American Football Database
Register
Advertisement
Bob Stoops
File:Bob Stoops Oklahoma Coach.jpg
Stoops paces the sideline
Current position
TitleHead coach, general manager
TeamDallas XFL team
Biographical details
Born (1960-09-09) September 9, 1960 (age 63)
Youngstown, Ohio
Alma materUniversity of Iowa
Playing career
Position(s)Defensive back
Head coaching record
Overall190–48
Bowls9–9
Tournaments0–1 (CFP)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 National (2000)
10 Big 12 (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006–2008, 2010, 2012, 2015–2016)
Awards
Walter Camp Coach of the Year (2000, 2003)
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (2000)
The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award(2000)
AP Coach of the Year (2000)
Big 12 Coach of the Year (2000, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2015–2016)
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award (2003)
Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award (2014)[1]

Robert Anthony Stoops (born September 9, 1960) is an American football coach who serves as head coach and general manager of the planned Dallas-based XFL team.[2] He was the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1999 until he announced his retirement June 7, 2017.[3] During the 2000 season, Stoops led the Sooners to an Orange Bowl victory and a national championship.

Prior to coaching at Oklahoma, Stoops held various coordinator and position-coach positions at Iowa, Kansas State and Florida. Stoops was awarded the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award in 2000 and the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award in 2000 and 2003.[4] Stoops has been nicknamed "Big Game Bob" by both supporters and detractors.[5]

High school and college[]

Stoops is one of six children born to Ron Sr. and Evelyn "Dee Dee" Stoops in Youngstown, Ohio. He is a 1978 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School, where his father was the long-time defensive coordinator of the football team. Bob and his three brothers (Ron Jr., Mike, and Mark) were all coached by Ron Sr. at Mooney. During a game in 1988 against the team coached by Ron Jr., Ron Sr. began experiencing chest pains. He was placed in an ambulance following the game and died en route to the hospital.[6][7]

Stoops was a four-year starter, and one-time All-Big Ten selection at defensive back at the University of Iowa. He was named Iowa’s Team MVP in 1982.[8]

Coaching career[]

After graduating with a marketing degree in 1983, Stoops began his coaching career as a volunteer coach and graduate assistant in the Iowa Hawkeyes program under Hayden Fry. He was an assistant at Kent State University under Dick Crum in 1988, and joined the coaching staff at Kansas State University the following year. Stoops was named co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State under Bill Snyder in 1991 and assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator in 1995. During his tenure on the Wildcats staff, Stoops played a key role in their impressive turnaround, helping take what many considered to be the worst program in Division 1-A to national contention. During his final four seasons there, KSU was 35–12 with three bowl appearances.

He then left for the University of Florida, and landed a three-year stint as Steve Spurrier's defensive coordinator. Hired after Florida gave up 62 points to Nebraska in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl,[9] he was given full powers over the Gators defense and was part of the Gators' national championship win over Florida State in the 1997 Sugar Bowl.[10]

It was with the Gators that the spotlight found Stoops and made him one of the hottest coaching names in the profession. Stoops' success at Kansas State and Florida launched him to the top of the list of assistant coaches primed for head coaching positions in 1999.

Oklahoma[]

The University of Oklahoma named Stoops its head coach in 1999. Stoops won seven games in his first year, taking the Sooners to their first bowl game since the 1994 season.

File:OklahomaSooners-TulsaGoldenHurricane-2009-Stoops.jpg

Stoops in 2009

In his 18 years as head coach of the Sooners, Stoops has a combined record of 190–48 (.798). On November 16, 2013, Stoops notched his 157th win as Oklahoma's head coach with a victory over Iowa State, tying him with Barry Switzer for the most wins in Sooners history.[11] A week later, on November 23, 2013, he surpassed Switzer's record with a 41–31 victory over Kansas State. Stoops accumulated a home winning streak of 39 consecutive games from 2005 to 2011. The streak was ended on October 22, 2011 when Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma 41–38. He also had the most wins of the decade of any BCS school with 110 (2000–2009). Along with Switzer, Bud Wilkinson and Bennie Owen, he is one of four coaches to win over 100 games at the University of Oklahoma; no other college football program has had more than three coaches accomplish such a feat. Overall, Oklahoma was 4–6 in BCS games and 9–9 in bowl games under Stoops.

