Stoops' recruiting effort earns him that trip to Pebble Beach
Published: 1/31/2012 6:01 AM
Last Modified: 1/31/2012 6:01 AM
Bob Stoops is going to play golf next week. Going to take his hacks at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am for the first time. Should be fun.
Given the past few weeks of recruiting, Stoops has probably earned the right.
It has been a silly season like no other for Oklahoma. The Sooners lost a couple coaches, one being recruiting ace Brent Venables. They lost a couple recruits in the process. That sent Stoops into rare scramble mode.
The coach has worked harder than usual to secure a national top-10 class. But that's just what is happening.
Monday, OU earned commitments from North Royalton (Ohio) tight end Sam Grant, a former Boston College commit, and Keller (Texas) Central cornerback Zack Sanchez, who previously pledged to Baylor. Recruit-niks all seem to believe the Sooners will get more good news between now and Signing Day Wednesday.
If that occurs, you might credit trail-driving assistants like Jay Norvell and Bruce Kittle. Newcomers Mike Stoops and Tim Kish pitched in as well.
In the end, as he would say, Bob held it all together.
It shouldn't be too big a surprise. One year ago, national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming rated Stoops the nation's fourth-best recruiting head coach, behind Mack Brown, Nick Saban and Jim Tressel.
Last summer, a group of Rivals contributors offered opinions of Stoops as a recruiter. I thought it interesting that each came up with a different strength.
Mike Farrell likened Stoops to Brown, Mark Richt and Jimbo Fisher for his ability to close recruiting deals, and said Stoops "can sell stability and trust" as one of college football's longest-tenured coaches.
Adam Gorney maintained Stoops "is still young and vibrant," two things that must help when it comes to living room presence.
Chris Nee added that Stoops "does a great job of handling youngsters on and off the field."
"And don't forget," Keith Niebuhr pointed out, "the Sooners are sending guys to the NFL left and right."
Brian Perroni noticed, "Oklahoma has started to recruit a bit more nationally the past few years and it takes a very good recruiter to do that."
Stoops isn't just a "very good recruiter." He has a drive for it, even after 13 years at OU. A gift, you might even say.
As such, the Sooners will never lack for prospects under his watch. Even if he has to work a little harder to find them some years.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
