Tag: Chris Petersen

Bob Stoops joins Chris Petersen to revisit epic 2007 Fiesta Bowl versus Boise State

Legendary Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops sat down with Chris Petersen to revisit their epic clash in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

It’s a memory Oklahoma fans might try to forget.

The 2007 Fiesta Bowl was the night Boise State used the hook and lateral and statue of liberty plays to haunt Sooner dreams.

The Broncos pulled off the stunner that night over Oklahoma, 43-42, when Boise State running back Ian Johnson took a 2-point conversion handoff and ran it in untouched in overtime.

Former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops sat down with then-Boise State head coach Chris Petersen on FOX to revisit that night.

“Alright, Chris, I’m going to come clean right now. I haven’t watched this game for 15 years, so I haven’t watched it since it happened. I told my wife on the plane the next day, ‘You do realize we’re going to see those last couple plays the rest of our life,'” Stoops said.

Stoops was right. It’s regarded as one of the classic college football games in history. Being on the wrong end of it, that means Oklahoma fans have endured their fair share of highlights they would rather not revisit.

Petersen said he thought about trying a 2-point conversion in the final moments of regulation after Boise State quarterback Jared Zabransky and company delivered the hook and lateral touchdown.

“I tell you right here, so it’s so much pandemonium and I’m thinking, ‘We’ve got to end this. Let’s go for two.’ So, I’m like initially going, ‘Let’s go for two. Let’s go for two.’ And then people are hearing me finally and they’re going, ‘You want to go for two? You want to go for two?’ And then I’m like, ‘No, no, no. We’re going for one.’ Because I knew, it can’t go on too long,” Petersen said.

Petersen said they wanted to run the statue of liberty play earlier on in the game but hadn’t yet. He also touched on one of their fears with running the play.

“You look at it closely, too. Zabransky and Ian Johnson who scores, the running back, their feet almost hit. They did click in practice and we had tried to tell them, ‘Hey, make sure you get clearance.’ He could’ve fallen down there and you know who’s looking like the biggest loser of all time,” Petersen said as he rewatched the walk-off winner for his Broncos.

What a different world that would’ve been if Zabransky and Johnson collided in the backfield and the upset never was.

Alas, Stoops was quick to give credit where credit was due.

“No, it was your day. It was a great job, man,” Stoops said.

Contact/Follow usĀ @SoonersWireĀ on Twitter, and like our page onĀ Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

[listicle id=46126]

Could Bob Stoops be a target for the recently vacated USC job?

As it will be with any prominent coaching position, Bob Stoops is being mentioned in line with the recent opening at USC. Could he return?

Well, it didn’t take long for the first prominent school to make a coaching move as USC fired Clay Helton after a 46-24 record for the Trojans. It wasn’t all bad, but USC never attained the consistent excellence that they are used to. Helton navigated the Trojans to just ten win seasons during his time as head coach and won just one Pac-12 championship.

So now USC turns to a coaching search, where they’ll hope to land a head coach that has some experience and a winning pedigree. Two things that Helton didn’t have when he took over the USC job.

And as it is with any coaching vacancy at a big-time school, former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops is getting mentioned as a name to replace Helton with the Trojans.

The thought has always been that Stoops would only return — if he ever does — at a place already set up to win. That’s why the ex-Sooners coach was thought to covet a place likeĀ Notre Dame, USC orĀ Florida if they ever came open. The longer Stoops doesn’t take his name out of the running, the more he is interested. Maybe the only reason Stoops isn’t first is because he’s out of coaching and currently working as a TV analyst. – Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports

It’s certainly not the first big-time coaching gig that Bob Stoops has been linked to since leaving Norman and it won’t be the last. College coaches with Stoops’ resume don’t grow on trees. For a program with the history and tradition of USC, they’ll shoot for the stars.

It seems unlikely that Stoops would consider a return to coaching college football. He stepped away at a time that he didn’t have to. The Sooners were coming off of a College Football Playoff appearance and seemed to be heading for another one when he retired in the Spring of 2017. However, that’s four years ago now, and that itch to coach may still be strong.

Stoops stepped back on the sideline in 2020 with a stint as the head coach of the Dallas Renegades from the on again off again XFL. He certainly wants to coach. But how much of that was a product of the situation. Dallas is just three hours south of Norman. The XFL played in the Spring, so it didn’t prevent him from watching Drake Stoops at OU. However, his new job with Fox could lead one to believe that it isn’t as important as it was just a couple of years ago.

