Mike Stoops

Bob Stoops has a reputation for promoting coaches from within his current staff. He has also never fired any of his assistants since arriving back in 1999 as the head football coach in Norman.

Stoops' former assistants have gone on to accept head coaching positions around the country with varying degrees of success—Kevin Sumlin, Mark Mangino and Mike Leach to name few.

One thing remained constant, though: Stoops took care of his assistants and they never had to worry about job security.

Now, everything has changed.

After starting the 2011 season as the preseason No. 1 ranked team in the country, the Sooners flopped in losses to Texas Tech and Baylor. We won't even get into the Bedlam massacre.

Many wondered aloud if it may finally be time for Stoops to change his philosophy and make some changes within his staff.

Those rumors heated up when it was announced that Mike Stoops was being relieved of his duties as the Arizona head coach after a 1-5 start to the 2011 season.

After the younger Stoops was spotted on the Sooner sideline during the Insight Bowl, it seemed like the only question left was: Who is leaving to make room?

Soon after, Oklahoma's secondary coach, Willie Martinez, announced he would be "resigning" to pursue other opportunities. Although Martinez technically resigned, it was pretty obvious that he was forced out to make room for Bob's brother, Mike.

After a short period of time where it appeared that Mike Stoops and Brent Venables would serve as co-defensive coordinators, Venables announced he would be leaving to run the defense at Clemson.

Bob Stoops quickly filled the vacancy by bringing in Tim Kish, Mike Stoops' defensive coordinator at Arizona, to coach the linebackers.

One has to wonder how these changes in personnel will affect the Sooners heading into the 2012 season.

I am on the record stating that I believe the Mike Stoops led defensive unit will be a top 10 defense.  Others, however, do not believe Mike Stoops is the answer.

While Brent Venables was widely regarded as one of the top recruiters in the land, he was also known to run a very complex defense that was often times hard for the players to fully grasp.

Mike Stoops has a tough road ahead of him, no question, but I believe he is up to the challenge. I believe he has what it takes to bring this Sooner defense back to the powerhouse they were in the early parts of last decade.

Bob Stoops was forced to make changes for the first time in his tenure at Oklahoma. Change is always inevitable, but few really expected Bob to pull the trigger on such drastic changes.

Not only did Stoops replace two of his top defensive assistant coaches, but he also sent a number of players packing towards the end of last season and continued during the offseason. Even players like freshman sensation Brandon Williams were not immune to Stoops' wrath, which led to his transfer to Texas A&M.

A fire has been lit beneath Bob Stoops and I believe he is tired of coming up just short year in and year out. Changes had to be made to get this program back on the right track and Stoops didn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

Brent Venables has been hired by Clemson to be its defensive coordinator, according to newsok.com. His contract has yet to be formally approved, but he is expected to earn between $750,000 and $1 million per year under head coach Dabo Swinney.

WIth Venables' departure, Mike Stoops is Oklahoma's sole defensive coordinator. Additionally, OU has a vacancy at linebackers coach, a role Venables also held in Norman.  

The move was made possible when Kevin Steele, Clemson's former defensive coordinator, left the program. According to espn.com, Steele reported that he was fired from the program, while Swinney maintained Steele had resigned.

The Tigers ended the season on a 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Discover Orange Bowl in which the Mountaineers set a bowl record for points scored and racked up 401 passing yards and 589 yards of total offense.

Venables, who was co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Oklahoma since 1999, played at Kansas State and was a graduate assistant from 1993-95, linebackers coach from 1996-98 and defensive run game coordinator in 1998 under Bill Snyder before accepting a job with the Sooners.

During his tenure in Norman, Oklahoma won a national championship in 2001 in addition to seven Big 12 titles. Among the prominent players Venables coached are Roy Williams, Rocky Calmus, Teddy Lehman, Tommie Harris, Derrick Strait, Curtis Lofton and Travis Lewis.  

The Oklahoma Sooners have officially hired Mike Stoops, according to newsok.com. He will serve as co-defensive coordinator with Brent Venables in addition to being secondary coach. 

