Sooner football needs bowl practices
If Oklahoma loses Bedlam on Saturday, the Sooners fall to 6-6 in a year in which they started out ranked No. 3 in America. Some say OU should decline a bowl bid, if that occurs.
The let’s-stiff-the-bowls idea is a quaint old notion that some teams once did. OU decided not to go bowling after an 8-4 record in 1983 that ended with a victory in Hawaii. The Sooners apparently figured that was their bowl game.
Anyway, here’s the truth about not going to a bowl game. It’s a stupid concept.
Whatever you think about bowl games, be they to San Diego’s beaches or Shreveport’s casinos, they provide invaluable extra practice. A bowl team gets 15 practices after its regular season is over.
Think about that. An entire extra spring practice. Some of those workouts are on campus and some are at the bowl site. But it’s an amazing boost for a program wanting to develop its young players, which frankly, OU needs more than ever.
Sam Bradford’s rocket rise as a quarterback was first detected in 2006 December workouts, when the Sooners were preparing for Boise State.
Those practices are no small thing. The Sooners would be foolish to turn them down.
OSU looks like Cotton Bowl at worst; OU looks like Sun Bowl at best
The Big 12’s bowl lineup still is two weeks shy of being set, but we know a lot more now after Week 12. Best guess: Oklahoma State can do no worse than the Cotton Bowl, and Oklahoma can do no better than the Sun Bowl. Here’s why:
If OSU wins Bedlam, most agree the Fiesta Bowl will select the Cowboys, who figure to be ranked about 11th in the BCS come Sunday afternoon. It’s possible OSU could get bypassed for Boise State but not likely. Two other scenarios that could knock OSU, even at 10-2, out of the Fiesta. If Texas A&M upsets Texas on Thanksgiving night, the Longhorns probably would miss the national title game and instead would go to the Fiesta itself, provided it beats Nebraska in the Big 12 title game. Or if the Huskers upset Texas in that title game, Nebraska would go to the Fiesta Bowl.
Should the Cowboys get bypassed, or should they lose to OU, the Cotton Bowl almost surely will call. Nebraska is the other chief Cotton contender. The Huskers are 8-3 and Saturday night cinched a berth in the Big 12 title game. But if Nebraska loses to Texas in Arlington, the Huskers would be 9-4, a slightly worse record than OSU’s 9-3 or 10-2, plus the Huskers and their legions of fans will have just been to a Dallas trip (the Big 12 title game).
On top of that, Ole Miss’ victory over LSU on Saturday probably puts LSU in the Cotton Bowl. An OSU-LSU game, Mike Gundy vs. Les Miles, is too rich to pass up. So it looks like the Fiesta or the Cotton for OSU.
Meanwhile, OU’s 41-13 loss to Texas Tech means the Sooners likely will fall below the Alamo Bowl, even with a Bedlam victory. Tech can finish 8-4 with a victory over Baylor next weekend in Arlington, and the Alamo Bowl likely would take the Red Raiders over a 7-5 Oklahoma team.
If Nebraska wins the Big 12, that could lift the Sooners back into Alamo contention, but no other path seems to available for OU to make it to San Antonio.
That means the Sun Bowl or Insight Bowl is the likely spot for OU. If the Sooners win Bedlam, the Sun Bowl would have a pick between 7-5 Oklahoma or Missouri, which is 7-4 going into a game against Kansas this Saturday. If the Sooners lose Bedlam, the Sun probably would jump on Mizzou, leaving the Insight to take OU.
The Insight is doomed to get a mediocre Big Ten team, with little name recognition. Michigan State or Minnesota. The Insight will need a big name from the Big 12, even a 6-6 OU.
Emails in on Stoops/Notre Dame, Mangino and OU uniforms
The new emails are in, and fans are talking about Mark Mangino, OU uniforms and Bob Stoops going to Notre Dame. Let’s get to it.
Dan: “Although I basically agreed with your column, I think you left out one important fact. Stoops, with his competitive nature, would certainly entertain resurrecting the Notre Dame program. The Oklahomas, Alabamas, Ohio States, etc. all have great traditions, but Notre Dame will always be the Mecca of college football. What other program began its tradition in the early 1900’s? What other program has movies made about it?”
I agree that Notre Dame could appeal to Stoops’ competitive streak. I no longer agree that Notre Dame is the Mecca of college football. It’s still a hallowed place. But Notre Dame has slipped; it’s slipped for more than a decade. Yale slipped. Army slipped. Minnesota slipped. No reason why Notre Dame can’t slip.
Nick: “Berry, you are wrong on two counts: First, calling Boston College a ‘fellow blueblood’ is really a reach. They have never been in the class of the big boys. Except for Doug Flutie, no one outside the state of Massachusetts even thinks of BC. Secondly, it is incorrect to think of Notre Dame as a ‘big-time program.’ Since the departure of Ara Parseghian, there has been five or six years that Notre Dame looked big time, but mostly they resemble a second or third tier team in the Big 12 or the Big Ten. I agree with the writer who recently said Notre Dame needs to quit thinking they are a big time program and start modeling themselves after Northwestern, Stanford and the like.”
Notre Dame hired Frank Leahy in 1941, In the 1920s and ’30s (and 1940), Boston College was as strong as any program in college football. Do I really have to explain stuff this elementary? Do I have to lay it out that when I talk about a 1941 hiring, I will use 1941 standards? Doesn’t everyone understand that Miami once was a sleepy college football program, about where Tulane has been? That Florida State wasn’t even playing football in 1941? Do I really have to explain that? As for Notre Dame being a big-time program, we can debate what that means. But to suggest that Notre Dame pattern itself after Stanford or Northwestern is just silly. Since Parseghian left 36 years ago, Notre Dame has been to 15 BCS (or equivalent) bowl games. In that time frame, Oklahoma has been to 16. OU clearly has the superior program, and Notre Dame has some issues that could prevent it from getting back to the top. As I just said, Notre Dame has slipped. But the idea that Notre Dame is relegated to inferior status is wrong.
