Drake Stoops' role with OU football could grow larger with 2023 return to Sooners

ORLANDO, Fla. — Drake Stoops was surprised to find out how his father had taken his thunder.

“Yeah, it’s funny,” Drake said, with a laugh, after OU’s Cheez-It Bowl practice wrapped up Tuesday at Boone High School. “I didn’t even know he had a YouTube channel. That’s a funny way of finding out.”

But Bob Stoops, Drake’s dad and the Sooners’ legendary former coach, spilled the beans on his son Monday when he said on his YouTube bowl preview that Drake would return in 2023.

“He’s told the coaches that he’s going to return for his next year and take his COVID year and work on some particular things that he feels he can be better at,” Bob Stoops said. “And so at this point that’s where it’s at. He’s set to play another year.”

The Sooners will be without plenty of players in the Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State on Thursday (4:30 p.m., ESPN), as a handful of players have opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft and several others — mostly players well down the depth chart — have entered the transfer portal.

More:OU 3-2-1 kickoff: Can Sooners end Brent Venables' debut season with Cheez-It Bowl win?

Several prominent decisions remain — most notably wide receiver Marvin Mims but quarterback Dillon Gabriel has said he would consider his future after the game, while it’s unclear if several other players will take advantage of the COVID year to return.

But getting Stoops back is a win for the Sooners, even if Mims does ultimately return.

The Norman North product who began his career as a walk-on has carved out a not-insignificant role with the Sooners over the past three seasons.

This season, he blossomed, though, with a career-high 37 catches for 366 yards and three touchdowns. In his first four seasons in Norman, he had a combined 41 catches for 521 yards and four scores.

He became a vital security blanket for Gabriel, second only to Mims in receptions for the Sooners.

During his time in Norman prior to this season, OU had gone 44-8.

This season’s 6-6 regular-season made the draw to return for another year even stronger.

“Coming back in and wanting another year in Coach (Jeff) Lebby’s system, playing under Coach (Brent) Venables,” Stoops said of some of his reasons for returning.

“And then also going out on top and attempting that next year. Just leaving a better taste in my mouth when I leave here. It’s also a year that I’ll never get back if I don’t choose to use it. It’s a great opportunity.”

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It’s not hard to see Stoops’ role growing in the future. Tight end Brayden Willis and running back Eric Gray are headed to the next level, with Willis playing in the bowl and Gray opting out. Those two were third and tied for fourth on OU in receptions. Theo Wease, who had 19 receptions this season, is transferring to Missouri, and Stoops wound up garnering plenty of playing time late in the season that went to Wease earlier in the year.

The only sure-fire returner who had at least 10 catches for the Sooners this season is Jalil Farooq.

Stoops said he didn’t start seriously thinking about his decision until after the regular-season finale at Texas Tech on Nov. 26.

“I didn’t think it would be fair to start thinking about what my next move is when we hadn’t finished the season yet,” Stoops said. “I wanted to be all-in on that end and have my mind focused there until I really started thinking about it. I knew I’d have time to talk to everyone I needed to talk to.”

Stoops also said he enjoyed working with L’Damian Washington this season, who took over as the Sooners’ interim wide receivers coach after Cale Gundy’s unexpected departure just before the season.

“He’s been great,” Stoops said. “He has some fresh perspectives in terms that he used to play wide receiver. So getting to be coached by him and seeing minute details that he notices and gets us up on, it’s a good thing.

“I think he’s a great man and a great coach.”

Stoops endorsed Washington getting the full-time job, while deferring to Venables on the decision.

“It’s not up to me,” he said.

Cheez-It Bowl

OU VS. FLORIDA STATE: 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. (ESPN)

More:Which OU football players will benefit most from playing Florida State in Cheez-It Bowl?

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football: Drake Stoops' role could grow larger with 2023 return