ESPN College Football

Coaches we love to hate week is rolling on at ESPN.com, and today it's familiar territory for the Big 12.

Some coaches are hated because they simply win too much. For the Big 12, it seems like that's the only reason why any coaches earn hatred from fans.

For the most part, the coaches in the Big 12 are a civil bunch, with hardly a heated rivalry between them that inspires hate from the fans.

Nobody catches more flak for winning than Bob Stoops and Mack Brown. That's what happens when you win and do it for a long, long time.

Stoops has been accused more than once of running up the score in some of those wins, and when you look back on the 2008 season, it's easy to see why some might feel that way. The Sooners memorably scored 60 points in five consecutive games leading up to the national title, and scored at least 52 points in four more games.

The "leaving starters in" debate is a timeless one, and I tend to fall on the side of, "If you don't like it, stop them." Others don't, and Stoops catches the flak for it.

Simply put, Big 12 teams love beating OU and Texas more than any other school, and those winning traditions are the biggest reasons why.

Stoops and Brown also have to deal with the incessant chorus from fans who argue that coaching at Oklahoma and Texas is simple: You get the best players and you get the best record, regardless of your coaching acumen.

That couldn't be further from the truth. Brown and Stoops both inherited losing teams and turned them into perennial winners who do recruit well and sign the best players in the Big 12 every season. To think that happens automatically is silly. You need good coaches to make it happen, and Brown and Stoops have personified that, even if Brown hasn't won as big as some expect with the type of talent Texas reels in.

In this debate, though, I'd argue Stoops and Brown aren't alone. In recent seasons, they've been joined by none other than Art Briles at Baylor.

The former Texas high school coach is quick with one-liners that earn the media's favor, but he talks about doing big, big things at Baylor. Things like Big 12 titles and telling players they can win Heisman Trophies.

To those on the outside, it sounds like crazy talk.

Then, he goes and inches closer to those goals. He achieved the second one last season, and does anyone want to rule out a Big 12 title for the Bears in the future?

The same people who want to do that probably would have done the same for Oklahoma State. Mike Gundy has equaled or surpassed his win total in every season at Oklahoma State.

Briles has done the exact same, even while losing Robert Griffin III in a four-win campaign in 2009.

He won seven games the following year and did the unthinkable by winning 10 games in 2011. Losing RG3 is a big blow, but Briles has stocked his team with loads of offensive talent and signed five-star talents such as safety Ahmad Dixon and running back Lache Seastrunk.

It's a new day at Baylor, and thanks to Briles the Bears will soon be playing in a new stadium, too. As much as the rest of the Big 12 wants to pretend BU will go back to the same ol' Baylor without RG3, Briles will soon prove that no such thing's going to happen in Waco.

A word of advice on how to view the trio? Don't hate. Appreciate.

Hey, you stay at the top long enough, people get tired of seeing you there.

Such is life as Mack Brown and Bob Stoops.

This year, we asked who got you fired up the most, and Brown and Stoops ran away with the poll.

Stoops hauled in 39 percent of the vote, while Brown checked in with 37 percent.

They couldn't be any more different in personality, but they have one big thing in common: They win. If a coach kept beating your team, you wouldn't like it much, either.

Stoops got the OSU faithful fired up last season when he needled them for recognizing a co-Big 12 South title in 2010. He's won the biggest of any coach in the Big 12, and until the past two seasons, Brown had won with the most consistency.

That streak of nine consecutive 10-win seasons came to a screeching halt with a 5-7 campaign in 2010, leading more than a few to question Brown's coaching prowess. Could he be as effective at another school? What if you plopped him right in the middle of Ames? Would you still be impressed?

And at Texas, which has all the resources -- both financial and recruiting -- anyone could ever want, shouldn't a coach win more than one national title in 14 seasons?

Maybe that's fair. Maybe it's not. Only eight coaches currently coaching college football even have one national title. Stoops and Brown are both in that group.

