The Sooners are hoping a victory not only keeps them near the top of the rankings, but perhaps propels them back to the top of some of those that have seen them fall behind LSU and Alabama. For Texas, it’s the Longhorns first real big test. They’ve beaten the likes of UCLA and BYU, but haven’t seen a ranked team yet.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops joined 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on New School with Shan and RJ to discuss the start to the season, where the Sooners sit in the rankings, running back Dom Whaley, how the Texas offense looks as it has shifted throughout the season, what the rivalry means to him, if he’s happy the Pac-12 rumors have been put to bed and how the Florida State game prepared his team for this one.

How do you feel about your football team about a month into the season now?:

“We’re making good progress. I think so much of the time everybody wants a finished product in the second, third game. Heck, it’s still early in the season. We’ve done well and we’re making good progress and hopefully we’ll just continue to get better.”

You started the year ranked No. 1 and haven’t lost, but are ranked No. 3 now. Does that matter to you?:

“At this time of year, it really doesn’t matter. At this time of the year, it’s probably just as well. … We’re No. 1 in the coaches poll, so at the end of the day we’re up there with several other football teams with a ton of football left to play. It’s just fine.”

Talk about the improvement that Dom Whaley has made at running back:

“He’s a guy that’s really developed here and he’s having a great year so far. He’s a big, powerful guy that’s really come into his own. He’s making good, big plays for us, taking care of the football. He’s been a real plus for us.”

How has Texas’ offense changed since it switched quarterbacks?

“I think as much as anything, just the overall offense has changed with all the shifting and motioning and all the different players they have running the football. The two quarterbacks that are playing right now are really, as you could see in the last couple of weeks, are really blending or meshed into where they’re each doing the same things.”

What does the Oklahoma-Texas rivalry mean to you?:

“First I think of Big 12 championships. Now that we’re in the same divisions together, where we used to be for the last 12 years in the same division and going for championships, that’s what it’s meant to us more than anything. This game usually was a significant step and factor in winning the Big 12 championship.”

Is it nice to have some stability with the Pac-12 rumors put to bed?:

“Yeah, but you know, in the end, sometimes the landscape’s always shifting. Sometimes you have to research those opportunities and ideas and explore them. That’s what everyone has done. At the end of the day, we do realize this has been very good for Oklahoma, this league.”

How much do you think the big road game at Florida State prepared your team for this one against Texas?:

“It definitely has made us prepared to go on the road here in this game, although it’s not a road game. It’s a neutral site and we’ll have as many fans there as they will. But being in that atmosphere so early in the season, with such a loud crowd, it can only help us.”

Does the possibility of rain on gameday change the preparation in any way?:

“No. That’s something that if it happens, it happens and it happens for both teams. … In today’s world, too, they keep those balls so dry and they’ve got protective sheen on them. They keep them in these bags that keep them dry. Usually that isn’t much of a factor.”

Listen to Bob Stoops on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas here

The Sooners seemed to be just about everyone’s pick to win it all this season with Heisman Trophy candidate Landry Jones at quarterback. It should help them that they had last weekend off and have had more time to prepare. But Florida State has looked stout, outscoring opponents 96-10 through the first two games. I can’t wait for this matchup on Saturday.

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher joined Team 1270 in Tallahassee with Jeff Cameron and Matt Millar to discuss the magnitude of this game, whether he’s watched the film of last year’s loss, handling adversity in big games, how Oklahoma has built a perennial title contender and what the difference will be in the game.

You’ve got the biggest game of the weekend with Oklahoma in town, which should make for a great atmosphere. What are you expecting?:

“It’s a great game, a great opportunity. It means a lot. We understand the opportunity that is presented. That’s what life is about, opportunities — do you take advantage of them and how you approach them? That’s going to be interesting, how our team approaches this thing and make sure we prepare during the week … and then being mature enough to go out there and execute.”

Did you burn the tape of last year’s game or are you taking a look at it?:

“It is worth taking a look at. I watched it already on Sunday. … There were some good things in there. We moved the ball. We had some good ideas. There were some things in there that we liked to do and you learn from the past. You learn from their defense, what did they do. The thing last year is they got ahead so fast. … It was 28-7 and then you’re playing catchup. … They were hot and played a heckuva football game.”

