Oklahoma Sooners signee Andy Bass ranked as a top 10 athlete in the 2024 class by On3

Oklahoma Sooners 2024 signee Andy Bass gets a big time recognition in On3’s latest rankings.

The final On3 [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] rankings have dropped. Oklahoma Sooner fans have been upset with how On3 has ranked their signees for the most part.

But one signee that On3 actually has ranked higher than any other recruiting service is [autotag]Andy Bass[/autotag]. The Heritage Hall product comes in as a four-star prospect in On3’s latest ranking. They also rank him as the No. 10 ranked athlete in the country.

This comes after a massive senior season by the do-everything player from Oklahoma. Bass played quarterback for Heritage Hall. He finished with 3,144 passing yards and 34 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,480 yards and 31 touchdowns.

He’s someone with elite speed and really caught the eyes of a lot of people when he came to Oklahoma’s camp this past summer. During the camp, he ran a lot of routes at wide receiver. That showed his elite speed and that he could catch the ball.

From what it sounds like, he’ll be in the running back room and will be coached by [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag], but he will be a gadget guy for the Sooners once he recovers from the injury he suffered in his final game. He’ll play some at wide receiver but also some at running back. I see him as the next [autotag]Gavin Freeman[/autotag] in the sense of just finding ways to get him the ball.

It remains to be seen how much of an impact he will have in his first year in the Crimson and Cream but if he can get back from his injury and learn the playbook, it’ll be hard to keep that speed off of the field.

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Seth Littrell not looking to change things up ahead of Sooners Alamo Bowl contest

Though the offensive coordinator will be different, the Sooners offense will remain the same in their Alamo Bowl matchup with Arizona.

Anytime there’s a coordinator change, you can expect things to look different on that side of the ball. However, that won’t happen just yet with the Oklahoma Sooners as they get set to take on the Arizona Wildcats.

Gone is [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]. Insert [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] as the new offensive coordinators. Littrell will call the plays. While the play-caller will be different, the offense will look a lot like the one Lebby produced with the Sooners.

Speaking with the media in the buildup to the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag], Littrell spoke about maintaining continuity for the Sooners in their bowl preparation.

“The offense that we’re running will stay consistent with what we’ve done throughout the year,” Littrell said. “Then we can look up after the season and figure out what we need to do moving forward as far as adjustments and kind of evolving and how we grow. But this isn’t the time for that. This is the time for these guys to go out there and play fast and have that camaraderie together.”

The tenets of the offense that have been so good this year will still be evident in Littrell’s execution. They’ll want to play fast, run the football, and try to hit big plays in the passing game. With [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] in at quarterback, the Sooners will have a bigger arm to help push the ball down the field.

The question is, will the true freshman have time? Oklahoma will be missing their left guard and center from the final three games of the season after [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] transferred and [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] opted out of the bowl to prepare for the NFL draft.

The Alamo Bowl may provide our first look at the offensive philosophy of Seth Littrell. Though the scheme and the plays will remain the same, how they’re called, the flow of the game and Littrell’s offensive demeanor may look different.

Davon Mitchell officially signs his National Letter of Intent with the Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners big time tight end target is officially on board as he signs with Oklahoma.

In 2023, the tight end position was one of the weaker groups on the team. That’s why it was important for [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] to restock that position as the Oklahoma Sooners head to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

He did just that by getting the commitment from four-star tight end [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag]. Mitchell was considered a five-star prospect and the No. 1 tight end in the 2025 class before reclassifying to 2024.

Mitchell is someone who could compete for a lot of playing time right away. This position is losing the only player that had any real production in [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag]. It’ll be hard for a true freshman to come in and play right away but he’s a guy that may just be too talented to keep off of the field.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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Oklahoma legacy Michael Hawkins signs with the Sooners

Oklahoma legacy Michael Hawkins signs national letter of intent with the Sooners.