Keesee: “I would take the rumor seriously. Brian Kelly of Cincinnati just might not be what the Irish are looking for. Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham and now Charlie Weis. Notre Dame could possibly be looking for a proven winner. That isn’t Kelly on the national level. Notre Dame has that exclusive NBC contract. Lot to protect. Urban Meyer probably won’t leave Florida (fertile recruiting ground where he can get the first choice of players). But in Stoops’ case, a different situation. He isn’t even in dominant position in his own division of the Big 12. That is Texas’. And as long as the recruiting grounds are in the state of Texas, Mack Brown will always have the inside track with the Texas high school coaches. Stoops needs to recruit harder and coach at a higher level to beat Brown. Plus, he has to feed the monster. OU just isn’t a pleasant place to coach if you don’t finish first in the Big 12 South. And with Texas on the rise, it doesn’t look like that is going to consistently occur. Plus, unlike Notre Dame, Oklahoma is a regional Division I school. Notre Dame recruits nationwide. Also, Stoops is a Catholic parochial high school player. Father coached for Mooney. Stoops at Notre Dame has the inside track for any, and every, high school Catholic parochial player, anywhere in the country. Even with Weis, Notre Dame has recently recruited in the top 15 on most high school football evaluation blogs. I wouldn’t discount the rumor. It could happen.”
Well, yes. It could happen. But it cracks me up how one season tilts the world on its axis, in some minds. Texas is on the rose, OU has slipped, so Stoops might want to get the heck out of Norman, since it’s not a pleasant place to coach if you’re not on top. All this 10 months after Stoops played Florida for the national title. And two others things. Brian Kelly is exactly what Notre Dame is looking for. And that Catholic parochial stuff might be the most overrated stuff in sports. This isn’t 1954.
Bob: “Your thoughts on how these things might affect Stoops decision to go to Notre Dame. 1. He is Catholic. 2. It’s closer to Youngstown. 3. Falling further behind in the recruiting war, not only to Texas but losing once guaranteed recruits to other schools, and TCU is making a stronger statement with recruits in the DFW metroplex. 4. He can recruit successfully anywhere in the country from Notre Dame. 5. Tired of reading/hearing about all the negativity on the call-in shows, papers, blogs (although no guarantee it would not happen elsewhere, but he would be king for at least one season). 6. He did not say ‘hell no’ but made reference to the fact that there is not even a job open at Notre Dame.”
OK. I’ll bite. 1. Bob doesn’t strike me as a devout Catholic. He certainly didn’t grow up a big Notre Dame fan. Married a Methodist. 2. Closer to Youngstown is a detriment to the chances. He wants no part of living in the North. He can fly a private jet to Youngstown any time he wants. 3. OU is losing no recruits to TCU. This Johnny Appleseed mentality is really puzzling. 4. Notre Dame’s recruiting prowess is vastly overstated. 5. Stoops does not worry himself — or even bother with — the radio or the internet. And Notre Dame would be 100 times worse. 6. You just asked him if he still beats his wife.
Jim: “I agree, no way Stoops goes to Notre Dame. Two quick thoughts. First, send Joe Castiglione to Notre Dame. Run, Forrest (er, Joe), run! I’ll help load the truck! Second, OU is not Memphis, San Diego State or Oregon (or even Arkansas). Leave the damn uniforms alone. Alabama, USC and even Texas don’t screw with tradition (the main reason to send Forrest/Joe to Notre Dame). We shouldn’t either. The new uniform reeks of the enormously stupid interlocking OU of the ‘80s. It deserves the same fate: the waste heap of (non) history.”
I don’t like the uniforms, either. But Joe C. is an excellent athletic director, and the surest way to make Stoops want to leave is to get rid of Castiglione.
Will: “I have no idea if Notre Dame is going to hire Stoops, Kelly, Johnson, Patterson or perhaps even Gruden or Meyer (who knows). What is clear is that Weis is clearly not Notre Dame’s man to achieve what we strive to achieve at Notre Dame. And that the Notre Dame administration needs to put in the work to find whoever they can to get the job done right. If Stoops is deemed to be that guy, they need to move heaven and earth to get him. Your article is weak, your reasoning is specious. Notre Dame has as much if not more tradition than OU. Furthermore, Stoops’ comments on Notre Dame strike me as diversionary, not a denial. Did he say that should the job become available he would not accept it? Did he say he would be happy to stay in Norman? He’s a smart man, he knows what’s going on. I wouldn’t be shocked if maybe Stoops believes that A) it’s time to move on, B) he might want to try to be named among the greats like Rockne, Leahy, Parseghian and Holtz. It’s true that Stoops attained his own level of excellence, but there is nothing quite like becoming a legend at Notre Dame.”
Can we just be blunt about Notre Dame? It’s a fabulous tradition. It’s got a chance to win and win big. But when you rank college football’s 15 best programs, based not on 2009 teams but best chances for success in the next 15 years, the Irish probably don’t make the cut. Heck, let’s do it. Alabama, Florida, LSU in the SEC. I would put Georgia there, too. OU and Texas. That’s six. USC and Oregon. Eight. Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan (yes, Michigan. A far better job than Notre Dame). That’s 11. Florida State. Twelve. So then you toss the Irish in with schools like Nebraska, Tennessee, Miami, West Virginia, Virginia Tech. Toss them all in a hat and pull out a name. Yes, Notre Dame packs a bigger recruiting punch than most. It also has other issues that drag it down. Like its location. South Bend is not a good college town. It’s not a good town at all. Notre Dame is about the 14th or 15th best job in college football. Like I said, It’s a .583 job.
