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Can Stoops save his 'Zona job?

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Oklahoma went 7-5 in Bob Stoops' first year and won the national title in his second. Last Saturday, Stoops recorded his 100th career win with a victory at Washington. Looking for the same kind of payoff, Arizona snatched Mike Stoops off Bob's Oklahoma staff. Oh, brother, where art thou? Mike has a 2-1 record three games into his fifth season after posting previous seasons of 3-8, 3-8, 6-6 and 5-7. As Arizona prepares to play at UCLA on Saturday, this isn't the kind of lineage Wildcats fans had in mind. The New Mexico loss, the second in consecutive years to the Lobos, was a huge step backward and ended hopes of a 6-0 start that might have pacified the pessimists. The pressure for Stoops to get Arizona to a bowl game this year is immense -- he might have to do it to save his job.

Los Angeles Times

Mike Stoops, Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images Mike Stoops, Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
September 17, 2008  10:14 AM ET

"The pressure for Stoops to get Arizona to a bowl game this year is immense -- he might have to do it to save his job." I think you answered your own question in the headline.

September 17, 2008  10:16 AM ET

Probably not.....

September 17, 2008  11:04 AM ET

4 or 5 years is a fair window to get it going. So he'll be a great coordinator somwhere next year...perhaps back to OU.

September 17, 2008  11:54 AM ET

100th win at Washington last Saturday? Great article...because Arizona hasn't played any Washington teams yet...

September 17, 2008  11:57 AM ET

mike was always seen as a better coach than bob when they were both in norman; however,
mike's secondary still had its bad days;
those who thought so highly of mike then probably hoped that the additional dimensions of being a head coach ... such as management, administrative, philanthropic, and program leadership ... would not choke out his true strengths;
to me, mike's strengths are recruiting, motivation, player development, and onfield tactics but I
believe those have diminished somewhat due to the taxing nature of the job;
i cannot see him getting it done at 'zona now ... he's had enough time;

September 17, 2008  01:18 PM ET

Having seen OU's secondary get shredded the past several years in big games, I always wondered if it'd have been different with Mike at the helm.

Venables is good, and maybe just a scapegoat, but someone else needs to right that ship so the Red Raiders, Mizzou now or any opponent (Boise St, ugh) etc don't get 20 points in half a quarter.

Head back to Norman lil frere for a couple years.

September 17, 2008  01:27 PM ET
QUOTE(#4):

100th win at Washington last Saturday? Great article...because Arizona hasn't played any Washington teams yet...

Nice reading comprehension - he is talking about BOB Stoops winning 100 games with the win at Washington not MIKE

September 17, 2008  01:33 PM ET

ZY...learn to read.

As a former (I now live in another state) season ticket holder at Arizona, I can say that M. Stoops has made many positive strides except the one that counts the most...WINNING GAMES. I've often seen him make very bad calls and get out-coached. He is really good at sideline tantrums though.

Good luck to anyone going in to Arizona as a coach. With the records they've had and the lousy fan base (only show up when the team is winning), just getting good talent is a problem.

September 17, 2008  02:08 PM ET

HIS departure right before the OU Nat Champ game versus USC was crucial in the decline of the defense for that game and the OVERALL chemistry of the coaching staff and team suffered the following year. I hate to wish failure on him, but we need him back on the defensive coaching staff at OU

September 17, 2008  02:47 PM ET

I agree that Stoops needs at least a 7-5 season to salvage his job. Given that the PAC-10 is looking mediocre this year, he can still pull that off.

Stoops was a great defensive coordinator but has not turned things around fast enough for Arizona fans. Given the talent he has this year 7-5 or even 8-4 are quite possible.

September 17, 2008  02:55 PM ET

In a word: NO.

September 17, 2008  03:10 PM ET

If he gets his attitude right, he can go back to Oklahoma.

September 17, 2008  06:27 PM ET

wasnt there that rumor that he might go to miami as the OC? B/c Miami would probably love to get rid of Nix for Stoops

September 17, 2008  06:29 PM ET

wasnt there that rumor that stoops was gonna go to Miami as OC like 2 yrs ago. Im pretty sure that they would/should offer him a job and get rid of Nix.

September 17, 2008  08:41 PM ET

Mike and Bob are better together. What's that thing about the sum of the parts?

September 17, 2008  11:41 PM ET

Arizona, in its quest for perfection and not quality, let a good coach, Dick Tomey, go in favor of one whom the game had passed by, John Mackovic. Mackovic devastated the program and was eventually terminated in favor of Stoops. Stoops has brought many positive qualities back to this program, but has let others slip in favor of his once vaunted temper. Arizona was looking beyond New Mexico to UCLA this last weekend and got their butts kicked. I don't blame this entirely on Stoops, but must delve it out to the media and boosters who were hyping the team after the victories against other conference teams. In reality, it was the fault of fans and media who want to win at all cost regardless and not consider the young men who take the field. Stoops may pay the price, but he should go out with a few choice words if that occurs.

September 18, 2008  01:38 AM ET

I think Mike will get to seven wins this year. But if he doesn't, I think it's more likely that Mark Stoops surface at OU, rather than Mike. He coordinated some pretty good secondaries at 'The U.' Based on what I saw from K-State tonight, and the fact this might be the best North division in 10 years, K-State might have a new head coach next year. And I think his name will be Brent Venables. OU fans should probably attribute our secondary woes to the recent advent of the spread offense, and mobile QB's who can throw, rather than Mike Stoops leaving. As I recall, Mike was still at OU when Reggie McNeal shredded us in 2002. Find me a secondary in the entire country that doesn't regularly get blown up.

September 18, 2008  04:56 PM ET

Just because you are the brother of a coach that has had some success, (OU's non-conf teams each yr are nothing and half of the Big 12 is nothing), does not mean you are a good coach or that you are going to be a good coach. No experience as head coach, but the UA thought they had a winner because of Bob S., who probably got Mike S., the job. He recvd just under 1 mil per season and more perks. I didn't like Tomey that much, but at least he knew how to coach and win a few games. Arizona's biggest problem is they fish for players with no bait on the hook. Too much comp from Calif and ASU for players. Tucson is not a big football town. We have had a few different named bowl games and every time they have failed because nobody goes. Even when we were in the bowl in Tucson they couldn't fill it up. Basketball is the big game, even though they haven't been doing well for a few yrs. They make it in the tourn, but bow out quickly. Need to get rid of big Lute and the AD. The best teams that the UA have are the softball and baseball, (coming back) teams and they don't get the credit they deserve. Stoops should bow out while he can and go coach high school ball.

September 20, 2008  05:44 PM ET

What if he gets to a bowl and gets destroyed by the North Dakota School of Mines?

Just sayin'.

 
September 21, 2008  09:56 PM ET
QUOTE(#19):

What if he gets to a bowl and gets destroyed by the North Dakota School of Mines?

Mines or Mimes?

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