**SOONER SIDELINE LEGENDS: Ranking the 5 Greatest Coaches in Oklahoma History — Where Does Icon Bob Stoops Land After Retirement?**

When it comes to college football royalty, few programs hold the pedigree, tradition, and powerhouse prestige of the Oklahoma Sooners. From Heisman winners to national titles, from roaring sellout crowds in Norman to unforgettable rivalries that shook the sport’s landscape, Oklahoma football has long stood at the heart of college football’s greatness. Yet behind every iconic moment and every championship banner stands a coach — a leader who shaped the identity of the team, built dynasties, and forever left their mark on the Sooner legacy. Now, with Bob Stoops officially retiring from all active coaching roles after a monumental career, the time is ripe to examine just where the legendary coach lands among the greatest to ever pace the sidelines at OU.

Oklahoma’s football legacy isn’t just rich — it’s sacred. Coaches here aren’t merely game-planners or recruiters; they are mythmakers. They’re entrusted with carrying the weight of history and the hopes of a fiercely loyal fan base every fall Saturday. From the days of the Split-T offense to the high-flying Air Raid and relentless defensive pursuits, Sooner football has evolved through multiple eras, each marked by a head coach who changed the game and defined success on their own terms. That said, comparing legacies across decades, systems, and cultural shifts in college football is no easy task. But greatness recognizes greatness — and it’s impossible to write the story of the Oklahoma Sooners without these five legendary names.

Let’s begin with the foundation. Bennie Owen may not be a household name in the modern game, but in Norman, he is nothing short of a pioneer. Hired in 1905, Owen transformed Oklahoma from a fledgling regional team into a nationally recognized force. Over the course of 22 seasons, Owen led the Sooners to 122 victories and brought innovation and structure to a program in its infancy. His influence extended far beyond the gridiron — he helped build the football field and laid the cornerstone of Sooner culture. Though his era lacked the glitz and nationwide coverage of later decades, Owen’s tenure was foundational. His disciplined approach and forward-thinking leadership planted the seeds for the success that would come in waves across the century.

Fast forward to the 1950s and Oklahoma football was the talk of the nation — thanks to Bud Wilkinson. A man whose name is etched in stone in Norman, Wilkinson took over the program in 1947 and turned it into a college football juggernaut. His teams were dominant, disciplined, and untouchable for stretches that still boggle the mind today. Under Wilkinson, the Sooners rattled off an NCAA-record 47-game winning streak — a feat that remains untouched and revered to this day. He won three national championships (1950, 1955, 1956), compiled a staggering 145–29–4 record, and instilled a sense of confidence and class that defined mid-century OU football. More than a coach, Wilkinson was a cultural figure. He even ran for U.S. Senate after retiring, proving his influence extended beyond sports. In many ways, he made Oklahoma football synonymous with winning on the national stage and built a legacy that every successor has been measured against.

The torch was passed, and decades later came Barry Switzer — the charismatic king of the Wishbone and one of the most successful, and controversial, figures in the sport. Switzer didn’t just win games; he dominated opponents and owned the spotlight. Taking over in 1973, Switzer amassed a staggering 157–29–4 record over 16 seasons and led the Sooners to three national championships (1974, 1975, 1985). His teams were fast, physical, and fearless — and they played with a swagger that mirrored their head coach’s personality. Switzer recruited relentlessly, particularly in Texas and the deep South, and revolutionized the college football landscape with his offensive schemes and recruiting pipeline. Off the field, Switzer drew his fair share of criticism for program scandals and NCAA scrutiny, but on the field, his results were undeniable. He was a players’ coach, beloved in the locker room and feared on the sidelines, and remains one of only three men to win a national championship in both college football and the NFL. For many, Switzer is the ultimate Sooner — larger-than-life, unfiltered, and unforgettable.

