Chilly weather wasn’t the only thing to put a damper on Oklahoma’s spring game on Saturday as the school confirmed university President David Boren had suffered a minor stroke prior to kickoff during festivities to unveil a statue for former head coach Bob Stoops.
“Thanks to the OU team with contemporary therapies, he is now in good spirits and enjoying dinner,” said a school statement on Saturday evening. “He is alert and communicating with family and his excellent team of medical professionals at OU Medical Center. President and Mrs. Boren deeply appreciate the outpouring of love and support they have received.”
Boren, who has served as OU’s president since 1994, announced his retirement last year and is expected to fully step away later this summer. The health scare this weekend came following his remarks at a ceremony designed to honor another retiree who is closely linked to him in Stoops. The statue unveiling just outside the stadium continued as Boren was taken to the hospital and the team went on to play their annual Red-White game before a record crowd of 52,102.
“It’s tough to describe. He’s a guy that I’m very close to, means a lot to me, and (it was) so tough for it to be such a great event and great thing and to see him not feeling well. It hurts me,” head coach Lincoln Riley said afterwards, according to the Tulsa World.