• 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 did not show up to play
Texas had something to play for. So there’s that. If the Longhorns are to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, this was just the kind of game they absolutely had to win....
-
With W.V. set free by Big East, Big 12 schedule’s out and it’s backloaded for Sooners
With West Virginia finally receiving its release from the Big East Conference on Tuesday, the Big 12 Conference was finally able to release its conference football schedule for the 2012 season....
-
Red River rut
The rut Oklahoma has been trying to escape for the last two weeks continued to grow deeper with a 69-58 loss to Texas Tuesday night at Lloyd Noble Center....
-
OU gearing up for Texas’ Brown
If Oklahoma guard Steven Pledger had his way, tonight’s meeting with Texas will come down to two players: himself and Longhorn guard J’Covan Brown....
-
Sooners will have a dramatically new look up and down the order, on the mound
The clubhouse at L. Dale Mitchell Park hasn’t changed over the last year. Just about everything else has since the 2011 baseball season ended. The locker stalls have 20 new nameplates. The coaches’ locker room has two new ones as well. ...
-
Despite hard fight, UConn wins big
By its own standards, the Connecticut team that took the floor Monday night at Lloyd Noble Center was not in the same class as its previous incarnations. But a down year for the seven-time national champions is still better than just ...
-
Believe it or not, OU women are progressing
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma appeared plenty willing to embarrass Oklahoma for a third time in seven games....
-
OU reeling from stunning loss to Texas Tech
As Oklahoma’s players headed toward the exit at United Spirit Arena on Saturday night, most had dazed looks on their faces. The 65-47 loss to Texas Tech was something they didn’t see coming....
-
Husky challenge
No time might seem like a good time to face Connecticut. The Huskies are always terrific and this season will enter Lloyd Noble Center likely ranked No. 2 following Notre Dame’s Sunday loss to West Virginia....
-
Sooners put finishing touches on perfect opener
Oklahoma capped off a perfect opening weekend of softball on Sunday with an 11-1 victory over Kent State. The Sooners were led by another strong outing from pitcher Keilani Rickets and an offensive explosion by Allee Allen....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners did not show up to play
