OU football: Hire a special teams coordinator
Bob Stoops said earlier this week he has no timetable for replacing the vacant assistant spot on his staff due to Kevin Wilson’s departure to Indiana.
Stoops, however, is not confined to replacing Wilson with another tight ends/fullbacks coach. Stoops could go that direction. Or he could have Cale Gundy also coach fullbacks, and rotate James Hanna, Trent Ratterree and Austin Haywood between line assistant James Patton and receivers coach Jay Norvell.
Leaving Stoops the flexibility to go after, say, a special teams coach.
The last three years, OU’s special teams have been unspectacular. Particularly in kick coverage, kick returns and placekicking.
The last three seasons, the Sooners have given up seven kick return touchdowns; while netting zero themselves. That’s the very definition of unspectacular.
I have no idea how many schools employ special teams coordinators, but Oklahoma State, Oregon, LSU and Nebraska are some of the ones that do.
OU got to see up close and personal just how prolific the specials teams were for OSU and Nebraska (which didn’t even have return ace Niles Paul in the Big 12 Championship).
Oregon, meanwhile, leads the nation in punt returns. And LSU finished in the top 13 nationally in net punting, kickoff return average and punt return average.
Next season, OU will be good on offense. OU will be good on defense. But special teams? The Sooners could use a stellar special teams group next season. After all, special teams killed the Sooners in losses at Missouri and Texas A&M, and nearly doomed them against OSU and Nebraska.
Maybe it’s time Stoops considers hiring a special teams coordinator.
-JT
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