toby Rowland can hardly believe it’s been five years since he replaced the legendary Bob Barry Sr. as the University of Oklahoma radio voice, making his debut with the 2011 spring football game.
“It’s exceeded expectations, and my expectations were really high,” he said. “It’s been wonderful, just wonderful.”
Rowland has enjoyed his share of memorable broadcasts, including the OU basketball team’s triple-overtime loss in January at Kansas, Samaje Perine’s record rushing day against Kansas in 2014 and Blake Bell’s Bedlam-winning touchdown pass in 2013. But one of the low points came just a week ago in what he called “probably the hardest game” at OU.
Culminated by a nightmarish second half in which Oklahoma was outscored 53-23, the OU men’s basketball team suffered a 95-51 loss to eventual champion Villanova in the national semifinals in Houston.
“I felt bad for the guys,” Rowland said. “I love that team, the guys on that team and that coaching staff. After you spend as much time as we do with them through the year, and for them to be so excited to be on that stage, and then for it to unfold as it did, my heart just broke for them. That is kind of going through your brain and you want to accurately broadcast what’s going on, not try to Crimson-coat it.”
The enthusiastic Rowland, 42, still relishes the fact that he got to cover Final Fours in football and basketball in the same school year.
“It’s not like you’re not getting to call winning programs here,” he said. “This is as good as it gets.”
In fact, if ESPN came
calling with a network play-by-play job, Rowland said he would have no interest.
“Heck, no! That’s not a better job than I got. That’s traveling the United States and being away from your family and miss being a part of the university I love and the fans. I would miss having a stable home life with my family.”
Rowland and his wife, Jenni, have three children — Trevor, a senior at Piedmont High School who plans to enroll at OU in the fall; Payton, a sophomore at Piedmont; and Chole, a second-grader.
The son of a Nazarene minister, Rowland brings a natural positive approach to his broadcasts. He credits Barry for influencing his style.
“That’s one of the things that made Bob so likable. He loved what he did and you could tell listening to him. You couldn’t help but be in a good mood when you heard him call a game. It just sounded like he was having a ball. I loved that, and I always tried to remember that. It’s easy to do when you are having fun.”
Although he has several signature calls, he said his favorites are “Oh, mama!” and “Unhitch the wagon and put the ponies in the barn.”
Rowland, a Southern Nazarene University graduate who worked for four years as the school’s sports information director, also brings a positive approach to his 6-9 a.m. radio show, “T-Row in the Morning Show,” on KREF-AM 1400. Don’t expect him to be screaming for coaches to be fired after a tough loss, which he occasionally advises listeners.
“You know what my job is, you know what my personality is, this is the way it’s going to be for the next three hours. I think some people appreciate that. I think there is a whole bunch of fans out there who are fans. They are optimistic and they love their team, and they don’t necessarily after losses come out with pitchforks and want to storm the castle. They just love their team.”
Rowland, who also broadcasts baseball and hosts Bob Stoops, Lon Kruger and Sherri Coale’s radio shows and “Sooner Sports Spotlight,” was rewarded last June with a new five-year contract.
“His genuine enthusiasm, dedication, creativity, versatility and delivery are just some of the reasons why he has quickly become a fan favorite,” OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said at the time. “His love for our athletics teams and their respect for him is evident in every broadcast, and we are proud he’s a Sooner.”
Rowland said he hopes it’s a marriage that lasts a long time. He has a way to go to match the longevity of Barry, who totaled 32 years as voice of the Sooners in two stints with the school.
“I would love to do this for the rest of my working days.”