Mike Stoops visits OU practice, says he's proud of Sooners' finish

By John Helsley

Published: December 28, 2006

PHOENIX — Bob Stoops can point to Gordon Riese for costing Oklahoma another win and perhaps a claim for playing in the BCS title game.

Mike Stoops has a beef with Riese, too, since the replay official's blown call in OU's game at Oregon in the end cost his Arizona team a bowl bid.

"As it turns out, it happened that way,” Mike Stoops said after taking in the Sooners' Wednesday Fiesta Bowl practice. "I don't know...”

The Wildcats finished 6-6, yet out of the postseason since each Pac-10 team filling one of the conference's six bowl slots finished with at least seven wins — including 7-5 Oregon.

Turn around the OU-Oregon result and the Ducks are 6-6 and out of postseason play, with Arizona's 37-10 rout of Oregon the tiebreaker. BYU, another team the Wildcats beat, popped the fading Ducks 38-8 in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Arizona won three straight games late to put itself in position for a bowl bid. And they were significant wins: at No. 25 Washington State, home against No. 8 Cal and at Oregon.

But a season-ending loss to rival Arizona State left the Wildcats 6-6.

"We had our chances at the end and couldn't finish in the Arizona State game,” Mike said. "That's just how it happens.”

Mike did find pride in the way brother Bob's team finished. Eight straight wins. A conference championship. A trip to Phoenix, only a 110-mile drive up the road from Tucson.

"I was excited for them,” Mike said. "It's a great bowl game. The climate. And the proximity couldn't have worked out better for me.

"It's good to see these guys. And for my family it will be great to see everybody.”

Mike seemed at home at the Sooner practice, catching up with several players he recruited and talking extensively with defensive coordinator Brent Venables.

Bob said he kept tabs on Arizona, where Mark Stoops is Mike's defensive coordinator.

"I follow it very closely, of course,” Stoops said. "When you have not just one, but two brothers (at Arizona), I'm constantly watching and paying attention to how they're doing and felt like they've made strong and significant progress.

"I know he wants more, but they're on their way towards it.”

Mike said he kept an eye on the Sooners all season.

"We play a lot of night games in the Pac-10, so it's hard not to watch them,” Mike said. "Bob says, ‘How do you watch?' I say, ‘Well, how do I not watch?' It's my brother. It's Oklahoma. I saw a lot of their games, just about every one that was on TV.”

And Mike said he recognized something special in OU's run through adversity.

"That's probably Bob's greatest strength, to be a head coach and manage his team and his coaches and his players,” Mike said. "That's a great tribute to him and their coaches and players. I really thought they did well.

"I think it was probably Bob's best coaching job — by far.”