Former OU Band Director 'Coach' Gene Thrailkill Dies

Former OU band director "Coach" Gene Thrailkill has died.

Thrailkill served 30 years as the director of the Pride of Oklahoma marching band. He gained statewide attention in 1983 during a football game against OSU. OU was losing and he instructed the band to play nonstop until OU pulled ahead as police escorted him off the field for not having a sideline pass. The band played "Boomer Sooner" nonstop roughly 300 times, and the team scored 15 unanswered points and a field goal, securing the win. Thrailkill retired in 2000.

Current pride director Brian Britt says Thrailkill was a larger-than-life person who made a positive difference in the lives of so many people.