Jan. 4—Oklahoma will be once again be looking to fill a key coordinator role heading into its first season in the SEC.
On Thursday, head coach Brent Venables announced that the school and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof “have mutually agreed to part ways.”
Roof spent the 2021 season as a defensive analyst alongside Venables at Clemson. He was named the Sooners’ defensive coordinator just five days after Venables was given the head coaching job in December of 2021.
Roof served as the Sooners’ defensive coordinator for two seasons.
“I have the utmost respect and appreciation for Ted,” said Venables said in a statement. “I told him Wednesday I made a decision to go in a new direction at defensive coordinator and offered him an opportunity to remain on our staff in a different role. He explained that he has a deep desire to keep coaching and will look to do that at a different school.”
Venables said the search for a new defensive coordinator will begin immediately.
Former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby left the Sooners’ staff to be the head coach at Mississippi State a little over a month ago. It didn’t take long for the Sooners to name Seth Littrell offensive coordinator and Joe Jon Finley as co-offensive coordinator.
Oklahoma’s defense ranked in the top-four in the Big 12 in scoring defense (23.5 points per game), rushing defense (138.9 yards per game), defensive passing efficiency (118.6), interceptions (20), third-down defense (31%), tackles for loss per game (7.5) and turnovers gained (26). Their 20 interceptions and 26 total turnovers ranked second and seventh nationally respectively.
Tarik Masri is the sports editor for The Transcript covering OU athletics and area sports. You can reach him by emailing [email protected]
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