Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops is often mentioned as a possible candidate for open jobs, especially for prominent blue blood programs. But not many expected Stoops to return to the college sideline at a place he’s very familiar with, the Sooners’ sideline.

Coach Lincoln Riley revealed to local media on Tuesday that, “Local tequila salesman Bob Stoops is serving as a temporary assistant coach this week. He was at practice today,” Jason Kersey of The Athletic reported. Kersey asked Riley if Barry Switzer could be lured out of retirement. Stoops can help because he is still an institutional staff member, while Switzer is not.

Stoops retired from Oklahoma in June, 2017, and handed the program over to Riley after 18 seasons as head coach of the Sooners. Stoops, 60, led the Sooners to 10 conference championships and a national title and had a career record of 190-48 at Oklahoma.

Stoops was needed because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing that affected assistant coaches.
The Sooners postponed Saturday’s game against West Virginia and temporarily paused organized team activities due to COVID-19 protocols.

“It was great,” Riley said, per the Associated Press. “It’s nice. It’s been kind of in our hip pocket this whole time. If we had any staff member that fell off, we’ve got a Hall of Famer sitting on the bench. So that’s a pretty good bench when you can call that guy up.”

Riley said the two still talk regularly.

“I always want to lean on him for any observations he has or experience going through different situations,” Riley said.