• Stoops brings in Northwestern’s Patton to coach the line

By John Shinn

Transcript Sports Writer

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops could have gone in a number of directions to fill his coaching staff. He could have filled the vacancy created by former receivers coach Darrell Wyatt leaving for the NFL by just hiring another receivers coach.

Instead, he shuffled his own offensive staff and plucked James Patton away from Northwestern to become the Sooners’ offensive line coach.

“I’ve known James a little, but more than that I kept noticing and you watch how successful Northwestern has done offensively,” Stoops said. “You see how well they move the ball and the great job they’ve done again this year moving the ball.

“James does a great job getting after those guys in the offensive line. The way they’ve played fits us. He already has worked for Kevin Wilson so that will be an easy fit.”

Patton, 34, replaced Wilson as Northwestern’s offensive line coach at the end of the 2001 season and also played under Wilson when Wilson was an assistant at Miami of Ohio.

“I had a chance to be a graduate assistant coach with him and he’s kind of mentioned me as I’ve come along here in the coaching ranks,” Patton said of his relationship with Wilson. “We’ll work real close together here and I’m excited about the opportunity.”

Stoops also announced the juggling of coaching responsibilities within his staff. Wilson, the offensive line coach the past four seasons, will now coach tight ends and fullbacks. Kevin Sumlin, who’s coached tight ends for three seasons, now will coach receivers and add the titles of co-offensive coordinator and passing game coordinator.

Stoops said he decided after the Holiday Bowl that being offensive coordinator and offensive line coach was too much responsibility for one coach. He felt it was important to give Wilson a better opportunity to work with the entire offense.

Coaching fullbacks and tight ends gives him a better chance to do that.

“Putting him at tight end and fullback really gives him the opportunity to be in the middle of everything,” Stoops said. “The tight ends and the fullbacks are involved in pass protection, they’re involved in the pass routes themselves and they’re involved in run game as well,” Stoops said. “He will be able to see everything and see what he likes and doesn’t like.”

Sumlin previously coached the fullbacks and tight ends along with his duties as special teams coordinator. Stoops said he will either delegate certain special teams responsibilities to each member of the staff or handle it himself.

Patton spent the past seven seasons at Northwestern, five of those as the Wildcats’ offensive line coach.

The former first-team All-Mid-American Conference tight end at Miami began his coaching career at the school. He spent two seasons as a graduate assistant before joining the staff at Rhode Island in 1995. He spent three seasons with the Rams before going back to Miami for one season, and then to Northwestern.

Northwestern finished 7-5 last season and ranked fourth in NCAA Division I-A in total offense, averaging 500.3 yards per game.

He said the chance to compete for a national championship was the biggest reason for making the move.

“Northwestern was a great place and I had a great seven years there,” Patton said. “But getting a chance to compete for a national championship, I’m really looking forward to that. I know what Oklahoma is all about. Professionally, it’s a great move for me.”

Patton is the second new assistant to join Stoops’ staff since December. After former offensive coordinator Chuck Long left to become head coach at San Diego State and Wilson was promoted, Stoops hired former OU quarterback Josh Heupel as the Sooners’ quarterbacks coach.

Stoops said he deliberately waited until after last week’s National Signing Day to fill the staff vacancy left by Wyatt. He felt most coaches would be uncomfortable leaving so late in the recruiting process.

With recruiting over OU’s staff can now focus on next season. The Sooners begin spring practice March 20.

“It’s the perfect time because we’re going back and analyzing everything we’ve done,” Stoops said.