Willie Martinez, the former secondary coach for the Sooners, has resigned in the wake of Stoops' return to Norman. Speculation abounded about Venables possibly pursuing a job at West Virginia or elsewhere, but he and Stoops will both be co-defensive coordinator, at least for now. The question of who will call plays has not yet been confirmed. 

"I'm working with Brent. We are working together. That's it. Roles have not been defined. Other than that, I'm coaching the defensive backs," Stoops said.

Venables and Stoops hit the recruiting trail Friday, head coach Bob Stoops noted, leading him to proclaim that the Sooners are "off to a good start" with the new arrangement.

As for Martinez, his future is unsure for now. He has been linked to Auburn, Illinois and Kansas.

"Willie has some attractive options and is going to pursue them," Bob Stoops said.   

The Oklahoma Sooners have maintained their status as a perennial power these last few seasons, but they have fallen short of claiming a coveted eighth national championship. 

There are multiple reasons for this, but one of the most prominent ones is the Sooner D has not been as dominant as it used to be. 

That will change with the return of Mike Stoops. The former OU co-defensive coordinator confirmed he is rejoining the Sooners, according to newsok.com. Stoops brought an intensity and sharpness that has been lacking in Norman ever since he departed at the end of the 2003-04 season. 

During Stoops' first tenure, the Sooners finished eighth, fourth, 10th and third in total defense from 2000-03. The 2000-01 squad was no less than suffocating, holding nine opponents to 14 points or less and keeping the mighty Florida State Seminoles, led by Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, out of the end zone in the 2001 BCS title game. Thanks to dominating defense, the Sooners went 48-6 from the year they won the championship to the 2003-04 season.  

10 All-Americans were produced under Stoops' tutelage, including stars Rocky Calmus, Roy Williams, Teddy Lehman, Tommie Harris, the late Brandon Everage and Derrick Strait. 

National awards were heaped on Sooner players, as well; Harris won the Lombardi Award, Lehman and Calmus won the Butkus Award and Strait and Williams won the Thorpe and Nagurski awards, notably.

After Stoops left for Arizona and continuing to today, the Sooner D simply hasn't been the same. Although it finished in the top 20 from 2004-06, it slipped to 26th in 2007 and 68th in 2008. It rebounded in 2009 by finishing eighth overall but placed 53rd and 55th in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Granted, the game has changed since Stoops left. Offenses have exploded, and the Big 12 especially has become a haven of high-flying attacks. Oklahoma has also shifted to a hurry-up offense, meaning the defense is on the field longer.

Consider this, though. During Stoops' first tenure at OU, the Sooner D faced an average of 66 plays per game. Since the Sooners shifted to the no-huddle, the defense has seen an average of 71 plays per game, according to Tulsa World. Also, OU's 279 yards allowed per game in 2000, which ranked eighth nationally, would put them at seventh in the rankings this season, notes the World. The disparity is not as great as one would think. 

Several of OU's recent losses can be accounted for, at least partially, by poor defense. The Sooners surrendered 572 yards and 41 points to Texas Tech and an astonishing 616 yards and 45 points to Baylor. The defense looked utterly absent late in the fourth quarter in Waco as Robert Griffin III led his team 80 yards in less than a minute for the game-winning touchdown.

This season, the Alabama Crimson Tide reminded us that defense wins championships. It's become a cliche at this point, but it reached that status because it's the truth. 

Oklahoma has the potential to field championship-caliber defenses with Stoops calling plays. He will inherit a highly talented defensive unit, and it's exciting to consider the potential of Tony Jefferson, Tom Wort, Corey Nelson, Demontre Hurst and other stars in the making that Stoops will teach. He made superstars out of Rocky Calmus Roy Williams, Tommie Harris, Teddy Lehman and others. Expect him to do the same with current OU athletes.

Ultimately, Stoops' return to Norman gives the Sooners a chance to be a well-rounded and complete team in 2012. The missing piece since Stoops left has been a dominating defense, and he will rectify this.

With Landry Jones returning and many starters retained on both sides of the ball, there will be continuity and confidence among the players and coaches. And if Stoops returns the Sooner D to national dominance, as he should, watch out for Oklahoma. A potent offense combined with a suffocating defense is a lethal combination for opponents, and it could get OU to Miami once again to compete for an eighth national title.  

