The Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff is coming together under new head coach Brent Venables. It was long rumored that Venables was interested in bringing along Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby to serve in the same role with the Oklahoma Sooners, and it appears that it’s a “done deal.”
According to Lee Benson of News 9 out of Oklahoma City, the Sooners will be hiring Jeff Lebby away from the Rebels, where he’s had a ton of success as Matt Corral’s offensive coordinator for the last two seasons.
Ole Miss OC Jeff Lebby joining Brent Venables' staff at Oklahoma is a "done deal", per source.
Source also confirms the @AggiesToday report that Jerry Schmidt will rejoin Oklahoma as the #Sooners S&C coach. Schmidt previously held that position at OU from 1999-2017.
— Lee Benson (@LeeBensonNews9) December 8, 2021
Under Lebby, Corral completed at least 68.9% of his passes each year and averaged more than 8.8 yards per attempt the last two seasons. This season, Corrall rushed for 11 touchdowns and 597 yards.
According to Pro Football Focus, if you take away the sack yards that NCAA official stats count as rushing yards, Corral has rushed for 717 yards and 5.7 yards per carry.
In two years in Oxford, Jeff Lebby's Ole Miss offense ranked No. 3 (2020) and No. 4 (2021, so far) in the nation.
Lebby — who's also been the QB coach at Ole Miss — helped develop Matt Corral into the top QB prospect for the 2022 NFL Draft.
— Lee Benson (@LeeBensonNews9) December 8, 2021
Before his time at Ole Miss, Lebby was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Josh Heupel at UCF. After an injury ended his playing career, Lebby was once a student assistant under Bob Stoops from 2002-2006.
Lebby does come to Norman with baggage after serving under Art Briles and being named in the Baylor sexual assault scandal.
Per an Orlando Sentinel story written when Lebby was hired as the offensive coordinator at UCF, leadership discussed their feelings on the matter and their comfort level in bringing Lebby on board.
UCF athletics director Danny White had this to say: “After meeting with Jeff and learning firsthand his personal experience at Baylor, and after speaking with the administration at both Baylor and Southeastern, we became not only comfortable but excited to bring a coach and person of Jeff’s caliber to UCF. I think the results of the last 12 months speak for themselves, and Jeff’s contribution to our program both on and off the field have been profound. Our staff and, more importantly, our student-athletes love working with him.”
It’s important to note that athletics director Joe Castiglione and president Joseph Harroz would not bring Jeff Lebby on board as the offensive coordinator if they didn’t feel comfortable with his past.
All eyes turn to the rest of the staff. As Benson reports, the Sooners are turning back the clock to bring back strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt.
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