Oklahoma football: Sooners give fans what they want in blowout win

Mike Stoops commanded an impenetrable defensive unit. Damien Williams carried the ball 22 times, finding paydirt on an amazing 95-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Blake Bell scored four first-half rushing touchdowns

Heck, even Trey Millard saw a dramatic increase in his offensive touches, which included a 73-yard catch-and-run from Landry Jones for the longest pass play in Red River Rivalry history.

The Cotton Bowl on Saturday was chock-full of sterling performances from fan favorites. That it came on their favorite Saturday of the year — against one of their least favorite opponents — made it all that much sweeter for the Sooner faithful.

“The Sooners are back,” 36-year old Harrah native Bill Grozdanich proudly proclaimed from his seat in section 135.

“The defense looks like it's playing without thinking too much. That's because of Mike Stoops.”

The legend of OU's defensive coordinator, back for his second stint under his brother Bob, will only grow after Saturday, when his unit turned in as dominant a defensive performance as any in recent Oklahoma history.

Fans have longed for Mike Stoops — or a defense like his at least — since his 2003 departure for Arizona, where he spent the next seven-plus seasons as head coach. After the defensive collapses in 2011 losses to Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State, the cries for a Stoops Bros. reunion only increased.

After two straight weeks of dominating defensive performances — the Sooners shut down Texas Tech last week in Lubbock — Mike Stoops' popularity is nearing an all-time high.

“We've really played well in every part of the game,” Bob Stoops said. “When those games happen that way, it isn't just one side or the other. It's offense; it's defense; it's kicking game. Fortunately this was another one. It shows both sides were really playing well together.”

After the first few — lackluster — 2012 games, Stoops was frequently asked why various offensive players weren't getting more touches.

Williams, a junior-college transfer from Arizona Western, averaged a little more than 10 carries a contest, despite his demonstrated big-play ability. He rushed for touchdowns of 65 and 89 yards in OU's first two games.