Enter Bob Stoops. In 1999, after a decade of turbulence, underachievement, and coaching instability, Oklahoma made the hire that would reset its trajectory and reignite its championship aspirations. Stoops, a young defensive coordinator fresh off a national title at Florida, brought credibility, discipline, and swagger back to Norman. He inherited a program that had fallen from grace but wasted no time in resurrecting it. In just his second year, Stoops led the Sooners to a perfect 13-0 record and a national championship in 2000 — Oklahoma’s first since 1985. That season wasn’t just magical; it was transformative. It marked the beginning of a new era and firmly established Stoops as the face of modern OU football.

Over the next 18 seasons, Stoops built a dynasty. He won 10 Big 12 Championships, produced two Heisman Trophy winners (Jason White and Sam Bradford), and coached countless All-Americans. His teams were consistently ranked in the top 10 and made four national championship game appearances. Stoops was known as “Big Game Bob,” a moniker earned by his early success in rivalry and postseason matchups, though some critics later questioned his teams’ inability to win multiple national titles despite elite rosters. Yet his legacy goes far beyond trophies. He stabilized the program, recruited elite talent, and built a culture of excellence that laid the foundation for his successor, Lincoln Riley. Perhaps most impressively, Stoops stepped away on his own terms in 2017, leaving the program in stable, winning condition — something few coaches manage to do.

Even after retirement, Stoops never truly left. He returned briefly in 2021 to coach the Sooners in the Alamo Bowl following Riley’s sudden departure to USC. In classic Stoops fashion, he led the team to a dominant victory, reminding everyone of his enduring coaching prowess. He later assisted in shaping the future of the program by supporting Brent Venables’ transition and even served in an administrative role within OU athletics. His commitment to the program remains unmatched, and his fingerprints are still on everything from the recruiting culture to the expectations that define success in Norman.

So where does Bob Stoops rank among the greatest Oklahoma coaches of all time? It’s a tough call — not because he doesn’t belong at the top, but because he stands shoulder to shoulder with giants. If Wilkinson built the brand and Switzer lit it on fire, Stoops refined it for the modern era and ensured its survival into the 21st century. Each man redefined what it meant to be great at Oklahoma in his own way, across different eras, with unique challenges. Still, the numbers speak volumes: 190 wins, 10 conference titles, one national championship, and two decades of top-tier consistency. Stoops didn’t just win games; he rebuilt a culture and proved that OU football could thrive amid a shifting college football landscape dominated by the SEC, realignment chaos, and modern NIL-era recruiting battles.

While Switzer and Wilkinson may have more national titles to their names, Stoops’ legacy is arguably more enduring in its impact. He navigated the sport’s transition into the modern age, implemented cutting-edge offensive systems, and ushered in a new generation of football excellence that would help produce not only elite players but also elite coaches. Lincoln Riley, Brent Venables, and countless others trace their professional lineage back to Stoops. His coaching tree is a testament to his influence, as is the respect he commands from peers and former players alike.

If greatness is defined by wins alone, Stoops is at the top. If it’s measured by championships, Switzer and Wilkinson hold the edge. But if the criteria includes cultural impact, program stability, innovation, and legacy-building, then Bob Stoops may very well be the most important coach in Oklahoma history. That doesn’t mean he’s unequivocally No. 1, but it means he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the all-time legends who shaped Sooner football.

Ultimately, ranking the five greatest coaches in Oklahoma history is less about who is first and more about appreciating the continuity of greatness that defines the program. From Bennie Owen’s early vision to Wilkinson’s dynasty, from Switzer’s swagger to Stoops’ steady hand, Oklahoma has been blessed with leaders who knew how to win, knew how to inspire, and knew what it meant to represent the Crimson and Cream with pride. As Bob Stoops takes his final bow from the coaching world, his place in history is secure — not only as one of Oklahoma’s greatest, but as one of college football’s most respected and successful head coaches.

In the ever-evolving landscape of college football, where programs rise and fall, and coaches come and go, the Sooners have remained constant. That’s no accident. It’s the result of exceptional leadership across generations — and Bob Stoops, without question, stands tall in that pantheon. Whether you rank him first, second, or third is a matter of opinion, but his impact is undeniable, his success unmatched in the modern age, and his legacy forever intertwined with the fabric of Sooner greatness.