FAU hires former OU defensive coordinator
Mike Stoops leaves Alabama football analyst role for DC job
Florida Atlantic wasted no time finding a new defensive coordinator.
The Owls hired former OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops on Thursday to replace Jim Leavitt, who recently left for the same position at Southern Methodist.
Stoops was an analyst at Alabama for past two seasons, after 18 seasons as Oklahoma's defensive coordinator, from 1999-2003 and 2012-18. He went 41-50 as head coach at Arizona from 2004-11.
“Mike brings tremendous experience to the defensive side of the ball,” FAU coach Willie Taggart said in a release. “His pedigree, two national championships, countless players to the NFL
and his wealth of knowledge speaks for itself. This is a home run for us.
“As a former head coach and defensive coordinator at `Power 5' programs, he knows the importance of building a defensive staff that can teach and adjust. The strength of our defense is their on-field communication and the band of brother culture.”
Stoops will inherit a defense that performed well during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The Owls finished 24th in total defense (342 ypg), 10th in points allowed (17.4), 16th in passing yards allowed (187.7), and 51st in rushing yards allowed (154).
Stoops was a part of his brother Bob Stoops' first coaching staff at OU in the 1999 season and quickly helped turn the Sooners back into a national power. Mike Stoops' defense held four teams to single digits in the 2000 season, including a 13-2 win against Florida State in the Orange Bowl to clinch the BCS national title.
“We were fortunate to have him as long as we did,” Bob Stoops said. “He worked in a tireless manner to help us succeed. He made a great contribution to all our championships.”
Mike Stoops rejoined the Sooners' staff in the 2012 season but was fired after a 48-45 loss to Texas in the 2018 season.
He joined Nick Saban's coaching staff in the 2019 season in an off-the-field role. The Crimson Tide beat Ohio State for the national championship earlier this month.
Alabama has also lost analysts Butch Jones (head coach, Arkansas State), Charlie Strong (Jacksonville Jaguars assistant coach), Major Applewhite (offensive coordinator, South Alabama), Andy Kwon (tight ends coach, Arkansas State) and AJ Milwee (quarterbacks coach, Texas). This is on top of four offensive assistants leaving UA, three to Texas (offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, offensive line coach Kyle Flood and tight ends coach Jeff Banks) and running backs coach Charles Huff to be the head coach of Marshall.
UA has officially announced Bill O'Brien as Sarkisian's replacement and Doug Marrone as Flood's replacement. Reports have stated Robert Gillespie will replace Huff and Jay Graham will replace Banks.
UA has yet to make a prominent analyst hire this offseason. It typically takes recent head coaches or coordinators looking for work while their next coordinator or head-coaching opportunity comes up, as was the case for Jones, Strong and now Stoops. Former Texas A&M and Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin would fit the mold, as would former Texas coach Tom Herman and former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, among others.