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Nickname for Stoops might change soon

 
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist
Published: 12/10/2008  2:25 AM
Last Modified: 12/10/2008  2:55 AM

 BOB STOOPS never asked for the "Big Game Bob" nickname the media gave him, took away from him and are now one national championship win away from giving it back to him.

One moniker Stoops wouldn't mind is "Bob the Heisman Builder."

Stoops would accept that one, because the Heisman Trophy is a player's award. In his 10 years coaching Oklahoma's football team, Stoops has always credited the players first for his success.

In less than four days, Stoops could make OU history if quarterback Sam Bradford receives the 2008 Heisman Trophy when the winner's name is revealed Saturday night in New York City.

Stoops is still chasing Bud Wilkinson and Barry Switzer when it comes to national titles and wins at OU. But if Heisman voters elect Bradford, Stoops will become the first OU coach to produce more than one winner of the college game's most prestigious individual award.

What's even more impressive is how close Stoops has come to already having three Sooner Heisman winners. It could be strongly argued that he should have three.

Quarterback Jason White, who was the first player Stoops recruited the day after he was hired in December 1998, became OU's fourth Heisman winner in 2003.

It's the near Heisman misses that have kept Stoops from joining some very elite company. Check out this list of Stoops-recruited players who have flirted with Heisman glory:

2000 — Quarterback Josh Heupel finished second to 28-year-old Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke. Heupel's 1,551 total points are the third highest for a second-place finisher and just 75 points behind Weinke, who returned to college after playing seven seasons of professional baseball.

Heupel got revenge a few weeks later when OU defeated Florida State to win the national championship. That outcome had many wondering if the Heisman vote should take place after all the bowl games are played.

2004 — OU running back Adrian Peterson made a bid to become the first freshman to win the Heisman when he finished runner-up to Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart.

Peterson probably would have won had White not still been a Sooner and finished third in the voting with 957 points. Peterson needed only 331 of the points that went to White to beat out Leinart's winning total of 1,327.

The Palestine, Texas, phenom, Peterson is arguably the best OU player to never win the coveted award. After that astounding rookie season, when he rushed for 1,925 yards, Peterson's Heisman hopes were dashed by injuries his sophomore and junior seasons and his decision to forego his senior year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.

There is no question that Heupel and Peterson were worthy OU candidates to capture the award and join White and running backs Billy Vessels, Steve Owens and Billy Sims as Heisman winners.

Wilkinson coached Vessels to OU's first Heisman 1952. Owens won it in 1969 under Chuck Fairbanks, while Switzer produced Sims in 1978.

"Bob the Heisman Builder" fits when you consider Stoops will become only the 11th coach in the award's 74-year history to produce multiple winners if Bradford beats out Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.

If Heupel and Peterson had won, Stoops would be bidding to join Frank Leahy of Notre Dame as the only two coaches to produce four individual winners. Woody Hayes-coached teams added four Heismans to Ohio State's trophy case, but two were won by running back Archie Griffin, who remains the only multiple winner.

The "builder" part of Stoops' success is that the heavily recruited Peterson is the only one of his four contenders who appeared to have Heisman potential when he signed with the Sooners.

Heupel was a junior-college transfer who Stoops signed out of desperation two months after he took the job. When he realized how little talent he had inherited at the position, Stoops convinced the lightly recruited Heupel to join his first class of recruits.

Although White was heavily recruited, the Heisman Trophy wasn't even on his radar screen after blowing out a knee in successive seasons. But Stoops and his assistants rebuilt White so well that he also led the Sooners to two appearances in national championship games.

Now, with the final votes due at 5 p.m. Wednesday, comes Bradford. Projected as a back-up who might become a starter late in his career, Bradford was such a fast learner under Stoops and his staff that he could join Tebow as the only sophomores to win the Heisman.

If Bradford's name is called Saturday, he will put his coach within reach of an even bigger accomplishment. A Sooner win over Florida next month in the BCS title game would make Stoops the first coach in OU history to produce a Heisman Trophy winner and a national champion in the same season.

Move over Bud and Barry, Bob the Builder needs some more room to work.

How the Heisman works



There are 926 ballots for the Heisman Trophy — 870 media members, 55 living Heisman winners and one online fan vote. The voters rank their top three candidates. A first-place vote receives three points, second place two points, and third one point. The player with the most points is awarded the Heisman. Finalists will be announced Wednesday during ESPN’s 5 p.m. “SportsCenter” telecast (Cox cable channel 25).

