Inspired by a little free time and another reminder that soonersports.com, having already polled fans for their top 10 Oklahoma games of the century (you know, since 2000), is now taking votes for the top plays, 20 of which you may watch while surfing the site, I’ve decided to cast my votes, taking Bob Stoops’ entire Sooner era into account.
n Best mantra: No excuses.
n Best season: 2000.
Duh.
n Best player: Jason White.
n Best defender: Roy Williams.
n Most underrated player: Nate Hybl.
n Most overrated player: Josh Heupel. (Note: Sacrilege, I know, but the first half of 2000 and the second half of 2000 were like day and night. But stick around, Heupel’s in on Best Play, even if it’s not one of the 20 soonersports.com has put on its ballot.)
n Most underrated cast of players: 2000 defense.
n Most singular performance: Tie. White, at Texas A&M;, 2004; Antonio Perkins, against UCLA, 2003.
n Most important game: 2001 Orange Bowl.
n Three most important games: Red October, 2000 (Texas, Kansas State, Nebraska).
n Worst play call: Stoops’ onside kick at Fiesta Bowl last season. (Note: Like Dimaggio’s hitting streak, this one’s untouchable).
n Most emotional win: At Kansas State, 2000.
n Solitary heroes: Torrance Marshall, at Texas A&M;, 2000; Roy Williams, vs. Texas, 2001; Renaldo Works, against Alabama, 2002; Clint Ingram, Holiday Bowl, 2005.
n What could have been award: Mo Dampeer.
n Best play: 2000, vs. Nebraska, Heupel to Curtis Fagan, 34-yard touchdown pass over the middle. (If that doesn’t jog your memory, maybe this will. It was third-and-14, Heupel dropped back and threw. From press-box altitude or the lone upper deck (at the time), anybody who looked downfield for the intended target saw … nothing, just a blur of players in the secondary. Yet by the time the ball fell to earth, Fagan had emerged from … who knows where, two steps in front of the pack where he caught the ball in stride. It tied the game. Basically ended it, too).
n What is it about some quarterbacks award: Rhett Bomar.
n What is it about some quarterbacks runner-up: Brent Rawls.
n Phrase that’s entered the vernacular award: “In a good way.”
n Did he ever get burned award: Derrick Strait.
n Misleading award: Stoops declaring White had sprained his knee at Nebraska, 2001.
n Best assistant: Mike Stoops (Note: A case can be made for several, however, see Most Important Game for explanation).
n Most wacky/crazy/nutty assistant: Mike Leach (Note: in a landslide).
n Second best running back: Quentin Griffin.
n Best linebacker: Curtis Lofton.
n Best position change: Brandon Daniels.
n Best reclamation project: J.T. Thatcher. (Note: Also best Norman High Sooner; sorry Patrick Fletcher).
n Coolest guys to hear speak: Fagan and Allen Patrick.
n Best word to describe the era: Consistent (Note: in eight of nine seasons, Stoops has won at least 11 games)
n Second best word to describe the era: Heartbreaking (Note: Two bedlam losses, two national championship game losses, two more BCS bowl losses at Fiesta Bowl).
n Third best word to describe the era: Resurgent.
Clay Horning
366-3526
cfhorning@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
The Stoops era in one column
Commentary
- OU Sports
-
-
It’s a recipe for success
Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso was answering questions Saturday after her Sooners clinched another return to the Women’s College World Series when, without really meaning to, she began to make it clear her job has, sort of, become ...
-
Tigers deny Sooners’ Big 12 title hopes
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma wanted to win its first Big 12 tournament in 16 years on Sunday. Missouri needed to win it to get in the NCAA Tournament. Need topped desire at Bricktown Ballpark....
-
Sooners make winning look easy
As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....
-
There are no easy outs in the lineup
Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....
-
Sooners will play for Big 12 championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...
-
Sooners send five more to nationals
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....
-
OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....
-
Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be
When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...
-
Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry
Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....
-
Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs
AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
It’s a recipe for success