Oklahoma’s recruiting class had one commitment when April rolled around. That verbal commitment was from four-star cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe. When the calendar turned to April, things changed quickly, and the catalyst came when quarterback Michael Hawkins announced his pledge to the Oklahoma Sooners.

Hawkins is an Oklahoma legacy by way of his father, who played defensive back at Oklahoma under Brent Venables. The younger Hawkins is a surgical passer who has steadily improved over the last two years. In his senior season, he put up video game numbers. He accounted for over 50 touchdowns and fewer than seven turnovers in 2023.

He’s been a recruiter for the rest of the class and has remained solid for Oklahoma despite the offensive coordinator switch from Jeff Lebby to Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley.

With Hawkins set to enroll early, he’ll get his opportunity to learn the playbook and get comfortable as an Oklahoma quarterback.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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State of Oklahoma’s top running back officially signs with the Sooners

The state’s top running back is officially apart of the Oklahoma Sooners football team.

Running back was an up-and-down group in 2023 for the Oklahoma Sooners. But [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] proved how good he was as a recruiter with the class of 2024.

One of those guys who committed and now has signed is the state of Oklahoma’s top-ranked running back, [autotag]Xavier Robinson[/autotag]. The Carl Albert Titan is built like a titan, standing 6 feet, 2 inches and weighing 220 pounds.

He burst on the scene after an incredible junior season in which he rushed for 2,594 yards and 39 TDs on 9.4 yards per carry. He had another fantastic season in 2023, securing Max Preps Oklahoma Prep Player of the Year. After receiving substantial interest nationally, he committed to the Sooners.

As far as his role for 2024, that is unclear. The Sooners return a great deal in the running back room. It’s unclear if new offensive coordinators [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] will use an H-back or fullback in their offense.

If they do, I can see a world where Robinson makes an immediate impact playing that [autotag]Trey Millard[/autotag], [autotag]Dimitri Flowers[/autotag] or [autotag]Jeremiah Hall[/autotag] type of role.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

 

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Jackson Arnold ‘excited’ to work new Sooners Offensive Coordinator Seth Littrell

Oklahoma has a new play-caller heading into the bowl game but Jackson Arnold feels he’s the right man for the job.

The Oklahoma Sooners will have to replace two key offensive figures heading into the bowl game and next year into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] are off to other schools. Gabriel to play for the Oregon Ducks and Lebby to be the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

So, now it’s time for the [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] show. Arnold will take over as the starting quarterback and Littrell will take over as co-offensive coordinator with [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] and will handle the playcalling.

Arnold talked about what Littrell has been like in his new role with the team. “It’s hard for Coach Littrell because we are still going off of Lebby’s plays and his terminology right now,” Arnold said. “So, I won’t see Coach Littrell take over and implement his styles until the spring, but so far, I’ve seen him step into a more vocal role. Especially in our meeting rooms. That was something I was very curious to see, knowing him coming from an analyst to a position to an OC now, I was curious to see that transition and I think he’s stepped up and been a more vocal leader for us.”

Littrell has a history of leading some high-powered offenses, whether that was for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Indiana Hoosiers, or his most recent stop as the head coach of the North Texas Mean Green.

But the main question for myself and for Sooner fans is what does he like to do? Is he more of a running guy because of his background as a fullback or is he more of a passing guy because of his background in the Air Raid?

“He’s very balanced,” Arnold said. “He loves to run the ball, he loves to throw the ball. There’s not one thing he specializes in. But being an H-back as he was a tough guy. So, obviously, he’s going to run the ball. But he’s a very balanced OC, and I’m super excited to get to work with him.”

While some may not have loved the hire, it’s clear his players are excited and believe he’s the right man for the job. Ultimately, that’s all that matters.

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What is Oklahoma getting in transfer WR Deion Burks?

Taking a look at what Purdue transfer Deion Burks can bring to the aOklahoma offense next year.

Oklahoma made a significant splash in the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] market this week when they landed Purdue wide receiver Deion Burks. Burks entered the portal after a solid year as a Boilermaker in the Big Ten, but middling quarterback play did him no favors.