On managing adversity in big games:

“You’re on the road, there’s 85,000 folks from their stadium screaming and hollering in a tough environment and that’s part of it. Hopefully the atmosphere here will benefit us this weekend. … But that’s the big part of those things, how things snowball on you. They can just take off and roll and you’ve got to manage adversity. The other team’s going to make plays; they’re on scholarships, too. Can you manage it to where it doesn’t break you?”

What does Oklahoma do better than most everybody else to consistently be in the title hunt?:

“I think, one, they recruit well. They get good players and they’ve established a winning tradition. They expect to win and they play in games. And then I think they do a good job coaching. … It’s not a secret: They recruit well, they developed a winning tradition with the habits and things you have to do and then they do a good job coaching them.”

What do you think is going to be the difference-maker in a game between two top-five teams?:

“I think it goes back to everything — turnovers and big plays. Who can take care of the football and not turn it over? Who can make big plays and change field position? And then I think the kicking game will be a big part of it, too. And then our ability to deal with the no huddle.”

Listen to Jimbo Fisher on Team 1270 in Tallahassee here

Stoops joined WWLS The Sports Animal in Oklahoma City to talk about the future of the Big 12, to joke about Texas being in control of the conference’s fate, whether he enjoys his squad starting the year ranked No. 1, which of his players have made noticeable strides since last season, what he’s expecting from the play of the tight ends and linebackers, and how he tries to avoid listening to sports radio or reading the newspaper once the season starts each year.

What he would say to those who claim that the University of Texas is controlling and running the Big 12:

“I don’t know about any of that. You can have any perception, and rarely is perception correct. But at the end of the day, if they are it isn’t being run very well, right? So whatever that perception is, I don’t know if that’s right. And of course it isn’t. Listen, we’ll have many opportunities and we have many hands to play, and we have strong leadership at this university so I know we’ll play it how we feel is best for Oklahoma.”

Whether he likes starting the new season ranked No. 1:

“I don’t really care. In the end it isn’t anything I have any control over. Whether you’re 1, 10 or 20, it doesn’t much matter — you’ve still got to play, and our guys all know that. So we’ve been 1 before, it doesn’t matter, it’s just getting down to playing well and starting this week playing Tulsa.  That’s all that matters, that’s all we’ve been working on, that’s all we think about. So, the rest  of it doesn’t matter. And really, as you know, and I’m not criticizing it, it fills up radio shows, it fills up newspapers, it fills up TV time. But so what? We’re not involved in that. The people that have got to play and compete know that they’ve got to do the work and get ready to earn it.”

On which players on the OU roster have clearly made noticeable strides from last season:

“I think all our receivers have really made really strong and good improvements, and I think it’s going to really help us. I think our guys in the secondary have really made good improvement. Some of the guys inside in the o-line. I think guys have come on strong and really done well, a couple of d-ends.

On if he thinks the tight end position will be a weapon this year after not contributing much to the Sooners’ offense a year ago:

“Yeah and it’s probably unfair a year ago because you’re judging everybody to Jermaine Grisham who was probably one of the best ever that’s played it. But James Hanna I think is a really, really special player, and I think James has a chance to make a lot of big plays this year and I think he will. He’s an excellent player.”

If he reads the newspapers or listens to sports radio:

“No. Well, I do every day leading up to the season until about game week. So from about now until the end year I won’t. In the summer I do, and in the rest of the year I do, and even during the season I want to know what’s going on in the rest of the world because I get in my own little cave and watch football. So I’ll read the front pages, but I stay away from sports coverage in the newspapers and on the radio for sure. But like in the summer or even during basketball season I’ll listen to you guys and see what’s going on or what’s happening. I get a kick out of it. Or the morning guys driving in, and they’re imitating me and that sort of thing. So, I’m good there, but once the season starts, I stay clear. My mind works on what I feel is right and best and I’m not going to be talked to about it from everybody other than my staff and my administration. So outside of that I stay clear of it.”

Listen here to Bob Stoops with Al on Inside Sports on WWLS The Sports Animal in Oklahoma City

Switzer joined 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia to talk about how there should be much steeper consequences for head coaches who know of violations within the program and don’t report it to their athletic departments, what he thinks should happen to the Miami program, why Al Golden shouldn’t be punished for transgressions committed during a previous coach’s tenure, if he thinks the Canes athletic department should have been more transparent with the investigation that was being conducted when they were interviewing Al Golden and others for the head coaching vacancy, whether he’s shocked that such high profile programs have been mired in scandal recently (USC, Ohio State, The U), and if he believes that coaches should be allowed to leave programs without consequence when it looks like they’re about to be handed down sanctions.

