By Bruce Campbell Commentary
January 04, 2008 12:27 am
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It shouldn’t have been a surprise after No. 3 Oklahoma was upset by No. 11 West Virginia 48-28 in the Fiesta Bowl Wednesday.
A Sooner fan e-mailed the ESPN2 program “First Take’’ calling for the firing of OU coach Bob Stoops in favor of the retired Barry Switzer, who took the Sooners to three national championships.
That happens when you lose four straight BCS Bowl games as Stoops has. That’s one reason why Switzer patented “Bury Barry.’’
Stoops is losing his reputation as “Big Game Bob’’ after losses to LSU 21-14 in the 2004 Sugar Bowl, 55-19 to Southern California in the 2005 Orange Bowl, 43-42 to Boise State in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and 48-28 to West Virginia Wednesday.
Sooner fans can wonder how OU can play so well in the Big 12 Championship (38-17 over then No. 1-ranked Missouri) and so poorly against the Mountaineers.
First, let’s give West Virginia credit as a team.
The Mountaineers turned adversity (the resignation of head coach Rich Rodriguez) into an asset. They were clearly motivated for interim coach Bill Stewart, who was officially promoted to head coach Thursday.
If not for an injury to quarterback Pat White in a upset loss to Pittsburgh Dec. 1, West Virginia probably would be playing for the national championship.
OU clearly couldn’t handle the speed of White and running back Noel Devine. Switzer, in commentary for FOX Sports, had said West Virginia ran the type of offense he would be running today if he were still in coaching. The Mountaineers looked like some of Switzer’s old Wishbone teams, averaging nine yards a carry.
The Mountaineer defense was better than the media gave it credit for. Don’t forget it was the No. 9-ranked defense in the nation.
Stoops, to his credit, didn’t make excuses. He blamed himself for the Sooners’ “lack of discipline’’ from having 113 yards in penalties, several defensive busts and an inability to score touchdowns in the red zone early.
“They just whipped us,’’ Stoops said.
Something, though, has been missing for the Sooners in the last four BCS Bowls.
OU has been outscored 93-33 in the first half in those four losses.
Switzer, in his pregame commentary, said OU would have to establish the run early against West Virginia. They didn’t, rushing for only 11 yards in the first half. OU was beaten at the line of scrimmage as it was the year before against Boise State.
Of course, the offense didn’t help themselves with seven holding penalties. It was much like the 34-27 loss to Texas Tech where the Sooners stopped themselves as much as the Red Raiders did.
Stoops will be forever second guessed for his decision to try an onside kick after the Sooners cut the lead to 20-15.
It’s one of those decisions where if it works, he’s a genius. If it doesn’t ...
Who knows what would have happen if the Sooners chose to kick deep? OU had the momentum. Stop the Mountaineers deep in their own territory and the Sooners would be in position to take the lead.
Stoops said that’s why he chose to do it then. He felt OU had the momentum to catch West Virginia off guard.
It turned out to be the wrong decision. West Virginia got a short field and scored on its next four possessions. The last three were on drives of only three, two and one plays.
Many of Stoops’ gambles have worked. This one didn’t. That’s football.
The Mountaineers made the plays and OU didn’t.
That’s been the story of BCS games.
Stoops, though, has to be a pretty good coach for getting his team to the BCS in four of the last five years.
He will work hard to get OU over the hump. The Sooners will have to play better on the road in 2008 with games at difficult stops like Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.
But here’s one prediction.
Look for Stoops and the Sooners to break the string next January.
Campbell is a News & Eagle sports writer.
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Bruce Campbell / Commentary