While Southlake Carroll’s season came to an end, that doesn’t mean Dragon Stadium is done with football. This month marks the start of a new season for the XFL, a professional football league with an ownership group that includes actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and film producer Dany Garcia. While visiting teams like the Vegas Vipers and the Seattle Sea Dragons will be busy practicing at Dragon Stadium, former Oklahoma Sooners coach Bob Stoops is just happy to be back coaching on the field with his Arlington Renegades.
I’VE BEEN PLAYING FOOTBALL... for my whole life, from grade school all the way to high school. In 1979, I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to play for Iowa and compete in the Big Ten Conference. I played for Hayden Fry for four years, and in my last year, I was named Team MVP and started coaching as a graduate assistant. That kind of kick-started my career path in coaching.
AFTER MY TIME WITH THE HAWKEYES WAS DONE, I... spent seven years as a defensive coach for Kansas State, then coached for three years in Florida. Then in 1998, I became the head coach for Oklahoma and went 7-5 in our first season.
DURING MY 18 YEARS WITH THE SOONERS, WE... won all the major ball games, including the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl. We won 10 Big 12 Championships and were named National Champions in 2000. That was the same year where I was named the Walter Camp and the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year. It’s been a long journey, but it’s also been incredibly fun and fulfilling.
WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT FOOTBALL IS THAT... it’s the ultimate team sport. No one wins anything on their own, and I certainly never won any of those awards on my own. I’ve got players to thank that played well for me, as well as an exemplary coaching staff that supported me and my team. That’s how I’ve always looked at it. It’s more of a staff coach of the year award to me.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT COACHING IS... always connecting and relating to the players. My team knows that I care about them, and they know I’m always going to be honest and forthright with them. My players appreciate that. If I’ve done anything right, it’s being a player’s coach while still pushing for the right things and being successful.
I CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT IN 2019 TO... coach the Arlington Renegades in the XFL, formerly known as the Dallas Renegades. I was drawn to the fact that I’d be working with older players. These guys are all right on the outskirts of being in the NFL — a bunch of very talented players that understand football and pick up the sport very quickly. I saw it as a great opportunity to work with them and help provide a unique football experience for these guys. We didn’t get to finish our season in 2020, so I’m really just looking forward to working with everybody in the league again.
MY FAVORITE ASPECT OF THE SPORT IS... the fellowship, the teamwork, the camaraderie you build with other players. That’s what makes it so much fun, and that was the part I missed the most. It makes it hard to stay away from it.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS... a market for football after the Super Bowl. It’s fun to watch, it’s fun to play and it’s fun to be part of something bigger than yourself. The Renegades and I hope to be a big part of that community this season, all the way up to Southlake.