Bob Stoops to be inducted into CFB Hall of Fame
NORMAN, Okla. (BVM) — In his first year of eligibility, legendary head coach Bob Stoops will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2021.
“As a son of an all-time, lifelong high school coach, no one appreciates the game of football and the coaching profession more than I do,” Stoop said in a statement released by the Oklahoma athletic department. “I am truly grateful for and humbled by this honor.”
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Stoops established himself in the sport when he was given the opportunity to be the co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State University. While at KSU, Stoops played an essential role in helping the Wildcats to a 35-12 record and three bowl appearances in his four years.
Following his time at KSU, he found his way to Steve Spurrier’s staff at Florida. While there, he ran the defensive and played a crucial part in helping the Gators secure the 1996 national title against their in-state rival, Florida State.
But ultimately, it’s what he would accomplish in Oklahoma that would find him a spot in Atlanta.
Stoops still holds the record for career wins at OU with 190. He also holds a Big 12 Conference record with 121 wins. Although Stoops accomplished so much, it was the 2000 Sooner team that put OU back on the map. It was only Stoops’ second season as head coach, and he captured a national title. It showed the country that the Sooners were back as a perennial football program.
Before Stoops arrived in Norman, the Sooners had an overall record of 17-27-1 and a 10-21 record in Big Eight/Big 12 play in four years.
Along with the national title win, Stoops and the Sooners completely dominated their competition. OU won 10 Big 12 titles and no other conference program won more than two during Stoop’s tenure. The Sooners also went 60-30 against AP Top 25 teams, which was best in the nation during his coaching tenure.
“Football is the ultimate team game with so many pieces that must be put together, and nobody can have success by themself. It takes everybody contributing. Certainly, that was the case for me,” Stoops said in the statement. “From my family to my support staff to my assistant coaches to our administration and to our great fans, I had incredible support at Oklahoma for each of my 18 years and am thankful to everyone who played a role in all our achievements.
“Ultimately, though, the dedication and hard work of the players is what wins, and I am so appreciative of all of the guys who played for me. I felt a great connection to our players from my first year in 1999 all the way through my last season in 2016, and if I did anything right, it was always connecting wholeheartedly with them. To me, that’s probably the most important thing for a coach — being able to connect with and relate to your players.”
Now with his illustrious coaching career behind him, Stoops continues to reflect on how extraordinary his journey was. And his legacy will live on not only in Oklahoma, but it will also live on forever in Atlanta.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have traveled this road,” Stoops said. “All the stops along the way were such positives for me and led to the extraordinary opportunity at Oklahoma. The coaches I worked under were the best of the best: Hayden Fry at Iowa, Dick Crum at Kent State, Bill Snyder at K-State, and Steve Spurrier at Florida. I feel amazingly blessed that I was around so many remarkable coaches and people.
“In the end, I am so honored to join the College Football Hall of Fame and feel a great sense of humility.”
"Just incredibly honored."
– @CoachBobStoops➡️ https://t.co/5O1MwjUZMK | #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/2rFHMzHNPy
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) January 11, 2021