Stoops was brought on to Fox’s Big Noon Saturday kickoff show this fall. His Saturday responsibilities keep him from traveling to Norman to watch the Sooners play. A the same time, his new job could give him a headstart on the competition for the USC gig, if he were interested.

Fox Sports studios are located in Los Angeles. Just like USC. While other names on the list like Luke Fickell, Mario Cristobal, James Franklin, and Matt Campbell focus on navigating their current teams through the college football season, Stoops and the Trojans could begin their courtship today.

Hiring someone like Stoops or even former Boise State coach Chris Petersen — even as soon as this fall — with the plan to take the reigns from the interim coach in the Spring, could keep USC moving forward on the recruiting front.

Coaching changes create instability, and that instability could lead players that were committed to USC, or leaning that direction, to question their decision. Getting the future head coach in and involved with the program now could keep them from losing out on the current recruiting cycles.

Bob Stoops is more than qualified for the head coaching job at USC, if he wants it. And that remains the biggest question when it comes to any job that is significant enough to lure Coach Stoops out of retirement. Does he want to coach major college football again? If he does, he certainly deserves to be one of the top names under consideration for the USC job.

Contact/Follow usĀ @SoonersWireĀ on Twitter, and like our page onĀ Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

Stream college football games from the SEC, Big 12, The American, and more on ESPN+

[listicle id=38980]

Danny White details philanthropy in hiring process and building a program

Danny White was hired as Tennesseeā€™s athletics director.

Danny White was hired as Tennesseeā€™s athletics director Friday.

A search is underway in hiring the Volsā€™ next football head coach.

During Whiteā€™s introductory press conference, he highlighted how philanthropy is part of building a program.

“I think that what I’ve tried to do is similar to how we market our program, in terms of building a brand,” White said regarding his history of out of the box hires. “Whether it be in a community, building a compelling case for support and philanthropy, I think the same is true for hiring a coach.ā€

Dec 19, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks on from the sideline during the second quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State head coach James Franklin has a history of being at the forefront for the public good and philanthropy.

Franklin was namedĀ Penn Stateā€™s 43rd Annual Renaissance Fund honoree in 2019.

“His legacy at the University is best reflected in the lives of the student-athletes he teaches, mentors and inspires. James leads by example and is a great choice for this yearā€™s award.” –George Henning Jr., president of the Renaissance Fundā€™s board of directors and a 1963 graduate of Penn State

Franklin previously served as a Southeastern Conference head coach in the Volunteer State.

He guided Vanderbilt to a 24ā€“15 (11ā€“13 SEC) record, two nine-win seasons, three bowl appearances and two bowl victories from 2011-13.

Nov 24, 2018; Madison, WI; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck looks on during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Philantrophy is also a key component for Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck.

During the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic in April, Fleck discussed how his student-athletes could remain playing a part in philantrophy during a time when spring practices were canceled.

Below is a question and answer with Fleck from The St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Have you been working on any plans to give back to the community?

Our players have been great. The NCAA has been great for some players on certain teams in allowing them to do certain things. A lot of our players have been doing those things on their own. Weā€™ve asked them to keep up with the philanthropy, keep up with the nonprofits and keep up with a way to make your lives bigger than yourselves.

A lot of them, that needs to focus on their families, that meets the need for them.Ā There are others that have reached out to other organizations and non-profits and have done that.

(My wife) Heather and I and our team are still very involved in Ronald McDonald House, dropping off a lot of different supplies. Our players have asked to put their heads together and come up with certain ways to be able to help our community and their communities at home. We are very excited about that. We are very excited to be able to help that, and we will continue to do that.

Fleck could be an ideal candidate to clean up and rebuild Tennessee amid an investigation of wrongdoings within the program.

Fleck has a connection with the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions that could benefit Tennessee when presenting findings of wrongdoings to the jury.

He played for Joe Novak at Northern Illinois. Novak serves on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.

Novak discussed Tennesseeā€™s internal investigation with Vols Wire last month.

ā€œSchools are NCAA members, so if they find a violation on campus, they are obligated to turn themselves in,ā€ Novak told Vols Wire.ā€œSince this thing is so public, I am sure the NCAA is aware of it. Technically, Tennessee has an obligation, after they review it, if they find that there are violations, they are obligated to turn themselves in.ā€

Dec 21, 2019; Las Vegas, Nevada; Washington Huskies head coach Chris Petersen holds the Las Vegas Bowl trophy at Sam Boyd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Petersen, former Washington and Boise State head coach, has also been centered around philanthropy.

