Ever since Brent Venables fired Ben Arbuckle as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator, there has been list after list of who the replacement could or should be, including our own at Stormin' In Norman. But what about who Venables should avoid after back-to-back whiffs for the role?
Venables can't afford another bad OC hire, and there are a few candidates who keep getting mentioned who would likely end Venables' time as the Sooners' head coach, especially as he needs an experienced play-caller to run the offense while he focuses on the defense.
Jon Gruden, yelling on Barstool Sports
Let's nip this one in the bud immediately. Jon Gruden was an excellent football coach at one point, but if the Sooners want to be taken seriously, Venables can't hire someone from Barstool Sports' payroll with his own job on the line.
Gruden last coached in 2021 as the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach. He's been a loud media personality ever since. He also hasn't coached at the college level since he was a wide receivers coach at Pitt in 1991.
Does Gruden still have it in him? Maybe. But a blue blood like OU should let someone else figure that out. This is the type of hire a desperate program makes.
Gruden's name hasn't been mentioned on any serious lists of possible candidates, but he's been a popular name among the fan base on social media. Move on from this possibility and start eyeing some real options.
Names like Mike Gundy and Cale Gundy also fall under this category of never gonna happen.
Cam Aiken, OC, James Madison
James Madison OC Cam Aiken has been linked to this opening because he and Venables spent time on the same staff at Clemson. But this isn't a relationship like Tony Elliott, who was the OC while Venables was the defensive coordinator at Clemson.
Aiken's roles at Clemson included offensive intern and Senior Offensive Assistant of Player Development. His only experience as a play-caller has come at East Tennessee State and now at James Madison for a combined two seasons.
Sure, there might be a prior relationship, but Aiken still has more to prove and shouldn't be hired based on one good year at the Group of 6 level.
Kevin Decker, OC, Memphis
Kevin Decker would also need to make a jump to the Power 4 level, but for the first time ever in his career. He's become a hot candidate with Memphis' offense rolling, but this is still his first season there. His other OC roles were at Old Dominion, Fordham, and Brown.
The Sooners were just burned by giving an OC his first Power 4 opportunity, so let someone else hand this one out.
Barry Lunney Jr., OC, Illinois
Barry Lunney Jr. has been mentioned as a possibility because OU athletic director Roger Denny saw firsthand what Lunney's offenses can do while at Illinois. But after bringing back men's basketball coach Porter Moser and signing Venables to a two-year extension, hopefully Denny isn't involved much in this decision.
Lunney has plenty of Power 4 experience while in Year 5 as Illinois' OC, but his offenses haven't exactly set the scoreboard on fire. He's a solid coordinator, but the Sooners can't get complacent.
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