How OU’s Bob Stoops introduced Jedd Fisch to Fisch’s future wife
SAN ANTONIO — Bob Stoops gave Jedd Fisch the assist of his life.
Fisch, now Arizona’s head coach, was a graduate assistant at Florida just getting started in January 2001.
Stoops had just missed Fisch there, moving from Steve Spurrier’s staff to take over an OU program that was struggling.
Two seasons later, Stoops was the hottest commodity in college football and Fisch was trying to move up in the coaching world when the two, along with Florida coach Steve Spurrier, sat down to a table at the American Football Coaches Association.
“At the end of the night we’re all getting done with the banquet. Amber and a couple of her friends were at the table next to us,” Fisch recounted Wednesday at the head coaches’ press conference ahead of Thursday’s Alamo Bowl between Arizona and the Sooners. “He (Stoops) said, ‘ That might be a good person to say hello to.’”
Fisch did and he and Amber, who was there working for AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff, were married a few years later.
“Obviously Coach Stoops means a lot to us, as does Coach Spurrier,” Fisch said.
Here are other quick takeaways from the joint press conference between OU’s Brent Venables and Fisch:
Brent Venables’ last two years have been a whirlwind
Two seasons ago, Brent Venables was already the Sooners’ head coach when they took on Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.
But Venables watched from the sidelines with Ted Roof and Jeff Lebby while Bob Stoops coached.
Venables said Wednesday he hasn’t thought much about that in the leadup to this year’s Alamo Bowl.
“Really haven’t,” he said. “It seems like dog years. Seems like a decade ago that took place, to be honest.”
Venables praises Fisch’s program-building
One of the first things Venables brought up when he was asked about what stood out to him about the job Fisch has done building Arizona’s program was the continuity the Wildcats have been able to maintain.
Bowl opt-outs and transfers have become an epidemic across college football and though Arizona isn’t immune, it’s largely been able to keep its roster intact.
“They’re connected to something,” Venables said. “They’ve built it on relationships. They’ve built it on development.”
Venables praises departing players
Venables was asked about the core group of players who stayed — players such as Billy Bowman and Ethan Downs especially — and what that said about the culture he’s creating.
Venables talked extensively about them but also used the question as a chance to talk about players who had departed.
“I love every single one of those guys and want nothing but the best for them,” Venables said, saying he supported their decisions and that each situation was unique.
Bowman, Downs and Danny Stutsman have been among the defensive core that’s announced their decisions to stay, giving the Sooners plenty of continuity on that side of the ball heading into their SEC debut next season.
“The buy-in has never been higher,” Venables said. “The results from the season would say that and this is a group of guys that are highly invested.”
Neither team will use in-helmet communication
The NCAA approved use of in-helmet communication devices for bowl games that weren’t part of the College Football Playoff and the devices are expected to be approved next season across college football.
With the Michigan sign-stealing scandal still front and center in the sport, there has been plenty of discussion over whether or not to allow coaches to communicate with at least the quarterbacks.
Neither OU or Arizona will use the devices Thursday.
“I’m not saying I’m against it, but for us to use it as our first game right now, it doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Sooners offensive coordinator Seth Littrell said Tuesday.
A day later, Fisch — who has spent 14 years in the NFL — was asked about the devices.
“I’m all for that,” Fisch said. “I came from the NFL, so that’s how we’ve been communicating. It’s nice to get back to that. … We’re not going to be using it in this game, but we will very much be using it starting the first game of next year.”
Fisch said he hoped the NCAA would put parameters on the communication.
“You shouldn’t be in someone’s ear for 30 seconds or when they’re standing over the ball,” Fisch said. “I think that will be a distraction more than a help. The NFL has got a lot of things figured out. This is another thing I think they have figured out. Cut the things off at 25 seconds, give a coach 15 seconds to talk, then move on.”