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Stoops the leader in public, private

It was three weeks ago when Hall of Fame coach Bob Stoops gave his impassioned speech about the Oklahoma program. An infectious enthusiasm that woke up OU fans who had been going around in a daze the 24 hours prior from the moment Lincoln Riley left for USC.

Stoops became the public face of OU during that time. He was back doing in-home visits with recruits, and everywhere you looked, there was Stoops.

What we’ve learned, though, is that it wasn’t just for show. It wasn’t just for cameras or media. Because when Riley sent that shockwave through the OU program, it hit guys in all sorts of different ways.

Seniors wondering why should they care about what happens next? Freshmen contemplating if sticking it out at OU even made sense?

So many different perspectives, none of them wrong, but a lot for everybody to absorb and manage. However, well, that’s exactly what Stoops did.

“I just wanted to not only connect with the team afterwards, the next morning, then I connected with the leaders, the seniors, for the most part. Mostly seniors,” said Stoops on a Monday afternoon Zoom. “And then I also wanted to meet with the young group, the freshman class that had just arrived. All of them just ... I guess it relates to all of them in different ways and just wanted to connect with all of them that we understood what they're thinking, what they're going through.”

Players talked last week using words like broken, like shocked, just tough to wrap your head around what was actually going on in the moment.

But when it’s a program thing, you trust the program. It was Lon Kruger’s message to signees after his retirement. Things are working pretty good under first-year coach Porter Moser.

It was Stoops’ message about it being a bump in the road, and they’re going to move on. OU has, obviously, in hiring Brent Venables. Nobody would ever want to relive that uncertainty period, but it’s not a cliché. The Sooners have their guy. Venables for the long haul, and Stoops as the interim guy for the bowl game.

“Just trying to get everyone not to overreact and settle in here and realize the strength of OU is bigger than any one guy and just to reiterate that,” Stoops said. “And sure enough, a week later, we have Brent Venables, who couldn't be a better fit. There isn't a better fit than Brent here at OU, so yeah, that was it.

“They just needed to hear from somebody, someone that they ... again, I don't know how much they trust me. I don't know if I'm around enough for that to happen, but they sure know I care about this place and care about them.”

The mantra became no one person is bigger than the OU program. No one person could tear down what it has been around for years and years.

It couldn’t be Stoops alone, though. As it turns out, it wasn’t.

“I really credit and thank all of our older players who are in the NFL and graduated and even guys who had NFL careers and aren't any longer,” Stoops said. “They started hearing from all of our players through the years (who said) 'Look, you're one of us. We're part of that team still and you represent all of us.’ I think they all started to realize that they are in this great, select fraternity that a lot of people would want to be in.”

Things feel like they’re back to normal. Preparations have begun for the Alamo Bowl next week, and OU is moving forward in every way possible.

Messin’ with Schmitty

As Venables has begun to assemble his staff, another familiar name is coming back with Jerry Schmidt returning to lead the strength and conditioning program.

Schmidt, of course, was around during Stoops’ tenure and was around when OU won the national championship. After all those years in Norman, Schmidt has been at Texas A&M the last four seasons.

Just like Venables, it does feel like another homecoming.

“Schmitty has great experience. The guy's won a national championship at Notre Dame. A few at Nebraska,” Stoops said. “Here at OU. He won one with us and been in two or three others. Schmitty brings great experience. He knows what championship teams look like. He knows what championship teams work like and how they react to the work.

“We're very fortunate to have him back. Again, there's not a better strength coach in the country. Our guys will be lucky to have a guy like that to work with every day, who is going to maximize their ability and their talent. He's going to develop our guys in the right ways. I'm excited to see it.”

Fifteen years later

The focus has been so much on OU regaining its footing and feeling good about itself, but there is no doubt some history with Oregon for the Alamo Bowl.

The last time the two teams met was in Eugene in 2006, and the onside kick heard around the world. A clear recovery by OU running back Allen Patrick, but the ball was awarded to Oregon.

The Ducks would eventually win the game, something Stoops hasn’t forgotten about all these years later.

“In fact, Toby Keith sent me the picture of Allen Patrick standing there, showing the sidelines the ball, where the officials in the middle of it pointing like he sees something in there other than a shoe,” Stoops said. “Anyway, I was reminded of it immediately and thought of it immediately. But hey, that has nothing to do with this game so that's water under the bridge. And like I said, I still count myself as above 80 percent win since we won that game.”

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