The duo has outlasted every other Big 12 coach. No one in the league has been at their current schools longer. (Yes, Bill Snyder's three-year sabbatical disqualifies him.)

Before last season, Snyder was the only coach to swipe a Big 12 title from Brown and Stoops since 2001.

Hate them if you must. Pardon them if they don't stop winning long enough to notice.

Four Oklahoma players have been suspended indefinitely for violations of team rules, which could leave the Sooners with just one receiver on the roster for the season opener who has caught a pass.

Coach Bob Stoops announced the suspensions late Wednesday night.

Receivers Jaz Reynolds, Trey Franks and Kameel Jackson and reserve safety Quentin Hayes are the players involved.

No details of the suspensions were made public, but the most troubling aspect? Two of the suspended players have been disciplined before.

This isn't the first time Reynolds has run into trouble with Stoops. Reynolds was suspended twice in 2010, including once after he made insensitive comments on Twitter following a campus shooting at the University of Texas.

This isn't the first time Stoops has punished Franks, either. After starting OU's first two games last season, Franks was suspended two games for what Stoops termed multiple violations of team rules. Franks ended the season with 22 catches for 196 yards.

Jackson, a true freshman last season who started for the Sooners in the Insight Bowl, tweeted earlier in the week that he was transferring from OU.

That's got to be frustrating for Stoops, but there's no doubt it's just as frustrating for quarterback Landry Jones, who's about to embark on an important season for his own career.

He's not getting much help from his teammates.

This story should be interesting to watch, and will have a big impact on the Sooners' Big 12 and national title hopes. Oklahoma was already a narrow favorite in the Big 12, but will the suspensions make way for another contender -- West Virginia, Kansas State, TCU, Texas perhaps? -- to grab the role of favorite come fall?

NORMAN, Okla. -- Even with its best player on the sidelines in tears, Oklahoma didn't know how bad it could get in the season's final month.

No player in the history of FBS caught more passes than Ryan Broyles. When the Sooners' receivers lost their leader and most productive member, one-loss Oklahoma went from Big 12 title contender gunning for an NCAA-most ninth BCS bowl appearance to Insight Bowl participant.

"I just felt like we didn’t know what to do once Ryan went down, to tell you the truth," receiver Kenny Stills said. "We never really saw that coming, and it hit us really hard."

After the loss, quarterback Landry Jones was shut out of the end zone for the season's final three games along with five interceptions. Oklahoma's sure-handed unit suddenly turned shaky, dropping passes more frequently than it had all season.

The Sooners started slow in a win over Iowa State, but were embarrassed in the regular season finale at Oklahoma State with the conference title hanging in the balance.

"We’re disappointed at the way we finished last season, I don’t think there’s any question," said co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Jay Norvell, "and I think that’s motivated our guys to come out and really prove themselves and to step their game up."

That's been the task for Oklahoma's receivers this spring. After Broyles' injury, Stills moved to an unfamiliar slot position, and his discomfort showed. Despite Broyles' presence, Stills managed to top 100 yards receiving three times in his first six appearances of the season.

When the Sooners' needed him to replace Broyles' production, he didn't top 75 yards receiving.

"We were figuring out what to do with different people in different positions and now I feel like the spring’s helped us figure out what we want to do," Stills said.

He's playing some inside and some outside during the spring, but his preference is simple.

"Wherever the ball’s coming, I want to go," Stills said.

He'll get this offseason to learn how to live life without Broyles, whether it's leading off the field or producing on it. He'll also have plenty of reinforcements. Freshman Trey Metoyer has turned heads in the spring and coach Bob Stoops said he could "absolutely" start.

Come fall, freshmen Durron Neal, Sterling Shepard (two of the nation's top 10 receivers in the 2012 class) and Derrick Woods will join the team, along with highly touted juco transfer Courtney Gardner.

"Competition is the best motivator that you have. That’s Oklahoma," Norvell said. "You hear stories about back in the day when all the running backs were here and coach [Barry] Switzer was here, and there’d be another guy come in, and the way guys looked at each other.

