When Oklahoma hired Bob Stoops from Florida, the fans were kind of shocked. Who was this guy? What are they thinking? Just what in general.
However, it has been pure brilliance. During the press conference announcing his hiring, Bob Stoops has embraced the programs rich and long history. However, he was not going to play the same game as the past.
Instead Bob Stoops ushered in a new style of football, it was called the spread offense. A lot of passing with a little bit of rushing mixed in. Some fans were skeptical, but willing to watch and learn from this 38 year old seasoned coach with a great pedigree.
In 1999, Stoops first season, Oklahoma seemed to be a vastly improved team. They went 7-5, but the record was worse than what it actually was, but it was all erased the following season.
Going into the 2000, ranked for the first time in five years being ranked headed into the season, Ou was not expected to win the Big 12 south, let alone the national championship. Especially when everyone looked at the month of October.
In October of 2000, Oklahoma played perhaps the toughest three game stretch in the history of college football. First up was No. 10 Texas. Oklahoma, led by Josh Heupel, disposed of them in embarrassing fashion. In the most lopsided win in the series storied rivalry, Oklahoma beat Texas 63-14.
Oklahoma would then travel to No. 2 Kansas State. Oklahoma pulled off the upset, beating Kansas State 41-31. This win propelled OU into the top 10.
After a week off, Oklahoma had their sights set on No. 1 Nebraska.
Trailing 14-0 after early in the game, OU would score the games final 31 points to beat Nebraska 31-14. It was quoted by ABC announcer Brent Musburger, “The Sooners October run of burying Texas, Kansas State, and Nebraska is one of the greatest 30 day stretches in college football history.”
Oklahoma would go on to edge out Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, before meeting up with Kansas State. This time for the Big 12 championship, and Oklahoma chance to bring the crystal ball home.
Oklahoma would win in a game the score made look more of a game than what it was.
The win for the Big 12 title set up a show down with the defending national champions, the Florida State Seminoles.
Oklahoma would win the game 13-2 thanks in part to great defensive play, when this game was being billed as a high flying circus act with a lot of points going to be scored.
Bob Stoops propelled Oklahoma back to national spotlight, in just his second season. Setting up what now seems a very high expectation of him.
Since the 2000 National Championship, Oklahoma has gone on to win 5 more conference championships, no other Big 12 team has 2. They have also played for 3 more national championships, unfortunately losing them all.
Bob Stoops won his 100th game in 2008, making him the fastest coach to win 100 games. He also made Oklahoma to become the only program to have four different coaches with at least 100 wins each.
The future looks bright for the Oklahoma Sooners. To win championships nowadays you have to get there. And with Bob Stoops piloting the ship, we all can look forward to more and more great things. Let's hope by the time he calls it quits or moves on, that he will make Oklahoma the first program to have 3 coaches with at least 3 national championships!