Texas’ Colt McCoy won the online fan ballot with 18 percent of the vote. OU’s Sam Bradford was second with 16 percent, and Michigan State running back Javon Ringer was third with 10 percent.

Any other contenders?



Not really. Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell could get an invitation to New York, but he’s running a distant fourth behind Bradford, McCoy and Florida’s Tim Tebow in online polls.
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist

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Report Comment
KJL, Sallisaw (12/10/2008 1:55:22 PM)
If Stoops loses this one, its "BCS". I like the moniker ol' Cowboy Bill Watts put on him after the WVU loss, "BCS" Bob Choke Stoops.
Report Comment
CougarJim, (12/10/2008 9:38:02 PM)
Wow, as a native Houstonian, who now resides in Atlanta, Ga. I have to say that name, "Cowboy" Bill Watts takes me back to my youth watching "Mid South Wrestling" on Saturday nights at 10pm back in the 80s. What is the Cowboy up to these days???
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (12/11/2008 12:28:36 AM)
"KJL". Kinda Jealous Loser? That's a good moniker too. Just keep rootin for your Cowpatties and their classless, inept coaches and Bob will keep winning games and holding his head high. You gotta get there before you can choke or wear the ring. You guys just keep lobbin grenades from your foxhole while Bob's runnin' at you with his bayonet. Composure, class and courage. Three qualities Bob has that money can't buy and Holder can't spot. Boomer Sooner
Report Comment
anm1135, (12/11/2008 8:57:01 AM)
Steff, maybe you didn't realize that Cowboy Bill Watts is a huge UO guy and he is the one that came up with the name KJL is referring to. Watts is always on the sidelines at every UO game.

Sounds like you are a little nervous about OSU athletics starting to make up some ground.

Steff, are you one of the few UO fans that attended a class there or are you in the larger group of total bandwagon fan?
Report Comment
Bixby Jeff, (12/11/2008 9:22:04 AM)
CougarJim, to answer your question; he is here in the Tulsa area. He was on one of the sports talk radio afternoon shows one day a week for a while but he isn't any more.

And Steff, yeah, he is a big-time, self-admitted OU homer. And, I think most people would take hand grenades against a bayonet any day.
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (12/11/2008 1:41:57 PM)
Let me explain it to you guys. It doesn't matter who said it or who they root for, a slam is a slam and I doubt you'd find too many OU(who the hell is UO by the way) supporters making a statement like that. He must be getting senile. Nervous about OSU? Puleeeze. Not as long as they have Clueless Holder and Gumby there. Also, I didn't realize there was a prerequisite for rooting for a team. I guess I am a bandwagon fan if that's the case. I jumped on in about '73 when I was 5. Stay in your foxhole Jeff, Bob's comin for ya. Boomer Sooner
Report Comment
Sooner44Pride, (12/11/2008 4:34:50 PM)
anm1135

Would you be confusing Cowboy Bill Watts with Jim Ross? I don't recall seeing Bill Watts on the sidelines, but I always see JR! Also, I didn't realize that attending class was a prerequisite to be a fan, especially a bandwagon fan. If so, then I have been on the bandwagon since about..........oh, 1961. Kind of defeats the purpose of the word bandwagon doesn't it.......plus, I have never stepped in a classroom in Norman. Maybe I should be turning all my attention to NEO A&M and NSU instead!
Report Comment
KJL, Sallisaw (12/12/2008 1:01:00 AM)
Well I am not an OSU fan just an neutral observer not an OU homer like most fans in this state are. Why would I be jealous of OU? Also what does OSU have to do with Stoops' BCS bowl record?
Report Comment
Steff M, Claremore (12/13/2008 1:06:43 PM)
Seriously KJL? You're just a fence rider with no passion for any particular team? Wow, that's kinda sad and embarrassing. Why are you even commenting if you have no vested interest in any team? Sorry, you sounded like an OSWhoer. Which as bad as that would be it's better than being Switzerland. Also, I made no connection or reference to OSU having anything to do with Bob's bowl record. Not sure where you're picking that up. Boomer Sooner
Report Comment
KJL, Sallisaw (12/13/2008 11:27:03 PM)
I comment because I am a reader and fan.
 

 
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