Gary: “Another thing that I don’t know that a lot of people have thought about is why would a coach take a job where he is only going to be able to win so many games at that school before they get rid of ya? Look at how many wins Holtz had there (100) and they got rid of him before he broke Rockne’s record number of wins (105). Holtz was bought out before he outdid Rockne in number of wins and they’d do the same to Bob.”
I’ve never heard that story, but it’s a wonderful theory. I love crazy conspiracy theories. I never believe them, but I love to hear them.
Greg: “Never a more concise summary of reasons why Big Game Bob will not leave OU until, as I see it, he is at least 62 (can draw social security), the last of his children is 22 (and hopefully, a bright, new college grad), he has won at least one more national championship which he will wave in all detractors’ faces just to show 2000 was not a fluke (and I never thought it was) and as you point out, NEVER on a down note. I perceive the same thing you do. Stoops is a very prideful, confident person about his methodology, and I do not see him leaving on even a 9-4 season like this one.”
Social security? Bob Stoops will make a decision based on when he can draw social security?
Jim: “What makes you think Notre Dame would want Bob Stoops?
Because the Irish is tired of winning 58.3 percent of their games.
Bill: “You left out one important reason, maybe the most important, that Stoops is unlikely to leave OU. Castiglione. He is by far the best AD in the cosmos. When the coaches mesh with the administration, you see a lot of loyalty from the coaches. Plus, Castiglione’s coaches are well compensated.”
I don’t disagree. But I’ve got a question for all the people who claim Joe C. is the best AD in America. How do you know? It’s not a smart-aleck question. I’m curious. How do you know? What’s the criteria? I hear that all time, that Castiglione is a world-class athletic director, and I don’t necessarily disagree. I just wonder how people are judging.
All right, on to uniforms. Mickey: “Who cares about the new uniforms? The OU players’ reaction to their new uniforms explains their less than stellar win-loss record this year. They apparently are more excited about how they look in their new uniforms than how they play. They remind me of a bunch of junior league girls at a style show. Perhaps they could add some ruffles to the sleeves! I would rather see some dirt, blood, sweat, slobber and tears on the uniforms!”
Uh, Mickey. Settle down there big boy. All kinds of fans care about the new uniforms. The players did not stage a rally for the uniforms. They were asked by the media.”
Craig: “Sooner Magic on the uniforms? I would probably let that go. Not much magic in losing four games by 12 points. Besides, Sooner Magic was Switzer’s legacy.”
I agree. Scrap the Sooner Magic.
OK. Now on to Mangino. Brad: “Despite Mangino’s success at KU, he has one win over a Big 12 opponent that finished the season with a winning conference record. Last year over Mizzou.”
Maybe so, but that’s what you have to do at Kansas. Beat the mediocre teams.
John: “This whole Mangino thing has me thinking in several dimensions. If true, how could these player allegations remain under wraps for years? Does it take a losing season to flush them out? If so, is that the way it ought to be? I heard Mark Mayes (I assume he means May) say on the radio that if Mark Mangino had made such comments to him, Mayes would have ‘kicked his fat a**.’ That reminds me of the story of the two guys who were stopped by the highway patrolman for speeding. Driver gets a ticket and a chewing out from the officer, who then goes around the car and slaps the passenger. ‘Why did you do that?’ the passenger asks. Highway patrolman replies ‘because two miles down the road, you would have said to your buddy, “Man, if he had tried that crap with me, I would have kicked his a**!”’”
When Mangino was at OU, we knew he was a hard-core coach who could ride his players hard. But I never heard stories of abuse like those stories coming out of KU. On the other hand, it’s a little fishy that they’re all coming out at once. Like the stuff about the KU parking enforcement. I generally don’t believe in conspiracy theories. But sometimes, they just might have some teeth.
OK, some general football stuff. Bob: “I keep thinking of your articles about the O-line not being important anymore, and am really curious what you think now?”
I never said they weren’t important. I said they weren’t as important as they used to be. And my argument continues to stay solid, for this reason. Everyone admits that OU’s line is blocking OK. They just can’t keep from committing penalties. No one ever said you can win by committing penalties all the time.
Bill: “OU will lose in Lubbock. Why? Don’t know. Here is why I contacted you. I have written to you already probably half a dozen times over the years but under a different name. A few years ago I had a religious experience — yes, I know what you’re thinking — but that changed me. I have always lived and breathed OU football since the days Switzer took over. But back around ‘83, ‘84, sometime around in there I started realizing I would have dreams about sports during the week of the game. If I dreamed anything about sports of any kind during the week, it seemed OU would win their game. If I didn’t dream sports then OU lost. All this year I’ve been able to call it exactly. I had hopes of having a dream this week but it didn’t come. Therefore, my prediction is that OU will lose to Texas Tech. I sound like a crazy nut case, right? But if I am right I will continue to update you before each game hereafter and next year just to prove my accuracy to you.”
Well, yes, I have to admit. Nut case. Reminds me of almost 30 years ago, when I was a young reporter at the Norman Transcript. I was working the Saturday night shift when some guy called and told our night editor he was high up in the government, and we were selling missiles or some such thing to the Soviet Union or some equally heinous group, and he was tired of sitting on the news and was ready to tell someone. Well, we all thought the guy was nuts, but the night editor had to inform his superiors. So he was told to call in a certain reporter in case the guy showed up, the way he said he would. Trouble was, the regular Saturday night reporter was angry that he was being bypassed for the story. The night editor, thinking quickly on his feet, said the other guy had been in the Green Berets and was better qualified. Of course, the kook never showed up. But Bill, if you really know, let’s start keeping score.