On the consequences being much stiffer for those head coaches who don’t immediately report the violations to their athletic departments:

“You’re exactly right, and I don’t know how many radio stations I’ve said that nationally. Jim Tressel, when he got that e-mail, he should have taken that damn e-mail, walked up to his compliance officer — which we didn’t have 30 years ago, 20 years ago when I was coaching and making $130,000 or $140,000 a year  – throw it on his desk and say ‘here’s your problem, do something about it.’ And they’d be culpable in this. But if I was a head coach today, I’d invite the president, the athletic director, the compliance officer to be at every one of my team meetings to hear coaches talk to kids that do good talks, that do good rules, they’re NCAA rules meetings, that we always have. Because we explain to those kids what their eligibility is, the importance of their eligibility and what violates their eligibility. And they all know that, every one of those kids. They know where they can go get a good deal, they know where they can find a car at cost, they learn it because of the network, they learn it from the players before them. But kids that go violate the rules…I don’t think an assistant coach comes up and goes ‘you want a car? Go see this guy…’ Coaches don’t do that.”

What he thinks should happen to the Miami program and if he thinks it’s fair that new coach Al Golden may be punished for transgressions that he had nothing to do with:

“Again, he’s got new players and is he hopeful these players are all clean? He’s a new coach, why should he pay for the sins and penalties of someone prior to him? I don’t think the NCAA will do anything to him. These guys have gone on. These guys, someone did something for ‘em, I can’t understand why in the hell the guy would turn around and try to hurt the program today and talk about it. I’ve never understood that. Some of these guys have their hand out, they want something, they get something and then they turn around and say something about the damn program. It just doesn’t make sense. There’s no loyalty factor if they did violate the damn rules. But as far as coaches and athletic departments orchestrating illegal recruiting practices — man, it just doesn’t happen in major college football; it just doesn’t happen. Yeah there’s some individual players that are bought, and there’s some outlaws, some assistant coaches that go out and put a group together that ‘I’ma put something together and get something done for some superstar player.’ That happens, and sometimes the player tries to market himself. But I’ma tell ya — 99 percent of the coaches in America try to do the thing the right way. We believe in ourselves, we’ve got integrity, and we’re going to go out and try to recruit right. We find someone that is violating, we turn their ass in to the NCAA. It’s as simple as that.”

Whether he thinks the University of Miami should have informed Coach Golden of the investigation during the hiring process since it’s now clear that the investigation was already underway when he was interviewing and ultimately hired:

“Sure there should have been full disclosure. I had a coach hired here — an excellent coach, the one I went after, the one I wanted. I had a job opening here at Oklahoma. Back in the early ’70s; in fact, 1973 he was coming, I found out we would probably be going on probation and received a letter from the NCAA. I had to call that guy and tell him I couldn’t offer him a job, I had to renege on that because of some allegations that had happened here prior to my taking the job. So I had to offer full disclosure. Anyone would have given him that. I think coaches take the job understanding that’s part of it, but that’s the past, that’s not my problem, they’ll give me leniency because of that. And hopefully that’s what happens.”

If he’s as shocked as most are that such high profile programs like USC, Ohio State and Miami have gotten into this type of serious violations predicament recently:

“None of them are immune. It’s happened in the past, it happened today, it’s going to happen in the future. You’re not going to be able to police alumni. You’ve got hundreds of thousands of people in the fanbase out there, and a minuscule of them don’t give a damn about the rules. They would rather be the buddy or best friend of some player, or star player, on the team and violate the NCAA rules. And the kid knows when he does something or takes something from that individual alumni, he knows he’s violated the NCAA rules. But he thinks he’s going to get away with it.”

If he feels anything should happen to coaches who jump ship before the sanctions come down:

“Well, I know it’s happened with assistant coaches, I don’t know if a head coach has done it, but I know assistant coaches have been penalized and therefore were persona non grata by the NCAA and could not coach again. There was a time limit put on them; they could not be hired by an NCAA program. The NCAA is very powerful. They can control college presidents and athletic directors. I promise you. They can keep you from getting a job, and they can get your ass fired. The NCAA can follow these coaches wherever they go and penalize them, but you’ve got to have the facts with you and know it’s correct. I don’t know if you’re talking about. What program had some coach that went somewhere?”