"Good players, they have a lot of pride. And I just think we’ve tried to create that environment. We have a lot of guys that can make plays and that also push each other. I think guys get excited when they see somebody come in that has ability like that and it can help the team."

Norvell's message to his receivers this spring was accountability. Replacing Broyles is up to more than just Stills.

"We’ve talked a lot about (accountability), and I think we have to do a better job of that as a unit and as a team, playing hard for each other, and I don’t think we always did that, especially at the end of last year," Norvell said. "That’s what being a part of a team is, it’s the most special thing you can ever be a part of, especially because you know somebody has your back, and that’s exactly where we started this spring."

NORMAN, Okla. -- Expect plenty from Oklahoma in the days and weeks to come, but here's a few spare notes and thoughts from my time on campus Tuesday.

• The hype machine shows no signs of slowing around incoming receiver Trey Metoyer. Coach Bob Stoops said the incoming freshman "absolutely" could start for the Sooners; co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell, who coaches receivers, laughed when he was asked if Metoyer could start. Look for more on him from SoonerNation soon. Metoyer will be a big piece for the Sooners. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is speedy with great hands and jumping ability, a rare combo. Oklahoma needs a big, productive receiver, and Metoyer's proving early on that he could have the same kind of impact as a freshman that Kenny Stills did in 2010, when he broke the school's freshman record for receiving yards, with 786.
• Trey Millard's best known for his work at fullback, but he's earned the nickname "Slash" from Stoops for his work at tight end, H-back and tailback, too. "I don't even know how he remembers it all, but he does," Stoops said. New defensive coaches Mike Stoops and Tim Kish have told stoops on multiple occasions that Millard "may be the best player on the team." His role reminds me a bit of Brody Eldridge's during the injury-plagued 2009 season. Eldridge was mostly a tight end, but played some fullback and about every position on the offensive line -- despite being just 260 pounds -- for the Sooners. You heard similar praise thrown his way.
• Dominique Whaley was the team's top rusher a year ago before his season ended with a fractured ankle. Stoops called Whaley's progress to this point "very encouraging," adding he didn't know how exactly to quantify the senior-to-be's healing process from the injury.
• What does Norvell think about younger receivers having to compete with a possible impact player in Metoyer? "That's Oklahoma," he said. Despite having four inches on the elder receiver Trey Franks, it's Metoyer who's earned the nickname "Little Trey." Such is life as a young gun. "That's how it goes," laughed fellow receiver Stills.
• Stills also opened up about life after losing team leader Ryan Broyles, the FBS career leader in receptions. Stills' production slowed and the whole receiving corps suddenly started dropping passes as the Sooners lost two of their final three regular-season games. "Everything without Ryan was hard. I feel like everybody saw that," Stills said. "I hope that I can go in and step up and make the plays Ryan did."
• Coverage wasn't different on Stills, but he was playing an unfamiliar slot position and struggled to maintain his production, much less fill the void Broyles left behind. "I was in a position I'd never played and then it was like, 'Kenny didn't step up,' which was true," he said. "I've got to make the plays when the ball comes to me."

NORMAN, Okla. -- Landry Jones was watching ESPN the first time he'd heard of George Whitfield. The California-based quarterbacks coach helped Heisman Trophy winner -- and eventual top pick -- Cam Newton prepare for the NFL draft last year, and ESPN's cameras followed both Whitfield and Newton for much of the process.

After Whitfield contacted Jones' father earlier this offseason, the Oklahoma quarterback decided he wanted a closer look.

Jones left last Friday for Stanford's campus to work with Whitfield for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon for nearly a week, returning home the following Wednesday.

"I heard he was a good fundamentals coach, so I decided instead of spending all my time at the beach or something like that, I’d go out there and get some work in," said Jones, set to embark on his senior season in the fall.

The visit focused on those physical fundamentals, and Jones didn't get much coaching on the mental side of the game. For one, he was looking to shorten his release by holding the ball higher in the pocket, but doing so in a manner that remained comfortable.