With Mike Stoops confirming that he will rejoin the Oklahoma coaching staff as co-defensive coordinator, current Sooner defensive coordinator Brent Venables has reportedly been in contact with West Virginia about being co-defensive coordinator in Morgantown, according to the Tulsa World (via newsok.com).

"I'm sure Brent will do what's best for him," Stoops said.

Stoops' return to Norman has led to a defensive shakeup, as secondary coach Willie Martinez, who is being given the opportunity to find another job before Stoops is introduced, will no longer coach the Sooners.

Indeed, it's somewhat difficult to imagine Stoops and Venables sharing the defensive coordinator position. Both are leaders and deserve independence.

Leaving Norman for another position would probably be in Venables' best interest, as well. The Sooner defense has softened to a degree recently under his leadership, and a fresh start somewhere else could do him well. He has definite skill as a coach, but recent seasons don't effectively reflect that, as OU finished 55th and 53rd in total yards allowed per game the past two seasons, respectively.

It's by no means a definite at this point that Venables will not coach at OU in 2012, but there are indications he may depart Norman for an opportunity elsewhere.    

According to ABC news and other sports outlets, Mike Stoops is sincerely interested in the open South Carolina defensive coordinator position.

This would be the perfect hire for the Gamecocks for many reasons. For one, bringing any member of the Stoops family into your program is a boost. He is an amazing recruiter and a highly recognized name. Seriously, what recruit wouldn't want to work with a Stoops and Steve Spurrier? 

He runs the perfect defense for the team. He says he would love to implement the 4-2-5 mixed with some 4-3. South Carolina has the perfect players to fill out that system. In fact, the 4-2-5 could help alleviate some of the passing defense woes. 

The Stoops and Spurrier families are extremely close. Bob Stoops of Oklahoma credits Spurrier as one of the people who helped get him a head coaching gig. They still play golf together and are close friends. 

Finally, Mike Stoops is just a great coach. 

His resume speaks for itself. He was a finalist for the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2001 while coaching the Oklahoma Sooners defense. That unit was ranked in the top 12 of every major defensive category. 

He did the same with Kansas State's defense in 1997. Even Arizona's defense played well against the offense happy Pac-12. 

He's got the chops, the name and the pedigree to be a huge hire for the South Carolina Gamecocks. 

Get it done, Eric Hyman! 

It's great to be a Gamecock!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-Changes

Don’t want to be a richer man

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Just gonna have to be a different man

“Changes” – David Bowie

On Monday, Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini accepted a head coaching position at Florida Atlantic University. In taking the job, he announced that he would not be coaching Nebraska for its bowl game against South Carolina.

At this stage, most fans have accepted the fact that staff changes are simply a part of life in college football. Gone are the days of the Osborne era, where an entire coaching staff remained together for decades. The fact that members of Bo Pelini’s staff are being poached by other schools is an indicator that Pelini is doing something right at Nebraska.

But this staff change is different than all of the rest. On paper, it’s at the same level as the change last season, when offensive coordinator Shawn Watson was replaced by the promotion of then-running backs coach Tim Beck. But Watson was one of the last holdovers from the Bill Callahan era, and the departure of Watson and elevation of Beck felt far more like Bo Pelini taking full control of his team rather than having to change how he did things as a head coach.

Carl Pelini’s departure is different. Whoever comes in, no matter how much Bo may respect the person, won’t be his brother. The dynamic will simply be different, and given the defensive struggles of 2011, that may be a positive.

But the bigger question to be answered is whether Bo decides to use this opportunity to fundamentally change how he does business as a head coach. Mike Stoops has expressed interest in the defensive coordinator position. If Bo were to go after Stoops, Nebraska would have to open the checkbook to pay him significantly more than what Carl was making.

More importantly, though, it is likely that Bo would have to give up some of the defensive play-calling duties that he currently holds, and that, ultimately, might be the best thing in the world for Nebraska.

Not that Bo does a poor job calling a defensive game. Far from it, actually. While Nebraska’s defense didn’t have a vintage year in 2011, there is no questioning Bo’s superior defensive mind. He is one of the great defensive coordinators in the country.