Burks is as talented a playmaker to enter the portal this cycle, and his commitment to Oklahoma is significant. The Sooners weren’t particularly searching for additional wide receiver help and would only take a commitment from someone they knew was a stone-cold killer and could contribute immediately.

That fits Burks to a tee, considering multiple people, including Pete Thamel, are reiterating that Burks has the ceiling of a top 100 prospect in the NFL Draft. Thamel confirmed he had also spoken to NFL sources that corroborated this notion. Specific metrics like explosive and chunk play percentage compared Burks favorably to upcoming first-round draft pick Keon Coleman of FSU. Those types of guys are the types you take flyers on, no matter what your numbers look like.

In landing Burks, they have found a replacement and potential upgrade to Drake Stoops in the slot. Stoops is a fan favorite, but Burks is a better and more explosive athlete. For obvious reasons, he may never endear himself to fans the way Stoops did. However, his athleticism what he can do as a slot receiver adds layers to the Sooners’ offense under offensive coordinators  Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley.

Burks was a track star in high school. His vertical straight-line speed is a nightmare for opposing defenses. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver could stretch the field from the slot while opening up the intermediate areas for other Sooners receivers.

His tape showcases his ability to make tough catches in traffic. He isn’t limited to just the slot. Purdue isolated him outside the numbers, where Burks utilized his speed to stack defenders and create separation to win routes. This should open up Oklahoma to get creative because of the depth of their receiver room. Not being able to bracket coverage any receiver next year will be paramount.

If Burks’ ability to win downfield isn’t appealing enough, he is a player the Oklahoma offensive brain trust can also get involved in the run game with handoffs, sweeps, and screens. He is explosive and dynamic with the ball in his hands. The apprehension of jet sweeps from the Lebby days may still exist among many, but the jet sweeps aren’t the problem. The person running them or the situation in which they were called never made much sense. Someone like Burks is precisely the type of athlete you scheme to get the ball in their hands and sit back while he gets to the edge or finds open space.

We’d also add that with a dynamic slot guy like Deion Burks, Oklahoma can create matchup advantages in the running game next year.

With their wide receiver depth, Oklahoma should consider utilizing more ten personnel (one running back, four wide receivers, and no tight ends) next year. It would take the tight end off the field but allow the Sooners running backs and Jackson Arnold to see lighter boxes in the running game. Teams would have to deploy more defensive backs to respect the capabilities of the receivers Oklahoma has. Instead of seven or eight-man boxes, Gavin Sawchuk may see five or six-man boxes. That one less defender makes all the difference between a decent play and a chunk play.

To conclude, Burks should improve this offense next year. His inclusion gives Oklahoma five legitimate receivers with production. Jackson Arnold will have no shortage of weapons in his first season as the starting quarterback.

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OFFICIAL: Oklahoma announces Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley as co-offensive coordinators

Oklahoma Sooners officially announce Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley as co-offensive coordinators.

First reported last night, it’s now official. Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley will be the co-offensive coordinators for the University of Oklahoma.

The Sooners moved quickly to replace Jeff Lebby who was hired by the Mississippi State Bulldogs. In Littrell and Finley, the Sooners hand the reins to a pair of former players who have gleaned from the some of the best offensive minds in college football over the last 20-plus years.

Littrell will be the play-caller and will coach the quarterbacks, a role he took on this past summer at Brent Venables’ football camps. Finley will earn an expanded role in the offensive game-planning.

In addition to the promotion of Littrell and Finley, the Sooners retain their main offensive staff. As Oklahoma prepares for a move to the SEC with a first-year starter at quarterback and the job of replacing anywhere from three to four offensive linemen, having continuity in the coaching staff will lessen the disruption.

Oklahoma had the No. 3 scoring offense and the No. 4 offense in total yards in 2023 and an incredible stable of skill players returning for the 2024 season.

More: Social Media Reacts to Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley as co-offensive coordinators.

