Bob Stoops “retired” as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma after 18 years Wednesday for, according to him and the University, no real reason whatsoever after compiling a 190-48 record.
According to Stoops, he’s not having any health issues that are forcing him out, nor are their any pending NCAA issues putting him out the door. He’s just ready to hang up his visor and replace it with a suit, tie and desk job.
“After 18 years at the University of Oklahoma, I’ve decided to step down as the head football coach,” Stoops said Wednesday. “I understand there has been some speculation about my health. My health was not the deciding factor in this decision and I’ve had no incidents that would prevent me from coaching. I feel the timing is perfect to hand over the reins. The program is in tremendous shape. We have outstanding players and coaches and are poised to make another run at a Big 12 and national championship. We have new state-of-the-art facilities and a great start on next year’s recruiting class. The time is now because Lincoln Riley will provide a seamless transition as the new head coach, capitalizing on an excellent staff that is already in place and providing familiarity and confidence for our players. Now is simply the ideal time for me and our program to make this transition.”
Not only remember Bob Stoops as winningest coach in Oklahoma history but it will be because of how nice he always treated me! @OU_Football
— Barry Switzer (@Barry_Switzer) June 8, 2017
You know what? I’m smelling bullshit.
The whole timing of this thing is off. Stoops, if he wanted to retire, would have done so after last season. The real “offseason” in college football lasts for all of about 10 days. Players are likely already showing up on Oklahoma’s campus for their summer workouts and summer classes. A Division I football player has to take six hours of classes in the summer to receiver their scholarship check, so while Stoops was trying to pretend he was peacefully going on to the next phase of his life, his players are already beginning their preseason work. This is not the time for a run of the mill coaching change. Stoops literally welcomed them all back on Twitter two days before he “retired.”
Welcome back the Boys of Summer! #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/XIYTqE8NCj
— Bob Stoops (@CoachBobStoops) June 6, 2017
So what really happened? You have to believe Stoops at his word that he’s not got any health issues. Certainly if that were the case, it would have already come out. What about NCAA rules? There’s not any rumblings out there concerning that.
Nope, the more I look at it, the more it’s obvious to me that Bob Stoops got Phil Fulmered.
Fulmer was a tremendously successful head coach at the University of Tennessee. He consistently helped recruit the top athletes in the country, including future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, won a national title in 1998 and two Southeastern Conference titles in 1997 and 1998. Along the way he pocketed six different Coach of the Year awards and a 152-52 record. In 2008, the University of Tennessee and its spoiled rotten fanbase chased him out of town.
@OU_CoachStoops Thank you for everything Coach. You turned a little boy's dreams into a reality. I will be forever grateful. #ThanksBob
— Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield) June 7, 2017
And here’s the thing. Regardless of the picture I painted in the above paragraph of a seemingly “wronged man,” there’s every reason to believe Fulmer brought it on himself. At the end of his tenure at Tennessee he was more of a CEO, letting his assistants run the show. It’s an NFL style, but it’s not conducive to fielding a winning college football team.
Hell, Fulmer had no idea his starting quarterback was a drug addict. And I’m not talking Ritalin or some shit. Erik Ainge was on heroine. Everybody knew it but Phil, even his own kids.
I remember sitting at a UT press conference in 2006 after they’d beaten Alabama 16-13 and Fulmer’s daughters were sitting behind me in the second row. Ainge had made some great plays (the kid was good, frankly, drug addled or not) and won Tennessee the game. Fulmer was asked about Ainge’s maturity and gave the usual coach-speak response.
A legend retired today. I'm happy that I was able to give u your only Biletnikoff Award, and I hope to keep making u proud. @OU_CoachStoops pic.twitter.com/YLkpo31YsU
— Dede Westbrook (@DedeTHEGreat11) June 7, 2017
But, behind me, when Ainge’s maturity was brought up, one of Fulmer’s daughter unleashed an audible guffaw. It was a literal, unintentional scoff at the very idea.
I remember thinking, “Uh oh.”
Yeah, Phil should have been thinking the same thing.
Two years later the Vols would go 5-7. only their second-ever losing season under Fulmer and he would be out. Since he “stepped down,” Fulmer too was offered a spot in the athletic department, just like Stoops.
Most amazing Bob Stoops stat: in his 18 years, no coach Stoops faced at least 3 times in his career had a winning record against him
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) June 8, 2017
The difference here is that Oklahoma hasn’t had a losing record under Stoops. The worst the Sooners finished since 1999 was 7-5 and that was Stoops’ first season at the helm. They went 13-0 and won the national title the very next year. It’s been 18 years of excellence under Stoops and, ultimately, that may have been his biggest problem.
Though the Sooners have been in the national title mix nearly every season of Stoops’ tenure, they haven’t won one since that first one in 2000. Sometimes your fanbase, and especially your alumni, can get fickle and forget that before Stoops set foot at Oklahoma they had four consecutive losing seasons.
Ultimately, Stoops’ own early success and his ability to hire and mentor young coaches probably did him in. Lincoln Riley is unquestionably a talented young coach and had an immediate impact when Stoops hired him as offensive coordinator in 2015. The Sooners were going to lose him next season to another school, of that there’s little question. Could Stoops have been pushed out to keep the young, hot prospect in the house? It makes a lot of sense.
Shocking news regarding Bob Stoops-Talked w/ him earlier today & he seems at peace w/ his decision-Sooners in great hands w/ Lincoln Riley!
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) June 7, 2017
But the timing is still messed up. Did something bring this to a head? Was Stoops told this would be his last season and decide not to play along? Did Riley get some rogue offer from another school the University felt it had to counter to keep him?
Is it all just as innocent as Stoops explained in his farewell remarks?
“The coaching life is like a relay race and I’m thankful for my turn and am confident as I pass the baton,” Stoops said. “Carol and I intend on staying in Norman, it is our home. I will be available to Coach Riley and the athletic department in any manner. Thank you all for a lifetime of memories we shared together of 10 conference championships, the 2000 national championship, strong relationships with players and coaches, and the great Oklahoma football fans.”
If there’s anything nefarious behind it, it’ll all come out. It always does.
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