Jeff: “Is it just me or is the reason OU is so good at home is their aggressiveness? OU seems to play a lot less aggressive on the road. Why is that? Shouldn’t your game plan be the same on the road as it is at home? What do you think? Hopefully we will be aggressive for the Tech game.”
You should adjust your game plan to fit the situation. Some of OU’s problem has been too much aggression. OU was way too aggressive at Nebraska.
Joe: “I was reading your blog, and I really like your matchups for the bowl games. So you think ‘Bama will beat Florida for the SEC championship?”
Oh heck, I don’t know. Some weeks I plug Bama in there, other weeks Florida. It’s going to be a fabulous game.
Jason: “I was doing some research and thought I would put together a map of wins and losses in each state that OU has played in under each coach. Keep in mind this is the state the game was played in and not the team. Example: Stoops is 1-2 in the state of Nebraska. Not 1-2 against Nebraska. I did not double check my work, so a few may be wrong, but I’m pretty sure I got it. Bud played in 17 states. Never won in one state: Illinois. Never lost in eight states: Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Louisiana. Not a losing record in any state besides Illinois. Neutral Field: 14-10. Losses in Oklahoma: 10, one tie. Barry played in 17 states. Never won: 0. Never lost in nine states: Hawaii, Colorado, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Iowa. Doesn’t have a losing record in any states. Neutral Field: 18-10-2. Losses in Oklahoma: 10, one tie. Bob played in 16 states. Never won in four states: Oregon, Arizona, Louisiana, Indiana. Never lost in five states: Washington, Kansas, Iowa, Alabama, Kentucky. Neutral field: 17-11. Never played a Big Ten school. Losses in Oklahoma: 3.
I have no idea what this means, but I love football and I love geography. Here’s a good question. Name the states that OU has no chance of ever playing. I would say Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island. That’s about it. I think OU-Boise State would be a good home-and-home series. I think Delaware would make a tremendous addition to the Big East Conference; the Blue Hens should go Division I-A. But those New England states? The Dakotas? I just don’t see it.
OSU-Colorado: Gundy learns his lesson
Part of the fun of football is second-guessing coaches. Punt or go for it? Run or pass? Blitz or play back?
Coaches have a huge impact on their games. But sometimes we forget the most fundamental — and most important — part of a coach’s job.
Deciding who to play.
OSU's Alex Cate (3) passes during the college football game between Oklahoma State University (OSU) and the University of Colorado (CU) at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Mike Gundy failed that part of his job Thursday night, and everyone in Boone Pickens Stadium knew it. Including Gundy. With Zac Robinson sidelined by a sore shoulder, Gundy chose Alex Cate to start at quarterback against Colorado. Afterwards, Gundy would basically call it some kind of lifetime service award, that Cate, in his fourth season on campus, deserved the chance to lead the Cowboys.
Nice gesture. But you know the rest. Cate was awful and the Cowboys were awful around him. Cate completed none of his nine passes, Colorado had one interception and could have had two more, and the Buffs led 14-10 at halftime.
OSU eventually won 31-28, but only because 26-year-old sophomore Brandon Weeden came to the rescue. Listed as the third-team quarterback and used as the third-team QB, Weeden of course was no such thing. He moved the OSU offense the entire second half, completing 10 of 15 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
Weeden quarterbacked eight possessions in the second half. Three touchdowns, a lost fumble by Kendall Hunter, one punt, one run-out-the-clock and two fourth-and-short failures in Colorado territory.
The difference in the quality of the two quarterbacks was clear. A friend of mine said, correctly, that even a first-time football watcher, someone who didn’t know how the game is played, could be given a 10-second primer and figure out immediately that Weeden was the superior quarterback.
In the first half, OSU either reached or started in Colorado territory five possessions, yet came away with just a solitary field goal. Gundy flirted with disaster in a game that could have ruined OSU’s season
So why did he do it? Oh, probably some humanity. Some belief that Cate did indeed deserve a chance. But all kinds of guys work hard. That’s no reason to hand them the reins of the wagon train. Maybe Gundy thought Cate was a safer pick, that OSU could just run it down CU’s throat. But that theory doesn’t really hold, because there was nothing safe about Cate’s passes, while Weeden never was rattled and never threw a bad ball or made an obvious poor decision.
Probably, Gundy was just arrogant, thinking the Cowboys could beat Colorado no matter what. He certainly called the game that way.
Gundy fell on his sword for OSU’s fourth-down failures — 0-for-3 on fourth-and-short. But those plays weren’t the kooky calls. Gundy’s repeated asking of Cate to do something he obviously couldn’t do, that was the problem.
OSU's Brandon Weeden (4) celebrates with his teammates including Tolu Moala (59), right, after the college football game between Oklahoma State University (OSU) and the University of Colorado (CU) at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. OSU won, 31-28. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Greatest example, and how the game turned. OSU led 10-7 (thanks to Perrish Cox’s punt return for a TD) late in the second quarter and faced 2nd-and-5 from the Buffalo 36-yard line, probably 1:20 left before halftime. At that point, Cate was 0-for-7 with one interception and a couple of close calls the Buffs easily could have picked.
The choice was clear. Keep running the ball. Run Keith Toston and Spud Hunter, get another first down, maybe two, into field goal range. Get to the 20-yard line, let Dan Bailey do his thing and go to halftime up 13-7. Give Brandon Weeden a little cushion, because by then Gundy had to know a QB change was necessary.
Instead, Gundy orders a pass. Incomplete. And another pass. Incomplete. Fourth-and-5, Bailey is asked to kick a 53-yard field goal, which is just out of his range. Colorado blocks the kick, then finds lightning in a bottle for the only time of the night. Cody Hawkins takes CU on a 64-yard TD drive, scoring with 22 seconds left for a 14-10 halftime lead.
