Oklahoma President: Bob Stoops Refused Pay

At Thursday's Board of Regents meeting, Joe Harroz says he Sooners' new interim coach twice declined OU's offer to pay him $325,000 before they insisted.

Adding to his legacy at Oklahoma, Bob Stoops apparently declined compensation to be the Sooners’ interim head coach following Lincoln Riley’s shocking departure for USC.

That’s what OU president Joe Harroz told reporters on Thursday after a meeting of the OU Board of Regents in Oklahoma City. According to Harroz, Stoops said there was no need to pay him and actually declined the offer twice before Harroz and OU athletic director Joe Castiglione insisted.

Stoops will get a one-time, $325,000 bonus as interim coach for as long as he’s on the job until Castiglione formally hires Riley’s replacement. Harroz explained it’s a pro rata portion of Riley’s salary.

The OU Board of Regents’ meeting Thursday and Friday is a regularly scheduled meeting in Oklahoma City. Candidates for the job might be discussed in executive session, but no candidates are expected to be presented this week for board approval.

Harroz said Castiglione’s “search is proceeding at pace. Recruiting is taking place … Joe Castiglione is engaged in the search process. … It is proceeding and proceeding well.”