[1] The Gentry, Texas native was head coach at the University of Oklahoma between 1938 and 1955, compiling a 200–181 record.
Prior to coaching, he was also a star for Hugh McDermott's Oklahoma team.
At the time of his retirement, he was the winningest coach in OU history, but is now third behind Billy Tubbs and Kelvin Sampson.
He coached 5 Olympic (Wayne Glasgow and Marcus Freiberger of University of Oklahoma, 1952; Bill Evans, Ron Tomsic and Gib Ford of Air Force team, 1956) and three All-Americans (Jimmy McNatt, 1940; Gerald Tucker, 1943, 1947; Allie Paine, 1944) Drake was selected as the assistant coach for the 1956 USA Men's Basketball Gold Medal Olympic Team [3] In 1958 he coached the Wichita Vickers in the National Industrial Basketball League getting 30–21 record tying him for first with his old player Gerald Tucker who was coaching the Bartlesville Phillips 66ers.
One of the lasting contributions Drake developed is the shuffle offense.