Staples: Oklahoma needs this struggle to force hard reset ahead of SEC competition

NORMAN, Okla. — Thad Turnipseed supplied a idea a couple of weeks in the past about his new employer. Former Alabama walk-on Turnipseed helped Nick Saban construct the infrastructure of faculty soccer’s reigning dynasty. Then Turnipseed helped former teammate Dabo Swinney construct one thing related — differently — at Clemson. Now, as Oklahoma’s government director for soccer administration, Turnipseed is making an attempt to assist Brent Venables remodel Oklahoma right into a program that may compete within the SEC, which additionally means Oklahoma can be able to competing for nationwide titles.

“What’s completely different right here? They’ve not likely felt any ache,” Turnipseed stated. “They’ve been fairly da-gum good. They’ve been nice.”

In different phrases, the Sooners haven’t stunk.

They haven’t been down so unhealthy that they have been keen to tug out all of the stops to make sure that by no means occurred once more. Alabama wanted the Mike Shula period to make the Saban period potential. Clemson had a bit of the time between Danny Ford’s retirement following the 1989 season and the choice in 2008 to call the receivers coach with the humorous title because the interim coach following Tommy Bowden’s ouster. Outdoors of a quick post-Barry Switzer swoon within the Nineties, Oklahoma has been at the very least above common, and normally superior, for so long as anybody at the moment alive can bear in mind.

When Turnipseed uttered these phrases, Oklahoma was 1-0. The Sooners had simply dealt with UTEP of their season opener.