• Coaching changes will have subtle effects on Sooners
By John Shinn
Transcript Sports Writer
The promotion of Kevin Wilson to offensive coordinator and the hiring of Josh Heupel as quarterbacks coach solidified Oklahoma’s coaching staff. It took OU coach Bob Stoops all of five days to move the pieces into place after Chuck Long left to become the head coach at San Diego State.
But there’s no doubt there will be some subtle differences to the offense when the Sooners face No. 6 Oregon at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Holiday Bowl at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.
“It’s been a little hectic,” Wilson said. “Chuck did such a great job of making sure that there was just one voice speaking to the quarterback.”
That’s where the changes will likely be felt the most.
Long, a former college and NFL quarterback, had the experience and the communication skills to relate to quarterbacks. Heupel, Nate Hybl, Jason White and, this season, Rhett Bomar all benefited from their relationships with him.
Even though Heupel has returned to the coaching staff, one would have to think it is Bomar who will miss Long the most.
“We were around each other all the time and pretty much worked on a one-on-one basis,” Bomar said. “I had a really good relationship with coach Long. But he wanted to move up and he found a good opportunity for him and his family.”
Bomar understands the situation better than any player in the Sooner locker room. His father, Jerry, is a high school coach in Texas and he has seen how he had to deal with moving around.
Long sought out Bomar before he left for San Diego and wanted to make sure the quarterback understood why he was leaving.
“Growing up with a father who has been a coach at a lot of different high schools, Rhett understands that part because his father moved a couple different times,” Long said. “He’s mature that way. He understood.”
He and the rest of the Sooners have already moved on and believe any changes Wilson implements will be for the better.
Freshman wide receiver Malcolm Kelly said Wilson made a point of explaining to the entire unit he expects to remain on the same course Long set.
“I don’t know if it will be that different come game time,” Kelly said. “I miss coach Long as much as anybody just because he was so laid back. With coach Wilson, we’ll still be running the same plays. Nothing has changed that much.
“When coach Long had his announcement, coach Wilson came right up to us and told us just because the offensive coordinator is the old line coach that we’re not just going to run the ball all the time.”
The Sooners won five of their last six games by striving to both run and throw the ball effectively. Wilson laughs at the idea of throwing all that out the window.
“I think right now you kind of are what you are,” he said. “We have certain strengths and weaknesses as every team has. We were playing very well down the stretch and we’ll try to roll that in with a great challenge with Oregon.
“Change is not always good either. I don’t think we need to change just to change. I’m big on what’s best for our whole group. What’s best for our staff, what’s best for the offense and what’s going to be best for the team.”
What’s best for the team has always been the most important thing at OU. And that won’t change.
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Related Photos
-
Kevin Ellis
Discussion
Sooners ready for some changes
- OU Sports
-
-
Sooners make winning look easy
As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....
-
There are no easy outs in the lineup
Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....
-
Sooners will play for Big 12 championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...
-
Sooners send five more to nationals
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....
-
OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....
-
Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be
When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...
-
Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry
Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....
-
Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs
AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...
-
Big 12, SEC deal breaks the mold
It is unclear what the on-the-field product of the game-for-which-there-is-not-yet-a-name will be. Indeed, all we really know is the Big 12 and SEC plan to play a game on Jan. 1, 2015 (and on every Jan. 1, thereafter) that will include ...
-
Rivalry helped shape program
For coach Patty Gasso, it goes all the way back to 1995, her first year at Oklahoma. That was when her Sooners played Arizona six times throughout the season. Those Sooners were “annihilated” in all six of those contests....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners make winning look easy
