OU football: Bob Stoops is looking for redemption of OU's pride

Griffin shook his head, perhaps in disbelief. OU's Tony Jefferson placed hands on his hips, his shoulders rising then falling.

That play, that 87-yard gift to the Baylor offense, it hurt Bob Stoops' pride.

And it's one of about seven major plays given up by the 2011 Sooners defense — that continually get brought up — that gnawed at Stoops.

When looking at Stoops, you’re looking at a former Big Ten defensive back turned Big 12 defensive backs coach turned SEC defensive coordinator turned BCS national championship coach who unleashed a defense for the ages.

Of course that play hurt his pride.

“But you know, struggles offensively hurt my pride, too,” Stoops said at OU Media Day on Saturday. “I'm a head coach. Either side bothers me.”

It bothers Mike Stoops, too. He doesn't blame the struggle of OU's defense on the fact the offense doesn't huddle up and runs at a quicker pace. He blames the struggle of OU's defense on the inability to react at a fast pace.

“That's the whole thing with the defense, is having the ability to play fast, to react to what you see and then not have to think,” Mike Stoops said. “As you can see at times a year ago, I thought there was a lot of thinking going on. We got the short end of the stick.”

Some of it's mental. Mike Stoops is working on that. Some of it's physical. Mike Stoops is working on that, too. But as brother Bob likes to say this season, Mike Stoops hasn't played football in a few years. He can't go out there and make the plays. Besides, he's too old.