JJ Watt comments on Kliff Kingsbury coaching Oklahoma rumors
Arizona Cardinals star defensive end JJ Watt commented on the rumors about head coach Kliff Kingsbury being targeted by Oklahoma as their new head coach. Watt took to Twitter to joke and laugh at the rumors, saying how impressed he was that his coach had time to negotiate with a college team while winning games in Arizona.
Watt on Oklahoma recruiting Kliff Kingsbury
The NFL veteran and star for Arizona didn’t need to say much to show how ridiculous he believed the rumors to be.
“Killin’ it on the field and at the negotiating table. I see ya Kliff!”
Oklahoma has a brand new coaching vacancy as of Sunday, when former head coach Lincoln Riley accepted the coaching position at USC. Rumors began about Kingsbury when ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported shortly afterwards that Oklahoma was eyeing the Cardinals’ coach as a potential replacement.
While not available on the field after a potentially season-ending injury, Watt is still a vocal team leader and presence. His ability to speak up and help cool the rumors will certainly help some people relax and focus on the Cardinals’ current season.
The Cardinals lead the NFL at 9-2, but are only a loss ahead of the Green Bay Packers at 9-3. Adding to their need to focus down the stretch, the Los Angeles Rams are sitting at 7-4 behind them in their own division and well within striking range.
Bob Stoops to lead Oklahoma for now
The 2021 college football coaching carousel got even more hectic on Sunday, as Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley accepted the USC head coaching job. Now, with Riley out, the Sooners are turning to a program legend to take over as the 10-2 Sooners head into the postseason: Bob Stoops.
Stoops was Oklahoma’s head coach from 1999-2016. He came to Oklahoma from Florida, where he served as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, and Oklahoma was the only head coaching job of his career. In 18 seasons, Stoops 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.
Contract details for Riley have yet to be announced. Per USA Today, Riley was the fifth-highest paid coach this season with a $7.672 million salary.
In his fifth season with the Sooners, Riley was tabbed as the heir to Stoops’ dynasty. Oklahoma is 10-2 this season and was on the cusp of a College Football Playoff berth until its loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday night. A win would have set up the Sooners to meet the Cowboys in Dallas for the Big 12 title this coming weekend.