Oklahoma football: Stoops says 70-63 a “nightmare”

Bob Stoops was bemoaning the fate of defensive coaches in college football, especially in the Big 12, where we had a 70-63 final the other day.

“It’s a nightmare,” Stoops said.

Stoops said he’s constantly asking the rules committee to check the obvious offensive advantage. He gave an example from last season. An opponent threw a deep ball 50 yards downfield. Incomplete. While OU’s two defensive backs hurried back to the line of scrimmage to set up for the next play, the intended receiver just stepped off the field, and his substitute, back upfield, stepped on. And the offense ran a play before the OU DBs were in place.

So I had a suggestion for Stoops. Return to limited substitution. In the old days, any player who left the field couldn’t return until the next quarter. That’s how you had single-platoon football.

I don’t advocate single-platoon football – though I certainly am open to the discussion – but it might be time for some form of limited substitution. Way too much mass-substitution goes on in football.

Stoops discounted my idea, though later he said it would help, it just wouldn’t happen.