After heartbreaking loss to Ohio State, Stoops looking for another strong year

Defensive backs coach Mark Stoops wants to be a head coach someday.
& lt;a href=mailto:scalzo@vindy.com & gt;By JOE SCALZO & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Miami defensive backs coach Mark Stoops will never forget this year's Fiesta Bowl.
Ohio State fans won't let him.
"We've recovered," Stoops, a 1985 Mooney High graduate, said with a laugh. "It was a good football game. You can't win it all every year."
Stoops helped to mold the nation's best secondary in 2001 as the Hurricanes defeated Nebraska in the Rose Bowl to win the national title.
After losing his entire defensive backfield to graduation and the NFL, Stoops molded a group of first-year starters into one of the nation's best last season, coming just short of another title.
"If you're going to lose, I'd rather lose to my brothers," said Stoops, who was at Mooney's Camp of Champions on Monday. "But if it can't be them, I'm glad it was Ohio State. They're a bunch of great guys and I have a lot of respect for Coach [Jim] Tressel."
He was especially impressed by OSU running back and Youngstown native Maurice Clarett.
"He's a great back, no doubt about it," Stoops said. "I studied him for 13 games and he was better in person than on TV. He's a special player."
In the family
Two of Stoops' brothers, Bob and Mike, coach at Oklahoma. His brother, Ron, now coaches for the Cardinals and his father, Ron, was a longtime Mooney defensive coordinator before passing away in 1988.
"I think in college football you try to make a name for yourself," said Stoops. "But it obviously goes without saying that my name opens doors. I've learned a lot from Bob and Mike. And it all started with my father."
Stoops, 36, played college football at Iowa and stayed on for three years as a graduate assistant. After a stint at Nordonia High School, he coached at South Florida, Wyoming and Houston. He joined the Hurricanes prior to the 2001 season.
"The games mean more to me as I get older," he said. "Each game seems to be more special."
And while he's enjoying his time at Miami, he's not ready to settle down.
Could a head coaching job be in his future?
"I hope so," he said. "I'm working toward it."
& lt;a href=mailto:scalzok@vindy.com & gt;scalzo@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;