Petersen departed Washington following the 2019 season.

ā€œIt becomes a lot of frustration and anxiety and stress, and some of the excitement and positivity and optimism can be pushed away, and that’s never a way to lead your life,” Petersen said when leaving Washington to take time away from football.

Petersen doesnā€™t know entirely what is next for him. He didnā€™t rule out coaching again ā€” ā€œIā€™m not falling for that trick question,ā€ ā€” but sounded more interested in philanthropy and leadership than the stress of being a football coach. –KOMO News

[vertical-gallery id=34826]

Report: Kellen Moore deciding between Cowboys OC and college job

A decision lies ahead for the Cowboys’ 2019 signal caller.

Fans of the Dallas Cowboys 2019 offense can rejoice, a little bit. It appears that new head coach Mike McCarthy, a staunch advocate of the West Coast offense, was enamored with the product that showed up for most of the Cowboys’ season. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, McCarthy has asked first-time offensive coordinator Kellen Moore a chance to return to his post for a second season.

The issue? Moore also has an offer to go work for the program being run by his former college coach, Chris Petersen. Peterson retired this past season from the University of Washington, opening the door for longtime assistant Jimmy Lake to take over. Lake has offered Moore the job as his offensive coordinator.

In 2019, Dallas’ offense finished second in DVOA, a Football Outsiders metric that takes into account game situation, down and distance and opponent difficulty.

There is a lot to dissect in the decision for Moore. McCarthy is a play caller, and may want to keep that job as opposed to being a walk-around coach. If he does, than Moore would be serving in a game-planning role without the reward and accolades of calling the shots. He’d get that if he went to the college program, but what kind of path would that lead for him?

Neither are ideal for being a stepping stone to an NFL head coaching position, but in today’s game, neither would preclude it, either.

Kliff Kingsbury had head coaching experience at Texas Tech but had been fired from that job, taken an OC job at USC when the Arizona Cardinals hired him for his creative mind to be their head coach. Nothing is out of the realm of possibility if you interview well and have a creative mind to sell an organization.

Lake was a defensive coach, including his time at Boise State when Moore was breaking all sorts of passing records under Petersen’s tutelage. It would undoubtedly be his show to run on the offensive side of the ball if he were to go to Washington. Unlike his experience in 2019 under Jason Garrett and what has to be perceived as at least one year of learning under McCarthy, he’d be his own man through and through.

However, for a guy who has been drawing up plays on a napkin since he was a kid, getting first-hand exposure to the WCO after spending years in the Air Coryell system could be the type of apprenticeship that would carry his play book to astronomical levels when he ascends to the biggest stage, an NFL head coach.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

[vertical-gallery id=637526][lawrence-newsletter]

WATCH: Washington’s Chris Petersen announces he’s stepping down

University of Washington’s head coach Chris Petersen is stepping down, effective following the Huskies bowl game.

University of Washington’s head coach Chris Petersen is stepping down, effective following the Huskies bowl game.

The athletic department announced the news Monday, naming current defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake the Huskies next head coach. Petersen will transition into a leadership advisory role within the athletic department, according to the news release.

“It has been a privilege and a professional dream fulfilled to be part of this world-class institution,” Petersen said. “I will forever be grateful, honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to coach our fine young men on Montlake for these past six seasons. I thank each of them, as well as our coaches and administrative staff for the incredible commitment they’ve made to Husky football during my tenure. The football program and Husky Athletics across the board will continue to prosper ā€“ and do it the right way ā€“ with Jen Cohen’s leadership and the University administration’s commitment to excellence. I’ll be a Husky for life, but now is the right time for me to step away from my head coaching duties, and recharge.”

Petersen helped Washington win two PAC-12 Championships (2016 and 2018), a College Football Playoff appearance (2016) and three New Years’ Six Bowl games in a row.

The Huskies finished the regular season with a 31-13 win over rival Washington State for a 7-5, 4-5 Pac-12 regular-season record.

Petersen shocks college football, Washington announces DC Lake will lead Huskies after six-year coac

University of Washington’s head coach Chris Petersen is stepping down, effective following the Huskies bowl game.

University of Washington’s head coach Chris Petersen is stepping down, effective following the Huskies bowl game.