Despite traveling to the San Francisco Bay Area, Jones didn't get any time on Northern California's scenic coast.

"I was pretty exhausted at the end of the day," he said.

Oklahoma's coaches, however, said they were unaware of Jones' jaunt to the West Coast during his time off. Coach Bob Stoops didn't know about it, and neither did co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell. Norvell added that fellow offensive coordinator Josh Heupel, the Sooners' quarterbacks' coach, likely did not know. Heupel was not made available for interviews on Tuesday.

"I think it’s always good to get any pointer from anybody you can. You can assess it all you want and how much you use of it," Stoops said. "If you think I’m at all sensitive about our quarterback lineage here and how they’ve been schooled, I think you’re mistaken. I think ours is maybe as good as anyone’s in the country, so I’m not real insecure about what we’ve been doing."

Said Jones: "Heupel’s a great coach, I’m just getting a little different perspective on things and seeing if he could help me out. It was just one of those deals where I wanted to get some extra work in."

Norvell, who had met Whitfield but didn't have an opinion on the coach, also supported Jones' decision.

"They work hard and help kids out there," Norvell said. "I think it’s good that he goes and talks to people and learns, I know he’s been to camps in the summer."

Jones was joined by Clemson quarterback Tahj Boyd, who Jones noted "likes" new defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who spend the past 12 seasons at Oklahoma before taking the Clemson coordinator job.

Presumed No. 1 pick Andrew Luck also worked with Whitfield on Stanford's campus while Jones was in California. Luck would work out after Jones, and the two got time to talk between sessions.

As for results, Jones says it still may be time before he sees them.

"I think it’s an over time type deal," he said. "It’s pretty soon after spring break, I’m still trying to work on stuff, trying to button some stuff up."

And Stoops says he's not worried about any coaching advice from Whitfield or Heupel clashing, or the almost-four-year starter getting overwhelmed.

"I didn’t notice any clashing out there today," Stoops said. "He seems to be good ol’ Landry like he usually is."

NORMAN, Okla. — Last week, Oklahoma lost an assistant reputed for being a top-notch recruiter. The Sooners, however, are replacing him with a coach with the same reputation.

Former Arizona defensive coordinator Tim Kish is expected to be named OU’s next linebackers coach, sources have confirmed to SoonerNation. Kish, 57, will take over for ex-OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who last week accepted a job to be defensive coordinator at Clemson.

Kish worked with Sooners defensive coordinator Mike Stoops all eight years that Stoops was head coach in Arizona, first as a linebackers coach, then taking over as the primary defensive coordinator before the 2011 season. When Stoops was fired after a 1-5 start, Kish was named interim head coach and guided the Wildcats to a 3-3 finish.

Kish has been in coaching for more than 30 years, with stints in the Big Ten, MAC and Ohio high school ranks. He has been one of Arizona’s top recruiters, focusing primarily on the California area, where the Sooners have made inroads in recent years. In this upcoming class, OU has secured verbal commitments from wide receiver Derrick Woods (Inglewood, Calif.) and tight end Taylor McNamara (San Diego).

Bill Snyder famously returned to Kansas State with the intention of "calming the waters" and restoring stability to Kansas State's program.

Well, it appears the seas at Kansas State are notably less stormy these days, fresh off a 10-win season and returning a team with the pieces to win a Big 12 title.

Down south in Oklahoma, though, the seas look a bit rockier.

Willie Martinez was let go to make room for Mike Stoops, whose arrival paved the way for what can only be classified as a demotion for Brent Venables. He's gone from the man in charge of Oklahoma's defense since 2004 to the man sharing coordinator duties with Stoops, the exact spot he sat in back in 2003.

Between now and then, head coaching opportunities have surfaced but were never consummated.

Now, it's a little different.

The new arrival at Oklahoma has Venables mulling a reported offer from Clemson, an unthinkable move in any other scenario. In this situation, it's understandable. Stoops, through no one's fault, now stands as a rather large deterrent to Venables ever becoming a head coach.

Until, well, Monday.

