Here, being the football equivalent of UCLA basketball. Great historical name, but not currently a great program. Tradition that still can attract good talent, but not great talent (especially in the trenches). Capable of having a good, perhaps a very good team every few years...but not a threat to win it all. UCLA may get to the Elite 8 every now and then, but nobody is seriously convinced it can win it all. Same with OU football. Might get to the playoff every 5 years, but really no chance of winning a NC. So, how did OU get here?
By having a head coach who has been here too long and is fat with his millions and no longer hungry and willing to work hard, manifested by a poorly coached team and disappointing recruiting classes; mediocre recruiting and questionable evaluation of talent by coaches over a number of years resulting in second/third tier talent on the field and a lack of quality depth; being in a conference and having a style of offense which is not appealing to many top recruits; Alabama and Ohio State raising the bar and redefining the top tier of college football; parity in college football where we have to compete against many more schools for talent; fewer top players coming out of Oklahoma high schools? Not sure if this is true, but I have read it on message boards. Of course I'm just brainstorming and these are some of the more obvious reasons, many of which are interrelated to each other. This makes me think of Kentucky basketball and the lean years in which the Big Blue Nation was frustrated by many years of mediocrity (by UK standards) between Pitino and Cal. It just took the right mercenary coach like Cal and now UK is on top again. We need the right successor to Stoops to right this ship. I'm just stating the obvious.
Once again Bob has said during a post game press conference, "I'm not doing a good enough job coaching". How many times does he need to say this before he or Powers-That-Be say, "You are right. It's time to move on" ? If by his own repeated admissions, he's not getting the job done, then why keep him and continue to pay him a top-5 salary?
We got here because the big $$ boosters are running the things, not Bob. Think of the boosters as the meddling NFL owner that is way too involved and makes awful decisions.
Because we've had the same Prez/AD/HC since 1998...think about it...that's nearly TWO DECADES... Once Bob got the NC, he earned carte blanche, and now we're seeing how far that's getting us.
I've said it numerous times here and I'll say it again: We will never win another national title here under Stoops. The issue we're facing, and I think what's stopping the powers that be from putting him out to pasture: who are we going to get as a HC who's better? No one wants to come here when there's prime Big 10/$EC positions coming open year after year.
Complacency. And it's been over a 10 or 11 year process and will keep going as long as it's being enabled.
I think it's recruiting--you guys used to have your pick of players coming out of the state of Texas, now it's not that easy. You are no longer battling just the Texas schools for talent. Talk of getting rid of Bob is ridiculous. Remember also, there is no shame in losing to Ohio State. They are one of the top 2 programs in the country right now and probably won't lose a single game this year in the regular season. Hold your head up, your program is still one of the bluebloods of college football and you guys can still have a great season.
I agree with Sabanball. Not sure who is better than Bob that is worth the risk. But I think it's the coordinators. It all started when Bob tried to use young OCs. Heupel was a loyalty play, but a system guy who added nothing new to the program. Riley I'm afraid is another one that needs more experience because his play calling becomes predictable (pass happy) as soon as when we start trailing. Then on the DC side... well poor 'ol Mike just ain't that smart. I understand he may not have much by way of secondary talent to work with but when your game plan isn't working, then try something else! If you can't cover then bring more pressure. By the way, what ever happened to that guy Stoops pushed out for his brother. Where did he end up? How are they doing?
As others have said, Mike Stoops is a big part of the problem. I've been saying for years, and ridiculed for doing so, that he doesn't understand how to defend against pass happy offenses. Times have changed. His methods have not, or if they have, they are simply not working. If Bob won't fire Mike, then Bob needs to resign for not doing what is best for the program. I really don't want Bob gone. I've seen what's happened to other programs when they let a good coach go with no great coach available to fill the spot. The Vols are a great example. Sure, there's always the chance an unknown could turn out to be a game changer ala Bob Stoops (at least for several seasons,) but that's the exception, not the rule.
