Tag: Bob Stoops

Oklahoma Sooners ranked as a top 5 college football program of all-time by Sports Illustrated

The Sooners are considered apart of the elite in college football. So much so they are ranked in the top 5 according to Sports Illustrated.

The Oklahoma Sooners have long been thought to be among the elite in college football. Where they rank exactly depends on who you ask, but nonetheless, they are a true “blue blood” of the sport.

Sports Illustrated created a list of the top 10 college football programs of all-time, and the Sooners came in at No. 3.

OU is also 1st all-time with 7 Heisman Trophy winners in addition to a record 50 conference championships, while posting the 3rd most weeks in the AP poll (898), and 4th most NFL Draft selections (414), and is 5th in win percentage and 6th in all-time wins and All-Americans. – James Parks

But even still, Oklahoma has been great historically. They’ve only had one down decade since the 1950s. Outside of that, they’ve been a team near the top just about every single season.
That doesn’t mean they aren’t susceptible to a bad season, but overall, they are a model of consistency within the sport. Now, we’ll see if they can get back to the top of the mountain.

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‘We need to have a commissioner’: Bob Stoops calls for a college football commissioner

Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops says college football needs a commissioner.

One thing I think most college football fans can agree on is how poorly the NCAA is run. There is no consistency, and several teams have been rumored to be doing corrupt things without punishment.

You combine all of that with the NIL and transfer portal eras and it’s a recipe for chaos.

The transfer portal is probably the worst thing in college football right now. The immediate eligibility and unlimited ability to transfer has become an issue that plagues every team. Especially with it opening at the end of the regular season. A lot of players enter and leave instead of finishing bowl season with the team they are on.

Don’t get me wrong. It can also be a big help as it helps teams fill some of the holes in their rosters to make a run.

One person who is not a fan of how college football is being handled right now is legendary Oklahoma head coach, [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag].

“It’s not very good. I don’t think it’s very good for anybody,” Stoops said last week on 92.3 The Fan’s Afternoon Drive. “Is it sustainable? In my eyes, it’s not.”

Another person who has been outspoken about it is [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag]. He’s even spoke about it being a reason he retired.

So, what is the answer? Stoops thinks it’s time to add a commissioner to oversee everything.

“It’s a pro model right now with college football,” Stoops said.”It’s a pro model. So, the NCAA isn’t governing it. We need to have a commissioner. We have to have salary caps on what you can spend. You have to have contracts, on and on. I don’t see how you cannot if it’s going to continue this way.”

I think Stoops is right on the money. It’s time for this stuff to be governed. NIL and the transfer portal don’t seem to be going anywhere and that’s fine. We can discuss if players should or should not be paid on a different day. But one thing is for certain: it’s out of control right now and should be managed.

I said when Saban retired he’d make a good commissioner for college football if he wanted to but another great choice for the job would be Stoops. In my opinion, it needs to be someone who either coached or played the sport. Preferably a former coach who coached during this era would be the best answer in my opinion because they know what’s going on and the difficulties it causes.

But for now, college football will continue to be the “Wild Wild West.”

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‘We could have won a championship with him’: Former Cleveland Browns interim coach on Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield received some high praise from his former interim head coach during his rookie season for the Cleveland Browns.

It is no secret it was an up-and-down start to Baker Mayfield’s career after he was drafted No. 1 by the Cleveland Browns.

During his first season, Mayfield set the rookie passing touchdown record with 27. He followed that with a poor second season. A great third year led to a playoff berth and the first playoff win for the Browns since 1994. His final season in Cleveland started well before he injured his shoulder and tried to play through it.

That resulted in the Browns trading for Deshaun Watson and sending Mayfield to Carolina. After a whirlwind 2022 season, during which he played for two different teams, Mayfield found his home in Tampa Bay. He had a career season that led to him getting a three-year, $100 million deal.

During that first season in Cleveland, Mayfield’s head coach and his offensive coordinator were fired midseason after a three-game losing streak.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams took over as the interim head coach and Mayfield and the Browns took off. They went 5-3, and Mayfield completed 68.4% of his passes for 281.8 yards per game, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Mayfield transformed a team that had gone 1-31 their previous two seasons into a seven-win team in his first year.

Williams was not retained as head coach, though. Instead, the Browns hired the interim offensive coordinator, Freddie Kitchens, as the head coach.

Williams spoke on “Come Get Some Show” and had high praise for Mayfield and the new contract he earned with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I’m so happy,” Williams said. “He’s one of my all-time favorites. I believe with all my heart, we could have won a championship with him had I stayed in Cleveland instead of heading out. I’m so proud at how he’s proven himself, time after time after time. From high school to college from college to the NFL and now within the NFL. Hey, come get some, Bake. I’m very happy for him.”

It’s easy to play the what-if game with Mayfield’s career. What if Williams had been retained and they built upon the momentum from the 2018 season? Would Mayfield still be there? Would they have won a Super Bowl like Williams thinks?

