I'm especially thankful for being able to coach so many talented young men over my 18 years here. It has been so rewarding to see these players come to OU and mature over a four- or five-year career, and not just on the field. To play a small part in their growth is what I will always cherish the most.

Bob Stoops

Categorized in : Men Thankful Mature Growth

I'm a huge wrestling fan. Wrestlers have so many great qualities... by Bob Stoops

I'm a huge wrestling fan. Wrestlers have so many great qualities that athletes need to have.

quality athlete wrestling

Dear Lord, I pray that my place will never be with the cold, timid souls who do not compete yet criticize, for they never know or feel success or failure.

dear-lord cold soul

It just shows you have come prepared to play and ready to execute. It doesn't give you that much comfort when it's early and you still have another two and a half to three quarters to go. You better keep playing. But it is a positive, it gives you energy and it gives you a little boost like that.

play giving two

I don't want to say [the teams] are mirror images of each other, ... but there's a lot of similarities on both sides of the ball.

balls team mirrors

I thought one of the best things I ever did in my career was getting my first staff together at OU... That's exciting to me. The opportunity to put it together and help it grow.

best me together opportunity

There was a period of time where the two most wanted guys in the state of Oklahoma were me and Josh Heupel. Me for suggesting that you could throw the ball at Oklahoma and in the Big 12. And Josh Heupel for having the temerity to play quarterback and not be able to run faster than 5 flat.

me you play time

If you're winning and can stay on the field offensively and move... by Bob Stoops

If you're winning and can stay on the field offensively and move the ball, that's what we want.

stay you winning want

I'm big on that: In life, everything has its time. by Bob Stoops

I'm big on that: In life, everything has its time.

everything big time life

Depending on where you're at or the ownership you're working for, some of the college jobs may be better than some in the NFL.

some better you college

I've always believed if a young guy has a chance to play, why would you explain where his weakness is? The only reason would be to help the other team, or to help a gambler.

you weakness team chance

When I grew up, and I've said this a lot, but I was a long time Oklahoma fan. I always followed them all the way while growing up in Ohio.

long-time time long way

I remember embracing our championship tradition, telling our players that this is what we should expect to be; this is what Oklahoma is supposed to be. And we're going to do all we can to be that. And if we don't, there will be no excuses. You either do or you don't.

will you tradition remember

We could fill up a whole hour's television show talking about coach's recruiting stories, I love them, they're the best.

best talking love television

You know, if I've done anything right, it has been hiring the rig... by Bob Stoops

You know, if I've done anything right, it has been hiring the right people.

know you done people

I have incredible respect for Coach Switzer. by Bob Stoops

I have incredible respect for Coach Switzer.

incredible coach respect

I just love to play football and enjoy it. by Bob Stoops

I just love to play football and enjoy it.

enjoy play love football

Boomer Sooner! by Bob Stoops

Boomer Sooner!

sooner boomer

They said 'the SEC this, the SEC that.' I said, 'You talk like all 14 teams are this, that and the other thing.' I said, 'You have to give credit to the first one or two that have won the national championship, but don't act like they're all doing that.'

doing talk you said

No one wants to hear that, but life changes. If it changes, you have to change with it, to whatever degree.

life-changes you change life

I think proximity in recruiting matters the most. by Bob Stoops

I think proximity in recruiting matters the most.

matters i-think most think