Bob Stoops addresses his name being connected to USC opening

Bob Stoops is currently living the good life as a FOX analyst, but since Clay Helton was suddenly fired earlier this week, the former Oklahoma head coach is one of the names that has floated around the rumor mill to take over the USC Trojans vacancy.

“I can’t control rumors,” Stoops said on ESPNU radio. “I don’t get involved in rumors. I’ve never acknowledged one way or another whether a team had contacted me or not, and I won’t in this case, either. I’m enjoying my opportunity to work for FOX. I love watching my sons, one’s playing and one’s on the sidelines coaching.”

The next part of the Stoops statement will likely have USC Trojans fans giddy and hopeful.

“In life, you just never know what might fit you just perfectly,” the former Oklahoma legendary head coach said. “And I’m not saying this does.”

Stoops then deflected, and while nothing he said was inside knowledge, the tone of the conversation reflected an inside understanding of what goes into major coaching searches.

“They are going to go through a list of coaches who are on the field who probably can’t even talk to them before the season is over,” Stoops said. “I didn’t ask for my name to be attached to this, but I can’t help that it is.”

Stoops would certainly be a well-known hire for a USC program desperate for a spark. This will be an exciting story to follow, for sure.

Bob Stoops has been on USC radar before

Mike Huguenin is the national executive editor for On3 and after the Helton news broke, he began to dive into potential replacements in this thorough, well-sourced deep-dive.

After going through a myriad of potential candidates to fill the USC vacancy, Huguenin got to Stoops.

” There’s also former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who reportedly was the object of Bohn’s desire before. And almost every FBS coach would listen if USC called; now, listening and being interested are different things, but USC is one of the truly elite jobs in college football. Elite jobs come with built-in disadvantages, too, so not everyone would be interested. But the bottom line is that Bohn will have no shortage of candidates.

On3 national executive editor Mike Huguenin

That’s an interesting nugget to consider if USC athletic director Mike Bohn seriously had significant interest in Stoops back in 2019.

Stoops’ resume can’t be ignored. He led the Sooners from 19999 to 2017, finishing with a record of 190-48 (.798 win percentage), including a national championship victory in 2000.