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Q&A With OU Coach Bob Stoops

Stoops

 
By JOHN E. HOOVER, World Sports Writer
Published: 7/24/2009  2:22 AM
Last Modified: 7/24/2009  8:27 AM
Related Story: Stoops talks about upcoming season.


Regarding your new contract extension and raise (seven years, $30.125 million approved in June), how do you feel about the commitment the University of Oklahoma has shown to you?

Well, I'm always appreciative of our leadership at the university. I think everyone knows everything starts with President (David) Boren and his leadership and direction for the university. And it goes through his staff on to (athletic director) Joe Castiglione. And I do feel fortunate to work for such great people, and a great university, and I think it speaks for itself when you look at what the athletic department has been able to do for the whole university, for academics and for faculty and students. I think that's a reflection of the leadership that's there.

What area of the team do you expect to be the strongest this season?

I think probably the biggest area is possibly our leadership. Everyone talks about the guys who came back, that were possible first-round draft picks in Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham. That's where they were projected. Other highly regarded draft picks would have been Trent Williams and Gerald McCoy. But also, I love that Brody Eldridge, Matt Clapp, you look at Auston English, you look at Jeremy Beal. DeMarco Murray, Chris Brown. It goes on and on. There are a lot of strong leaders that have played a lot of football for us that you count on for leadership and to guide the team and set an attitude. So I feel like we have a really strong nucleus of guys, about 12-13 guys, that have played not only one or two years but three or four years that are really good players. So I think that could be a strength for us if they take on that leadership role.

What impresses you the most about Sam Bradford?

How do you describe it? His coolness. His feel for the game. His feel for competition, his feel for the situation. He's just such an athlete that I think what goes maybe — it's hard to describe that mental part of it, that maybe he just gets it. Extremely competitive, without showing it, and is always together. And always in a competitive way, is always armed and ready for the situation. It's really quite amazing to watch him in those situations, to handle it the way he does.

Could this year's defense be your best ever at OU?

I wouldn't say the best, but it has a chance to be a very good one. And who knows? Maybe the best. But that kind of statement has to be earned, and that isn't something that's said until after you see what they're able to do. But there's a lot of experience and a lot of potential there. We'll see how they work, how they prepare and how they get ready for it. But it has a chance to be a very good one if they'll work hard and prepare well.

The offensive line has been called an area of concern. How do you feel about having to replace four longtime starters?

There's a chance for that unit to be really good, but there's a chance that doesn't mean much. It gets back to their accountability and what kind of effort and discipline they're going to have throughout the year in schoolwork and off-the-field issues and how they work and what kind of shape they come back in. There's a lot of potential there. They could be really good. But it still needs to be developed, and it still needs to show over and over in a consistent way. So there's possibility there, but I'm not one to brag on anybody until they've done it. They need to, you know, we'll see if they're able to do it through the year and through the fall.

Did you have intense summer workouts when you played at Iowa?

Yeah, we did, but it was a different time. I painted houses most of the time, trying to get some date money or some hanging out money if I could to be with my boys after. So I was painting houses most of the time, and then training after painting houses all day. It's different. Things are just different today. And I think they are in high school and every step as you go. Things are just different these days.
By JOHN E. HOOVER, World Sports Writer

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OUShark, Jenks (7/24/2009 10:26:58 AM)
For Sam Bradford, it all starts with the offensive line. If he has time to go through his reads, he will always eat up an opposing defense. It should be a really interesting season, in that it appears that our defense will be our strength this time around. Boomer Sooner!
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Steff M, Claremore (7/26/2009 2:52:08 AM)
You gotta love Bob. Hope he never leaves, whether he wins another big one or not. He's just a good, classy guy who just "gets it."
 

 
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