News out of Clemson has been quiet, and Monday night, a report surfaced that sent Kansas State DC Chris Cosh to South Florida.

Venables has a decision to make. But after a new opening at Kansas State, it should be easy for both sides.

Hire Venables immediately. Do whatever it takes to bring him back to his alma mater and have Snyder walk away from Kansas State one more time on top.

Then hand the program off to Venables.

After Will Muschamp left Texas, no coordinator in the Big 12 was more ready for a head coaching job. Venables spent six years at Kansas State coaching linebackers from 1993-98 before leaving to join Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.

Now's the time to come back. It's fallen into place for both sides.

Venables' head-coaching opportunities have slimmed a bit, but the man can still coach and put together a defense. Why else would programs like Clemson be chasing him? His road to a head coach job becomes clearer under Dabo Swinney.

But it won't be clearer anywhere else than if Snyder decides to bring his pupil back on board and hand him the reins to the program in 2013.

The dead period is over in recruiting, and the late move complicates matters on the trail, but in coaching, coaches do what's best for themselves. No one would blame Venables for leaving, just like no one blames Bob Stoops for demoting Venables in favor of a veteran head coach who's also his brother. Kansas State would get an ideal candidate for the job, someone familiar with Snyder's ways and knowledgeable about the challenges the program has to overcome to be successful.

Snyder mastered that. Venables seems the most likely to continue it.

That leaves three big questions:

• Does Kansas State want to take the leap and go down the coach-in-waiting role that has failed others?

It should. The problem that derailed Muschamp at Texas was the open-ended time frame for Mack Brown to step down.

One or two years makes sense at Kansas State.

What about West Virginia? Please. Snyder's not going to be spreading salacious rumors about his understudy, and this is only a good idea if Snyder is on board. Bill Stewart was forced into handing his duties to Dana Holgorsen.

• Does Venables want to take the leap?

Kansas State is a different place than Oklahoma. He won't have the nation's top talent to craft his defenses anymore. Life's going to be more difficult in The Little Apple, but is anyone more ready to handle it than Venables?

• Is Snyder ready to leave again?

He hasn't exactly offered many hints that he is. That's another big hurdle to clear, and something Snyder has to eventually decide. The 72-year-old just finished his third season back at Kansas State.

But for both sides, this move makes too much sense. If Venables wants to be a head coach, Kansas State is the best and quickest option for him to do it.

If Kansas State wants the best coach to succeed Snyder a second time, the Snyder disciple and Kansas native, Venables, is their man.

It’s official. Mike Stoops is coming back to Norman.

Oklahoma announced the hiring in a release Friday. Stoops will serve as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach along with Brent Venables. OU also announced that secondary coach Willie Martinez has resigned.

“Mike and Brent were out the door recruiting together within two hours of Mike’s hiring so we’re off to a good start,” coach Bob Stoops said in a statement. “Mike and Brent have a long history and comfort level working together, and have together led some great defenses.”

Clemson reportedly has made a push to hire Venables to be its defensive coordinator. The Tigers fired defensive coordinator Kevin Steele this week.

OU hasn’t announced yet whether Venables or Mike Stoops will call the plays.

If Venables stays, he and Mike Stoops will be co-coordinators for the second time in their careers. The two coordinated the OU defense from 1999-03 until Stoops took the head job at Arizona. Mike Stoops was fired from that job after the Wildcats got off to a 1-5 start this season.

“We feel very fortunate to have Mike on our staff. Over the past few months, because of the reputation he has built among his peers, he was a highly sought-after coach,” Bob Stoops said. “People across the country recognize his tremendous knowledge of the game and great energy. He will have a very positive impact on our program.”

Bob Stoops said that Martinez will pursue “attractive options” at other schools.

“I appreciate all of Willie’s work here,” Bob Stoops said. “He represented our program in the right way and will continue to do well in our profession.”

As quickly as it arrived, the Big 12 season is gone.

