Mike Stoops gets 3-year, 1.8M deal at OU

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Mike Stoops has received a three-year contract that will pay him 600,000 annually to be the defensive coordinator for Oklahoma, and he'll have a familiar face helping him. The university's board of regents voted Tuesday to approve the terms of Stoops' employment, which includes a 245,000 base salary and 355,000 for personal services and fundraising. Later in the day, the Sooners announced that Tim Kish -- Stoops' former defensive coordinator at Arizona, who succeeded him as interim coach -- would be the new linebackers coach. "We've been together before exchanging ideas and his coaching philosophy has many similarities to what we've been doing at Oklahoma. I feel very confident about Tim and I feel that his arrival, along with Mike, will be a seamless transition for both our coaching staff and players as we look to build on the success we've already accomplished at Oklahoma," head coach Bob Stoops said in a statement. "Tim is also a great fit as a tireless recruiter who has a strong reputation in the nation's southwest and west and will be a valuable asset for our program in that regard." Mike Stoops was fired as Arizona's coach during last season and was hired earlier this month to be Oklahoma's co-defensive coordinator. Since then, co-coordinator Brent Venables left to run Clemson's defense. Kish fills that vacancy. He was Mike Stoops' defensive coordinator the past two seasons, and the Wildcats' linebackers coach since 2004. "I'm very excited, first and foremost, for myself and my family to be at such a prestigious institution and football program," Kish said in a statement. "The fact that I've known Bob Stoops for over 30 years and have coached with Mike Stoops the last eight years at Arizona made it very enticing for all of us to work together. "I'm really looking forward to contributing to the football program and helping it continue the high standards expected at Oklahoma." Kish's hiring still must be approved by the board of regents. As part of Mike Stoops' new deal, the regents voted to approve a nepotism waiver because he will be working with his brother. Mike Stoops stands to get another 50,000 if he stays with the Sooners through spring practice through May 2013 and again if he stays through May 2014.