Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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GAME PREVIEW: OKLAHOMA that 1986 Irish unit, but it will still be entering one of the most difficult ven- ues for the opposition to win. "People that have any recollection or remembrance, this is big time and very important," said Jay Wilkinson, son of 1949-63 Oklahoma head coach Bud Wilkinson, in an in- terview with Sooner Nation this summer. "I think it's the most important game this year — and normally I'd say it's Oklahoma- Texas." If there is some comfort Notre Dame can take, it's that Oklahoma has lost some of its home mojo the past two seasons. In Stoops' first background helped him land the Okla- homa job in 1999 despite lacking pre- vious head coaching experience. Stoops' younger brother Mike served as the team's defensive coordinator in his first five seasons with the Soon- ers. During their sec- ond season together in 2000, Oklahoma won the national title by defeating Florida State 13-2 in the BCS title game while fin- ishing in the top 10 in almost every defen- sive category. Mike Stoops landed Junior free safety Tony Jefferson, who led the team with 37 tackles through five con- tests, is part of an improving Oklahoma defense. PHOTO COURTESY OU ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS 12 seasons from 1999-2010, Oklaho- ma's only two defeats at home were to Oklahoma State (2001) and TCU (2005). However, it now has lost two straight years, first to Texas Tech last season and now Kansas State in 2012. There's usually a first for every- thing, and this year the Irish will at- tempt to give Stoops his first two-loss campaign at home. homa teams usually has been stellar defensive play. Stoops was the defen- sive coordinator of Steve Spurrier's 1996 national championship team at the University of Florida, and the One identity of Bob Stoops' Okla- OH, BROTHER struggling a second straight season, imploding in losses to Texas Tech (41- 38), Baylor (45-38) and Oklahoma State (44-10). The time was ideal for a reunion be- the head coaching job at Arizona in 2004, but was fired during the 2011 season with a 41-50 career record. Meanwhile, the Okla- homa defense was been gradually improving each week, and it dominated in the 63-21 wipeout of Texas on Oct. 13, holding the Long- horns to 14 total yards in the first quar- ter and two first downs in the first half before yielding a couple of late scores in the contest. tween the Stoops brothers. Mike was re-hired by Bob to co-coordinate the defense with Brent Venables — who then took the defensive coordinator position at Clemson. This year's Oklahoma defense has