There is quite a difference in Bob Stoops and Sherri Coale, something that has not been acknowledged by a number who wish to be critical of Sherri. Bob Stoops came into a program that had won six national titles in 48 years, among the best in the history of college football, certainly among the best post-war programs. He came into a program that had established itself as a strong recruiting stronghold that had operated effectively in the hotbeds of Texas, Louisiana, Southern California, and Florida, and OU controlled nearly all of the top recruits from Oklahoma. Prior to Stoops arrival, Switzer had won three national titles and twelve conference titles in sixteen years. Wilkinson had won three national titles and fourteen conference titles in seventeen years. Stoops has won one national title and eight conference titles in sixteen years. He has the same number of years as Switzer and one fewer than Wilkinson. He has fifteen more losses than either of them, about one per year. Wilkinson had built the program, elevating it from the status of a school that could go 10-0 in 1938 without much consideration for a national title to one that was always in consideration for a national title. He and George Lynn Cross had built the program, and he is a more fitting comparison for Sherri. Stoops is operating on their shoulders, the tradition that they built.
The University of Oklahoma's women's program had one exactly one conference title in twenty-two years of existence. It had finished in the top twenty one time (1986) when it won its conference title. It had been to the NCAA tournament twice, losing in the first round once and winning in the first round once, at the time a Sweet Sixteen finish. We were so enthusiastic about women's basketball that we had cancelled the program in 1990. This was not exactly a strong foundation from which to build.
This is Sherri's nineteenth year. In that time, we have been the conference champions six times, rather than one. We have been to the NCAA tournament in fifteen straight years (threatened this year), the Sweet Sixteen nine times, the Final Four three times.
From one conference title to six.
From two NCAA appearances to fifteen.
From one Sweet Sixteen appearance to nine.
From zero Final Four appearances to three.
Bob is not a step above what we had as a tradition. Sherri IS OU's tradition.
If we were to replace Bob, I think we could find someone who would want to carry out the tradition of working to win a national title. If we were to replace Sherri, I don't know if this program would make it back to the Sweet Sixteen.
