Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops took issue with a story pinning him to a potential opening at Notre Dame following Monday's practice.
He adamantly shot down a story on the Chicago Sun-Times Web site that he's interested in leaving OU to be the successor to Charlie Weis.
The story, published Sunday, said if the current Irish coach were fired at season's end, "A source said Stoops has told confidants he would be interested in talking to the Irish."
Stoops, who signed a new seven-year contract in July that will pay him more the $30 million over the next seven years and makes him one of college football's highest-paid coaches, said there was no validity to the story.
"That's ridiculous; though, some confidant, huh," Stoops said. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Notre Dame doesn't have a job, and I haven't spoken to any confidants about anything outside of trying to beat Texas Tech, so, you guys, you know, that's some guy making something up.
"I'm not answering stuff like that. There's not even a job at Notre Dame, so that's ridiculous. I don't know. You guys believe (there's a) confidant? What's that?"
Simmons healing
No coaches have said whether left guard Brian Simmons is healthy enough to play again, but center Ben Habern said the senior was in full pads and practiced Monday.
"He's taken reps and he's running around. He's running around and doing a lot of lateral work and stuff like that," Habern said. "It's good to see him back in pads and helmet and running around and stuff."
If Simmons can play, it would be a boost to an offensive line that lost two starters -- guards Brody Eldridge and Jarvis Jones -- to season-ending injuries two weeks ago.
The Sooners played with only seven scholarship offensive linemen last week against Texas A--M.
Jones learning
Oklahoma showed vast improvement in Saturday's 65-10 rout of Texas A--M. The turnaround was easiest to spot in redshirt freshman Landry Jones' statistical line. He went from throwing five interceptions and no touchdowns against Nebraska, to five touchdown passes and one interception against the Aggies.
Stoops said the peaks and the valleys are part of being a young quarterback
"He's a young guy (who's) still learning and maturing in the job, and there's bound to be some rough spots," he said. "All quarterbacks have them. You've got to have the confidence and ability to overcome them, to push forward and keep making improvement. He did the other night."
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Stoops squashes Notre Dame rumors
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