‘Everybody liked Don Jimerson’

NORMAN — Longtime Oklahoma football assistant and athletic administrator Don Jimerson died Friday morning. Jimerson was 83. “He was a class act,” former Sooners head coach Barry Switzer said. “I liked him when I met him in high school. Everybody liked Don Jimerson.”

Jimerson had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

Jimerson was first brought to OU in 1967 to coach the freshman team after three years as the head coach at Lawton High.

Then-head coach Jim McKenzie hired Jimerson after the young coach picked his brain about the I-formation.

The next year, he moved to an assistant’s role and stayed there under McKenzie, Chuck Fairbanks and Switzer coaching running backs, tight ends and receivers.

In 1976 he moved to an assistant athletic director role. He had plenty of successes as an administrator, including national championships in gymnastics and golf when he ran those sports.

He remained in that role until his 1998 resignation.

Jimerson also served as Executive Director of the Varsity “O” Club from 1996 until his 2007 retirement from that role.

Jimerson starred on both sides of the ball for Central State College (now the University of Central Oklahoma) from 1955-57.

He was inducted into the UCO Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.

Jimerson’s sons had plenty of athletic success as well.

Oldest son Jay was a defensive back for the Sooners. Middle son Jody set the state record for the 440-yard run in 1976 before going on to compete in track at OU. His youngest son Jere was a pole vaulter for the Sooners.

Memorial services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Norman.