Jan 2, 2017; New Orleans , LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops looks on from the sidelines in the first quarter of the 2017 Sugar Bowl against the Auburn Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Photo Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Bob Stoops, the longest-tenured coach in college football, will retire after 18 seasons at Oklahoma, according to multiple reports Wednesday.
Offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, 33, is expected to succeed the 56-year-old Stoops, who will remain with the university in some capacity, the Oklahoman first reported.
Stoops is expected to address his team Wednesday afternoon, although the reason for his decision to step down is that he’s ready to “go live life,” FOX Sports reported.
Stoops replaced John Blake and joined the Sooners as a rookie head coach in 1999, guiding the team to a 13-2 victory over No. 2 Florida State to win the BCS National Championship Game the following year.
Oklahoma wasn’t as fortunate in its next three national title games, losing to LSU (2004), USC (2005) and Florida (2009).
The Sooners are 9-9 in bowl games under Stoops’ watch, including a 35-19 triumph over Auburn in the Sugar Bowl last year.
Oklahoma captured 10 Big 12 titles under Stoops and recorded double-digit victory totals in 14 seasons, including an 11-2 mark in 2016.
A two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year (2000, 2003), Stoops began his coaching career as a volunteer coach and graduate assistant at Iowa. He later accepted assistant coaching positions at Kent State, Kansas State and Florida, where he was part of the Gators’ national championship team in 1997.
Riley has produced top-10 offenses in each of his two years in Norman, Okla.
Signed to a three-year contract extension last month, Riley is not expected to receive an interim tag upon being named head coach, FOX Sports reported.
Riley takes over a team led by senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Baker Mayfield.
