Sooners start spring with changed coaching staff

Landry Jones will be noticeably absent after spending the past four seasons as the starting quarterback, first as Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford's replacement and then finding his own place in the Sooners' record books. Receiver Kenny Stills and safety Tony Jefferson left early to enter the NFL draft.

Perhaps strangest of all, though, is the influx of new assistant coaches. Jerry Montgomery, Bill Bedenbaugh and Jay Boulware join Stoops' staff this spring, the first time Oklahoma has replaced three assistants in the same offseason.

Over the past two offseasons, five assistants — more than half of the staff — have been replaced in a massive overhaul.

"There's always different reasons for that when those things happen," Stoops said Thursday. "We've had coaching changes over 15 years at different times, in different ways. We'll adjust to this one the best we can."

Stoops refused to provide any specifics on why defensive tackles coach Jackie Shipp and offensive line coaches James Patton and Bruce Kittle were let go, saying those were "private conversations." The changes have come as Oklahoma has been out of the national title chase for the past five seasons.

All three of the newcomers were from established programs — Montgomery from Michigan, Bedenbaugh from West Virginia and Boulware had yet to really start at Wisconsin after a stint at Auburn — and they reflect a youth movement on the staff.

"We put them all right to work when they got here," offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. "It's been a lot of fun, getting some new energy, new ideas, guys that see things from a different perspective, seeing your program from a different perspective, too, looking from the outside in. We're excited about the things that they bring to the table."

Now that the staff is complete, the roles have been defined.

Stoops said that Bobby Jack Wright, who had been in charge of defensive ends, will now oversee the cornerbacks. Defensive coordinator Mike Stoops will also be the safeties coach as the Sooners put more manpower in the secondary in the pass-heavy Big 12.

Montgomery will coach the entire defensive line, which previously had two coaches — one for tackles and one for ends. Tim Kish remains in charge of the linebackers.

With speculation that the Sooners would be switching from a four-man defensive front to a three-man front, both Stoops brothers indicated that the reality is they plan to use both. To some degree, they're still searching for the best approach to use against the Big 12's increasingly productive offenses.