We’ll never know, but everything happens for a reason, and what is Cleveland’s loss is Tampa Bay’s gain.

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Former Oklahoma Sooner Jeff Badet finds a new home

Former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jeff Badet has found a new home to continue his professional career.

Former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jeff Badet has found a new home to continue to pursue his professional football career. This time in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

The Toronto Argonauts announced they have signed the former Sooner to a contract. The Argonauts are one of the best teams in the CFL, finishing last year at 16-2 and atop the East Division. They are led by former Ole Miss Rebels Chad Kelly at quarterback.

This is just another page in the book for Badet. The speedy receiver spent one year in Norman after transferring from Kentucky. He was a part of the 2017 College Football Playoff team. He finished that season with 400 yards on 26 catches and three touchdowns.

Since then, it’s been a rollercoaster of a pro career. He went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft but was signed by the Minnesota Vikings. He spent that season on the practice squad before being cut in 2019. He then went and played for the Dallas Renegades of the XFL, coached by [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag].

He then bounced around on some NFL team’s practice squads before spending a season in the USFL. Last year he returned to the XFL playing for the Vegas Vipers. Now he’s off to the CFL for the first time in his career.

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Top 20 Oklahoma Sooners of all-time in receiving yards

Top 20 Oklahoma Sooners in career receiving yards.

Since the turn of the century, the Oklahoma Sooners have recruited, developed, and produced some of the best wide receivers in college football. The air-raid revolution, combined with Oklahoma’s ability to recruit allowed wide receivers to put up monster numbers in Norman.

Of the top 20 players in receiving yards in Oklahoma history, 17 of them played for the Sooners during the [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] or [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] eras. The four that didn’t were [autotag]Stephen Alexander[/autotag], [autotag]Corey Warren[/autotag], and [autotag]Eddie Hinton[/autotag].

Considering how little the teams threw the football when Hinton played, it’s pretty incredible they were able to put up the numbers they did. With Drake Stoops career year in 2023, legendary tight end Keith Jackson fell out of the top 20. Jackson played at a time when they didn’t throw the ball a ton, but his athleticism and speed allowed him to make the most of his opportunities.

Who knows what his numbers would look like in a modern offense. Imagine Brock Bowers but with even bigger numbers.

Half of the players in the top 20 in receiving yards averaged 15 or more yards per reception.

No player with at least 75 receptions in their Sooners career averaged more yards per reception than [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] 19.5 per catch. His first 1,000-yard season in 2022 helped him reach eighth all-time in receiving yards at the University of Oklahoma.

[autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag]’s 1,571 receiving yards puts him 20th all-time.

Nic Anderson looks like the next player to enter the top 20, if he’s able to recreate his breakout 2023 season in 2024. By the end of his Sooners career, he could be flirting with the top 10 in career receiving yards at the University of Oklahoma.

Here’s an updated look at Oklahoma’s top 20 Sooners in receiving yards all time.

Trent Williams Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded offensive tackle; Ever

Trent Williams continues to add to his Hall of Fame career this time getting a distinct honor from Pro Football Focus.

Since being drafted No. 4 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag] has been one of the best offensive linemen in all of football. Williams had a stellar career at Oklahoma from 2006-2009.

He was named to two All-Big 12 teams and was a consensus All-American in 2009. Since getting into the NFL, he’s been selected to 11 Pro Bowls, earned three first-team All-Pro selection and was also named to the second-team once. All three of his first-team selections have come in the last three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers..

He’s had a stellar career and has earned the designation of highest-graded offensive tackle in Pro Football Focus history.

PFF was founded back in 2006 and really took off around 2014. So, it’s not every offensive tackle in NFL history, but it is still quite an accomplishment for the former Sooner.

Now, he has his sights set on winning a Super Bowl. He’s competed in one before, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. He and his 9ers teammates get a chance to redeem themselves against the Chiefs this Sunday.

I’m sure his quarterback is happy to have him blocking his blind side. Williams decade-plus run of success at the NFL level is just another reason why Oklahoma is Offensive Line University.

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Baker Mayfield wins offensive MVP at the 2024 Pro Bowl

Baker Mayfield’s great season was capped off with being named offensive MVP of the 2024 Pro Bowl.

It’s been an incredible season for [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag]. He set career highs in a number of passing statistics, including yards and touchdowns.

He earned his first-ever Pro Bowl appearance. If you haven’t followed the [autotag]Pro Bowl[/autotag] recently, they do things a little differently now. During the week, they have skills competitions before culminating with a flag football game.

Mayfield won the precision competition, which tested the quarterback’s accuracy. He edged out Houston Texans‘ C.J. Stroud.

Then, he capped off the week by leading the NFC to a come-from-behind win against the AFC. Mayfield played nearly the whole second half and led two touchdown drives, finding former Sooner [autotag]CeeDee Lamb[/autotag] on one of those scores.

