Bob Stoops' history lesson to Blake Bell pays off
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer on Sep 16, 2013, at 10:39 AM Updated on 9/16/13 at 10:40 AM
In this October 2001 file photo, OU quarterbacks Jason White (18) and Nate Hybl (8) share a moment against Nebraska during their football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Tulsa World File
OU
The final two games are May 16 and 17 at ONEOK Field in Tulsa. Each of the Tulsa starts are at 7 p.m.
“We have always strived to feature marquee non-conference opponents on the Oklahoma schedule,” said OU athletics director Joe Castiglione said in a statement.
NORMAN – When Blake Bell
lost the race to start this season at quarterback for Oklahoma, his coach gave
him a history lesson.
"I talked about Jason White and Nate Hybl, how they had a tight
quarterback competition," Bob Stoops said, referencing OU's 2002 season on
Monday's Big 12 coaches teleconference. "Jason ends up winning the job and
gets hurt in the second game, tears his knee. And Nate goes on and leads us to
a Big 12 championship and a Rose Bowl victory, and he's the Rose Bowl MVP. And
he didn't start the year being the guy.
"You just don't know when you go through a long season how it's
gonna unfold."
Eleven years later, Trevor Knight's knee injury in game two, coupled
with his struggles directing OU's passing game, made way for another change. Bell stepped in game three last Saturday against Tulsa and threw for 413
yards.
Afterward, Bell acknowledged he
went into a brief funk after learning he had lost the original competition. But
Stoops' lesson, and a general realization, eventually sank in.
"I
could either go back and just blow everything off," Bell said, "or I could keep
working and keep studying (for) when I get my opportunity to show them what I
can do. I feel like I did that."
"We've got a long season in front of us, and you don't know what's
going to happen," Stoops said. "You have to prepare and be ready for
your opportunities. At any position, a starter could be down, and then you're
in the game. You need to be prepared for it."
OU
The final two games are May 16 and 17 at ONEOK Field in Tulsa. Each of the Tulsa starts are at 7 p.m.
“We have always strived to feature marquee non-conference opponents on the Oklahoma schedule,” said OU athletics director Joe Castiglione said in a statement.