Listen here to Switzer with Jon Marks and Dan Schwartzman on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia

SEASON SUMMARY

Alabama wins its second championship in the last three seasons – and the SEC’s sixth straight BCS title – by topping Oklahoma in the BCS Championship 56.5% of the time and by a score of 27.6 – 23.1. Despite losing ultra-efficient quarterback Greg McElroy and receiving threat Julio Jones, Alabama is stacked. The Crimson Tide appears to have the best offensive line, running back and defense in the nation. Generally, the most likely team in the country to go undefeated is a non-BCS-AQ school (like TCU, Boise State, Houston, etc.). This year, that distinction goes to the SEC’s best.

In other BCS Bowls, the inaugural Big Ten Championship game winner, Wisconsin falls to new Pac-12 champion Oregon in a Rose Bowl shootout 41-31. Boise State, led by Kellen Moore, carries the flag of the BCS non-AQ schools into the Sugar Bowl where the Broncos take out SEC runner-up South Carolina 27-25. ACC winner Florida State shuts down Big East champion West Virginia 23-14 in the Orange Bowl. And Big 12 runner-up Texas A&M spoils Brian Kelly and Notre Dame’s return to a BCS game with a 31-26 victory. Perennial BCS Bowl contender LSU and offensive power house Oklahoma State may not make BCS Bowls despite being top ten teams (two teams from the SEC and Big 12 are already in), but the Tigers and Cowboys turn the Cotton Bowl into the next best match-up, one that LSU wins 37-30. Stumbling from last year’s ranks, defending champion Auburn faces Houston in the Liberty Bowl, while TCU makes the Las Vegas Bowl against Cal. And finally, in an interesting rematch from last season’s Sugar Bowl, Ohio State and Arkansas lose their starting quarterbacks, yet improve over the season to ultimately meet up in the Outback Bowl.

Team recaps, Power Rankings and Preseason Over/Under Win Total Picks are also available at PredictionMachine.com. Here are projected conference championship and bowl results for every game:

BOWL SUMMARY

Conference Championship Results

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops mostly brushed off any talk of hype and expectations that comes along with going into the season ranked No. 1. Stoops says his program has been in the top spot before, at various points in the season, and will realize that it has plenty of work to do to stay on top.

Bob Stoops joined Fox Sports Radio with Petros and Money to discuss handling the hype of being ranked No. 1, the 2000 season when the Sooners ended the year No. 1, how Landry Jones compares to other Heisman-caliber quarterbacks, if there was a turning point for him late last season, the death of a player during the offseason, the future of the Big 12, the controversy with the Longhorn Network hoping to air high school games and Sam Bradford in the NFL.

How do you handle the hype and expectations of being ranked No. 1 in the preseason?:

“They’re very aware. We’ve been No. 1 before at different stages of the year and ended up there, in 2000, as national champs. We’ve got to do the work; we’ve got to earn it. We’ve got to invest in the process of getting better. That’s meetings, paying attention, hustling, working hard on the practice field, making each other better. That’s what our focus is on.”

Remembering back to 2000:

“When you hold that thing, it’s pretty special, and it doesn’t go away. At the end of the day, we’re going to keep chasing them. I know we’re expected to do it every single year, but that’s not realistic. But we’re excited to try and do it again.”

How does Landry Jones compare to the other Heisman-caliber quarterbacks from Oklahoma’s past?:

“First, we let it happen. Landry is definitely in that same category and same makeup of the great quarterbacks we’ve had here. He’s a very bright young man, he’s very talented, a big, strong guy with a great arm. Very competitive, great leader, works really hard, so he has all of the characteristics. But we kind of have waited, whether it be Sam Bradford, whether it be Jason White, we wait until the middle of the year … and then we start doing some subtle things to make sure people are paying attention to our guy without trying to lobby.”

Was there something that changed for Jones during the final quarter of the season last year?:

“Absolutely. It really showed his development, his growth, his maturity. … All the people remember is what you do in the fourth quarter to win the game. And, in all of those games, in the fourth quarter, away from home, he couldn’t have been better. He was fantastic in both the Oklahoma State game and the Nebraska game.”

On the death of linebacker Austin Box during the offseason:

“It’s very hurtful. It’s something that we’ll continue to deal with and you move forward while you don’t forget. We remember him fondly. He was a wonderful young guy, so it’s very difficult.”

On the possibility of airing high school games on TV:

“It’s common sense, absolutely. So either change the recruiting rules or [Texas] has to abide by the same rules we do. They’ve got a lot of money, that’s fine, but don’t give their recruiting an advantage or an opportunity to recruit any different than we do.”

