Sooners HC Brent Venables opens up on two huge decisions he was forced to make this offseason that may make OU even better
The Sooners made some huge hires.
The Oklahoma Sooners recently made some pretty big changes, in which head coach Brent Venables had to make two tough decisions. Based on what we know about the two new position coaches Venables hired, these moves could be home-run hits. But there’s still work to be done.
On Sunday, the Sooners made the hires official by announcing them on social media and introducing them to the fan base. Venables released a statement about the hires.
Brent Venables’ statement about the hiring of Deland McCullough and LaMar Morgan
“I’m incredibly excited about the addition of two fantastic football coaches, great men, great leaders,” Venables said in a statement. “Our players are going to love learning under them. Both jobs were highly coveted, and we went through exhaustive searches for both positions. Deland and LaMar separated from the pack with their extensive experience, their knowledge, and their ability to teach, lead, fit in with our staff, and connect on the recruiting trail. There was no compromise in any of those areas, and both knocked it out of the park during the interview process. Our players will be the beneficiaries of their leadership, coaching, and development.
McCullough is replacing DeMarco Murray, a former Oklahoma Sooners running back and NFL running back who played for the Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, and Philadelphia Eagles. Murray took a job with the Kansas City Chiefs under head coach Andy Reid, and in a funny way, the Sooners grabbed McCullough, who was once with the Chiefs but coached for the Las Vegas Raiders last season.
“Deland has an impeccable reputation as a leader, a teacher, and a motivator,” Venables said. “His experience is exceptional, and he had a strong reputation going into the interview process. We had a previous relationship, but that was a parent-coach relationship. Now we were recruiting him in a different way. I just love Deland’s respect for and desire to align with a university power like Oklahoma. He had great familiarity with some of our players from the recruiting process while he was at Notre Dame. I was really just excited for his hunger to be at a place like OU. On top of everything else, there was just great alignment between us. From a development and leadership standpoint, he’s going to have a tremendous impact on day one.”
Morgan is replacing Jay Valai, who’s now on the Buffalo Bills defensive coaching staff in a pretty awesome role that he also couldn’t pass up. Valai was one of the best cornerback coaches in the country and was highly coveted.
“The most impressive thing about LaMar during the interview process was his football acumen,” Venables continued. “He’s got extensive experience as a play-caller, and that was among a handful of factors that separated him from the rest of the pack. What also stood out is who he is as a teacher. He’s a great relationship-driven coach, and I love his passion, his fire, his energy, and the details he coaches with, as well as how he’s able to motivate and get the best out of his guys. He’s a fantastic recruiter, a wonderful human being, a husband, and a father. As a coach, he’s tough and demanding, but the players are going to love the passion and energy he brings to the building every single day.”
These decisions could be huge for the Sooners. To read the full statement, click here.
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