Well, instead of putting this in the Spurrier resigning thread, I decided to start a new one....so sue me! Reported offer would net Stoops $3M per year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPN.com news services GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has been offered the head coaching position at the University of Florida, the Orlando Sentinel reported Saturday night, and sources say he could be named Steve Spurrier's successor "very quickly." Bob Stoops could be ordering around Gators instead of Sooners if he decides to take the Florida job. "It is coming and coming very quickly," a source close to Florida's athletics department told the Sentinel on Saturday afternoon. "There's not going to be a lot of romance here." Florida AD Jeremy Foley didn't comment to the Sentinel on any replacement for Spurrier, who resigned Friday to pursue a head coaching job in the NFL. But several sources inside the program told the Sentinel that Stoops has been offered a multiyear deal worth more than $3 million a year. He makes $2 million a year now at Oklahoma, while Spurrier made $2.1 million. On Saturday afternoon, Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione met with Stoops, who coached the Sooners to a national championship just two seasons ago, for more than two hours, the Sentinel reported, and Stoops emerged from the meeting non-committal. Stoops served as the Gators' defensive coordinator under Spurrier from 1996 to 1998 before becoming head coach at Oklahoma. Stoops led the Sooners to the 2000 national championship. Sources told The Tampa Tribune that should Stoops get the Florida job, Mike Stoops -- Bob's brother and Oklahoma's present defensive coordinator -- likely would become the next coach of the Sooners. Oklahoma sports information director Kenny Mossman said Friday he fielded about 30 phone calls from media around the country after news broke about Spurrier. Stoops' future also was the hot topic on sports talk radio stations. Mike Stoops told The Daily Oklahoman the opening "means a lot for Bob." Mike Stoops also said the decision would be a difficult one for Bob if the job is offered. "It's hard for me to speculate," Mike Stoops said. "He has a great relationship with Steve, had a great time at Florida. On the other hand, he's built a legacy here at Oklahoma already as a head coach. To do what he's done at Oklahoma in such a short period of time is pretty special. "I don't know what he's thinking. It's up to Bob and his family. Only Bob can tell you how he feels and why he feels that way." Bob Stoops was hired at Oklahoma in December 1998 after spending three years as Florida's defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. His retooling of the Gators' defense played a significant role in Florida winning the 1996 national championship. Stoops is 31-7 in three years at Oklahoma. And he has been rewarded for his work -- his salary was bumped last summer to $2 million annually, second among college coaches only to Spurrier's $2.1 million. Stoops' contract at Oklahoma runs through 2007. Stoops has been mentioned as a possible candidate for other jobs since arriving at Oklahoma, but always said he was happy in Norman. "Regardless of what you hear, I plan on being at Oklahoma for a long time," he said in January 2001 amid reports he might leave to become coach of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. "I'm fortunate to be the head football coach here," he said then. I think that it is very indicative of the state of affairs in college football. I remember growing up that Oklahoma was a job that very few people would leave willingly. Now, it appears that Florida is that job. Oh well, I know that mduke hopes it doesn't happen, but this could be a devastating blow for the Sooner Nation. Need I remind them of pre-Bob Stoops? John Blake?? *shudder* If Bob does leave, they better hope that his brother Mike is as good as him because if he isn't then OU is back to being mediocre. I think that Bob Stoops will leave because 3 million dollars to coach a college job in Florida is going to be awfully hard to turn down.
I will bet that the College Professors at Florida gag on their coffee when they read about this contract offer. I am sure that nobody else in the entire University of Florida system is paid this much cash.
IMO, Stoops was going to take the Florida job anyways (as long as Florida matched his salary at OU). The 3 million a year just makes the job that much sweeter. Stoops is an Ohio native who turned down Ohio State, Notre Dame, and even the Cleveland Browns. I think Iowa is his alma mater, and he might have turned that job down too. Despite all that, Florida is Stoops' dream job so OU fans shouldn't be too angry. I just feel bad for the recruits. One commented that Stoops gave him his word that he would stay at OU. That isn't going to happen.
I wonder if UT will pick up any of the Texas high schoolers that might have gone to OK? Longhorn fans can't be sad about this turn of events.
cmrock, I want Bob to stay. I don't want to beat a Bob Stoops less OU team. It would be a built in excuse for the dirt burglars.