Alas, here's a look at the 10 moments we'll remember most from the 2011 season. These aren't necessarily the best or worst moments, but simply that: memorable. When we look back on 2011, this is what will stick out.

1. Heisman moment? Take your pick. There were plenty of them in Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III's run to an "unbelievably believable" Heisman win. What about his only reception of the season (that resulted in him getting the wind knocked out of him) on a dramatic final drive to beat TCU in the opener? What about a 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter of an overtime win over Kansas? The best on-field moment was probably his 39-yard TD pass to Terrance Williams in the final seconds to beat Oklahoma for the first time and thrust himself back into the Heisman race, despite three losses. And after beating Texas: "I think Baylor just won its first Heisman tonight," he said. Yep. It did.

2. Iowa State storms the field ... and bowl season. Oklahoma State looked headed for a showdown with Oklahoma to play for a national title, but Iowa State had other things in mind. Jared Barnett topped 375 yards passing and 75 yards rushing in just his third start to give the Cyclones a win over a top six team for the first time in 58 tries. It set off a party on the field at Jack Trice Stadium and put ISU into its second bowl in three years.

3. Texas A&M and Missouri say adios, muchachos. The Aggies had enough of Texas and wanted some of Alabama. Missouri had enough drama and wanted some stability. Texas A&M made it official in late September and Mizzou followed in early November. Texas A&M called it a "100-year decision."

4. The Big 12 says hello to two new friends. With Texas A&M and Missouri gone, expansion was the obvious necessary step. The Big 12 took it by welcoming Southwest Conference expatriate TCU home into the Big 12 on Oct. 11. And 17 days later, West Virginia followed, announcing its plans to help expand the Big 12's footprint wayyy, wayyy east.

5. The Aggies sound like a broken record. Shattered record, maybe. Texas A&M started as a Big 12 title contender with a top-10 ranking. It led 12 games by double digits. It lost six games. How'd it happen? Nobody knew, and as a result, coach Mike Sherman was fired. Over and over, it was the same story. The 20-3 and 35-17 halftime leads over Oklahoma State and Arkansas evaporated. The Aggies blew big leads over Missouri, Kansas State and Texas, too.

6. Oklahoma State finds new life ... twice. Most were resigned to Alabama and LSU meeting again for the title, but OSU made it interesting with a satisfying 44-10 embarrassment of Oklahoma, putting late pressure on voters and finishing behind Alabama by the slimmest margin in BCS history. And once OSU was in its bowl game, Stanford's Jordan Williamson yanked a 35-yard kick to send the game into overtime, where the Cowboys capitalized in a 41-38 win.

7. Texas grabs Lone Star Showdown bragging rights for...ever? The Longhorns were the underdogs in a veritable powder keg that was Kyle Field on Thanksgiving night. Then Colt, er, Case McCoy got loose for a 25-yard scramble that set up Justin Tucker's game-winning 40-yard field goal that gave Texas bragging rights in the now-defunct rivalry for as long as it would like. The Longhorns say they have no plans to continue the rivalry after the Aggies leave for the SEC.

8. The Little Apple hosts a classic. You never know when the longest game in Big 12 history is going to show up. Kansas State and Texas A&M played it. The Aggies led by 10 midway through the fourth quarter, but Collin Klein rallied the Wildcats and got the 53-50 win on — what else — a QB sneak for a game-winning touchdown.

9. Texas Tech ends Oklahoma's epic streak. The night began with ominous thunderstorms that delayed the game, but the Sooners struggled against Texas Tech's slip screens, and let Alex Torres go wild for three touchdown catches. The four-touchdown underdogs walked into Owen Field and became the second Big 12 team to ever beat Bob Stoops on his home field, and first since 2001. The Red Raiders also became the first team since 2005 to win there, ending the Sooners' 39-game home winning streak. The problem: Tech didn't win another game the rest of the season, and finished with the first losing season since 1992.

