OU football notebook: Bob Stoops: Playing in title game not easy

“To do it over a long period of time, isn't the easiest thing to do,” Stoops said. “For the most part we've had a pretty good measure of consistent success of continually hovering around and being in the discussion, being in the hunt for a good number of years.”

Because they were ranked No. 1 in the preseason, a follow-up question at his weekly luncheon was whether changes are needed for the Sooners “to get over the hump.”

“In the end, who else is there that much?” Stoops said. “Who else has had that many opportunities? I don't think anybody. So what are they doing (not) to be there more than they've been? It's not easy. There are 110 or whatever number teams.

“Everybody is well aware of what's talked about all the time — parity. Every school has (good) players anymore. It's no different than anyone else over the last 10 or 11 years. We've been in it as much as anybody. It's just not easy to do.”

WILL JEFFERSON MOVE TO FREE SAFETY?

Free safety Javon Harris was repeatedly the victim on several of Baylor's big plays in a 45-38 loss.

Will Harris start Saturday against Iowa State? Will coaches move rover linebacker Tony Jefferson to free safety, a position he has played this season?

“If you do that then you have to have someone else doing what he's doing (at rover),” Stoops said. “We have to process who would cover the guy down low on crossing routes. They'll try to man him up, too. Believe me, I thought of that. Sometimes you can rob Peter to pay Paul.”

BELLDOZER PACKAGE EFFECTIVE

Backup quarterback Blake Bell scored four of the Sooners' five touchdowns in the Belldozer short-yardage package in the loss at Baylor.

The redshirt freshman quarterback has scored a touchdown or picked up a first down on 17 of his 25 carries in OU's version of the “wildcat” formation.