That’s a 10-point swing, all on Gundy.
At the end of the day, this was a glorious night for the Cowboys (Alex Cate excluded). They won, and they learned a valuable lesson.
This game showed that any team that loses its starting quarterback is in trouble. We’ve seen it all over college football, and the Cowboys now know it well, too. They escaped with a victory, and next time, their coach knows the very first step toward victory.
Play the best player.
College Football Week 11: An ode to Boone Pickens Stadium
I introduced you a couple of weeks ago to Carl Pagnia, who is traveling America in an RV, going to college football games. Here’s the latest dispatch from Carl.
“An update from the State College (Penn State) game vs. Ohio State. Tailgating was the best yet in the RV. Both Ohio State and PSU fans invited me pre- and post-game.
I mentioned that PSU did not have the same enthusiasm as the Iowa game. Well, was I right. It just was not there. Coaches, players, students and fans. Pep rally was great again with JoePa — he kept asking “What is a Buckeye? What is a Buckeye?”
At the game, only the student section stood. The rest of the sections sat. I had great seats on the 50-yard-line for $236 eBay tickets (that’s when both were undefeated). Well, the game was really no contest. Ohio State was clearly the better team. Terrelle Pryor lea his team to victory. He kept within the game plan and did what he can do well — run.
All week, Joe and the captains said no mistakes, no turnovers, win this game. Well, they were too conservative and never opened it up. Fans booed Galen Hall’s very conservative play-calling. Overall, very disappointing. Students called a whiteout, and no one else wore white in the crowd.
Many generations attend Penn State; you see many parents and some grandparents attending together. A real family affair. It was especially touching to see just fathers attend with their daughters. Don’t remember seeing that at any other game. Also, there was no booing between schools like OU vs. UT.
Boone Pickens Stadium glows in the night before the college football game between Oklahoma State University (OSU) and Texas Tech University (TT) at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman
Now, on to Stillwater by way of Dayton, Ohio, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Wright Brothers history. Awesome. Then the Truman Library in Independence, Mo. It was great, but I spent too much time there and got to Lawrence, Kan., and KU after 5 p.m. and had to stay overnight to catch their Hall of Fame. Well, it was worth it. Awesome! Best yet for all sports, especially obviously basketball but also track and field and seeing KU football players of my era. Gale Sayers, David Jaynes, John Riggins, Nolan Cromwell. The basketball with Wilt, those teams I remember from the 60’s and 70’s (no championships but many All-Americans). Then those forgotten track stars, Jim Ryun and Billy Mills, etc. This was before Oregon became big track school. The best part was it was free!
Another observation that hit me was the facilities. All the schools I visited had GREAT training, practice, offices facilities, etc! That is why they were and are all top football schools. Now I cannot really say which were the best or greatest. What differentiates these school are the recruiting. That’s it. Penn State and OU and KU and Texas Tech and Ohio State and Michigan really stick out, but it is the recruiting by these coaches that makes the difference since training facilities and venues are all so great.
I got to Stillwater last Thursday. And Oklahoma State is no different. Tailgating is free with RV. I was able to get in on Thursday and leave Sunday and will return Wednesday night and depart Friday night. Awesome. Again, Tech and OSU fans were great, especially Tech was loud because I was sitting right by them.
Now I must say I must have saved the best venue for last, because, Boone Pickens Stadium is the absolute best stadium attended. It was by no means the largest. But the box seats go all around the upper deck, plus the athletic offices overlook the east end like no other. Penn State and OU have breaks in upper stadium seats and Michigan will have nowhere the box and suite seats like the others. Oklahoma State had tradition and a whole day of festivities planned. The students were probably the nicest, most laidback and polite I have come across, but all have been great.
Stillwater itself is better than expected — great people, many restaurants, most only so-so, etc. I don’t think the student population and city itself will be enough to have many sellouts.
The game was everything as expected except less scoring. Zac Robinson was very good in second half and let’s hope he is well enough to play vs. Colorado. It was undecided until the very end. OSU’s defense has come a long way over the years. Many credit Bill Young.
So far have checked out the Wrestling Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe House in Yale and Pawnee. Very tired. I am a BIG college wrestling fan since the ‘60s and Dan Gable. The Hall of Fame was indescribable. Lee Roy Smith has done an incredible job! The memorabilia they have! I’m over-staying my plans because OSU has a match Friday night vs. Arizona. To attend a match at Iba-Gallagher, next to Iowa the temple of college wrestling, I’m awestruck. Can’t wait to go thru the Cowboys Hall of Fame (Heritage Hall).
So, best overall venue and excitement – surprise, the OSU Cowboys. The mascots were the best. Pistol Pete and Bullet with the Spirit Rider and the girls Spirit Squad were the best!”
TEN BIGGEST LOSERS OF THE WEEK
10. Texas A&M: Six years ago, the Aggies lost 77-0 at OU and didn’t even put up a fight. But Saturday, A&M lost almost as badly (65-10) to a Sooner team with four losses. The rebuilding is going slowly in College Station.
9. South Dakota State: In 2007, North Dakota State went to Minnesota and stunned the Gophers 27-21. Another I-AA Dakota team had the same chance Saturday. But South Dakota State’s Peter Reifenrath missed a 25-yard field goal that would have broken a third-quarter tie, then Minnesota’s Eric Ellestad kicked one from the same distance to give the Gophers a 16-13 victory.
8. Zac Robinson: The Oklahoma State quarterback played a whale of a game against Texas Tech, then led with his head on what could have been a game-sealing scramble in the final two minutes. OSU won 24-17, but Robinson suffered what surely is a concussion and might be out for Senior Night against Colorado on Thursday.
7. Dick Tomey: The San Jose State coach has had a great career; with 182 wins at Hawaii, Arizona and San Jose State. But the Spartans lost 24-9 at Utah State to fall to 1-8, and Tomey announced this would be his final season.
