Gallogly working with regents on beer sales
University of Oklahoma President Jim Gallogly wouldn't divulge his opinion on whether beer should be sold during Sooner sporting events, but the long-standing issue could soon be solved.
Gallogly brought up beer sales to the Board of Regents earlier this month, and the topic will again be broached at the Board of Regents meeting on Oct. 29-30 in Lawton.
"I can't predetermine where the regents are," Gallogly said. "They will ultimately make the call. I try not to say it will be approved, it won't be approved. I don't want to speak for my regents, but we have given them a preliminary assessment of what has happened at other stadiums and whether the programs have been well received or not. As you would guess, there's people who are very for that. There's a few people against it."
Oklahoma State began selling beer at football games this fall. Texas and West Virginia are the only other schools that sell beer at games throughout the stadium. Alcohol is only offered in suites at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Both Gallogly and OU athletic director Joe Castiglione have reiterated that whatever decision is made on stadium beer sales won't be a financial one.
"It's a fan experience item pure and simple," Gallogly said. "There's a little bit of money that can be made. Some people thought alcohol sales would be a big moneymaker. Not really. Not in the overall scheme of things. What's really important is the fan experience."
Stoops to join broadcast team
Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops will join Fox Sports' coverage of OU-Texas, the network announced Thursday afternoon.
Stoops will join former Texas quarterback Vince Young during a two-hour pregame show beginning at 9 a.m. on Oct. 6 on Fox Sports 1. “We are thrilled to have two of the biggest names in Oklahoma and Texas football history join FOX for our coverage of this storied rivalry,” said Mark Silverman, Fox Sports president. "We look forward to hearing their unique perspectives and the stories they have from their days battling for bragging rights at the Cotton Bowl."
Stoops and Young will sit alongside host Rob Stone and analysts Matt Leinart, Robert Smith and Dave Wannstedt from the network's on-site studio outside the Cotton Bowl.
Stoops was 11-7 against Texas in his 18-year run as Oklahoma's coach.
Riley not worried about redshirt rule
Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said Monday that college football's new redshirt rule has led to "unintended consequences," but Wednesday he clarified the rule's effects have been 90 percent positive.
Upperclassmen deciding to sit out and transfer is one of those unintended consequences. Oklahoma State receiver Jalen McCleskey's decision Monday to sit out for the rest of his senior season and transfer caused a ripple of reactions across the country.
The new redshirt rule allows players to participate in up to four games and still maintain that year of eligibility.
Oklahoma will play its fifth game Saturday against Baylor. Riley said he isn't worried about any upperclassmen sitting out like McCleskey will do.
"I don’t think we’ve had anything here yet like what some other people across the country are dealing with," he said. "We’re all figuring it out. Again, I wonder if we end up getting to a point where that four-game rule is only for first-year players."
OU's redshirt plans, and any player transfer decisions, could materialize after Saturday.
"You will lose some guys," Riley said. "That’s part of it. I think the other thing it goes back to just having open conversations with your guys. It’s having relationships where they can talk to you and they can tell you what’s on their mind and vice versa. I think if you do that, not that it’s going to be 100 percent, but maybe it helps with some of that."