Stoops led the Sooners to the 2000 BCS National Championship and finished the season undefeated, outscoring 13 opponents by a combined 481–194. His Oklahoma teams again earned the opportunity to play in the BCS National Championship Game in 2004, 2005 and 2009, losing to LSU, 21–14, in the 2004 Sugar Bowl, and to USC, 55–19 in the 2005 Orange Bowl, and Florida, 24–14, in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. Under Stoops, Oklahoma had four BCS National Championship Game appearances, a record shared with Florida State.

Stoops' teams finished the season ranked in the Top 10 of the polls for 11 of his 18 seasons, seven times finishing in the top five.

Stoops led his team to bowl games in each of his 17 years at Oklahoma, ten of which were Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowls, including the Big 12 Conference's first Rose Bowl victory as the Sooners upended Washington State, 34–14, in the 2003 Rose Bowl. With Oklahoma's victory over Alabama at the 2014 Sugar Bowl, Stoops became the first and only coach to win all four BCS bowl games and a BCS National Championship.

Stoops' penchant for winning big games early in his career earned him the nickname "Big Game Bob", From 1999 to 2003, Oklahoma under Stoops was 18–2 (0.900) vs. ranked opponents and 3–1 (0.750) in bowl games, with one national title and three Big 12 titles.[5]

Late in the 2003 season, however, Bob's brother Mike Stoops left his position of Defensive Coordinator and associate head coach at Oklahoma to accept the head coaching job at Arizona. The Sooners promptly lost two games in a row against ranked teams after Mike's departure that season (a 35–7 loss against #13 Kansas State in the Big 12 Title Game, and a 21–14 loss to #3 LSU in the BCS National Title Game). Since then (2004–2016), Stoops' teams went 17–13 vs. ranked opponents, and 3–4 in Bowl Games with no National Titles (although they played for 3 more), and five Big 12 Titles. Stoops' teams did finish with two Heisman Trophy winners during this time, however, and two runners-up.

Under Stoops, the Sooners won ten Big 12 Conference championships, the most of any Big 12 team. Oklahoma is also the only team to win back-to-back-to-back Big 12 championships. Stoops had won 98 Big 12 conference games as of the 2012 season's end,[needs update] the most conference wins of any then-current Big 12 coach.

In his 18 seasons as Sooners' head coach, Stoops was 11–7 against the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry. During a five-game winning streak in that rivalry from 2000 to 2004, his Sooners handed the Longhorns two of their worst defeats in school history, 63–14 in 2000[12] and 65–13 in 2003.[13] Since then, he led the team to additional large-margin wins of 55–17 in 2011[14] and 63–21 in 2012.[15]

On July 11, 2007, Oklahoma was placed on probation for two years by the NCAA for a rules violation involving quarterback Rhett Bomar and offensive lineman JD Quinn, whom the university had previously suspended from the team due to the players' efforts to obtain payment for hours not worked.[16] While the students who violated the rules were reinstated by the NCAA and allowed to play for other schools, the university, which had self-reported the violations, was initially directed to vacate all wins during the 2005–06 season, which included a 17–14 win over the University of Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.[17] Oklahoma appealed the NCAA's ruling of a "failure to monitor" the employment of players in the program, as well as a reduction in scholarships and probation lasting until May, 2010.[18] On February 22, 2008, the NCAA reversed part of the decision and reinstated the vacated wins.[19]

Stoops' 2008 team went down in the history books as the highest scoring team in college football history, scoring a total of 716 points, averaging 51 points per game. There was also a stretch of five consecutive games where the Sooners scored 60 points or more, another record (in the game prior to the streak, the Sooners scored 58 points). After a four-week layoff, the offense stagnated against the nation's best defense of the Florida Gators in the National Championship game, scoring only 14 points and suffering two turnovers by the Florida goal line. The Sooners were without one of their star offensive playmakers in DeMarco Murray, who sat out with an injury.[20] However, the Sooners' 2008 defense, which was much maligned during the season for allowing a Stoops'-worst 25 points per game average, held the Florida Gators' high-powered Tim Tebow-led offense to only 24 points, 21 points below their season average.

