Bob Stoops announced he won’t be giving interviews this week ahead of the Tennessee Vols’ game against the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman. The former Oklahoma head coach tweeted on Sunday, saying he wants the focus to remain on Josh Heupel and the Vols, as well as Brent Venables and the Sooners.
Heupel, who played for Stoops from 1999-2000, led Oklahoma to a national championship in 2000 before transitioning into coaching. He served as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2014, until Stoops let him go.
Venables, Stoops’ defensive coordinator from 1999 to 2011, took over as Oklahoma’s head coach in 2022 after leaving Clemson’s defensive coordinator position, following Lincoln Riley’s departure to USC.
Stoops expressed support for both coaches in his message, calling Heupel the “MVP” of all his recruits, but clarified he’s rooting for Oklahoma in this weekend’s game.
Heupel has reiterated since the summer that the focus should be on the current players, not his past with Oklahoma, but it’s likely his return to Norman will carry extra significance.
