NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -Only one active coach can boast about winning 100 games faster than Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops, and he’s tied for the all-time lead in major college football.
Ask Stoops about his victory total and he’ll tell you that he’s only got one number on his mind – and it’s a small one.
“I don’t count wins. I’m not much on that,” Stoops said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. “I just want one a week. That’s all I ever worry about.”
Stoops became the 11th fastest coach to reach 100 wins when the Sooners routed Washington 55-14 on Saturday. He’s tied with Tennessee’s Phillip Fulmer, who also needed 123 games to reach the mark. Penn State’s Joe Paterno, who’s tied with Florida State’s Bobby Bowden with a record 375 career victories, is the only active coach to get to the century mark quicker.
t year and 2005. The eight wins from 2005 were in jeopardy for a time because starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and offensive lineman J.D. Quinn were later deemed ineligible in an NCAA investigation, but an appeals committee restored them.
Regardless, Stoops’ tenure has been an unquestionable success – featuring a national title in 2000 and two other appearances in the BCS championship game. He’ll get a $3 million stay bonus for finishing his 10th season at Oklahoma, and it’s anybody’s guess how long he’ll stay.
Earlier in his Oklahoma career, Stoops’ name seemed to constantly come up as a possible candidate for NFL jobs. That talk has slowed some in recent year. When the University of Florida was looking to replace Steve Spurrier, Stoops, a former Gators assistant, was thought to be at the top of Florida’s wish list.
But Stoops seems entrenched at Oklahoma.
“I don’t know how to answer any of that. My kids, my wife, my family, we do love it here,” Stoops said. “I think that’s been very evident, and I feel fortunate. I say it all the time: I work at a great place.”
In typical fashion, Stoops refused to say that this team – which jumped to No. 2 in The Associated Press poll this week – will be a special one.
outstanding in the way they focus when they’re getting ready for games.”
The Sooners (3-0) are off this week before hosting TCU on Sept. 27. The Horned Frogs (3-0) are the last visiting team to win on Owen Field, beating the Sooners in the opener to that 2005 season. But it was the last Saturday in September last year when Oklahoma suffered its first loss, a 24-21 upset at Colorado, despite an dominant 4-0 start.
“We’ve played three games. We haven’t played a conference game yet, so nothing’s happened yet,” Stoops said. “In the end, you’ve got to get better and that’s all I think about and concentrate on is to try and get better from week to week and what are we going to do this week or today in practice to iron out some things and get a little bit better.”
Keeping his focus on getting that one win a week has worked so far for Stoops, who is the last one to get wrapped up in any talk about the chances for the Sooners’ eighth national championship.
“I’m not going to sit here and state all of our goals and print them out for everybody. But around here, everybody pretty much knows that any top 10 or 20 team, that’s what they’re always shooting for,” Stoops said. “But there’s other things, to me, that come before it and that’s what we talk about. And I’m not overlooking any of those things that come before it this year either.”
school that can claim four coaches with 100 wins apiece – Stoops, Barry Switzer, Bud Wilkinson and Bennie Owen.
“Life changes. It’s just hard to predict,” Stoops said. “I’m not looking to go anywhere, but you just never know. … People can predict all they want, but in the end life changes. Opportunities or different interests, sometimes you need to pursue them.”
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