Tag: football

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Football > Finals

When OU’s football team faced the drama of losing a head coach and several key players right after a bedlam loss, finals seemed like a welcome distraction. Now that dead week is here, however, football has sparked new excitement and new hope to boost campus morale. On Sunday night, the new head coach of the football team, Brent Venables, arrived in Norman by plane. Bright and early Monday morning, the university hosted a press conference to welcome Coach Venables. Students were invited, and those who were lucky enough to escape the dead week responsibilities of class, projects, and studying were able to witness the exciting event.

Clayton Chiariello spoke with me about the event.

“It started off really really slow,” he admitted. However, when the band started to play, the energy in the room grew. 

“It started getting crazy, and they showed this video of Bob Stoops…then the new coach walked in, and everyone went crazy.”

Bob Stoops may not have been there in person, but quarterback Caleb Williams was, which is very encouraging to those who have been worrying that he, too, might decide to end his time at the University of Oklahoma. The loss of Lincoln Riley was one thing, but losing players and commits was also disheartening. 

Clayton said losing wide receiver Jadon Haselwood hurt the most. 

However, Coach Venables came prepared to usher in some much-needed joy just in time for the holidays.

“He shot a little cannon of confetti,” Clayton described. “And then the fire went off.”

Yes, flames shot out of the stage to welcome the new coach. We can always count on OU football for dramatic theatrics. 

Clayton is confident that Coach Venables is qualified for the position.

“Nine years with Oklahoma, three national championships, eight championship appearances,” Clayton listed. “Never had a losing season as defensive coordinator.” 

Clayton described the “people first” mentality that Venables discussed in his speech.

Still, Clayton acknowledged the transition.

“He’s going to create a different culture.”

The OU team has long been known for their offense, but Venables is expected to bring an emphasis on defense. 

However, as Clayton pointed out, “he has a lot of alumni backing him.”

Hopefully this, along with the support of Bob Stoops, will help ease the transition. 

“[Bob Stoops has been] pivotal in helping everyone maintain confidence in the team,” Clayton said. Now the torch has officially been passed. With the Stoops stamp of approval, the University of Oklahoma is proud to welcome Brent Venables back into the Sooner family.

Photo Credit: Clayton Chiariello

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Campus Costumes

Throughout this Halloween week, each day there have been more and more costume sightings around campus. Whether it is dressing up with friends or wearing a costume to a club meeting, there are many opportunities to show off creativity and personality. 

With a football game the day before Halloween, it was no surprise to see costumes sprinkled in among the fan attire at the stadium today. Joseph Matthews, the hotdog sitting in the row behind me, gave me the rundown of his costume experience. 

Joseph decided to show off his costume at the game today because he wanted a chance to be on tv. 

“I felt like it was going to get me on ABC, and I heard about Fan of the Game,” he explained. “I’m going for that…get those air pods, that’s what I heard.”

While he did not get fan of the game, his school spirit was evident. 

You may be wondering what inspired Joseph to dress up in a hotdog suit. It was a matter of fate.

“I won the costume at church and had no other option.”

Last-minute Halloween costumes can still be the best, however. Joseph claims he has not seen any costumes on campus that tops his hotdog suit. He has even worn it to Chick-fil-A and Braums. However, he does admit that it is not the best costume he has ever worn. 

“I was dressed up as Phantom of the Opera when I was in third grade with my sister,” he told me. 

I have to agree that would make a better costume than a hotdog. 

Who knows what other free costumes Joseph might have been willing to wear. He does, however, draw the line for one thing: he would never dress up as an OSU fan. Seeing that the OU football game is where he chose to wear his costume, this is probably for the best. 

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The Rufneks and the Red River Showdown!

It’s that time of year again – Texas Hate Week! The iconic Red River Showdown is just around the corner. Thousands of fans are preparing to make the journey to Dallas, Texas to cheer the Sooners to another victory against the Longhorns. 

It sort of feels like any other week, but campus is getting ready for the rivalry. Many professors have canceled classes for Friday. Just to the west of the library, a group of ten or so Rufneks and Lil’ Sis are standing guard over the freshly-painted list of all the years we have beat Texas. 

It’s a favorite tradition of the group.

