NORMAN — An hour and a half before Oklahoma was set to open the 2017 season with UTEP, Bob Stoops slid behind the wheel of his new car. His wife Carol took the passenger's seat.
He eased the car out of the couple's home in northwest Norman to begin the familiar seven-mile drive to Memorial Stadium.
But the destination was the only familiar thing about the drive that day.
It was the first time in nearly 34 years that the couple drove to a game together. As a new retiree, Bob didn't need to arrive at the stadium hours before kickoff for final gameday preparations.