Norman, Okla. ? A No. 1 ranking, a Big 12 Conference title and a berth in the national-championship game all seemed to be reasonable pursuits for Oklahoma this season.

Still, the dominating fashion in which the Sooners have gone about accomplishing those goals couldn’t have been expected for a team that entered the season without a proven quarterback, running back or receiver.

In recognition for pulling it off, Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops was named Big 12 coach of the year by the Associated Press.

Stoops also won Big 12 coach-of-the-year honors in 2000, his second season in Norman.

Stoops won in a landslide, receiving 17 of 19 votes in balloting of reporters who regularly cover the conference from newspapers in the league’s seven states.

The only other coaches to receive votes were Kansas State’s Bill Snyder, whose team will face the Sooners Saturday in the Big 12 title game, and Oklahoma State’s Les Miles.