Mike Gundy Endorses Bob Stoops For College Football Playoff Committee

When the 2017 season ends, the college football playoff committee will be looking to replace six of the 13 members of its committee. That includes current chair Kirby Hocutt, former chair Jeff Long, Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich, Tyrone Willingham, Tom Jernstedt. and Steve Wieberg.

One name that could be on their list of possible replacements is former Oklahoma Sooner head coach Bob Stoops. It’s something Stoops told ESPN earlier this week, he would consider “a great opportunity.”

“I guess I would have to do a lot of visiting with people on what all the commitment would be, and what the expectations would be,” Stoops said to ESPN, “but it’d sure be worth listening.”

Whether the committee asks Stoops or not, he has the vote of at least one Big 12 coach.

“Stoops would be perfect for that,” said Mike Gundy in his press conference on Friday.

“Guy’s been around forever. He’s originally from up north. He’s been in this part of the country. He sees it. He’s pretty squared away and level headed. That’s what it takes to be on that committee in my opinion. He’s coached so he can go in there and give them good input. He can say, ‘I know this is what you’re seeing, but this is what it really is because I’ve lived that life.’ And he’s done it recently.”

Gundy is right, Stoops would be a great pick for the committee. More importantly, he would be a great representative for the Big 12.

“It would be really good for us to have a guy on there that’s from our culture in this environment and the life we live. Because it is different. It’s no different from politics in Washington D.C. There’s a reason the right wants the right and the left wants the left. So when it comes time to vote, they vote for them. So I think he’d be great.”

Since the committee was formed, there have been only two members with Big 12 ties — West Virginia Athletic Director Oliver Luck, and current committee chair and Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt.

Meanwhile the Big 10 and Pac-12 have each had four members with ties to their conferences, while the SEC has had three. Add to that, some of those representatives have been seen as the “strong voices” in the committee. It’s no coincidence that the perception of the rise of the Big 10 has coincided with certain individuals with Big 10 ties joining the committee. Well that and Urban Meyer.

Having someone with the respect and sway Bob Stoops would demand would pay huge dividends for the Big 12. I’m not saying he would play favorites, but his voice would carry weight and you have to believe he would be a voice for the level of competition with which the Big 12 plays.

A strong voice in the Big 12’s corner can’t hurt. Yes, Hocutt is the chair, but he’s one man compared to multiple for other conferences. Despite how much the members might try to stay unbiased, they’re still human.

“Human nature is to always be swayed,” said Gundy. “You build a committee of … 13 people. They have human nature that sways it one way or another. They say they’re not supposed to. When they pick a jury in trial, they make sure they’re not partial one way or another.”

No matter how you feel about OU or Bob Stoops, having a guy like him in the Big 12’s corner on the committee could go a long way to helping repair the so-called damaged image of the conference.