10. Dan Beebe gets the ax. The damage was done. Beebe was seen as someone who ceded to Texas at all costs, even if he did it as a last option to keep the Big 12 together in the summer of 2010. That hurt the league, and Oklahoma called for Beebe to be removed. He was, and replaced by interim commissioner Chuck Neinas, who had helped many of the league's ADs hire coaches. A permanent replacement still hasn't been named.

Honorable mention: OSU FB Kye Staley and Texas TE Blaine Irby score touchdowns in emotional returns from catastrophic knee injuries, K-State runs out of time in a near upset over Oklahoma State (and an earthquake followed), Kansas State becomes the first team to intercept RG3 and stays undefeated in an "upset" of Baylor, RG3 has his version of the "Immaculate Reception"; Missouri QB James Franklin goes beast mode on a 20-yard touchdown run in a win over Texas A&M; Missouri coach Gary Pinkel "ices" his own kicker in a loss to Arizona State; Kansas reaches a new low and trails Oklahoma State 56-7 at halftime; Ryan Broyles' career meets an unfair end with a torn ACL.

Former Arizona coach Mike Stoops will join the Oklahoma staff — and his brother, coach Bob Stoops — as co-defensive coordinator, a move that will be announced as soon as Wednesday, sources told colleague Joe Schad.

Willie Martinez, an assistant who coached the defensive backs, is leaving the staff.

Stoops was the coach at Arizona from 2004 to 2011, going 41-50 overall, 27-38 in the Pac-12.

Stoops took the Wildcats to three consecutive bowls before being released after a 1-5 start this past season.

This move's been long-rumored, and the rumors peaked when Stoops showed up on Oklahoma's sideline in its win against Iowa in the Insight Bowl.

Bob Stoops had said he would welcome working with his brother again, but that there wasn't a spot available on the staff.

With Martinez's departure soon, it looks like there will be a spot for Stoops to join. He was on Stoops' staff from 1999-2003, helping the Sooners win the 2000 national championship.

Oklahoma defensive end Ronnell Lewis officially announced his intentions to skip his senior season and declare for the NFL draft on Thursday.

The 6-foot-2, 244-pound Lewis was a second-team All-Big 12 selection by The Associated Press and is rated as the No. 4 outside linebacker by ESPN's Scouts Inc.

"Ronnell leaves with our best wishes," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops in a statement Thursday. "He managed several challenges while playing here, but always worked hard and gave us his very best effort. He has the skill to be a successful NFL player and we feel he'll do well there."

Lewis, a former 8-man football star at Dewar (Okla.) High School, flourished this season, his first as a full-time starter. He had 5.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss

He missed the final three games of the season. He suffered a sprained MCL against Baylor and missed the following week's win over Iowa State. He was also suspended for the regular-season finale against Oklahoma State for missing classes and didn't play in the Sooners' Insight Bowl win over Iowa because of academic issues.

It's time to look at three keys for the Iowa Hawkeyes before their Insight Bowl showdown Friday night against Oklahoma.

1. Establish some type of run game: Iowa must win the Insight Bowl without its top rusher for the second consecutive season, but this year brings an even bigger challenge. Suspended sophomore Marcus Coker basically has been Iowa's rushing attack this season, accounting for 67.4 percent of the carries and 80.7 percent of the yards. While Iowa boasts a strong passing attack and Oklahoma ranks 83rd nationally in pass defense, the Hawkeyes aren't built to win games with a one-dimensional offense. The onus is on the offensive line to create room for an inexperienced stable of backs. Jordan Canzeri could be a factor, while Brad Rogers, Damon Bullock and De'Andre Johnson also could get touches.

2. Rattle Landry Jones: The OU quarterback hasn't been the same since star receiver Ryan Broyles tore his ACL. Jones has thrown five interceptions and zero touchdowns in the past three games, barely completing half of his pass attempts against Iowa State and Oklahoma State. Iowa's defensive backs must make some impact plays in the game, and cornerback Micah Hyde is more than capable after recording the game-deciding pick-six against Missouri's Blaine Gabbert in last year's bowl to earn defensive MVP honors. Hyde and fellow corner Shaun Prater both need strong performances, and perhaps more important, the Iowa defensive line has to get in Jones' face. Iowa's line has been hot and cold, recording three or more sacks in six games and one or zero sacks in five other contests. The Hawkeyes need the good front four to show up.