Here is the full release from the Oklahoma athletic department

Following the departure of former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby on Sunday to become head coach at Mississippi State, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables announced Wednesday that Seth Littrell has been promoted to offensive coordinator and that tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley has been elevated to co-offensive coordinator.

Littrell, who has been an offensive analyst for the Sooners this season following a seven-year head coaching stint at North Texas, will coach quarterbacks and serve as OU’s offensive play-caller. Finley, wrapping up his third season on OU’s staff, will continue to coach tight ends and will play an increased role in offensive game-planning and oversight.

“I’m thrilled to announce two former OU players as our new brain trust on offense,” said Venables, whose Sooners are 10-2 and ranked No. 12. “Seth and Joe Jon are going to make an amazing duo and lead a fantastic group of offensive coaches.

“I love the journey Seth’s been on since he left here as a player following our 2000 national championship. He was one of my favorite players, even though I didn’t coach him directly. I just had so much respect for him — his toughness, his instincts, his attitude, his mindset and his love for everything Oklahoma, thanks in part to his dad playing here. It’s awesome to be able to welcome Seth back in a coaching role. He coached under Mike Leach for four years at Texas Tech and worked with other brilliant offensive minds like Mark Mangino at Kansas, Sonny Dykes at Texas Tech and Arizona, Kevin Wilson at Indiana and Larry Fedora at North Carolina. He was a play-caller for over a decade and worked with some high-level quarterbacks like Nick Foles, Nate Sudfeld, Marquise Williams and Mitch Trubisky, among others, as well as a bunch of other tremendous skill players. Our guys are going to love what he brings to the table every day.

“And I’ve known Joe Jon since he was a 17-year-old quarterback at Arlington (Texas) High School playing for a legendary coach in his dad, Mickey. Football and coaching have been in Joe Jon’s DNA his whole life. He’s got a tremendous offensive mind and his command and leadership of young people is special. He gained great experience at excellent programs, with stops at Baylor, Missouri, Texas A&M and Ole Miss, and has had exposure to some of the best offensive minds in college football. I really love what he is all about, with his offensive philosophy and the toughness he brings to the facility every day. He’s one of the best teachers and motivators I’ve been around. He’s incredibly bright and our players are going to love him in his enhanced role. He knows our system inside and out and he’s going to be a great head coach in the near future. He passed up on opportunities to be the sole coordinator at other programs because he wanted to do this at his alma mater. OU means so much to him. I’m incredibly grateful for his commitment and his decision to continue his coaching career here at OU in this elevated role.”

Littrell returned to Norman last spring as an offensive analyst after spending the 2016-22 seasons as head coach at North Texas, where he led the Mean Green to six bowl games and two Conference USA Championship appearances. He became the first UNT head coach to lead the Mean Green to bowls in each of his first three seasons and the first to produce consecutive nine-win campaigns since 1977-78. He left North Texas ranked fourth all-time in career victories (44) and his average of 6.3 wins per season stands as second-best in the program’s history.

Littrell’s units at North Texas ranked among the top three in Conference USA in total offense, passing offense and scoring offense for four consecutive seasons from 2017-20, and led C-USA in rushing offense during both the 2020 and ’21 seasons. In 2020, when Littrell took over play-calling duties, the Mean Green ranked eighth nationally in total offense (513.2 yards per game) and ranked 23rd in scoring (34.4 points per game). In all, his squads produced four of the seven highest-scoring offenses in school history. Quarterback Mason Fine (2016-19) set school records for career passing yards (12,505) and touchdowns (93).

Prior to North Texas, Littrell served as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at North Carolina from 2014-15. In 2015, he guided an offense that ranked 11th nationally in scoring, second in yards per play (7.5) and third in yards per rush (6.0), and that set school records for points and touchdowns as the Tar Heels won the ACC Coastal Division. His 2014 unit established school records for passing yards and passing touchdowns.