6. Tulsa: On Oct. 14, the Golden Hurricane was 4-1, with only a loss to Oklahoma, and was playing the pants off Boise State. TU lost that night 28-21 and hasn’t won since. Three straight home defeats, the last a 44-17 setback to East Carolina, has TU 4-6 and virtually out of the bowl picture.
5. Saturday football: The Mid-American Conference staged six league games last week. Only one was on Saturday. Ohio-Buffalo was on Tuesday, Toledo-Central Michigan on Wednesday, Bowling Green-Miami and Ball State-Northern Illinois on Thursday and Temple-Akron on Friday. Only the Western Michigan-Eastern Michigan game was played on Saturday. I love off-Saturday football as much as the next guy, but this seems a little ridiculous. Oh well. At least students can go home for the weekend without missing the ballgame.
Kansas head coach Mark Mangino and Bob Stoops meet at midfield after the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the University of Kansas Jayhawks (KU) on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in Lawrence, Kan. Oklahoma won the game 35-13. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
4. Mark Mangino: The Kansas coach is on the hot seat not for results but for a variety of crimes that generally come down to his athletic director, Lew Perkins, preferring someone else. Now even the results are going south. KU lost 31-17 to Nebraska, despite a 17-16 fourth-quarter lead, and has lost five in a row to fall to 5-5. With games at Texas and against Missouri in Arrowhead Stadium, the Jayhawks might not become bowl eligible, and soon Mangino might not have a job.
3. Nick Foles: The Arizona quarterback drove his team into position to beat California, after the Bears took an 18-16 lead. Arizona faced 3rd-and-3 on the Cal 25-yard line when Foles’ pass was batted by Cal lineman Tyson Alualu. Foles caught his own pass, instead of letting to fall to the ground, and then tried to throw again. A penalty was called for illegal forward pass, putting ‘Zona back at the Cal 39, out of field goal range. A fourth-down fell incomplete, and Cal took over with less than two minutes left. The Bears won 24-16.
2. Mike Sanford: UNLV lost 45-17 at Air Force, then the school fired its coach. Sanford is 15-43 in five years at UNLV, a school where a guy ought to be able to win on occasion. But the Rebels have only three winning seasons in the last 23 years.
1. Big East replay: Cincinnati’s Isaih Pead fumbled while trying to dive over the pile for a second-quarter touchdown against West Virginia. Officials ruled it West Virginia’s ball. Replays overturned the call and gave Cincinnati the touchdown, shocking ESPN announcers, who correctly pointed out Pead seemed to be losing the ball before he crossed the goal line. Replay is not suppose to take guesses. It’s suppose to reverse obviously incorrect calls. That didn’t happen here. Cincinnati won 24-21.
STOOPS: BOWLS NOT IMPORTANT?
An Oklahoma-Arizona bowl game, matching the Brothers Stoops, is not out of the question. If both teams finish strong, they could meet in the Holiday Bowl. If both stumble, they could meet in the Sun Bowl.
Bob Stoops was saying the other day that he preferred not to play Mike’s Wildcats but it wouldn’t be a big deal.
“Wouldn’t matter,” Stoops said. “We’d go play Arizona. What’s to hate about it?”
University of Oklahoma football against the University of Missouri, Sat., Oct. 5, 2002, at Columbia, Mo. Bob and Mike Stoops watch the scoreboard in the fourth quarter. Staff photo by Bryan Terry
Well, in the past, Stoops has said he doesn’t want to play friends. Has no interest, for example, in a non-conference game with Iowa (Kirk Ferentz) or South Carolina (Steve Spurrier) or anyone coached by a good friend.
But Stoops said, “Once the season’s over, in a bowl game, someone’s got to win.”
Stoops said he always used to win in their Youngstown backyard — “older brother always wins” — but once Mike “matured and got to Iowa, he was too big for me. I quit messin’ with him.”
To make the Holiday Bowl, OU probably has to win out, which could happen, then not get selected for the Cotton Bowl, which probably would happen. If Arizona wins out, the Wildcats are going to the Rose Bowl. But they finish with Oregon, Arizona State and Southern Cal. Frankly, the Pac-10 is too muddled to adequately describe.
Safe to say this. A 6-6 OU could play a 7-5 Arizona (the ‘Cats are 6-3 right now) in El Paso’s Sun Bowl.
“In the end, both of us would prefer not to,” Bob Stoops said. “That’s fair to say. But it would make it easy on my mom to see both of us.”
But let’s look a little closer at what Stoops really said. In the regular season, he wants no part of a game against someone he really cares about. But a bowl game, no big deal.
Doesn’t that indicate that a bowl game is less important? Doesn’t that indicate that a bowl game — which you would think should carry at least the weight of a regular-season, if not more — is almost exhibition-like?
I don’t believe that about bowls. I think they’re important. I think in a sport where many teams run from real competition, bowls are one of the few elements we have to find out the real power of teams.
But Bob Stoops apparently thinks otherwise.
BOWL PROJECTIONS
New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 19, Albuquerque, N.M.
Air Force vs. Nevada
St. Pete Bowl, Dec. 19, St. Petersburg, Fla.
South Florida vs. Central Florida
New Orleans Bowl, Dec. 20, New Orleans
UAB vs. Troy
Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 22, Las Vegas
Utah vs. California
Poinsettia Bowl, Dec. 23, San Diego
BYU vs. Arizona
Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24, Honolulu
SMU vs. Fresno State
Emerald Bowl, Dec. 26, San Francisco
Florida State vs. Oregon State
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, Dec. 26, Detroit
Middle Tennessee vs. Ohio
Meineke Bowl, Dec. 26, Charlotte, N.C.
