It seems like everyone wants to state their case for and against the expansion of the SEC. From lawmakers in the state of Texas, school presidents, national pundits, fans across the nation, and even current and former players. Seems to be no middle ground, you either love it or you hate it.
Former National Championship-winning coach with the Oklahoma Sooners is no different. Bob Stoops spent the 1999-2016 seasons on the sidelines at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. He won the national title in 2000 to go along with the 10 Big 12 Championships. The fact that he is the all-time winningest head coach in program history, makes him a great candidate to weigh in on the current climate of Oklahoma football.
There have been plenty of opinions and analyses surrounding the Oklahoma Sooners and their bid to join the SEC. In an op-ed with The Oklahoman, former Sooners head coach weighed in on the controversial topic. As he states, this is the best decision for the Crimson and Cream.
Let’s set the record straight: OU’s move to the SEC is what’s best for Oklahoma. The reality is that conferences are now more important than ever and, with limited spots, the strongest conferences would not accept OU if we were to require OSU to join as well. By joining the SEC, we ensure the state’s flagship university will be represented nationally while protecting our rich football history for many years to come. To move forward in any other manner would be to the detriment of OU and the state of Oklahoma.
Stoops believes that this has too many advantages to ignore such as exposure, better recruiting, and even the increase in the level of competition. He believes playing in the SEC against the best competition in the country is “right where we should be.”
I can’t wait for SEC programs to face our teams and our fans — I think both are the best in the country.
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This coming season you can find Coach Stoops in the TV studio with Fox Sports replacing Urban Meyer, who left for the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching position.