July 21, 2015

An Interview With: move more consistently and be more productive in scoring points. Defensively, we hired a couple of new OKLAHOMA guys in the secondary, Kerry Cooks and Diron COACH Reynolds on the defensive line. And I like how that has gone through the spring. Mike moving to outside backers has allowed him more opportunity COACH STOOPS: Excited to be here today to to move around to each position, and I thought start the 2015 season. I brought some of our through the spring we made really good progress. excellent players here today with me, Ty I feel like on defense we have -- with all Darlington, Sterling Shepard, and Trevor Knight on the guys that are back, we have a chance to make offense, all exceptional guys. And then Eric Striker improvement just from experience with maturity as well, our great outside backer, also here with and guys being older, in particular, in the me. Great guys, great representatives of the secondary. Some guys I think are pretty special University of Oklahoma, great workers, great are Steven Parker and Jordan Thomas that were leaders on our team. true freshmen a year ago, now, a year older, I see Again, excited, after last season finishing -- improvement through the spring and summer. just overall having a disappointing year, when Same with the safeties, Ahmad Thomas, you're used to 12 of the previous 14 years we had Hatari Byrd, of course, Zack Sanchez is a guy ten or more wins, and then you go 8-5, and it's not who's really special for us. up to our standards and our expectations as a He's an all-star. And then up front some program for sure. guys I think are really going to help. You've got You can look at it different ways, of course. Eric Striker and Charles Tapper up front. I think We look at it also in some of those games we're some guys like Charles Walker, D.J. Ward are one play away maybe in a few of those games and some guys -- Matt Romar on the D-line that are having a chance to have a couple more wins if you going to have a chance to really come on and don't give up one play on defense or you don't really make a mark this year as well. have a turnover for a touchdown, you don't miss a The kicking positions are really solid. I field goal, you don't punt the ball one more time if really like, even though we have new guys, Nick you have a poor decision by a coach. Hodgson went through the entire spring of 15 So those kinds of things, we all had a hand practices. I think he missed three field goals the in it, one side of the ball or the other, to give entire spring, and we kicked every day. And has a ourselves a chance for a few more wins, but that huge leg, so I'm excited about the opportunity didn't happen. there. And Jack Steed is our punter, really showed I still believe in the way our players work good consistency through the spring. So I feel and the overall program and the way we go about good about those guys. things. We made some changes in the winter The battle, I know it's popular leading up to spring ball. We hired as for everyone to act like a certain guy has already our offensive coordinator from East Carolina and got the job. That couldn't be further from the truth. Dennis Simmons from Washington State, who also Trevor Knight and are in a tight came with us that has worked with Lincoln in the battle, and is right on their heels. past. He really made significant improvement in the So the transition was really pretty spring. He's a big guy with a great arm. seamless. Our players have really taken to the So we really -- that competition is going to new system. I'm excited about the opportunity maybe to hopefully stay on the field more and

