Stoops Abrupt Retirement

Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops has called his own statue of liberty play handing off the reins as Sooner head football coach to Lincoln Riley, a move no one saw coming.

Stoops, whose 2007 team succumbed to a Boise State trick play in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl shocked the football world by announcing his retirement and it's no trick!

Stoops, just 56, spent 18 years at Oklahoma compiling a 190-48 record. He logged more wins than Barry Switzer or Bud Wilkinson, both Sooner coaching legends.

He won 10 conference titles but just one national championship and for that reason was under immense pressure from fans wanting more.

Stoops has heart disease but says he didn't retire for health reasons even though his dad died at age 54 of a hearty attack while coaching a high school game.

Oklahoma was Stoops only college head coaching job.

I remember that 2007 Fiesta Bowl game, The Sooners vs. Broncos, all the pressure on Oklahoma and Bob Stoops. I traded viewing locations moving from the sidelines to the press box back to the sidelines, always watching the frustration in Stoops body language as the Broncos dominated early and led late.

When the Sooners finally grabbed the lead and there was time for BSU to run just one play, you could almost see a smile of relief cross Stoops face. Then came the hook and lateral, the tying TD and then OT and eventually game winning statue of liberty handoff to Ian Johnson as BSU won 43-42 and Stoops would go 0-1 against the Broncos.

Having not won a national title since 2000 it was if that loss to Boise State branded Stoops as a coach who couldn't win the big one.

Stoops saying his 18 years leading Oklahoma was a great run but that he is more happy than sad it's over.

He will be an assistant to the athletic director at Oklahoma but says he is keeping an open mind concerning his future..