The King and Coach Stoops

[hgarmorer]

Didn't see this posted anywhere...

Link (http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=Aq7LexO2_239AGohJRU51f4cvrYF?slug=ap-switzerhonored&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Switzer expects Stoops to eclipse his records

OKLAHOMA CITY - Former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer thinks current Sooners coach Bob Stoops will one day surpass his accomplishments at OU.

"Bob will someday break my record because he's a smart enough guy to know that you don't leave Oklahoma when you have Oklahoma," Switzer said Tuesday night while accepting a community service award from the Knights of Columbus. "There's no pro job out there worth a damn."

Switzer went 157-29-4 with the Sooners, winning national titles in 1974, 1975 and 1985 before resigning under pressure 20 years ago. He went on to win a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys, but still lives near the Oklahoma campus in Norman.

But while being honored for his involvement with Special Olympics Oklahoma over the past 36 years, Switzer turned his remarks toward Stoops — with whom he'd shared a hug and a handshake earlier in the ceremony.

"You are the right guy to do it. I mean that, Bob," said Switzer, who has the school's best winning percentage at .837. "I wouldn't want anyone else to even come close to it other than you. You're the guy."

Stoops is 109-24 in 10 seasons at Oklahoma. He won the national championship following the 2000 season, but has lost three other championship matchups, including last season's BCS title game to Florida.

"The legacy he's left, it's so strong and I'm the beneficiary of it right now," Stoops said of his predecessor. "What he's built, the tradition and the history here, there's so many other people that are a part of it. But coach Switzer undeniably is as strong a figure as there's been at this university."

With his wishbone offense, Switzer guided the Sooners back to the top of the college football world almost immediately after taking over for his former boss, Chuck Fairbanks, in 1973. Similarly, Stoops won the national championship in his second season at Oklahoma.

"I'm very fortunate to be able to have a school like Oklahoma to be the head coach of when the time came," Switzer said. "When Chuck left and I had the job, I was the luckiest guy in the world because I was at a school that had the opportunity to try for the players that Bob Stoops has the opportunity to try for today."

Switzer saluted several of those former players, including 1978 Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims, who attended the awards dinner at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Switzer also gave the players a private greeting before the ceremony began.

The Knights of Columbus gave Switzer their John F. Kennedy Community Service Award for his work with Special Olympics.

"If you've ever been around a Special Olympian, you see nothing but innocence. They do not know manipulative, devious, deception — they do not know any of those intangibles," Switzer said. "All they want is to be touched, encouraged, loved and hugged, and they want to give back the same."

Switzer said he enjoys seeing Special Olympics competitors leave feeling better about themselves, whether they win or lose.

"It's just been an experience that I've had more passion for than really any charity — and all of them are important — but it's been one that I've stayed with, obviously, and given more of my time to," Switzer said. "I've been involved in many. Special Olympics is special."

[OKC-SLC]

thanks for the link.

[Jacie]

Comparing their records, Switzer's 159-29-4 to Stoop's 109-24, Barry's looks far more impressive. Coach Stoops is 48 games back in the win column but only 5 back in the loss column. If ties count as half win/half loss then those numbers are 50 and 7 respectively.

In your opinion then, does or did one coach have or had an easier time of it (or is it a wash)? That is, is it more difficult, less difficult or just the same for Stoops to win games today than it was for Barry in his time?

Consider that the game has changed.

When Barry took over there were no scholarship limits. Oklahoma had players sitting on the bench that would have started for any team on the schedule. That is a luxury Bob doesn't have.

Barry inherited an offense developed to perfection, that the Sooners had ample personnel to run. Bob came in and before his first game either dismissed or ran off several players that had been highly recruited under the previous regime.

The players on Barry's first team as head coach knew him since he had recruited some of them and coached more of them as OC. Bob, outside of his reputation as an assistant at another school, was a great big unknown to everyone including the players.

Barry got off to the hottest start of any head coach ever with that incredible unbeaten streak that lasted into 3 seasons and that was following back-to-back a 1-loss seasons under his predecessor. Bob took over a team that had been beat up the previous year by teams OU used to own, managing only 5 victories (and that was Blake's best season!).

I think the game today requires more effort for less return than it did 30 years ago. The players are bigger and faster but each coach gets fewer of them. There are more rules that are more stringently enforced. The off season doesn't exist anymore. By the time he stepped down, Barry had soured on it. He said it wasn't fun anymore. I think Bob's accomplishments, while numerically less, are just as significant.

[Soonerman08]

Comparing their records, Switzer's 159-29-4 to Stoop's 109-24, Barry's looks far more impressive. Coach Stoops is 48 games back in the win column but only 5 back in the loss column. If ties count as half win/half loss then those numbers are 50 and 7 respectively.