“Sunday night before every OU/Texas since 1983…Rufneks paint it…then the Lil’ Sis come and fix it up Monday.”

It’s Monday afternoon, and the paint is already dry, but the group is still watching over their masterpiece. The chairs are not enough to protect it – this is the route some of the vending trucks take. One Rufnek told me about the year they had the battle with a Coca-Cola truck to keep it from driving over the sign before the game. 

Not all the Rufneks will be on the field on Saturday, but for the ones who are, it will be a highlight of their career. However, driving the schooner is not without responsibility. One of the guys told me it is both exciting and stressful. 

“The drivers get to sleep with the ponies,” they explained. “At the fairgrounds, they have this barn where they keep a bunch of animals…we keep Boomer and Sonner in a stable near them.”

The most important part, however, is standing guard all night to make sure the Texas fans don’t try anything. 

The University of Texas has its own version of the Rufneks called the Silver Spurs. They are the official caretakers of Bevo the longhorn. In keeping with the OU/Texas spirit, there is a long-standing rivalry between the Rufneks and the Spurs. 

“The presidents of each club have a bet going on. Whoever loses has to get their head shaved by the other team’s president. And they get $1500 to the charity of their choice.”

In the past, there have been other pranks as well. 

“Before any of us were here, twenty or thirty years ago, Rufneks would mess with the lock on Bevo’s trailer.”

The group talked over each other trying to recount the tale, but I got the just of the story.

“They would lock Beevo out of his own trailer.”

Another favorite Rufnek tradition is taking the home field advantage down to Dallas. Even though the stadium is halfway between Austin and Norman, it is still deep in the heart of Texas. In years when Texas wins, the site does not exactly feel neutral. To balance this out, the Rufneks like to bring some of Norman with them to the game.

“The home game before Texas, we take empty shotgun shells and put grass from our football field in them.” The Rufneks bring these shells to the Cotton Bowl to give the Sooners the “home field advantage”. 

The other important Sooner advantage comes from the fans. I asked the Rufneks what our team needs from fans this year.

“The good old classic Texas and Oklahoma rivalry support,” they replied. “OU fans to be themselves, long story short.”

Whether you’re watching from Norman or traveling to Dallas, cheer loud, be yourself, and get ready for some Sooner Magic!

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The First OU Football Game

Last Saturday, we had a surprise home game. It’s football time in Oklahoma! The student section was a completely different experience than attending games as a kid. Listening to the band, singing the alma mater, and cheering on the players made college finally seem real. I live here. I belong here. I am part of this.

For some of my friends, this was more than their first time in the student section. It was their first time attending a game in Gaylord Memorial Stadium.

I talked to Sam Flowers and Reese Pokluda to get an idea of how game day on a college campus compared to their previous football experiences.

Sam grew up in a small town in Oklahoma. Her high school did not even have a football team.

“I would go to the other school’s football games”, she explained, but that was the extent of her football exposure. Still, Sam had high expectations for Sooner football, and Saturday’s game did not disappoint.

For Reese, the game could not live up to expectations. Reese is from Texas. When we met up to talk about his first college football game, he was decked out in full Dallas Cowboys attire.

“I don’t care about college football,” he told me. “That’s just how it is. After you go to an NFL game, you’re just unimpressed by a college game.”

I have never been to an NFL game myself, so Reese explained the difference to me.

“The music is louder,” he said. “The atmosphere is very different. But also just watching, the game is so much better in the NFL.”

Reese is more into the sport itself than football traditions like singing along with the band, doing the cheers, or standing up in the student section for hours on end.

For Sam, though, The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band and the energy of the student section were the highlights of the day.

“Being a student here then going and sitting in the student section definitely felt like i was part of the game,” she said. “The heat was the worse part. The only reason why I left.”

The heat did not stop Reese from staying for the entire game. This is a matter of principle that I respect, though I will admit to leaving before the fourth quarter ended. Reese filled me in on what I missed.

“It did get exciting at the end, but it shouldn’t have.”

That was just the first game. We are ready for Saturday, even if Reese claims he is only coming back because he gets in free as a student athlete. The energy in Norman is building, and it is once again time to cheer on our Sooners. That leaves only one thing left to say…

Boomer!