Oklahoma OK to Stoops
Sooners to name Florida assistant as head coach
Posted: Monday November 30, 1998 09:36 PM
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Won't go home again: Stoops (center) passed up taking the head job at Iowa, his alma mater, in favor of Oklahoma AP |
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Bob Stoops, whose work as Florida's
defensive coordinator helped lead the Gators to the 1996 national
title, will become the next head coach at Oklahoma, The Associated
Press learned Monday.
A source close to Stoops, speaking on condition of anonymity,
said Stoops was the choice of athletic director Joe Castiglione,
who conducted the search on his own.
Stoops, 38, was expected to be introduced at a news conference
Tuesday. He would replace John Blake, who was fired November 22 after
compiling a 12-22 record in three seasons.
"It's a great situation for Bobby," the source said. "He'll
turn that program around and get it back to where it used to be."
Several media outlets also reported that Stoops had gotten the
job. Castiglione was not available for comment; he has said
repeatedly that he won't comment until a coach is hired.
Stoops played and coached at Iowa and was defensive coordinator
at Kansas State before taking the same job at Florida three years
ago.
As Florida's coordinator, he added the defensive punch to go
with Steve Spurrier's genius on offense. In his first season, the
combination produced a national title.
Florida has been ranked in the nation's top 15 in defense during
each of Stoops' seasons there.
Stoops was nowhere to be seen at Florida's practice Monday
afternoon, another indication that something was about to happen.
"Stoopsie's out interviewing somewhere," Spurrier said. "I've
got an idea where he is, but I can't guarantee it. He hasn't
checked in in a while."
Stoops will take over an Oklahoma program that boasts six
national championships but has not had a winning season since 1993.
The Sooners have gone 23-33-1 in the past five years under Gary
Gibbs, Howard Schnellenberger and Blake.
Stoops also had been mentioned as a candidate for the vacancy at
Iowa, where Hayden Fry resigned last week.
A Gainesville, Florida, newspaper had reported over the weekend
that Stoops would be offered Iowa job, and that Fry and AD Bob
Bowlsby would travel to Gainesville this week and offer him a
package worth more than $500,000 a year. Bowlsby denied that.
Other coaches mentioned as possibilities to replace Blake were
Gary Barnett of Northwestern, Jim Donnan of Georgia and Dennis
Franchione of Texas Christian.
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