Maybe a different perspective but my take:
1) We have been piss poor with execution this year. From special teams to offensive line to just general discipline. Our issues are fixable so we MAY have a good second half of the season, We are better discipline and a few breaks away from being 4-1 right now and facing a Florida team that’s very, very beatable.
2) College football is the toughest sport to break out in. We have been low tier of Power 5 for decades but have risen to what I would consider the second tier. Do I want to move up? Hell yes, but thats a generational move that is always a challenge given recruiting, our conference, etc. I think we can get there, and I really think stoops could get us there, but its not been proven he can take a high tier QB recruit (or transfer) to that level which has been the biggest drawback in his tenure.
3) Our defense has been very solid through Stoops tenure. He is obviously very in tune with what it will take to stay competitive on that side of the ball. I go back to having several high level QB’s that just don’t produce which is my biggest complaint with him as a coach. But it only takes one, and it mainly takes one OC to get there.
4) NIL has been a huge benefit to us to allow us to pull some guys that were high level D1 recruits, but didn’t have the chance at other schools, but that also creates complications with chemistry which I really do feel this team is struggling with. I go back to the first point that if, and its a huge IF, they could ever get their shit together as a team, stop shooting themselves in the foot then they could be extremely dangerous in the 12 team system.
All that said, I am still a fan of Stoops. It could go sideways if you hire the wrong guy and most of us older fans have been there and it’s brutal. His stability within the program has been a huge benefit to the program so I do think he deserves more time if he wants to be here. There is no immediate solution at HC that I see at this point. Sumerall is awesome but he has more to prove IMO. Would love to see him be successful at a power 5 and then throw the money at him. After that the list is pretty slim on who we could reasonably get.
Just my opinion and open to other points, but we have learned, many times over, that the grass isn’t greener on the other side.