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visit our archives at asapsports.com continue. Whoever can make the most consistent the opportunity to redeem themselves and plays, be the most consistent in moving the ball, hopefully grow from their experience. and can avoid the really bad play will be the guy We also feel that, being an educational that's on the field. institution and the age of these young men, they I think we had eight turnovers last year that deserve an opportunity to do that, and it's our job went for touchdowns, and those are hard to to help them. But they also know that we have overcome. So whoever can protect the ball the some very high standards for them to meet, and if best will be that guy leading us, and then we'll just they're not met, then they won't be with us any see, as it goes and the competition goes, who longer. earns that job. After that, I'll just open it up for questions. Q. Coach, you have a lot of experience with . I was wondering if you could Q. Bob, the past year and a half, year tell us what you saw in him working with him or so, you guys have had some off-the-field years ago that signaled to you that he would issues, went through a difficult season, which continue to have success far into the future you detailed, you had some tough losses, and and still do it today. as you detailed again, made some personnel COACH STOOPS: I was so fortunate to changes. Is the program where you want it be a graduate assistant on that Iowa staff, and I right now? And if so, can you kind of give us don't need to name all the guys that were there some details as to what gives you optimism? that have been head coaches and mentors of COACH STOOPS: Well, a lot gives me mine. My biggest mentor is the D coordinator, Bill optimism, a 17-year background. We're just a year Brazier, who wasn't a . removed from being in the top ten and winning the But Bill Snyder is a guy I worked really . So that doesn't -- and then prior to directly as a young coach running the defense that, there's been a lot of success and a great track against his offense. So I was running the scout record of success not only from myself, from our team. So I had worked with Coach for four or five administration, from the way we direct this years before he got the job at State, and I program. was just so lucky that he called me right away to I look around the country. We're probably go with him to have a chance to coach the not the only team that's 8-5 or 7-6 and on and on secondary. and on. And I look at a track record of 12 of the I think the things that stood out to me at last 15 years, we've had ten or more wins. Now, I the time were his attention to detail, his great don't think anyone else has done that in the determination, and just how wise he was, how country with that kind of consistency, and that smart. And I think too that I had great confidence doesn't dissipate in a year. in him because we turned the program around at Iowa, and I was there when it did turn around and Q. Coach, there's been a lot of he was such a part of it, and I got to see it programs on the college and pro level that firsthand. Actually, one of the players that helped have distanced themselves from men who have make that happen. committed domestic violence against women. So I learned a lot in that period of time with Why haven't you distanced yourself from Joe Coach Snyder at Iowa and then, of course, more Mixon? as I got to work with him at Kansas State for those COACH STOOPS: First, let me say first seven years. there's no place for it. It should never happen. There's not only domestic violence, but there's Q. I just want to go back, Coach, to violence towards women, there's violence in your decision to bring in Lincoln Riley to run general. None of it should be tolerated, and it has the offense. If my memory serves correctly, been disciplined. Coach, you had Mike Leach. You sort of We disciplined in a certain way depending started this whole trend in the Big 12 way back on the circumstances we have, and these guys when. It's almost like you've got to play have had significant penalties. They've had a lot of catch-up right now. What have you seen just other internal measures to meet and to stand -- to from the coaching techniques, the style of right up to, and if all those were met, then they had

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visit our archives at asapsports.com offense? Is it reminiscent of what you progressions and where they want to go with the remember with Mike Leach? Is it what you've football. seen trying to defend this each and every But they have a lot of similarities really week? overall. COACH STOOPS: Yes, you know, it is. Baker may have a little more experience, My primary reason is I believe in the offense. It's having played in the offense a year longer. But, what we started with. As you said, we kind of again, Trevor's picked it up, as Cody has, really made it popular when I hired Mike from Kentucky pretty well. I'm really excited at their progress in from Hal Mumme, and then it spread. the spring. As I was looking to hire somebody, I looked at what are the top total offenses in the Q. Coach, just talk about the defense country. I looked at what are the top 15 total and where you think you are defensive tackle, offenses in the country. And 6 of the top 13 were what you like and where you think maybe you from this family of -- from Hal Mumme, Mike Leach, have the most room to grow. however you want to put it, from this family of COACH STOOPS: Again, I think where offense. So I looked back, and I thought, well, we'll grow the most is in the secondary, just with here we are. I made it popular 17 years ago, and it more experience and a year behind these guys worked, and then here 17 years later I'm the only and a year in the weight room and everything that one not doing it. they're doing. I really like what I saw in the spring I just felt that it will give us more and then summer. opportunity, hopefully, again, to stay on the field In the defensive tackle spots, again, a guy longer, eat up more yards, gain field position, and I said earlier, Charles Walker, is a guy that's a score points. But we've yet to do that. Lincoln's really athletic, strong, 300-pound guy for us that's had a great track record in running this offense, got excellent speed and quickness that's really, I and I believe we've got good personnel to go with think, starting to turn the corner along with Charles this style of offense. Tapper. We're very aware of the quality of backs And then inside, you've got Matt Romar is that we have and feel that we'll take advantage of a guy that I think has really come on as well. So that and that that will mesh really well with what those are just a few of the guys I think can really Lincoln wants to do. make a difference.

