Bob Stoops gives surprising take on Lincoln Riley departure, busy week

Bob Stoops spoke about filling in as interim head coach after Lincoln Riley’s departure from the program, and his view on Oklahoma’s future. The former legendary coach of the Sooners expressed how the program was bigger than any one individual, and that he is okay with the choice that Riley made.

Bob Stoops on Oklahoma after Lincoln Riley

“It was one of the harder weeks that I’ve had,” Stoops said of his last week as interim head coach. “Just having to try and jump back in and visit with recruits — let them understand the strength of Oklahoma is more than one guy, me included. Just have some patience, there’s a lot of great people and coaches out there that will fit you well.

“As well as our current players, [getting] them to understand they truly are OU football, not Lincoln, not me. So just everybody get a grip on this — it’s okay and we’ll be fine. Just trying to get people to understand that was a big mission this week and I believe it worked because we are bigger than one guy. Also in that group was assistant coaches in limbo.

“That’s why I said to the whole fanbase out there — give these guys a break. Even Lincoln. There’s no good way for this transition to ever happen. And just understand that and let it be. It is what it is and there’s never a perfect way for it to happen.

“We’ve texted a few times and we’ll catch up,” said Stoops on whether or not he’s spoken with Riley since his decision. “Again, he’s a friend of mine. I value the friendship and that won’t change. And again I feel that the fanbase, everybody ought to appreciate the good work he did for OU. I do — I appreciate it and it’s okay. He got his life — to live somewhere else and do something different. That’s okay, and we’ll be okay.”

Bob Stoops on Brent Venables

“Brent was a major part of our 2000 national championship team here at OU, won two national titles at Clemson and, all told, has coached in eight national championship games,” Stoops said of Oklahoma hiring Venables in a press release. “He knows the formula to win national championships and has the toughness, the attitude and the fight that I think will elevate our program in a lot of positive ways. I’ve always loved his energy, excitement and passion for the game — it clearly spills over to his players. He has the absolute right experience to come in at this time and really boost our program.”

Stoops was Oklahoma’s head coach from 1999-2016. In 18 seasons, he went to 18 bowl games, going 9-9 in postseason play. He won Oklahoma its last national title in 2000, when the Sooners finished 13-0 and won the Orange Bowl in just his second year at the helm. By the time of Stoops’ retirement in 2016, he had amassed a 190-48 record in Norman, and he was succeeded by Riley. Now, as Stoops prepares to help Venables make the transition from Clemson to Oklahoma, he expressed full faith in Venables’ ability to bring Oklahoma back to the top of the college football world.

“With 13 years here at OU and 10 at Clemson, you couldn’t ask for better preparation to handle a job like this and handle it well,” Stoops said. “He’s taking over a 10-2 team that has so much more potential, and the bottom line is he’s the perfect guy to get us to the next level. He has an incredible support system with his wife Julie and his children, and it’ll be great having them back leading the program.”

On3’s Simon Gibbs contributed to this article.