While he succeeded in his primary task—cleaning up the program's image—he was perceived as a coach who could not win big games. He went 2–15–1 against Oklahoma's biggest rivals, Texas, Nebraska and Colorado, and never won more than five (out of seven) games in the Big Eight Conference.
He accomplished his primary goal—restoring the team's reputation—but was seen as a trainer who could not secure major triumphs. He compiled a 2–15–1 record against Oklahoma's most prominent adversaries, Texas, Nebraska, and Colorado, and rarely achieved more than five (out of seven) successes in the Big Eight Conference.