There's a good chance OU will have four employees chosen as national coaches of the year in a span of just nine months. Those who have yet to announce are waiting for a time when Stoops might actually be able to accept the award in person. Men's gymnastics coach Mark Williams is in just his second season, and his team is ranked No. 1. Women's basketball coach Sherri Coale's Sooners are ranked No. 8, and she is a finalist for the Naismith Award. The kids are playing so well together and have great confidence.
Confident kids are easy to coach.
Last year, Coale finished a measly three votes behind Connecticut's Geno Auriemma for Associated Press national coach of the year. I was like, 'Nu-uh. It just never sunk in, even now when I talk about it. Men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson also is a Naismith finalist. Trouble is, Iowa State's Larry Eustachy hails from the same conference.