At 45 long years of collegiate basketball coaching, legendary head coach Lon Kruger has officially announced his retirement.
The day after Kruger announced his retirement decision, another legendary Sooners coach chimed in to congratulate him on a fantastic career.
Congratulations to coach Lon Kruger on his retirement after coaching men’s basketball for over four decades,” Stoops said in a video. “Bringing four different schools to the Sweet 16 and beyond, the first coach to bring five different schools to the NCAA Tournament — and bringing OU to the Final Four in 2016.
But more than anything coach Kruger we appreciate the competitiveness that you won with, along with the humility and class that you did.”
Congrats to @LonKruger, watch out if your in a golf match with this guy. pic.twitter.com/sh7pc4b0Kw
— Bob Stoops (@CoachBobStoops) March 26, 2021
Serving as the Sooners’ head football coach from 1999-2016, Stoops had plenty of overlap with the legendary basketball coach. Over those years, it appears the two coaches got pretty tight on a personal level.
Stoops concluded his message with a funny warning to anyone planning on competing with Kruger in post-coaching life.
Everybody out there understand this,” Stoops said. “This guy is a four or five handicap golfer right now… but you better watch the games you get in with him soon, because he’s going to be scratch.”
Retiring from collegiate coaching himself in 2016, Stoops, 60, knows the post-coaching life well. During his time off, the Sooners legend has partnered with Oklahoma-based company “Rock and Roll Tequila.”
As you’re already aware, he attempted to make a coaching comeback in 2020 — taking a head coaching job with the Dallas Renegades. Due to COVID-19, the season and league itself were cancelled — once again ending his head coaching career. Since then, Stoops has signed on to join FOX’s Big Noon Tailgate pregame show this fall.
With 2021 out of the question and 2022 still up in the air; it’s hard to say if we’ll se Stoops back in the XFL or even coach again.
