Conference Big 12 Conference Coaches No. 5 2008 record 12–2 (7–1 Big 12) | Division South AP No. 5 Head coach Bob Stoops (10th year) | |
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The 2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the 114th season of Sooner football. The team was led by two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award winner, Bob Stoops, in his 10th season as head coach. They played their homes games at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. They were a charter member of the Big 12 Conference
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Conference play began with a win over the Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas on October 4, and ended with a win over the Missouri Tigers in the Big 12 Championship Game on December 9. The Sooners finished the regular season with a 12-1 record (7-1 in Big 12) while winning their sixth Big 12 title and their 42nd conference title overall. They were invited to the BCS National Championship Game, where they lost to the Florida Gators, 14-24. Oklahoma scored 716 points during the course of their entire season, setting an NCAA Division I record (later broken by Florida State in 2013) for most points scored in a single season.
Following the season, Phil Loadholt was selected in the 2nd round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Juaquin Iglesias was drafted in the 3rd, Nic Harris and Duke Robinson were chosen in the 5th, and Manuel Johnson in the 7th.
Recruits
On March 6, 2008, 4-star wide receiver Joshua Jarboe, who was deemed to be one of the recruits who could start playing immediately in the fall, was arrested for receiving stolen property and possessing a weapon at his DeKalb County high school. Jarboe could have faced expulsion under school policy for these felony charges, but did not. Already on thin ice for the weapons possession, he was kicked off the team in June for making a violent rap video on YouTube that described him carrying and using a gun.
Coaching staff
Prior to the season, several changes were made to the Oklahoma coaching staff.
Co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin took the head coaching position at the University of Houston.
Defensive coordinator Brent Venables was mentioned as a candidate for the opening at the University of Arkansas before it ultimately went to Bobby Petrino.
Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson interviewed and was considered a finalist for the opening at the University of Southern Mississippi. That opening ended up going to Wilson's counterpart at Oklahoma State University, Larry Fedora.
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was held on April 25–26, 2009 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The following Oklahoma players were either selected or signed as undrafted free agents following the draft.
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