Missing Virtues: How Bob Stoops and Oklahoma Can Mend a Broken Tradition

Another example was the 2006 Oregon game.  OU had a 33-20 lead but then allowed Oregon to score two touchdowns in under a minute and a half.  I know, I know—OU had a blotched call that affected the rest of the game.  But if you recall, Adrian Peterson returned a kickoff all the way into field goal range, and all we had to do was make that goal to win 36-33.

It seemed as though despite the unfair calls on the field, Sooner Magic was finding a way to win—but then the kick was blocked, and all hope was gone.

The queen bee of them all was the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.  After being behind most of the game, OU tied Boise State, and with only a little over a minute left, Marcus Walker intercepted the ball and ran it back 33 yards to take the lead.  It looked like it was going to be the come from behind victory that Sooner Magic was known for.

But then, as you know, with a hook and lateral, Boise tied the game.  But wait—in overtime OU scored on their first play and took the lead again, only to be killed by the Statue of Liberty play that will live in infamy.

Oklahoma has had the spirit of Sooner Magic in the Stoops era.  To recall some of the successes, we need to look no further than the 2000 national championship season.  Oklahoma revived itself with the blowout win over Texas and the impressive upset of No. 2 Kansas State in Manhattan, but the virtue was re-developed with the win over the top-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Early on in that game, Oklahoma was down by a two-touchdown deficit, but thanks to Sooner Magic, Oklahoma ran off 31 unanswered points to knock Nebraska out of the Big 12 and national title chases.

Later in the season, when it looked as though Texas A&M was going to crush the dreams of Oklahoma going undefeated, the Sooners regained strength when Terrence Marshall got a touchdown off an interception.

Similarly, early in the 2002 season, Oklahoma was on the ropes against Alabama, and when it looked like Alabama was setting itself up to at least tie the game, safety Eric Bassey scooped up a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown to put the game out of Alabama’s reach.  

As a big-time Oklahoma fan—not like many that jump off the wagon when we lose, though our shortcomings are very obvious—I am hoping that we can turn the tide of our program back to the way it was pre-2003 Big 12 Championship, build on our recent conference achievements the last few years, and see that those wins continue on to a postseason victory.

Oklahoma will always be a heavy hitter in college football.  We just need to get a big postseason homerun to keep that image firmly established, rather than it just being understood that Bob Stoops will produce at least a 10-win team.

To clear our name of the recent criticisms, our 2008 campaign not only needs our continued 10-plus win regular season success and another Big 12 Championship, but a bowl win to top that success.  The best way to assure that fire is breathed back into the Sooner team is to have a win that starts, finishes, and relies on Sooner Magic—and if that happens, the season is bound to be great!

Coach Stoops and the team cannot get comfortable during a game.  A sufficient lead is not good enough; stay the course and finish strong.  Give the other team absolutely no edge.  Establish yourself as the best team on the field from the opening kick until your quarterback takes a knee at the end of the game.

Expect anything from the opposing team and be ready for everything. Be psychologically prepared for their 100 percent effort, but counter that with your 110 percent effort.

As a team, always keep this in the back of your mind: Nothing will reignite the passion and dominance of OU football faster than the impressive miracle of “Sooner Magic.”

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