In your opinion then, does or did one coach have or had an easier time of it (or is it a wash)? That is, is it more difficult, less difficult or just the same for Stoops to win games today than it was for Barry in his time?

Consider that the game has changed.

When Barry took over there were no scholarship limits. Oklahoma had players sitting on the bench that would have started for any team on the schedule. That is a luxury Bob doesn't have.

Barry inherited an offense developed to perfection, that the Sooners had ample personnel to run. Bob came in and before his first game either dismissed or ran off several players that had been highly recruited under the previous regime.

The players on Barry's first team as head coach knew him since he had recruited some of them and coached more of them as OC. Bob, outside of his reputation as an assistant at another school, was a great big unknown to everyone including the players.

Barry got off to the hottest start of any head coach ever with that incredible unbeaten streak that lasted into 3 seasons and that was following back-to-back a 1-loss seasons under his predecessor. Bob took over a team that had been beat up the previous year by teams OU used to own, managing only 5 victories (and that was Blake's best season!).

I think the game today requires more effort for less return than it did 30 years ago. The players are bigger and faster but each coach gets fewer of them. There are more rules that are more stringently enforced. The off season doesn't exist anymore. By the time he stepped down, Barry had soured on it. He said it wasn't fun anymore. I think Bob's accomplishments, while numerically less, are just as significant.

Bob did more with a lot less at the time. He had very few All-Americans on the team. He made solid contributors out of freshmen. Dan Cody and Derrick Strait to name a few off the top of my head.

[AlbqSooner]

The scholarship limits make a big difference in more ways than one. Barry has admitted that he recruited and offered scholarships to some players simply to keep opponents from getting them. Bob does not have that luxury. Since Bob does not get those players, the opponents do and it makes the opponent that much more competitive.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Regardless of the validity of any of these comparisons I know one thing to be very true. Those 2 guys are class acts and rank among the greatest coaches ever and I appreciate it.

[BHB 91]

What he said. ^

[goingoneight]

Also consider Switzer never fought with Texas for a Division title, even though he player Tejas every year. That makes a noticeable difference both on the field and on the recruiting trail. Was Tejas ever as *consistently* good during the Switzer era as they have been in the Stoops/Brown era?

But on the other side of the coin, Nebraska was just as if not more consistently good than Tejas is now. Barry had no BCS to deal with, and week-in, week-out that makes a difference in HOW you coach, play, motivate, etc. 17-7 against Iowa State in 1985 would have been alright, but it's a red flag when you're playing for votes all season long, and not just in the final game.

Never did I say Switzer couldn't handle these changes. I'm just saying it's a different animal today. Different challenges. Like two crossword puzzles, what worked yesterday doesn't work today in a lot of areas.

[Blues1]

We might NOT have had a Barry & Bob At Oklahoma if it wasn't for Bud ~~~ Bud took the Sooners to Headline National Attention.....Without Bud OU might have been kinda like a Mississippi (Sometimes Pretty Good - But Mostly Average) ~~ JMHO.....:)

Still R'

[stoopified]

I DO think Bob will pass Barry's win total and possibly his NC(3),bowl win totals(8).As far as besting Barry's winning %,I think it is unlikely(but I am hopeful).

[KingBarry]

Coach Switzer's teams could take weeks off at a time and still win by an average of 3 or 4 TDs.

Coach Stoops's squads can't do that. They've got to be ready each week, or they are going down.

I am more impressed by Coach Stoops's performance. But saying that, I am damned impressed by Coach Switzer as well.

[CrimsonJim]

I believe both men were/are the man for the job at that particular time. I don't know that The King (while very possible) could do what Bob is doing right now. By the same token, I don't know that Bob (while very possible) could do what Barry did back in 70's & 80's. They are different eras that I believe took, while similar in many aspects, different types of coaches.

Discuss.... ;)

[SoonerLB]

"Bob will someday break my record because he's a smart enough guy to know that you don't leave Oklahoma when you have Oklahoma," Switzer said Tuesday night while accepting a community service award from the Knights of Columbus. "There's no pro job out there worth a damn."


Thank you Coach Switzer! I don't know how the message could be conveyed any clearer! Carry on Coach Stoops!

[boomermagic]

Barry is my all time favorite but Bob is my favorite {ACTIVE} coach because he coaches my Sooners..

[The Remnant]

Bob has the tougher job. He will always be compared to the King. It's like Larry Holmes following in the footsteps of Ali. Barry Switzer was one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. Period. Bob Stoops is still a great coach.
With Switzer on the sidelines, however, you just felt like anything was possible.