Stoops' performance at Oklahoma made him the frequent subject of head coach searches by several NFL teams as well as other college programs, which he repeatedly turned away.[citation needed] He was reportedly the top-paid coach in Division 1-A football with annual compensation in excess of $3 million until Nick Saban was signed by the University of Alabama for $4 million per year beginning in 2007. However, Stoops did receive a "longevity bonus" of $3 million at the end of the 2008 season (his 10th), making his annual salary in 2008 approximately $6.1 million (equivalent to $6.2 million in 2018) .[21]

In the 2012 season, he led the Sooners back to the top 25 and went to the Cotton Bowl, losing to the Heisman Trophy-winner Johnny Manziel and the Texas A&M Aggies, 41–13. In his career at Oklahoma, several of Stoops' assistants became head coaches at other Division 1-A programs, including brother Mike Stoops (Arizona), Mark Mangino (Kansas), Mike Leach (Washington State), Chuck Long (San Diego State), Bo Pelini (Nebraska and Youngstown State), Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M), Kevin Wilson (Indiana), and his eventual successor, Lincoln Riley (Oklahoma).

Stoops is the only head coach in the BCS era to have won the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Sugar Bowl.[22]

On June 7, 2017, Stoops officially retired from coaching college football.[3]

XFL[]

On February 7, 2019, Stoops announced his plans to come out of retirement, as he was named head coach/general manager of the upcoming Dallas team in the XFL.[23]

Personal life[]

Bob is married to Carol Stoops, a Mary Kay National Sales Director.[24] They have three children: a daughter, Mackenzie, who now attends the University of Oklahoma, and twin sons, Isaac and Drake.

Stoops's younger brother, Mike, is the former defensive coordinator for the Sooners and was previously head football coach at the University of Arizona. Another brother (the youngest), Mark, became the head coach at the University of Kentucky in November 2012. His older brother, Ron Jr., is an assistant football coach at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio.[25]

Stoops remains close with Steve Spurrier, his mentor from the University of Florida.Schoch, Matt (June 10, 2017). "Steve Spurrier offers kind words in tweet to retiring friend Bob Stoops of Oklahoma". Atlanta Journal Constitution. https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/steve-spurrier-offers-kind-words-tweet-retiring-friend-bob-stoops-oklahoma/wJMzyewcOSMUuuEkGCGJrI/. Retrieved January 10, 2019.

Head coaching record[]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Oklahoma Sooners (Big 12 Conference) (1999–2016)
1999 Oklahoma 7–5 5–3 T–2nd (South) L Independence
2000 Oklahoma 13–0 8–0 1st (South) W Orange 1 1
2001 Oklahoma 11–2 6–2 2nd (South) W Cotton 6 6
2002 Oklahoma 12–2 6–2 T–1st (South) W Rose 5 5
2003 Oklahoma 12–2 8–0 1st (South) L Sugar 3 3
2004 Oklahoma 12–1 8–0 1st (South) L Orange 3 3
2005 Oklahoma 8–4 6–2 T–2nd (South) W Holiday 22 22
2006 Oklahoma 11–3 7–1 1st (South) L Fiesta 11 11
2007 Oklahoma 11–3 6–2 1st (South) L Fiesta 8 8
2008 Oklahoma 12–2 7–1 T–1st (South) L BCS NCG 5 5
2009 Oklahoma 8–5 5–3 T–3rd (South) W Sun
2010 Oklahoma 12–2 6–2 T–1st (South) W Fiesta 6 6
2011 Oklahoma 10–3 6–3 T–3rd W Insight 15 16
2012 Oklahoma 10–3 8–1 T–1st L Cotton 15 15
2013 Oklahoma 11–2 7–2 T–2nd W Sugar 6 6
2014 Oklahoma 8–5 5–4 T–4th L Russell Athletic
2015 Oklahoma 11–2 8–1 1st L Orange 5 5
2016 Oklahoma 11–2 9–0 1st W Sugar 3 5
Oklahoma: 190–48 121–29
Total: 190–48
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title
Indicates BCS bowl, Bowl Alliance or Bowl Coalition game. #Rankings from final Coaches' Poll.
°Rankings from final AP Poll.

