CLEVELAND -- Bob Stoops, who put Oklahoma football back on
the map, might get a chance to do the same thing with the Cleveland
Browns.
Stoops, fresh off winning a national championship with the
Sooners, said Browns president Carmen Policy has been trying to
reach him about the NFL team's coaching vacancy for the past two
days.
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Stoops tells crowd
he plans on staying
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At halftime of the Kansas-Oklahoma basketball game Saturday in Norman, Bob Stoops spoke to the crowd about his future during a ceremony honoring his national championship football team.
"Regardless of what you may have heard, I plan on being at Oklahoma for a
long, long time," Stoops said.
The crowd cheered lustily.
This comes just a day after
Stoops told the Tulsa World that he would talk to the Cleveland Browns
about their coaching job.
-- ESPN.com news services
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On Thursday, the Browns fired Chris Palmer, who went 5-27 during
two turbulent seasons in Cleveland and Stoops may already be on the
club's short list of candidates.
Stoops, who grew up rooting for the Browns, expressed interest
in the Cleveland job when he was informed of Palmer's dismissal
while in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he accepted a coach of the year
award.
"Well, I just found it was open," Stoops told the Tulsa World.
"But, sure, I'd talk to them. I've always been intrigued by the
NFL. And it would certainly be a job close to my home."
Stoops was returning to Oklahoma from Arizona and could not be
reached for comment.
Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione had a brief phone
conversation with Stoops before the coach boarded a plane Friday
afternoon. Castiglione said Stoops told him he had not yet been
contacted by the Browns.
Policy was not in his office, and his assistant said he was
leaving town for a week along with team owner Al Lerner.
"Mr. Policy didn't want to comment on any of the rumors that
were likely to arise until there was something substantive to say,
" Browns team spokesman Todd Stewart said.
Policy and Stoops already share a background.
Both are from Youngstown, Ohio, and have known each other for
several years. One of Policy's sons played for Stoops' late father,
Ron Stoops Sr., at Cardinal Mooney High School.
"I know coach Stoops through his family," Policy said
Thursday. "His father was a great guy. The whole family has been
steeped in football for generations. His father was a high school
coach in Youngstown and my son Edward was on the team when coach
Stoops died on the sideline."
"Bob is a wonderful man," Policy said. "Hes a very
accomplished coach.
I was going to the (Orange Bowl), but because of certain reports
that were floating around, I opted to stay away."
Policy was referring to a scheduled meeting he had allegedly
made to visit Miami coach Butch Davis. Policy has denied a meeting
was ever set, but those rumors fueled speculation Palmer's days
were numbered.
Stoops said Policy had attempted to call him.
"But my cell phone went dead for two days and I just got it
working again and got my messages," Stoops told the paper. "I
don't know if that (job opening) is why Carmen Policy has been
trying to call me, or if he just wanted to offer congratulations on
winning the national championship."
The 40-year-old Stoops appears to fill all the criteria the
Browns are seeking to become Palmer's successor.
He is young, energetic and prefers a wide-open offense. One of
Palmer's downfalls was that his offensive schemes were too
conservative for Policy and Browns director of football operations
Dwight Clark, who favor a West Coast attack similar what they ran
San Francisco.
Another positive for Stoops is that his offense at Oklahoma
utilizes a short passing game like the one Browns quarterback Tim
Couch used at Kentucky.
Policy said the Browns would likely interview NFL and college
coaches, but indicated he would prefer someone with head coaching
experience.
If the Browns are looking for a coach to reverse things quickly,
Stoops would be a solid choice. In just his second season at
Oklahoma, Stoops led the Sooners to their seventh national title.
Stoops recently received a five-year extension on his contract
at Oklahoma, and a raise to $1.4 million a season.
Policy said Browns defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel will be
interviewed for the head coaching job. Among the other possible
candidates are New Orleans offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy,
Giants offensive coordinator Sean Payton and Denver offensive
coordinator Gary Kubiak, who worked for the Policy in San Francisco
and previously interviewed for the Browns job.
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