3. Start off strong: Many are questioning Oklahoma's motivation for this game after a disappointing season. While it's hard to imagine a Bob Stoops not being ready for a winnable bowl, Iowa must capitalize on any Sooners letdown. The Hawkeyes have outscored their opponents 69-50 in the first quarter and 175-118 in the first half this season. Oklahoma stumbled out of the gate in all three of its losses (Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State). Iowa had a blistering start in the 2010 Insight Bowl, building a 17-3 lead against Missouri before having to rally late. A few quick scores could put the Sooners on their heels and have them start questioning whether they really want to be in Tempe.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has been voted the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year by the 1,200-member Football Writers Association of America.

Gundy beat out LSU's Les Miles, Kansas State's Bill Snyder, Michigan's Brady Hoke and Clemson's Dabo Swinney to win.

He led the Cowboys to an 11-1 season and the school's first Big 12 title, as well as its first BCS bowl bid.

The 11 wins equaled a school record set in 2010, when Gundy was a finalist for the award.

"It's a testament to our players and our coaching staff that we are in the position that we are in," Gundy said in a release. "I want to thank the Football Writers Association of America for recognizing our team in this way."

Former Kansas coach Mark Mangino was the last Big 12 coach to win the award in 2007. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops also won in 2000.

Gary Patterson won the award at TCU in 2009.

We know how the computers felt about Oklahoma State: They love them. The Cowboys got the nod over Alabama in four of the six computer rankings.

But what about the coaches poll and the Harris poll? They make up the other two-thirds of the BCS standings, and the ballots were made public today.

Here's the Harris poll votes, and the full coaches poll ballots.

A few notes:

• The biggest head-scratcher was George Wine, who retired as the Iowa SID in 1996, but has a vote in the Harris Poll. He had Oklahoma State at No. 6, lower than any voter in either poll. Complicating matters: he had Houston, who lost to Southern Miss by three touchdowns on Saturday, at No. 5. He told the Tampa Bay Times today that he did it because Southern Miss is better than Iowa State, who beat Oklahoma State in Ames in double overtime last month. "This voting is highly subjective. I realize that voting is subjective and often arbitrary. I probably don't do as much research ... but who the hell knows whether Oregon is better than Wisconsin?" Inexplicable.
• Missouri coach Gary Pinkel was the only Big 12 coach who voted Oklahoma State behind Alabama on his ballot. He reinforced it on Sunday night, saying the BCS "got it right." Not only that, but he didn't even put OSU at No. 3. He had them at No. 4, behind Stanford.
• Remember, only 59 coaches vote, including five from the Big 12. Pinkel joins Tommy Tuberville, Art Briles, Bob Stoops and Paul Rhoads.
• Six coaches had Oklahoma State below No. 3. Air Force's Troy Calhoun had the Cowboys at No. 5. Duke's David Cutcliffe and Syracuse's Doug Marrone had OSU at No. 4. The other two, besides Pinkel? Alabama's Nick Saban and Stanford's David Shaw, who both had Stanford at No. 3.
• Only one coach had Texas in his top 25: Rice coach David Bailiff, whose teams lost to the Longhorns this season, had them at No. 25.
• Kansas State was as high as No. 6 (Art Briles) and as low as 17 (Les Miles).
• Oklahoma was as low as No. 24 (Skip Holtz, South Florida) and as high as No. 10 (Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee).
• Sonny Dykes had Baylor at No. 21, lower than any coach, and Paul Rhoads was one of two coaches that had Baylor at No. 11.
• Missouri was on five of 59 ballots, as high as No. 22 on Fresno State coach Pat Hill's ballot.
• Former Hawaii coach Bob Wagner and former Notre Dame player Derrick Mayes also had Oklahoma State at No. 6 on his Harris poll ballot.