What’s your long-term outlook on the Big 12?:

“Long-term, who knows with anybody, with any conference? Everything’s always, I’m sure always has a chance to be fluid and change. At the end of the day, we’re a 10-team league without a championship game. And that didn’t seem like such a strange notion when you look at the Big Ten and Pac-10 for what? 100 years? … Now the shoe’s on the other foot.”

On Sam Bradford’s transition to the NFL and your convictions that he would always be a great player despite those who said he needed to work on playing under center and his footwork:

“I don’t know where this comes from. I think because we’re no huddle, people think [we're not under center]. We’re under center every bit as much as we’re not. Sam Bradford’s footwork has always been great under center. … That notion that he was a shotgun quarterback wasn’t accurate.”

Listen to Bob Stoops on Fox Sports Radio here

Big 12

Mack Brown with CJ & Klatt on 102.3 The Ticket in Denver

Bob Stoops with CJ & Klatt on 102.3 The Ticket in Denver

SEC

Dan Mullen with Mayhem in the AM on 790 The Zone in Atlanta

Will Muschamp with Barnhart & Durham on 790 The Zone in Atlanta

Dabo Swinney with Zach & Marc on WFNZ in Charlotte

ACC

Al Golden with Sid Rosenberg on WQAM in Miami

The Sooners seemed to know at some point during their process that Kruger was the man they wanted for the job. Kruger wasn’t so sure, reportedly turning them down multiple times. Finally the Sooners sweetened the pot enough that Kruger signed a contract reportedly worth more than $2 million per year over the next seven years.

Kruger will be charged with returning the Sooners to the NCAA tournament. They missed out just twice between 2000 and 2009, including a Final Four appearance in 2002, but haven’t been to the Big Dance since.

Lon Kruger joined WWLS in Oklahoma City with the Total Dominance Hour Monday to discuss how his hiring took place, how he’s developed into a proven winner, how his brief stint coaching in the NBA affected his career path, why people should consider him a better recruiter and what he heard about the Oklahoma job in talking to previous coaches.

At how the hiring played out given that he wasn’t really interested at first:

“Wasn’t even thinking about that direction, quite frankly. Wouldn’t have imagined it. … We liked what [athletic director Joe Castiglione] was saying, just didn’t quite think it would happen. He asked to meet when we went to the Final Four and we told him we’d do that. … I’m not sure exactly when it turned or why it turned.”

On not being considered perhaps a sexy pick, but having built up a pretty solid resume:

“Most importantly, it’s about getting good players. We’ve won only when we’ve had really good players. … I’m excited about the guys we’ve got. … I know they’re going to work hard and they’re going to be fundamentally sound. Last year they were pretty young, so we may be the beneficiary of them getting a year older and moving forward. We hope that’s the case. … The other thing is it’s about shared ownership. It’s about a lot of people taking ownership of the program. We need the home-court advantage and we want the students to come out. … The fans have to take ownership and be a part of it.”

On how coaching in the NBA affected him:

“We had the opportunity to go to the Hawks in Atlanta in 2000 and really were excited about that and thought we’d go down there and help them change that culture and get players and win ballgames. We didn’t get it done. It was kind of an eye-opener because everywhere else we’d been we’d had good players and had good results. … Humbling for sure, but in a healthy way.”

His response to those who say he’s not a big-time recruiter:

“Sometimes recruiting is based on what they’ve done in high school and not necessarily what they did in college. I don’t think anyone’s won at a very high level without good players. I’m proud of the guys we’ve had. I can certainly understand that we’re always wanting better players, we’re always wanting maybe more highly recruited or ranked players, but it’s about getting players that get good results.”

In having conversations with previous Oklahoma coaches, what did they say?:

“To a person, everyone thinks it’s a great job. I think people around the country that know Oklahoma basketball are also familiar with the number of great players that have played here, the outstanding teams, the tradition of postseason play. … When you talk to people that know, and certainly those that have coached here … they’re all enthusiastically supportive and proud.”

Listen to Lon Kruger on WWLS in Oklahoma City here

Bob Stoops joined KTAR in Phoenix with Gambo and Ash to talk about how preparation has been gearing up for the Fiesta Bowl, how important winning another Big XII conference title was to the program, and the game against UConn.

How preparation has been gearing up for the Fiesta Bowl:

“It has been great.  Our guys have really had a good week of work and we kind of went through a regular game week before we gave them three days off to go and enjoy their families for the holidays, for Christmas at least.  Guys have had a good week of work.”