Boston College vs. Pittsburgh
Music City Bowl, Dec. 27, Nashville, Tenn.
North Carolina vs. Kentucky
Independence Bowl, Dec. 28, Shreveport, La.
Iowa State vs. Auburn
Champs Sports Bowl, Dec. 29, Orlando, Fla.
Clemson vs. Minnesota
EagleBank Bowl, Dec. 30, Washington, D.C.
Duke vs. East Carolina
Holiday Bowl, Dec. 30, San Diego
Nebraska vs. Southern Cal
Humanitarian Bowl, Dec. 30, Boise, Idaho
Bowling Green vs. Idaho
Texas Bowl, Dec. 30, Houston
Texas A&M vs. Navy
Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 30, Fort Worth, Texas
Wyoming vs. Southern Miss
Sun Bowl, Dec. 31, El Paso, Texas
Texas Tech vs. Oregon
Insight Bowl, Dec. 31, Tempe, Ariz.
Northwestern vs. Missouri
Chick-fil-A Bowl, Dec. 31, Atlanta
Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina
Outback Bowl, Jan. 1, Tampa, Fla.
Wisconsin vs. Georgia
Capital One Bowl, Jan. 1, Orlando, Fla.
Iowa vs. Ole Miss
Gator Bowl, Jan. 1, Jacksonville, Fla.
Miami vs. Notre Dame
Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, Pasadena, Calif.
Stanford vs. Ohio State
Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1, New Orleans
Florida vs. Boise State
Cotton Bowl, Jan. 2, Arlington, Texas
LSU vs. Oklahoma State
Liberty Bowl, Jan. 2, Memphis, Tenn.
Houston vs. Arkansas
International Bowl, Jan. 2, Toronto
West Virginia vs. Temple
PapaJohns.com Bowl, Jan. 2, Birmingham, Ala.
Rutgers vs. Tennessee
Alamo Bowl, Jan. 2, San Antonio
Michigan State vs. Oklahoma
Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 4, Glendale, Ariz.
TCU vs. Cincinnati
Orange Bowl, Jan. 5, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Georgia Tech vs. Penn State
GMAC Bowl, Jan. 6, Mobile, Ala.
Louisiana-Monroe vs. Central Michigan
Big Bowl, Jan. 7, Pasadena, Calif.
Texas vs. Alabama
TEN BIGGEST WINNERS OF THE WEEK
10. Missouri: Two-time defending Big 12 North champs, the Tigers looked in the toilet after a 40-32 home loss to Baylor on Nov. 7. But Mizzou routed Kansas State 38-12 in Manhattan, and with games against Iowa State and Kansas remaining, Missouri can finish 8-4 and claim one of the Big 12’s decent bowl slots.
9. Butch Davis: After blowing a big lead against Florida State on Oct. 22, the Tar Heels were 0-3 in the ACC. But after a 33-24 victory over Miami, UNC has won three straight and stands 7-3 overall, and Davis’ rebuilding job in Chapel Hill seems on course.
8. Paul Rhoads: Iowa State’s first-year coach has proven to be a big improvement over Gene Chizik, who bolted for the Auburn job. The Cyclones beat Colorado 17-10 to become bowl eligible at 6-5, and here’s the kicker. Iowa State came perilously close to two more wins, losing tight games to Kansas State and Kansas.
7. Dave Wannstedt: The Pitt coach never had been warmly received by his hometown team, but that has to be changing after a 27-22 victory over Notre Dame. Wannstedt was 25-23 in his first four years at Pitt, but the Panthers now are 9-1 for the first time since 1982, Dan Marino’s senior season. Pitt plays Cincinnati on Dec. 5 for the Big East title.
6. Rice: Coming off their second bowl trip in three years, the Owls have gone splat this season, losing their first nine games. But Rice will avoid its first winless season since 1988, after a 28-20 victory over Tulane.
5. Colt McCoy: The Texas quarterback isn’t having the season he had in 2008, when he was the Heisman runnerup, but McCoy remains in Heisman contention, for good reason. Texas beat Baylor 47-14 to give McCoy his 42nd victory as a starting quarterback, tying the NCAA record held by Georgia’s David Greene. McCoy is 42-7 and can break the record Saturday against Kansas.
Mississippi running back Dexter McCluster (22) runs for a touchdown as Tennessee defensive end Chris Walker (84) chases during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/The Clarion-Ledger, Ryan Moore)
4. Dexter McCluster: The Ole Miss tailback won’t win the Heisman and might not make all-American. But McCluster removed all doubt that he’s the funnest player in college football. Flying and diving and twisting and turning all over the field, the 170-pound dervish set Ole Miss records of 282 rushing yards and 324 all-purpose yards in a 42-17 rout of Tennessee.
3. Jim Harbaugh: The Stanford coach is 16-18 overall, but two of those victories have come in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Stanford shocked USC there two years ago and did the same Saturday, 55-21, handing the Trojans the most points ever scored against them. Harbaugh, who came into the Pac-10 three years ago talking big, backed up the talk. Leading 48-21 in the fourth quarter, he went for a 2-point conversion to reach 50. Stanford was stopped but scored another touchdown anyway and remains in the hunt for the Rose Bowl. Barring a miracle, USC does not.
2. Big Ten bowls: Ohio State is going to the Rose Bowl, and that’s a big deal for the Buckeyes and for Pasadena. Believe it or not, Ohio State hasn’t played in the Rose Bowl since the 1996 season. The Buckeyes have been in three of the last seven national-title games but none of them in the Rose Bowl. And the Big Ten’s lesser bowls are looking better. The Capital One and Outback are assured of quality teams, almost surely Iowa and Wisconsin, since Penn State is likely to get an Orange Bowl berth. But Saturday, Northwestern beat Illinois to at least get to seven wins and Michigan State rallied to beat Purdue and get to six, giving bowls like the Alamo and the Insight a little more options.
