Sooner Report: OU Raises Awareness

Sooners Continue to Use Their Platform

Oklahoma's perennial success on the gridiron has given the program national acclaim. On Tuesday, head coach Bob Stoops was in the media for more than his football savvy. ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski paid Norman a visit for a one-on-one with Stoops. The interview, which aired on SportsCenter, shed light on the Sooners' continued stance against racism not only at OU, but across the nation.

The complete interview and story with Wojciechowski is available at http://bit.ly/Stoops-OUnited.

Here are some highlights:

"I think [OU's players] realize it's everywhere,” Stoops told Wojciechowski. “It's around the country. We happen to have it… maybe we're the ones that could handle it the right way.

“Let's try to do something with it and try to effect change,” he added in the interview. “And I'm proud of the way they've done it.”

Stoops who has been at the forefront to advocate his players' position against racial intolerance commended their actions and responses. He has been in support of the team sporting black OUNITED t-shirts and black jerseys and apparel at practices.

"Coaches, we do want to have our hands on and control," Stoops told Wojciechowski. "But you have to have the pulse of your team, and I knew the pulse of our team was they were going to do this their own way. They felt they were the ones affected and impacted the most, and they were going to deal with it.

During the interview Stoops commended the OU President David Boren, for his quick response and continued backing of the team's decisions.

“We have a great president who acted very swiftly and strongly, that he's not going to stand for it on our campus,” the head coach said.

He also told Wojciechowski during the interview that he would suggest that people get to know his players beyond the pylons.

“Spend a day around my players, around my African-American players, my Hispanic players, my Polynesian players, and you'll see the true beauty of who they are,” Stoops said.

These issues came to light just over two weeks ago when spring practice was slated to begin. In solidarity, the players chose to postpone spring practices and silently protest with their coaches and athletics director, Joe Castiglione. According to Stoops their message was and still is clear.

“We're not going to stand for it here,” Stoops emphasized in his ESPN interview. “Our players, us as coaches and our community here, our student body got behind our players (on) that.”

The Youngstown, Ohio, native told Wojciechowski that the team plans to continue to use their platform to speak out against race issues in the future.

"There's no coaching manual for this," Stoops said. "It's a life issue more than anything when you're dealing with racism anywhere... It's a life issue -- bigger than sports, bigger than football."

Despite the added spotlight and changes in the spring schedule, after practice this week Stoops said that the team's on-field work has been focused.

“The practice schedule isn't going to be a problem at all, (it's) not a big deal,” Stoops said. “The guys were excited to practice, they all went out worked hard and retained a lot so I was very pleased.”

Stoops indicated that the Sooners will be in full pads for Friday's practice and are scheduled to conduct a practice of approximately 60 plays on Saturday. The head coach indicated that the team will likely add a Saturday practice to the schedule on April 4 and could potentially add another practice after the OU Spring Game on April 11. Next week's practices are slated for March 30, April 1 and April 3.

Female Fans Take to the Field for the 2015 Women's Football Tee

This Saturday, 200 women will have their collegiate football fantasies come to life. For the second year in a row, Coach Stoops and his staff host the Women's Football Tee – a clinic-like experience for ladies who have a desire to hit the hashmarks running.

For one day the participants are no longer sideline patrons; their day resembles that of the players they cheer on from August to January. The women are taken through what Stoops calls “Football 101” to enrich and deepen their understanding of the game they already love.

The women transition from mere spectators to a full-padded players by the end of the day. The clinic begins with watching the end of practice to finally suiting up and participating in drills led by OU's coaching staff and student-athletes.

The ladies also learn the nuances of the game through panel discussions and a Q&A session with some of the program's most touted players.

This is the second consecutive year that the Women's Football Tee has sold-out. Last year's event raised $20,000 which was donated to the United Way of Norman on behalf of the Bob Stoops Champions Foundation.

Stay tuned for highlights from the day – we'll have full coverage on SoonerSports.com.