Oklahoma football: Sources say Mike Stoops out at Oklahoma

In a shocking Sunday evening development, several news outlets are reporting that Mike Stoops will not continue in his role as defensive coordinator at Oklahoma.

Fresh off a 48-45 loss to rival Texas in which the Sooners gave up nearly 500 yards of total offense and allowed the Longhorns to score on their first six possessions, rumblings began to appear on Twitter.

Many OU fans were disappointed the program didn’t part ways with Stoops after last season’s defensive collapse in a 54-48 loss to Georgia, but Riley reaffirmed his commitment to his defensive staff in the offseason.

The Sooners started the season with promising performances against FAU and UCLA, but old problems with tackling and third down conversions have continued to rear their ugly head as the season has progressed.  Oklahoma has given up 30 points in back-0-back games and haven’t held a conference opponent to less than 27 all year.

The Sooners are 89th in the country in total defense.

“I’m extremely disappointed in my inability to get this team to play at a higher level,” Stoops told the Dallas Morning News. “It takes everybody pulling the same way, and I certainly take a lot of that responsibility.”

Stoops is currently serving his second term as the team’s defensive coorinator. He helped lead Oklahoma to the 2000 National Championship in the same role. He returned in  2012, prompting then-defensive coordinator Brent Venables to depart for Clemson. The Sooners have been shaky on the defensive side of the ball since Stoops’ return. They have finished outside the top 50 in total defense each of the last two years.

Rumors are circulating as to who will take over the defensive play calling duties and what Stoops’ role with the team will be going forward. From what we have heard so far there will be a press conference Monday morning  that should clear the matter up.

Oklahoma has two other defensive coaches with playcalling experience. Defensive consultant Bob Diaco has been a defensive coordinator at Central Michigan, Notre Dame and Cincinnati. Defensive line coach Ruffin McNeil was the defensive coordinator at Texas Tech in 2008.