If not much fun, Stoops is awfully effective

Clay Horning

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Bob Stoops met with the media for the last time Sunday morning before wrapping up a storybook season or suffering one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Bowl Championship Series and, unless his leaking the intricacies of Oklahoma’s halftime operation — revolutionary stuff: the offensive and defensive coaches review the first half amongst themselves before talking to the players — said almost nothing of interest

• No, the Sooners probably won’t be thinking about Adrian Peterson’s quest to break Billy Sims’ career rushing mark.

• Yes, he expected Paul Thompson to play well the moment he returned to quarterback.

• No, he’s not concerned with rust because Boise State hasn’t played in forever either.

• If the nation’s overlooking the Broncos, the Sooners aren’t.

• He’s coaching a special group of players.

One assumes the Sooner coach can walk and chew gum at the same time, change gears and then fiddle with the stereo simultaneously, eat and converse without missing a bite or a word. One assumes it but who can really know, because when it comes to his football team and anything else, he has a hard time doing, thinking or considering anything else.

So Mike Leach, who can think of everything else, will always be the better quote and more colorful character. Meanwhile, Stoops will continue keeping his eyes on the prize.

Among media, and even some fans, Stoops’ demeanor is categorized anywhere from dull to standoffish to arrogant depending on the level of engagement the Sooner coach is unwilling to meet. On the other hand, he sure wins a lot of games.

I look forward to the day Stoops opts to yuk it up or even answer a personal question or two. He should know, far from making him more vulnerable, it would make him more human and sympathetic. Yet, perhaps the Sooner Nation should not hope for the same.

Clearly, this is what works for the man.

Go ahead and get out the laundry list.

As practice was to begin, Rhett Bomar and J.D. Quinn forced themselves off the team. Next came the most egregious officiating error since the Florida recount. Then the best running back in America broke his collarbone and, not long after, the guy who replaced him so ably had to take a seat.

But here the Sooners are, hitting for the cycle. In the span of five seasons, they will have played in all four BCS bowls.

“In the end, we’re going to do our business like we need to. Same thing when a guy gets injured … (Allen) Patrick is out? Chris (Brown) and Jacob (Gutierrez), here we go,” he said. “Branndon Braxton goes down? Trent Williams, he’s our next best guy, he’s a true freshman. You’re in. Lets get after it.”

So he said one thing that was interesting, or at least descriptive.

Because it’s just that kind of single-mindedness that has the Sooners dancing their way back into the BCS. Or, for that matter, coming back from some sort of Keystone Cops routine to go 8-4 last season.

Nobody said the coach has to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys. They can’t all have Leach’s wandering brain or Pat Jones’ command of the language or Barry Switzer’s excitability.

Indeed, Stoops may have learned time management and a thing or two about priorities from Steve Spurrier. But there’s still some Bill Snyder in him. A little paranoia and when it comes to his team, the focus is narrow and sharp.

Occasionally, he goes out of his way. Not exactly a humorist, Stoops will crack a joke. He pays enough attention to know most reporters by their first name. It’s something. But it’s not heavy lifting.

Stoops will always save his strength for his team, coaching it up, willing it to get better, keeping its eyes on the prize.

So it’s not Times Square with the ball coming down, just another Big 12 championship and an 11-win season with still another game to play after the calendar has turned.

Hard to complain.

Clay Horning366-3526cfhorning@normantranscript.com