After a Chicago Sun-Times article mentioned Bob Stoops as a potential candidate for the soon-to-be-vacant Notre Dame job, the Oklahoma head coach almost immediately denounced the rumor as “ridiculous“.
That rumor had started to slowly sink below the surface, but now, today, Mr. College Football seems to be doing his best to resuscitate it.
Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, arguably the best and most connected college football writer in the country, has scooped the Stoops rumor up off the floor and tosses it back on the table in a note titled “I think Bob Stoops will at least listen to Notre Dame.”
Barnhart insinuates that 11 years in Norman may be enough for Stoops, and that the 49-year-old coach may have “one more move left in him.”
To be honest, Barnhart may be on to something. The criticism of Stoops has grown louder than it ever has this year, even as a good chunk of the Sooners’ disappointing season is directly attributable to injuries. Can Stoops turn a deaf ear to the critics, or will it open up an ear that would normally be closed to at listen to the calls that will inevitably come from South Bend?
All we know is, when Barnhart says something, it’s best to sit up and pay attention.
“arguably the best and most connected college football writer in the country…”
Ummmm…WHAT?
Living in Atlanta, I’m exposed to arguably the most biased college football writer in the country on a daily basis. While he may be “connected,” there is little that Barnhart writes that doesn’t portray him as someone who probably couldn’t name all 50 states.
Case in point:
http://blogs.ajc.com/barnhart-college-football/2009/10/21/ranking-the-conferences-at-mid-season/
Ranking the Pac-10 at SIXTH, is simply a joke, and neglecting basic facts.
TO QUOTE NEIL YOUNG….TELL ME WHY????
I know Notre Dame has made some bad coaching moves in the past, but why would they trade one 6-5 coach for another?
Eric Mangini to Notre Dame, baby.
@mike:
because unlike the fatbody currently walking notre dame’s sideline, stoops has actually had an excellent career as a college head coach.
im not going to argue that stoops is the best coach in college right now. i understand that oklahoma has dropped some big games and stoops has gotten a reputation of being a guy who cant win the big games but im sure at this point notre dame would love to be a 10 win team and i think stoops might be able to do that on a consistant basis.
I wish they would retain Weis. I love seeing them lose.
Let me start another rumor. Lloyd Carr takes over as A.D. for Martin at U.M. after next year. Another so-so year under Rodriguez, and Carr will bring back Michigan coaches and Michigan style football, including Quarterback U.
BigMFan- my struggle with that is Lloyd wasn’t that impressive as a head coach. His teams most often failed in BCS and national scene.
I do like the thought of getting back to Michigan football and heritage though.
It’s about time to be done with ‘the experiment’ through a weak AD who doesn’t know the game.
Stoops – 114-29 with ONE National Championship, ONE??? That = FOLD
You’d think the Irish AD and Alum would be much better served to bring in someone thoroughly excited and energized about a longer future as ND coach, rather than someone like Stoops who “has one more move left in him”.
Handing a guy his retirement check doesn’t inspire any long term confidence.
Stoops is one of the highest paid coaches in the nation and has already made a fortune over the past ten years, so I don’t know where you’re getting the retirement check idea.
And last I checked, Weis typified the “excited and energized” coach when they hired him five years ago. It’s a shame that Stoops already has a better job, ND would only be so lucky to have him.
PolegoJim…..Carr only brought Michigan it’s only undefeated season (’97) in 50 years. Even Bo didn’t do that. His won-loss ratio could not be faulted. His football was exciting. The ’06 M-OSU game was classic. Forget the USC game. The teams bubble had burst. His exodus against Florida was classic and showed how that ’07 team really could play. I say bring back classic Michigan football.
PolegoJim……Don’t forget the Michigan-Texas Rose Bowl. Despite being a loss, it was another fantastic game. We got beat by a great team and a great quarterback. They just happened to win the NC the next year.