But he’s not the defensive coordinator at Nebraska. He’s the head coach. And over the last few years, Nebraska feels like it has been a little stuck at its current level. When Bo told the world that “Nebraska’s back, and we’re here to stay” after the 2009 Holiday Bowl (ironically enough, after beating Mike Stoops’ Arizona squad, 33-0), Nebraska has yet to win a conference title, be relevant in a national-championship discussion or make a BCS bowl. This year, Nebraska didn’t even make the conference championship game. For most Nebraska fans, that’s not having Nebraska be “back.”

Further, Nebraska fans have had a real feeling of déjà vu a number of times, with inexplicable losses to average teams sprinkled in throughout the season (Iowa State in 2009, Texas in 2010, Northwestern in 2011).

Basically, Bo is faced with two choices: He can promote from within, make someone like John Papuchis the defensive coordinator and retain the defensive play-calling duties; or, he can hire an outsider like Stoops, turn the reins of the defense over to him and become more of a CEO of the entire team.

One definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result. 2012 will be Bo’s fifth year as a head coach, and while it is fair to say that Pelini is still learning how to be a head coach, at this point it is fair to stop using his inexperience as an excuse for the inconsistency and lack of focus his teams have demonstrated over the course of his career.

That’s why Carl’s departure is such an opportunity for Nebraska. Stoops is, without question, a safe pair of hands to put the defense in. Bo could give up the defensive play-calling and use the extra time in his calendar to take further charge of the team as a whole. Maybe, just maybe, that broader focus would give Bo the opportunity to clean up some of the inconsistency that his teams have suffered from during his tenure.

There’s no question that Bo is a great defensive coach, but this may be the opportunity for him to take another step towards becoming a great head coach.

Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter @patrickrunge to track my thoughts and observations about college football—and one or two other topics—throughout the year!

And if you would like to contact me directly to schedule an interview, ask a question or to get my recipe for a killer peach cobbler, you can send an e-mail to patrickrunge@gmail.com. (DISCLAIMER: Peach cobbler recipe might not be all that killer.) 

Since the minute Arizona announced the firing of Mike Stoops, Oklahoma fans have speculated that the Sooners former defensive coordinator would return Norman where he helped his brother, Bob Stoops, win a national championship in 2000. It appears the Sooner Nation just might get their wish.

Despite reports of Stoops being offered positions at Ohio State and Nebraska, which Stoops confirmed to be true, speculation of a Stoops reunion at Oklahoma has intensified today.

A report from Dean Blevins at News9.com has Oklahoma fans excited about the possibility that a Stoops return will actually happen.

Blevins reported on his blog that it is his "informed opinion" that Stoops will return.

The Oklahoma defense just hasn't been the same since Stoops left for the head coaching job in Arizona in 2003. Fans believe his exit is responsible for the Sooners failure to win a national championship since 2000.

It was clear that in recent seasons and especially this year that the team as a whole has lacked motivation and has not played with the edge that was so visible with Stoops running the defense.

Why wouldn't Stoops want to return to Oklahoma?

He has confirmed that he has spoken to Urban Meyer at Ohio State and would have interest in coaching at Nebraska with his good buddy Bo Pelini. But, how could he turn down his own family?

Sure, Ohio State is a great job and probably pays more than Oklahoma, but with the Sooners, Stoops would have the same title, pay would be close to what the Buckeyes would offer and it appears his family would prefer to live in Norman over Columbus.

Nebraska would give him a chance to coach with a close friend in Pelini, but blood is thicker than water and coaching the Blackshirts still isn't as good of a job as Oklahoma or Ohio State.

Stoops was a great fit at Oklahoma and was loved by the Sooners fanbase. He was also known at Oklahoma as a great motivator.

His recruiting ability would also be a great addition to the Sooners. In recent years, the talent on the defensive side of the ball just hasn't panned out as anticipated. Especially in the secondary.

Stoops would bring back an ability to motivate his players and could help create some excitement around the Oklahoma program that would give the Sooners a much needed boost in recruiting.

The Sooners are in need of a much needed shake-up and the addition of one of college football's best defensive minds would be a huge move.

The only way Stoops ends up at another school, like Ohio State, is if his brother doesn't want him at Oklahoma. And, the way things have gone for the Sooners recently, it would seem highly unlikely that would be the case.