Littrell spent the 2012 and ’13 seasons as offensive coordinator and tight ends/fullbacks coach at Indiana. His 2013 unit ranked ninth nationally in total offense (508.5 ypg), 17th in passing offense (306.7 ypg) and 30th in rushing offense (201.8 ypg). The Hoosiers were one of only three teams to average more than 300 passing yards and 200 rushing yards per game that season. In 2012, Indiana led the Big Ten and ranked 17th nationally in passing offense (311.2 ypg) and ranked second in the conference in total offense (442.0 ypg) and scoring offense (30.8 ppg).

Prior to Indiana, Littrell spent three seasons at Arizona (2009-11), where he coached running backs and tight ends/H-backs. He was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2010 and offensive coordinator in 2011. His 2011 unit ranked third nationally in passing (370.8 ypg) and 15th in total offense (465.2 ypg). He coached three 2011 NFL Draft selections: Foles, tight end Rob Gronkowski and wide receiver Juron Criner.

Littrell began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Mangino at Kansas (2002-04) before serving as running backs coach under Leach at Texas Tech (2005-08). The Muskogee, Okla., product was a fullback at Oklahoma from 1997-00 and served as a captain on OU’s 2000 national championship team. Littrell, whose father Jim was also an OU fullback and who won national titles in 1974 and ’75, earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from OU in 2001.

Finley, a former OU player and graduate assistant, returned to the Sooners in 2021 as assistant head coach for offense and tight ends and H-backs coach. He has served as tight ends coach since 2022.

Over his three seasons as part of the OU offensive staff, the Sooners rank sixth nationally in scoring offense (38.2 ppg), eighth in total offense (475.1 ypg), 18th in rushing offense (196.4 ypg) and 19th in passing offense (278.7 ypg). This season, OU ranks third nationally in scoring offense, fourth in total offense, sixth in passing offense and 39th in rushing offense

Finley has tutored two All-Big 12 players at OU in tight ends/H-back Jeremiah Hall (first team in 2021) and tight end Brayden Willis (second team in 2022). Willis, who led the Sooners in receiving touchdowns (seven) and ranked second on the team in receptions (39) and receiving yards (514) last season, was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

“Yes, this was an easy and convenient move,” said Venables, “but it was also the best move for our program, our players and our staff. I went through a thorough process and vetted and visited with a lot of candidates, including sitting head coaches, former head coaches, NFL assistants, quarterback gurus and others. But everything kept bringing me back to this duo and our offensive staff as a whole. Bill Bedenbaugh, DeMarco Murray and Emmett Jones combined with Seth and Joe Jon — there’s just great natural chemistry and cohesion, which is incredibly important. We’ve had great success the last two years offensively and this will give us a chance to continue to evolve as we transition to the SEC. Just like every year, there will be some things that are new next season. We’ll take advantage of what our roster allows us to. We’ve got a wealth of experience and exposure to different offensive systems and concepts, but in most ways, things will be really, really similar to what we’ve been doing. That’s a good thing.”

COMMENT FROM OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND QUARTERBACKS COACH SETH LITTRELL

“I’m incredibly grateful to Coach Venables for this opportunity. This has been a dream of mine since I was a child. I left OU after the 2000 season and it’s taken me 23 years to get back here. There’s no better honor. I’m extremely fired up to be the offensive coordinator here and look forward to upholding the standard of winning games and winning championships set by a lot of great coaches before me.

“Our system here at OU is very similar to what I had at North Texas my last several years there. Obviously, I learned a ton from my time with Mike Leach, Kevin Wilson, Larry Fedora and others. I’ve been around a lot of amazing coaches and a lot of amazing people, and you take a little bit from each and every coach you’re around. We have an unbelievable staff here. I think it will be an easy transition for our players. Our terminology and the things we do here won’t change much. But whenever there’s a different guy calling the offense, you’re going to see different flavors here and there.

“Joe Jon is an unbelievable coach and I’ll definitely lean heavily on him and all the other guys in that room. On game day, someone has to call the plays. That’s what my role will be and I’m very excited about that role. But I’ve always been in systems where we leaned heavily on each other and we game-planned together throughout the week. At the end of the day, we’re going to put it all together as a staff.”

