Stoops needs a new D-tackles coach. Here are five suggestions
Published: 2/13/2013 9:31 AM
Last Modified: 2/13/2013 9:31 AM
Who might Bob Stoops call now that Jackie Shipp is gone?
Calvin Thibodeaux, Tulsa DTs
Age: 29
Played for the Stoops brothers in 2002 and '03, then became All-Big 12 defensive end in '05. He knows the territory. He also knows Texas as a Houston native and grad assistant under Kevin Sumlin in 08-09.
I'd hire anyone who spent time around Sumlin recently.
Tosh Lupoi, Washington D-line
Age: 30
If you're going to go young, Thibodeaux might be the safer pick. But there's something you should know about Lupoi – he was Rivals' National Recruiter of the Year in 2010, and made the list of the "nation's top 25 recruiters" in '11, '12 and '13.
He'd have to get to know this part of the country – he was Cal before taking a job at Washington – but it sounds like he could recruit players to Mongolia.
Mike Tuiasosopo, between jobs
Age: 49
He's available, for one thing. Tuiasosopo spent the past two seasons coaching Colorado's D-line, then lost his job when Jon Embree was fired. He served under Mike Stoops at Arizona. That seems to count for a lot these days.
In 2003, the year before he joined Stoops in Tucson, Tuiasosopo served on Urban Meyer's Utah staff. That also counts for something.
Bo Davis, Texas DTs
Age: 42
I admit he made the list mostly for kicks. But you know, if the Sooners really want to start pulling stud D-tackles out of Texas again, this guy coached high school ball south of the Red once upon a time.
You know who Davis hooked up with after that? Fella by the name of Nick Saban. Davis was Saban's strength and conditioning assistant at LSU, then his D-line coach with the Dolphins and at Alabama, before Mack Brown took him in 2011.
Odell Haggins, Florida State D-line
Age: 45
Your pipe dream hire. Haggins is a Tallahassee lifer, having been a Seminole All-American before starting his current stint as assistant way back in 1994.
The man can recruit and can coach. And while he wouldn't make Stoops' staff any younger, he'd bring instant credibility and a father figure presence to OU's young stable of tackles.
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