Because of his performance in the second half, Mayfield was named offensive MVP of the Pro Bowl. NFC’s head coach Eli Manning felt like he should save Mayfield for the second half and that he would come up clutch when called upon. Mayfield said there were a lot of keys to getting the win. “A lot of guys made plays today,” Mayfield said. “It was honestly just so much fun. I got to watch the whole first half, stay loose a little bit, stay involved, stay locked in but just take advantage of the opportunities. I’m just happy to be here.”

Mayfield now heads into the offseason as a free agent. It seems like all signs point to him returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Especially after they hired an offensive coordinator who is familiar with Mayfield, coaching him in Los Angeles during his short stint with the Rams.

One thing is for certain: Mayfield silenced a lot of doubters this season, many of whom didn’t think he was a starting NFL quarterback. Now, he should be getting quite the payday.

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Baker Mayfield shines on the NFL’s biggest stage in win over Eagles

Baker Mayfield led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win over Philadelphia Eagles in wild card round of the NFL playoffs.

Several former Oklahoma Sooners played this weekend in the opening round of the [autotag]NFL playoffs[/autotag]. Six of them helped their teams move on to the divisional round.

The weekend culminated with a showdown between two former Oklahoma quarterbacks, [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] on Monday Night Football. Which isn’t bad for recruiting.

Mayfield has been someone counted out his whole career. He was then drafted No. 1 to the Cleveland Browns, who had gone 1-31 in their previous 32 games.

Within three years, Mayfield helped lead the Browns to the playoffs and won their first playoff game since 1994. If it wasn’t for a fumbled touchdown out of the endzone, they might have beaten the Kansas City Chiefs and made the AFC Championship game back in 2020.

But how soon teams forget where they came from. Mayfield started strong in the 2021 season before suffering a torn labrum. He tried to play through it but played some of his worst NFL football the rest of the way.

Cleveland decided to move on from the former Sooner, sending him to the Carolina Panthers. Things didn’t go well there and Mayfield was cut and signed by the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams had a ton of injuries, especially in the quarterback room but it gave Mayfield a chance to audition for future teams.

He played well enough to get signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a quarterback battle, Mayfield was named the starting quarterback, replacing arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady.

The Bucs were a team picked to win five games heading into 2023. A number of analysts projected Mayfield would be benched by midseason. After starting 3-1, the Bucs would lose six of their next seven games. That’s when they righted the ship. Mayfield played some of his best football down the stretch winning five of their final six games giving them the division and a playoff birth.

On Monday night against the defending NFC champs, Mayfield put on a show. He finished 22 of 36 for 337 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. That included six drops, the most in a playoff game since 2006.

Watching the performance he put on was not a surprise to Sooner fans. Whenever he’s had his back against the wall, that’s when he shines the most. We saw it for three seasons in Norman.

This performance is just further validation for Baker Mayfield in his NFL journey. After things didn’t work out in Cleveland or Carolina, a number of analysts argued he wasn’t good enough to be an NFL starter. Well, Baker Mayfield rose to the occasion and silenced his critics en route to a masterful performance against Philadelphia.

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11 former Oklahoma Sooners to watch during NFL Wild Card weekend

Want to know what former Sooners will be competing this weekend? We’ve got you covered.

The Oklahoma Sooners are known for putting players in the NFL. In fact, Oklahoma ranked in the top 10 for most players on an NFL roster on opening day this season and led the Big 12 in that stat.

The NFL playoffs are finally upon us with several former players who donned the Crimson and Cream playing this weekend. Whether it’s the redemption story of [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], the continued Hall of Fame career of [autotag]Lane Johnson[/autotag] or solidifying his place as one of the top receivers in the game of football today in [autotag]CeeDee Lamb[/autotag], there are a ton of storylines for Sooner fans to watch.

So, without further adieu, let’s take a look at the former Sooners playing this weekend in order of when their game will be played.

5 Arizona Wildcats to know ahead of the Valero Alamo Bowl

Taking a look at five Arizona Wildcats to know as Oklahoma prepares for the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Oklahoma’s final game of the 2023 season will see them return to San Antonio for the second time in three years. The last time the Sooners were there, they were coached by legendary Oklahoma coach [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag]. Brent Venables will wrap up his second campaign as the head man at Oklahoma, returning to San Antonio to take on the Arizona Wildcats, led by head coach Jedd Fisch.

This season has been a much better experience than his inaugural one, and Venables will look for his first bowl win as a head coach. To get that, the Sooners will have to take down a tough Arizona team that finished 9-3 and third in an ultra-competitive Pac-12. Fisch has a hungry team that certainly is talented, with 13 players receiving all-conference honors.

Oklahoma would be wise to check their egos at the door and remain humble. Arizona won’t roll over, and if the Sooners approach this game taking the Wildcats lightly, they may get run off the field.

Arizona has a surplus of impact upperclassmen coupled with Pac-12 Freshman of the Year quarterback Noah Fifita.

Let’s look at Arizona and break down some key Wildcats ahead of Thursday’s Alamo Bowl.