Bob Stoops talks Cale Gundy resignation from Oklahoma: ‘Unfortunate and terrible situation’

Legendary former Oklahoma Sooners football coach Bob Stoops has seen it all in his more than 20 years of being involved with Oklahoma football, but the recent controversy in Norman has been difficult for Stoops as it involved a coach who had been with the program since 1999.

On Sunday, former assistant coach Cale Gundy resigned after reading offensive language off of a player’s iPad during a film session last week. First-year head coach Brent Venables said Monday in a statement that Gundy used a “racially charged word” multiple times and that Gundy “did the right thing in resigning.”

On Tuesday, Stoops hopped on KREF 1400 AM radio in Norman to discuss Gundy’s resignation and how Venables can best move forward with the program. 

OKLAHOMA’S CALE GUNDY RESIGNS AFTER READING ‘SHAMEFUL AND HURTFUL’ WORD DURING FILM SESSION

“It’s hard to talk about, really,” Stoops said when asked about his personal emotions. “I’m just really torn apart. It hurts. It’s tough. Our whole close-knit football family. It’s just an unfortunate and terrible situation, but you have to try to move forward.

“The very best way for everybody — all these parties and everybody involved — to move forward and even the fan base to move forward is to have a degree of understanding for everybody and all parties and let it go,” Stoops continued, according to The Oklahoman. “Move forward because it isn’t going to change. It is what it is. It’s unfortunate. It’s sad. It kills me. But again, there is no good position on this. You just have to move forward.”

OKLAHOMA’S BRENT VENABLES BACKS CALE GUNDY’S DEPARTURE, SAYS COACH USED ‘RACIALLY CHARGED WORD’ MULTIPLE TIMES

Venables was hired in December following the departure of Lincoln Riley to USC, after spending the last 10 seasons as the defensive coordinator at Clemson. In taking the head job at Oklahoma, Venables returned to where it all began for him, spending 13 seasons as a defensive coach of the Sooners from 1999-2011. 

For Stoops, Venables, vast experience coaching at the college level means that he has faith that Venables made the right decision for the program. 

“He may be a first-year coach, but that guy has been around for over 25 years and with three Hall of Fame coaches between (Bill) Snyder, myself and Dabo Swinney,” Stoops said, according to The Oklahoman. “He knows what kind of program he wants and the culture he wants and you got to trust him with that.

“On the player’s behalf, he sure as hell isn’t the first player and I guarantee you… he won’t be the last player not paying attention in a meeting room. It’s our job as coaches and as professionals, in a positive way, to help those players improve in that room.”

Oklahoma is set to open the 2022 regular season on Sept. 3 against UTEP.