How important winning another Big XII conference title was to the program:

“Well it is exciting, as you said, for the program the last Big XII championship game, at least for now.  With our rival Nebraska, which we have such a storied history of championship games and great games that decided championships, so it was exciting to be in that way.  They have had a great year, so it was exciting to come back like we did and win the game.  It is really special when you do that.”

Whether this year’s freshman class exceeded his expectations:

“Yeah it is fair to say that.  They just had huge years and Trey Millard and Trey Franks and there is a bunch of them, not just those couple of guys.  Trey Millard, our fullback, there is not a better guy in the country.  I mean this guy is 255 lbs., can run the ball in the 1-back sets, and has great hands out of the backfield, great protector, and great blocker.  I have got to tell you there is not one instance where you would say during the year, oh geez that was a freshman mistake and that really hurt us.  These guys really played well so it’s been fun to coach them and their future is really bright, and some of the guys redshirted are going to be special.”

On the game against UConn:

“Well, let’s face it… Everyone too, they want to talk early in the season, well since they made a quarterback change about mid-year they have gone five-straight games and haven’t lost and they have played well and beat good teams.  You are not champion of your league and winning five straight games without being a good football team.  We see them as an excellent football team and we don’t get caught up in the talk or whatever.  People are filling up space on the talk and TV, that is what they do.  We respect the way they have played the last five games, how they played and when they had to, and won.  So we understand they are a good football team.”

Bob Stoops joined the show to preview the Fiesta Bowl and look back on his team’s season.

The story described how Dupree became perhaps the most heavily recruited high school football player ever, how he made his decision to go to Oklahoma, what happened when he went there and then his demise after that between the USFL and the NFL.

Given the Cam Newton saga and all of the drama surrounding recruiting and recruiting violations these days, it was especially interesting to see to what length college recruiters went to try and get Dupree. That said, the Philadelphia, Miss., star says he never took any money from any of them.

Marcus Dupree joined 790 the Zone in Atlanta with Mayhem in the AM to discuss the reaction from the film, whether he believes any opportunities will come from it, if he’s at peace with all that has happened, if he was ever paid by recruiters, why he turned down the money and what advice he’d give to high school athletes at this point.

On whether he was surprised by the reaction surrounding the film:

“I really am. I was even shocked by how good Jonathan Hock did the film. I got so many responses just on Facebook, on Twitter. Before the film, I had 300 followers. Today, I have 3,000 followers.”

On whether the film might open the door to other opportunities:

“That’s a possibility, but I’m just continuing to live my life the same as I’ve been living it. Hopefully it will, but right now I’m still doing stuff with BP and the oil spill cleanup, supervising that. And working with a guy named Michael Dwyer trying to bring back the USFL. That’s what’s on my plate right now.”

On being at peace with everything that’s gone on in his life:

“No doubt. I’ve seen a lot, did a lot. God gave me the opportunity to do a lot of things. Me playing ball and doing the things I’ve done, I’ve made people cheer and I’ve made people cry and made people laugh and enjoyed the little time that I did have the opportunity to play before I got hurt. That’s all that matters to me.”

On whether he was was ever paid by recruiters:

“First of all, Oklahoma didn’t give my mom the double-wide trailer. That was the first thing that Ken … lied about. He lied a couple times in that film, which I told John. He lied about [when he said] I called him three days after I signed and said I regretted signing with Oklahoma. How could I regret it? I just signed it. A lot of the stuff he said in that film wasn’t true. I think kids should get paid to a certain degree, but I didn’t. I got offered a lot of money and I turned a lot of money down. One school offered me $250,000 a year … I didn’t take it.”

On why he didn’t take it:

“My mom’s a schoolteacher, my grandfather was a minister, my uncle was a deacon of a church. Growing up in Philadelphia, it doesn’t take much to live. We all agreed, you didn’t want anybody with their thumb on you, saying, ‘You’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that.’ My mom was like, ‘If it’s for you, it’s going to come to you. God’s going to make a way where it’s going to come to you. So just keep doing what you’re doing and do the right thing and it will come to you.’ That’s why I didn’t [take money].”

On what advice he’d give to high school athletes now:

“Just sit down with your parents, pray about it, make sure that the school is the right fit for you and your talent. And make sure you’re going to be happy with it.”

Listen to the interview with Marcus Dupree on 790 the Zone in Atlanta here