Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops Says 2006 'Loss' to Oregon is 'Water Under the Bridge'
Bob Stoops still isn't all that eager to talk about Oklahoma's controversial loss at Oregon way back in 2006.
Nor should he be.
"You don't want me talking about the 2006 game," Stoops said Sunday on a video conference call with Alamo Bowl brass after the Sooners were pitted against the Ducks in this year's game in San Antonio.
OU and Oregon play on Dec. 29 in the Alamodome.
There were no questions from the media. Instead, Stoops and Oregon coach Mario Cristobal took questions from the bowl game's communications director.
Stoops was only too eager to talk about OU's only other trip to the Alamo City, a victory in the 2007 Big 12 Championship game over No. 1-ranked Missouri.
"We played a great game," Stoops said. "Sam Bradford had a heck of a game. Allen Patrick. Curtis Lofton on defense. And we got after Missouri pretty good that night. You know, beat the No. 1 team in the country to win the Big 12 Championship. So that was a special night. I always felt like I played in the Alamo Bowl because of that game."
But asked about his history against Oregon, including a 31-7 win over Mike Bellotti's Ducks in Norman in 2004 and a 17-14 win in the Holiday Bowl in 2005, Stoops said with a laugh that the 2006 game was off limits.
"Somebody sent me a picture of my running back, Allen Patrick, showing the whole world the football (after recovering Oregon's onside kick)," Stoops said, "and the official's pointing into the pile saying that Oregon had the ball. But that's ... that's water under the bridge.
"Listen, Oregon's a great program. They do an excellent job. We know that. Our team will be excited to work and come down and we'll be ready to give our best effort."
Stoops is currently in Las Vegas preparing for Tuesday night's induction into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. He's spent the last week criss-crossing the country on the recruiting trail trying to quell the mass defection of OU verbal commitments after Lincoln Riley's defection to USC. Stoops was in Indianapolis Saturday for the Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" college football show and stayed late after the Big Ten Championship for the postgame wrap-up show.
As the Sooners await the announcement of a new coach — Brent Venables is said to be en route to Norman and is expected to be formally named as early as Sunday — Stoops offered a touch of humor about his hectic schedule.
"Hopefully we hire a head coach," he said, "and I don't have to go out recruiting this week."