Coaching tree[]

Head coaches under whom Stoops served:

Assistant coaches under Bob Stoops who became NCAA head coaches:

References[]

  1. "Oklahoma Sooners' Bob Stoops and Sterling Shepard to Accept 2014 Disney Sports Spirit Award". http://disneysportsnews.com/releases/2014/11/17/oklahoma-sooners-bob-stoops-and-sterling-shepard-to-accept-2014-disney-sports-spirit-award/.
  2. "Stoops back in the coaching saddle". SoonerSports.com. February 7, 2019. http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=211789622. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Silverstein, Adam; Kercheval, Ben (June 7, 2017). "Bob Stoops retires after 18 seasons with Oklahoma, Lincoln Riley to take over". CBS Sports. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/bob-stoops-retires-after-18-seasons-with-oklahoma-lincoln-riley-to-take-over/. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  4. "Walter Camp's 2006 "Coach of the Year"" (Press release). WalterCamp.org. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20071010021837/http://www.waltercamp.org/newsrelease/release7.htm.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Grathoff, Pete (December 31, 2015). "Clemson beats Oklahoma, and the ‘Big Game Bob’ jokes soon follow". The Kansas City Star. http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article52583025.html. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  6. Thamel, Pete (August 29, 2004). "COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2004; A Family of Coaches Has Followed Its Leader". The New York Times. https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E2DC1F3EF93AA1575BC0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print. Retrieved October 18, 2007.
  7. Branch, John (August 28, 2001). "Legend in the making/ National title vaults Stoops into Sooner elite". The Colorado Springs Gazette. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20010828/ai_n9990550. Retrieved October 18, 2007.
  8. "2007 Big Ten Media Guide" (PDF). pp. 93, 100. http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/big10/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2007bigtenfbguide.pdf.
  9. "Gatorzone.com – Florida Gators Bowl Record". http://www.gatorzone.com/insidefootball/?sub=legacy&page=bowl.
  10. "Gatorzone.com – Florida Gators 1996 Season". http://www.gatorzone.com/insidefootball/?sub=legacy&page=sec_96.
  11. Athletics Communications, University of Oklahoma (November 16, 2013). "Sooners Run Through Cyclones". http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=750323&SPID=127245&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=209310574.
  12. "Oklahoma vs. Texas". USA Today. October 7, 2000. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/scores100/100281/100281413.htm.
  13. "Oklahoma vs. Texas - Box Score - October 11, 2003 - ESPN". http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=232840251.
  14. "Oklahoma vs. Texas - Box Score - October 8, 2011 - ESPN". http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=312810251.
  15. "Texas vs. Oklahoma - Box Score - October 13, 2012 - ESPN". http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=322870201.
  16. "Bomar, Quinn Ineligible for Remainder 2006 and to Pay Money Back". November 1, 2006. http://oklasoonersblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/bomar-quinn-ineligible-for-remainder.html.
  17. "NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions Penalizes University of Oklahoma". National Collegiate Athletic Association. July 11, 2007. http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/PressArchive/2007/Infractions/NCAA%2BDivision%2BI%2BCommittee%2Bon%2BInfractions%2BPenalizes%2BUniversity%2Bof%2BOklahoma.html. Retrieved November 10, 2007.
  18. "OU to Appeal NCAA Decision". OU Athletic Department. July 11, 2007. Archived from the original on July 13, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070713174815/http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071107aaa.html. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
  19. "NCAA gives OU back its wins for 2005 season". The Oklahoman. February 22, 2008. http://newsok.com/article/3207494/1203698887. Retrieved February 22, 2008.
  20. "Murray to Miss BCS Championship". December 16, 2008. http://oklasoonersblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/murray-to-miss-bcs-championship.html.
  21. "Bob Stoops Cashes In". January 1, 2009. http://oklasoonersblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/stoops-cashes-in.html.
  22. "Little-known QB lifts Oklahoma past 'Bama". Tampa Bay Times. January 3, 2014. http://www.tampabay.com/sports/little-known-qb-lifts-oklahoma-past-bama/2159447.
  23. Crosby, Jack (February 6, 2019). "Report: Ex-Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops will join Dallas XFL franchise as coach, general manager". CBS Sports. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/report-ex-oklahoma-coach-bob-stoops-will-join-dallas-xfl-franchise-as-coach-general-manager/. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  24. Brietzke, Luke (July 22, 2005). "USATODAY.com – Notes: Stoops' wife has national title of her own". USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2005-07-22-stoops-success_x.htm. Retrieved October 29, 2007.
  25. "Ron Stoops - Assistant Football Coach/Director of High School Relations". http://www.ysusports.com/sports/fball/coaches/Stoops_Ron.

External links[]

Template:XFL head coach navbox

Advertisement