Bob Stoops says he is hitting the recruiting trail for Oklahoma

Bob Stoops may only be the interim head coach for Oklahoma for the bowl season, but he wants to see the team thrive for years to come.

He made that clear during Monday’s press conference following the news that Lincoln Riley left the Sooners for the head coaching job at USC.

So much so that Stoops said he is going to hit the road recruiting after the press conference.

“Talking to our fan base out there, I’m talking to our recruits out there, Im taking to our players parents out there; I’ve had multiple meetings with players, going out recruiting tonight and the message to all of you is listen: When I arrived here on December 1, 1998, there was something to be concerned about, a lot to be concerned about. Four straight years without a winning record, no bowl games, (etc.). Two years later, we were 13-0 and won the national championship. This place is in a hell of a lot better shape than it was (on) December 1, 1998,” Stoops said.

The Sooners have lost six pledges since the Riley news was announced last night. Their 2022 class dropped from No. 6 to No. 9 in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking.

The biggest name to leave was Los Alamitos (Calif.) Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Malachi Nelson. Nelson is the No. 3 prospect in the 2023 On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Whether he will start by visiting a recent decommit or someone still committed to the school, Stoops has his recruiting pitch planned.

“It’s an easy sell,” Stoops said. “You sell the university. You sell the leadership here that is in front of you. You sell the history of success. Not just in the last 23 years, decades of success. And it is going to continue to happen. We’ve got great leadership, great facilities, a great university to recruit to academically. All of it together is still here.”

It has been a long time since Stoops has hit the road recruiting, and to jump in during the busiest time of the year is going to be time consuming.

But the six-time Big 12 Coach of the Year said he is excited to hit the road.

“I think it’s great,” Stoops said. “My wife’s glad I’m out of the house.”