Leading Oklahoma to victory seems to run in the Stoops' family, with Drake Stoops carrying on the legacy of his father, Bob Stoops.
Wide receiver Drake Stoops, the son of legendary Sooners' head coach Bob Stoops, is having his best season of his career in his sixth year at Oklahoma. His five touchdowns this season are a career high.
Though Drake is the son of the school's most winningest coach, earning his opportunity at Oklahoma did not come easy. Drake played as a walk on in the first three years of his career (2018-2020) before earning a scholarship from Riley in the spring of 2021. Drake played through the sudden departure of Riley to USC in 2021, where his father would return as the Sooners' head coach for the Alamo Bowl victory over Oregon.
Brent Venables, a long-time assistant of Bob, would be hired as Oklahoma's head coach in 2022. Venables has known Drake since he was a child as the long-time coach spent 12 years as an assistant in Oklahoma from 1999-2011. Drake was even friends with the Venables kids when they were younger. Venables' has frequently been complimentary of the leadership of the son of his former boss.
"Drake, what a baller," current Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said in 2022. "What a fun guy to watch play and compete. (He's a) great example for our guys because he doesn't say anything and he just shows up and just lays it out there every day. He's an excellent football player."
Growing up surrounded by the game of football provided Drake with a unique path to being one of Oklahoma's leading receivers.
"Just have an appreciation for, honestly, everything," Drake said at Big 12 media days this summer. "Opportunity, how many people have sacrificed to get you to where you're at. I know a lot of it is on you, and you do it. But I mean, there's a lot that's gone into it from other people. Just things like that, the little things that sometimes go forgotten about or taken for granted."
Mark Stoops, Drake's uncle and the head coach at Kentucky, has previously spoke about the Stoops' family pride in Drake's journey.
"I can't tell you the sense of pride that our whole family has watching him play," Mark Stoops said at 2023 SEC media days. "Just the way he plays the game is a way that we certainly respect in how hard he plays and the way he sacrifices for his teammates, the way he sacrifices for his teammates."
Drake had three receptions for 57 yards in Oklahoma's game against Kansas on Saturday and will look to continue his successful season to keep Oklahoma's hopes for the college football playoff alive.
