With Oklahoma’s offensive struggles persevering with, the Sooners’ fired offensive coordinator Seth Littrell a day after their 35-9 dwelling loss to South Carolina.
Oklahoma introduced Littrell’s firing Sunday after an earlier report from 247Sports’ Sooner Illustrated.
“Seth is an all-time nice Sooner,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables mentioned in assertion. “He has a deep love for this college and soccer program, and has poured his coronary heart and soul into each. Regardless of that, our efficiency as an offense this season has under no circumstances lived as much as the OU commonplace and I felt a change was needed now.”
Underneath Littrell this season, the Sooners’ offense totaled simply eight touchdowns in 5 video games towards energy convention competitors and ranks No. 107 nationally in scoring offense with 22.1 factors per recreation. The loss to the Gamecocks dropped Oklahoma to 1-3 in SEC play and 4-3 general below Venables this season.
Littrell was promoted to the offensive coordinator place previous to 2024 after one season working as an analyst for the workers in 2023. Jeff Lebby’s exit to develop into the pinnacle coach of Mississippi State left a emptiness on Venables’ workers, and selling Littrell was seen as a method to set up some continuity with the success the offense had seen below Lebby’s course. Additionally, Littrell received a nationwide championship with the Sooners as a fullback and carries a prolonged resume of being related to productive offenses as an assistant and head coach. Given the expertise within the quarterback room with Jackson Arnold and Michael Hawkins Jr. the choice made sense on the time, however the outcomes have mirrored a steep drop-off from the success of final yr’s offense.
Oklahoma has gone from being one of many nation’s top-five scoring offenses (41.7 factors per recreation in 2023) to having one of many 30 worst scoring offenses, the Sooners ineffectiveness offensively has created alternatives in video games for opponents to place a recreation out of attain. When Texas and South Carolina constructed sizable leads within the two most up-to-date losses for Oklahoma, each groups have been in a position to maintain serve with out going through any menace of a comeback.
“You are going to have some ups and downs,” Littrell mentioned Saturday after the loss to South Carolina, in response to 247Sports. “That is why when issues are nice, you higher humble your self. On the finish of the day, it could possibly go sideways actual fast. Once more, teaching is difficult, whether or not you are having success or not, it is proper across the nook; you are a high-quality line away, whether or not it is accidents, you are a high-quality line away from the incorrect locker room, the incorrect character — I’ve seen a whole lot of various things through the years…. That is my alma mater. Clearly, I need to win championships right here, similar to everyone else, and similar to each different coach and each different participant within the locker room, meaning lots to me.”
Oklahoma will play at Ole Miss on Saturday in Week 9. Per 247Sports, co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley is anticipated to take over the play-calling duties for the offense transferring ahead.
