Former OU standout with Bob Stoops' seal of approval joining Oklahoma State’s new coaching staff

Julian Wilson is back in Oklahoma, but will be wearing orange instead of crimson.

Wilson, who played cornerback at OU under Bob Stoops in 2011-14, was announced on Monday as Oklahoma State's cornerbacks coach, joining Eric Morris' new coaching staff in Stillwater after replacing Mike Gundy.

Julian Wilson hired by Eric Morris as Cowboys' cornerbacks coach

This is a homecoming for Wilson, who's from Moore, Oklahoma, even if it is further north than he's used to. He signed with the Sooners out of Southmoore High School in 2011 before immediately contributing as a freshman at OU. However, Wilson does still have ties to OSU with his father, Darrell McCowan, playing for the Cowboys in 1991-92.

Wilson played special teams as a freshman before cracking the starting lineup twice as a sophomore in 2012. He then started every game but one in 2023, ultimately totaling 48 games with 22 starts during his four-year college career. He finished his career with 99 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 15 pass breakups. One of Wilson's interceptions actually came against the Cowboys in 2013, which was the last time Wilson's football career led him to Stillwater.

After time in the NFL and CFL, Wilson started his coaching career in 2020 as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech. He got his first gig as a defensive backs coach in 2022 at Abilene Christian. He then had the same role at Sam Houston and North Texas the past two seasons under Skyler Cassity, who Morris hired as OSU's defensive coordinator and brought Wilson with him.

As for Wilson one day ending up on the Sooners' coaching staff, OU head coach Brent Venables was Wilson's defensive coordinator for just one season in 2011 before leaving for Clemson, so there was certainly a relationship there. Stoops would also vouch for Wilson after congratulating his former player on the new gig.