Despite Stoops' Retirement, This Is Still Oklahoma Football
Despite Stoops' Retirement, This Is Still Oklahoma Football
The last few days before the start of the college football season seem to last forever. We can't do much about that, but we can ensure that the next few minutes are awesome, thanks to this Oklahoma Sooners hype video.
We're close enough to smell the food from the tailgate. Football season officially begins in just two days.
Of course, much like Christmas, spring break, and the last day of school, the last few days seem to last forever as kickoff creeps nearer. We can't do much about that, but we can ensure that the next few minutes are awesome, thanks to this Oklahoma hype video.
Bob Stoops' surprising summer retirement has created some unfamiliar uncertainty at what has been one of the most stable programs in the country for nearly two decades. That said, everything but Big Game Bob remains virtually unchanged, as offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley steps into the position of head coach and Mike Stoops remains the team's defensive coordinator.
What's more, Bob Stoops left Riley a seasoned senior quarterback in Baker Mayfield who will almost certainly contend for a Heisman Trophy during his last season in Norman. Mayfield will need to find some new running mates, as running backs Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine and wide receiver Dede Westbrook have all moved on to NFL rosters this fall. The trio combined for over 4,600 rushing and receiving yards in 2016.
Defensively, the strength of the Sooners should be in the secondary, with one of the nation's best cornerback duos -- Jordan Thomas and Jordan Parker -- manning the edges. The stalwart Steven Parker is back at strong safety, and big things are expected from defensive end D.J. Ward with Mike Stoops' reported decision to more frequently deploy four-man fronts.
It's national championship or bust in Norman, but those are perilous expectations for a program in transition -- even when the transition is Stoops to Riley and the program is Oklahoma.
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Of course, much like Christmas, spring break, and the last day of school, the last few days seem to last forever as kickoff creeps nearer. We can't do much about that, but we can ensure that the next few minutes are awesome, thanks to this Oklahoma hype video.
Bob Stoops' surprising summer retirement has created some unfamiliar uncertainty at what has been one of the most stable programs in the country for nearly two decades. That said, everything but Big Game Bob remains virtually unchanged, as offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley steps into the position of head coach and Mike Stoops remains the team's defensive coordinator.
What's more, Bob Stoops left Riley a seasoned senior quarterback in Baker Mayfield who will almost certainly contend for a Heisman Trophy during his last season in Norman. Mayfield will need to find some new running mates, as running backs Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine and wide receiver Dede Westbrook have all moved on to NFL rosters this fall. The trio combined for over 4,600 rushing and receiving yards in 2016.
Defensively, the strength of the Sooners should be in the secondary, with one of the nation's best cornerback duos -- Jordan Thomas and Jordan Parker -- manning the edges. The stalwart Steven Parker is back at strong safety, and big things are expected from defensive end D.J. Ward with Mike Stoops' reported decision to more frequently deploy four-man fronts.
It's national championship or bust in Norman, but those are perilous expectations for a program in transition -- even when the transition is Stoops to Riley and the program is Oklahoma.
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