Bob Stoops Takes Shot at SEC Defenses

The Big 12 has been known as an offensive league for some time now. In 2012, seven of the conference's 10 teams averaged more than 35 points per game. Many, and maybe primarily, SEC fans have ridiculed the lack of defense played in other conferences during this championship streak.

Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops has been a big defender of his conference over the past few months and took it a step further on Wednesday, according to SoonerScoop.com. When asked about the strength of his conference, this is how he responded.

“A few years ago we had all the quarterbacks and now all of a sudden we can play a little better defense and some other people can’t play defense,” Stoops said. “Funny how people can’t play defense when there’s pro-style quarterbacks over there.”

Stoops didn't hold back. He stuck out his finger and pointed it directly at the SEC.

“How’s that happening playing all those SEC defenses?” Stoops continued. “I still don’t know how A&M was third in the country in total offense and scoring offense playing all those SEC defenses. I have no idea how that happened.

“Oh, they’ve got a quarterback, that’s right.”

There is a bit of truth to what Stoops said Wednesday. Yes, the SEC is a quarterback driven league this year and the offensive numbers reflect that. But let's revisit the last two bowl games in which Oklahoma faced and SEC team - 2013 Cotton Bowl and 2009 BCS Championship Game.

Prior to facing Johnny Manziel's Aggies in the Cotton Bowl, the Sooners had scored more than 50 points five times last season, with its lowest output of the year against Notre Dame (13). Texas A&M entered the game with the SEC's 9th best total defense and held Oklahoma to 13 points.

In the 2009 BCS Championship Game versus Florida, the Sooners had an 'unstoppable' offense. They entered that game with a streak of five-straight games of 60 points or more. Florida, who had the SEC's 3rd best defense that season, held Oklahoma to a measly 14 points that night.

Honestly, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, but Stoops is venturing into an argument he won't win until the SEC is knocked off the mountaintop.

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