1. SMU: The Mustangs haven’t been to a bowl since the 1984 Aloha, three years before the death penalty sent the SMU campus void of football for the 1987-88 seasons. The Mustangs have had just one winning season in their 20 years back in business, a 6-5 record under Mike Cavan in 1997. But Saturday at SMU’s Ford Stadium, Emmanuel Sanders caught a 37-yard TD pass from Kyle Padron with 4:34 left to give the Mustangs 35-31 victory over UTEP. Coupled with Central Florida’s 37-32 upset of Houston, SMU now leads Conference USA’s Western Division. If SMU, 6-4, can beat Marshall and Tulane, the Mustangs are headed for the Liberty Bowl in June Jones’ second season as coach.
REALITY RANKINGS
Ranking based not on what we think teams will do, but what they have done:
1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Georgia Tech
4. Cincinnati
5. Texas
6. TCU
7. Boise State
8. Iowa
9. Stanford
10. Pittsburgh
Notre Dame: Irish don’t always shop at high-end stores
The idea that Notre Dame would want Bob Stoops, or that Stoops would be interested in the Fighting Irish, is not ridiculous. I don’t think it’s true. But I don’t think it’s ridiculous.
But a Stoops-to-Notre Dame move would fly in the face of history. For two reasons. 1. Notre Dame historically has not hired away coaches from big-time programs. 2. Coaches ALMOST NEVER jump from one big-time program to another.
A quick list. Here is where Notre Dame has gotten its coaches from since Knute Rockne:
New England Patriots assistant (Charlie Weis), Stanford head coach (Tyrone Willingham), Bob Davie (Notre Dame assistant), Minnesota U. head coach (Lou Holtz), Cincinnati Moeller High School (Gerry Faust);
Green Bay Packers head coach (Dan Devine), Northwestern head coach (Ara Parseghian), Notre Dame assistant (Hugh Devore), Washington Redskins head coach (Joe Kuharic);
Notre Dame assistant (Terry Brennan), Notre Dame assistant (Ed McKeever), Boston College head coach (Frank Leahy) and Duquesne head coach (Elmer Layden).
That’s 13 coaching hires, and only one from a fellow blueblood — Leahy 69 years ago. When the Irish swiped a pro coach, it was Kuharic in 1959, when NFL jobs weren’t near the caliber of Notre Dame, and Devine in 1974, when Packer fans were trying to run him out of Green Bay. Even killed his dog.
So the idea that Notre Dame can go out and get whoever it wants is just silly. The Irish never have done that, even when they ruled college football. No reason to think they can do it now.
But there’s no great reason to think anyone can have whoever they want. The jumping around of coaches from big-time program to big-time program is virtually non-existent.
OU hasn’t lost a coach to another school since Jim Tatum went to Maryland in 1947, and the Sooners were not a power yet. Nebraska hasn’t lost a coach to another school since Pete Eliot went to Cal in 1957, and the Huskers weren’t yet a national power. Texas never has lot a coach to another school, at least not in the modern era.
Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, USC? Same thing. The few times it has happened were long ago.
Paul Dietzel left LSU for Army in 1961; I assume he thought the Cadets were going to stay a power. By 1965, he figured out he was wrong and jumped to South Carolina. Johnny Majors left Pitt after his 1976 national championship for Tennessee, his alma mater.
Doug Dickey left Tennessee for Florida in 1970, but two extenuating circumstances: Florida is his alma mater, and neither the Vols nor the Gators were the level they reached in the next generation.
Jump-arounds from the schools just below the national power level is more common. Tommy Tuberville from Ole Miss to Auburn in 1999. Houston Nutt from Arkansas to Ole Miss in 2008. Ken Hatfield from Arkansas to Clemson in 1989.
Maybe the closest thing we’ve seen in recent years is Rich Rodriguez leaving West Virginia in 2007 for Michigan. WVU is not in the Florida-USC-Oklahoma-Texas-Alabama class, but it’s just below.
Only one top-shelf school seems prone to losing its coach to another school. Alabama lost Bill Curry to Kentucky in 1989, though Bama was trying to kick him out the door, and then lost Dennis Franchione to Texas A&M in 2003, when it most certainly didn’t want to lose Fran.
A&M can be sneaky. The Aggies got Franchione from Alabama, Jackie Sherrill from Pitt in 1982 and Bear Bryant from Kentucky in 1953.
A&M, that’s who schools like Oklahoma ought to worry about. Not Notre Dame.
Notre Dame: Why not hire Switzer?
If Notre Dame wants an Oklahoma football coach they can get, why not Barry Switzer? The Fighting Irish, should they fire Charlie Weis, is not likely to entice Bob Stoops (or Urban Meyer) to South Bend.
The Chicago Sun-Times report that Stoops has told confidants he would like to talk to Notre Dame is “people making stuff up,” Stoops said.
Former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer follows the game against Nebraska in the first half of their NCAA college football game, in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Not the first time someone has made up stuff about a Sooner coach and Notre Dame. In fact, it was fiction-writing at the very core.
In July 1998, the HBO comedy series “Arli$$,” about a sports agent, had a plotline that included the announcement that Notre Dame had hired Switzer. “Nuns and priests fainted,” Switzer laughed this week.
Switzer is an old hand at acting. “Coach,” “Saving Grace,” “Possums,” “Varsity Blues,” “Any Given Sunday.” Switzer has been all over both the small and large screens.
In real life, Switzer had little chance of drawing Notre Dame’s interest. The Irish are not in the habit of hiring rogues. But he would always listen.
“Tell them to call me,” said Switzer, 72 years old and 12 years out of football. “Tell them I can beat Navy.”
