Chris Plank hired as new OU football sideline reporter

Tulsa sportscaster will host pregame and postgame shows

When Tulsa sportscaster Chris Plank arrived in Oklahoma in 1993, he said he immediately got caught up in the OU football frenzy even though he was a University of Tulsa student at the time.

photo - The "Pride of Oklahoma" band spells out "Thanks Bob" in honor of radio personality Bob Barry during half-time of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Texas Tech Red Raiders (TTU) at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

The "Pride of Oklahoma" band spells out "Thanks Bob" in honor of radio personality Bob Barry during half-time of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Texas Tech Red Raiders (TTU) at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

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“I thought this was awesome, and I have been kind of addicted ever since,” Plank said. “It really hit me in the face just how passionate their following was.”

Plank, program director at Tulsa sports stations KTBZ-AM 1430 and KAKC-AM 1300, will get a chance to see the program up close this fall as the new sideline reporter on the OU radio broadcasts. He replaces Toby Rowland, who was promoted to play-by-play announcer.

Plank auditioned for the job as the sideline reporter for the spring game. He said he enjoyed working with Rowland for the first time.

“It’s kind of cliché; we really clicked,” he said. “I could kind of pick up on his cadence and I think he had a good feel for mine. It was pretty natural.”

Plank, 36, and Rowland, 37, will bring more youth to the broadcast, working with veteran analyst Merv Johnson, 75, who will return for his 13th season in the booth. Rowland replaced Bob Barry Sr., 80, who retired after the basketball season.

“Chris has worked for us on various broadcasts and obviously we've known about his work in Tulsa and his national appearances with Fox,” OU athletic spokesman Kenny Mossman said. “He’ll be an asset with a good presence on the air and professional delivery.”

Plank said he can’t wait to start his new job in covering the highly ranked Sooners, and is especially looking forward to the trip to Florida State on Sept.

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