COMMENT FROM CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND TIGHT ENDS COACH JOE JON FINLEY:

“I’m very appreciative of Coach Venables for this opportunity and for believing in Seth and me and our entire offensive staff. Oklahoma is my alma mater and has played a huge part in making me the man I am today. This is my dream school and all I want to do is help OU be the best football program it can possibly be. Coming to work each day at a place I care so much about makes me want to do everything in my power to make Sooner Nation proud of what it sees on Saturdays. I’m excited to continue to work with Coach Littrell, Coach Bedenbaugh, Coach Murray and Coach Jones, as well as the rest of our offensive staff and our players, to build upon the foundation we’ve set these last two seasons and to find ways to get better each and every day.”

– OU –

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Social Media Reacts: Seth Littrell, Joe Jon Finley promoted to Co-Offensive Coordinator

Social Media reacts to the reported promotion of Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley to co-offensive coordinator

Anytime there’s coaching turnover, anticipation builds as your favorite football team moves to fill the vacant position.

When it was announced that Jeff Lebby would be taking the Mississippi State head coaching job, the immediate question was, who would take his place? Really, even when it was rumored, people began speculating the direction the Sooners might go.

Well, with the promotions of Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley, the Sooners have their offensive coordinators.

Littrell has experience as a play caller and Finley is a highly thought-of offensive mind inside the program. Together, they’ll hope to keep the Sooners offense humming when they make the move to the SEC.

They’ll have some exciting offensive weapons to unleash in 2024 and beyond and here’s how social media reacted to the news.

Oklahoma Sooners set to name replacements for Jeff Lebby at offensive coordinator

The Oklahoma Sooners have announced who is taking over as offensive coordinator after Jeff Lebby’s departure.

The Oklahoma Sooners have determined who will be replacing Jeff Lebby, who left his offensive coordinator post to be the head coach at Mississippi State.

According to a report from SoonerScoop, the Sooners have named Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley co-offensive coordinators. Littrell and Finley take the reins of one of the best offenses in college football with some of the best young skill talent in the nation.

Littrell has long been considered the favorite for the job after joining the Sooners as an offensive analyst. Finley, the Sooners tight ends coach, has a growing reputation inside the program as an offensive mind. The two now set out to forge Oklahoma’s offensive identity in the wake of Lebby’s departure.

Both Littrell and Finley played for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Littrell played running back for Oklahoma from 1997-2000 and was a part of the Sooners national championship team. He’s had various coaching stops that included runs as an offensive coordinator at Arizona, Indiana, and North Carolina. After his stint in Chapel Hill, Littrell took the head coaching job with the University of North Texas, where he helped the Mean Green reach a bowl game six out of his seven seasons in Denton.

At each stop, Littrell helped improve the offense in total yards and points year over year. Littrell will work with the quarterbacks.

Finley played tight end for the Sooners from 2004-2007. After serving as a graduate assistant with the Sooners, Finley has been an assistant at Missouri, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M before landing with the Oklahoma Sooners. He played a role in relaying the offensive signals this season, with Jeff Lebby calling plays from the booth.

Also of note is that Oklahoma keeps its offensive staff largely intact. Stoia writes, “No full-time assistants are expected to follow Lebby to Starkville. Instead, there is an expectation that staffers Phil Loadholt, Benton Duby, Tanner Schafer and Matt Holecek will join Lebby at Mississippi State.”

In the promotions of Finley and Littrell, the Oklahoma Sooners maintain continuity on the offensive side of the ball. Their experience with Lebby will make for a more seamless transition as the Sooners take their offense to the SEC. Though there might be some philosophical differences in their approaches, Littrell and Finley can keep the language of the offense largely the same.

Now the Sooners can begin shoring up their 2024 recruiting class and explore the transfer portal for options to add depth and upgrade talent on both sides of the ball.

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