No shortcuts, no excuses for new Oklahoma coach

Bob Stoops hasn't even coached his first football game at the University of Oklahoma, and he already has a a reputation of making no excuses. Whether it has been meeting and greeting

Thursday, September 2nd 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Bob Stoops hasn't even coached his first football
game at the University of Oklahoma, and he already has a a
reputation of making no excuses.

Whether it has been meeting and greeting fans and alumni or
recruiting or putting together his staff or laying out his plan for
the future, Stoops has been focused and firm. No wavering. No
shortcuts.

Sooner fans hope that approach makes him the man to turn their
program around. He was hired in December to replace John Blake, who
guided the Sooners to 12 victories in 34 games, the worst
three-year stretch in school history.

Blake's regime changed offenses about as often as the players
changed socks. Stoops insists there will be consistency on both
sides of the ball.

He takes over a football program with six national
championships, but one that hasn't had a winning season since 1993.

Stoops goes into Saturday's season with confidence and high
expectations, and insists that his team do the same.