Q. Bob, can you give us an update on Q. Coach, from that first year with Baker Mayfield's shoulder fatigue and if there's Samaje Perine and the year he had, just how a concern with him having shoulder fatigue in he's matured and the process going into the the summer, how that would bear out later in second year with him and what improvements the season. And then also can you compare he's made. Also, if you could talk about the and contrast the two, Trevor and Baker. offensive line, you fill in some big holes with COACH STOOPS: Baker's shoulder is three NFL Draft picks. So just talk about that. healing just fine, just a little bit overworked, and COACH STOOPS: Samaje, it's hard to that's where we had to have a talk that no one improve on where he was, but I believe he will. knows your shoulder but you. You have to monitor He's such a great, great worker, very humble guy how often or how much you're throwing, and he's that's always hungry. He's really trimmed up a bit. recovered really well from it. He's back throwing He probably lost five pounds, but he's faster and the football now. Of course, we're monitoring how still has the same strength and maybe more much that is, but he'll be fine once we get into strength with another year in the weight room. So I two-a-days, not expected to have any limitations. believe he'll just continue to improve. Nor is Cody. Cody got a little bit sore as The tackle positions, the guys that really well. But they'll be fine. came out of spring that really did a good job that The differences with them, they're subtle. are older guys that have been playing for us for a They're both really good athletes. Baker may not few years now, Josiah St. John and Derek Forniok be straight out as fast as Trevor, but he's elusive. are the guys that we're really excited about what He's good with moving his hips and getting away they're doing, the way they progressed in the from trouble. Both have to continue to improve and be sharp at going through their read

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visit our archives at asapsports.com weight room, but also the way they played in the COACH STOOPS: I'm not sure. Keep spring. Again, they're guys that have played now going with your question. What obligation do we for a few years, and it's now time for them to step have? up and play consistently. Q. As far as getting guys ready for the Q. Asking another question about NFL, which is obviously a big recruiting boost Samaje, do you see yourselves with somebody for a lot of schools, do you feel like it's your job that talented and others running the ball a lot to get them ready to go to the National Football more than other teams and running more than League? Or is it just to win you're used to? games? COACH STOOPS: It would be hard to run COACH STOOPS: I think it's our job if more than we were used to. Samaje is going to we're winning games and the better players you get the football. We're very aware of the quality of have and developing them the better team you're player that he is, but, again, I think we'll have a going to have, that's where it begins. By doing good mix. I think you're at your best -- I don't worry that, you are getting them prepared to play in the that you're ever 50-50. I just worry that you're league. productive. Someone showed me, I think in the last If we're productive throwing the football, five years, we're like fourth or fifth in the country in generally it's going to help you run the ball. If number of draft picks. So I guess we're developing you're good running the football, generally you're them in a positive way, but it also -- so, again, I going to be able to throw it a little easier. We just think, if you're developing them to be an NFL Draft want to have a good balance to it. pick, you're also developing them to be a player that's going to play at a winning level for you and Q. You've had some quarterback your team. battles since you've been at Oklahoma. Does So I think that comes first, but when you're this remind you of any other that you've had? doing your job the right way, it leads to being able And then, two, you mentioned in your opening to be a draft pick as well. statement, a guy, D.J. Ward, who hasn't played FastScripts by ASAP Sports a lot of football the last couple of years, missed his senior year in high school and then redshirt. Kind of talk about his progression and what you seem to like about him. COACH STOOPS: The quarterback battle is similar to any other time, when you have -- you don't have a clear-cut guy that just stands out ahead of everyone. So we'll let it play out. I'm not sure whatever years that would be, but, again, it's nothing new. When you've been in coaching as long as I have, that happens. Again, it just gets down to letting it play out, letting guys continue to compete for it. D.J. Ward is a guy that continues to gain strength in the weight room. He's got great quickness. Again, just a guy that I saw in the spring really make good improvement. So hopefully, that will continue.

Q. Coach, since you've been at Oklahoma, you've had a lot of luck getting guys into the NFL Draft. But what obligation, if any, do college coaches have to get their guys ready to go into the league?

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