Do recruits have to be granted admission to sign a letter of intent? An interesting situation arises for OU recruits who want to play for Stoops. They can decommit however will they have enough time to be admitted into UF? And that is if Stoops wants them. Florida probably already has pretty good recruiting class.
I was wrong earlier, smokey, when I said that no one had "signed". you were right about lance mitchell. I think juco players must be able to sign binding letters of intent before the high school date. but I'm still pretty sure that NO high schoolers have any binding commitment to any colleges. and vice versa. if stoops goes to florida, he could try to just go with the class that spurrier was assembling, or he could try to bring a bunch of his ou recruits with him. I can't wait to go back to school tomorrow. a kid at my school is the 2nd-ranked receiver in Texas and had verbally committed to ou. I'll be most curious to see if all this has changed his mind any. letters of intent are binding for both college and player, but high schoolers cannot sign those until february 6. unfortunately, I do not know how their admission status plays into their signing status. plus, I think there may also be a deal where, even if you do sign a letter of intent, when a coach leaves, the player may have the option of backing out.
Were we misled all along? According to CNNSI, the job is Mike Shanahan's for the taking. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/01/06/shanahan_florida/ The vacant University of Florida head coaching job is apparently Mike Shanahan's to turn down, league sources said Sunday night. The Denver Broncos' two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Sunday admitted he is interested in the job and will talk with school officials in the coming days. Sources believe Shanahan will likely travel to Gainesville, Fla., and could visit the school as early as Monday. Sources also say he may well have already received an offer from the Gators. Sources also say that some Broncos officials Sunday expressed the belief that Shanahan will leave the NFL for the Florida opening, a position he considers one of his dream jobs. Shanahan served as the Gators' offensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Charley Pell in 1980-83, and is a longtime friend of Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley. While Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops has reportedly been offered the Florida job, the Gators are not confirming that, and NFL sources say Stoops has not received an offer. Oklahoma, meanwhile, is said to be prepared to match any deal Florida might offer Stoops, himself a former Gators defensive coordinator under Steve Spurrier, who resigned Friday to pursue an NFL head coaching job. Shanahan was expected to discuss the Florida opportunity with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen on the team flight back to Denver Sunday night. The Broncos lost 29-10 at Indianapolis, closing out their season at 8-8, Shanahan's second non-winning season in the past three years. It's not clear how the uncertainty surrounding Stoops' situation might affect Shanahan's consideration of Florida, but league sources contend that the Gators job is Shanahan’s to take. Bowlen said Sunday in Indianapolis that he has given Shanahan permission to talk to Florida, and said he understood his coach's potential desire to work for an old friend. But Bowlen also said he remained confident that Shanahan would remain with Denver. Shanahan's interest in Florida is rooted in the easier lifestyle that a college football coach enjoys compared to the long hours and nearly year-round work that NFL coaching has become. Shanahan, 49, also loves the Gainesville area and he and his wife have many friends in the area. While Shanahan is the only Broncos head coach to ever win a Super Bowl, his 1999 team went 6-10, his 2000 club was a first-round playoff loser, and this season, Denver was among the league’s more glaring underachievers at 8-8. Under Spurrier, Florida won at least nine games in each of the past 12 seasons, and the Gators have the kind of recruiting grip in state that should help them stay among the nation’s top 10 teams perennially.
News around Colorado is that Stoops has been offered the job, but if he turns it down, then they're going to seriously go for Shanahan. Apparently they're too close with Stoops to back out now (according to one news channel), but if that falls through, they're going to go for Shanahan hardcore. Come on Stoops! Go to Florida!
Yea, I'm not thrilled by these turn of events. If Bob Stoops or any of his close friends ever read this BBS, I got a message for you: Please, please go to Florida! You'll get more money, and it sure will be a helluva lot easier to win NCs at Florida than Oklahoma! We don't need to lose one of the NFL's best coaches to the college ranks.
According to ESPN and an Oklahoma TV station, Stoops has reached an agreement to say at OU. Shanahan, however, is the first choice for Florida and has been all along. More details to come, I'm sure...
<B>Shanahan, however, is the first choice for Florida and has been all along. </B> My guess is that this is spin-control. There's no way that Stoops -- who's proven to be an incredible college coach & recruiter -- was below Shanahan on the list. Stoops was the defensive coordinator that helped established Florida as a dominant school. Shanahan was an offensive coordinator of Florida teams that weren't very good. Florida has too much talent to experiment with an NFL coach if one of the nation's best college coaches is sitting there waiting.
