Only two play-calling offensive coordinators have been fired this century from the Oklahoma Sooners, and both are on the Tennessee Volunteers’ staff this season.
The No. 18 Sooners visit No. 14 Tennessee at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday for a matchup between plenty of familiar faces with OU DNA, including a pair of former players and coordinators in Josh Heupel and Seth Littrell. Both played on the Sooners’ last national championship team in 2000 that also had OU head coach Brent Venables as a co-defensive coordinator.
Former Sooners Josh Heupel and Seth Littrell thriving with Volunteers
Former head coach Bob Stoops fired Heupel, his former QB1, in what was an ugly breakup in 2014. After numerous stops afterward, Heupel eventually became the head coach at Tennessee in 2021 and has been leading the Volunteers ever since.
Heupel just added Littrell, his former fullback at OU, to his staff as a senior offensive analyst this offseason. Although Heupel returned to Norman last year to a wholesome welcome and might have even let bygones be bygones, the breakup between Littrell and his alma-mater is still warm.
Venables fired Littrell last year midway through his first season as the Sooners’ OC. There’s no question it was a move Venables had to make to still have his own job right now, but still a harsh one only seven weeks into Littrell’s tenure as play-caller.
Saturday, if they even shake hands before kickoff and Littrell heads up to the box, will likely be the first time Venables and Littrell have spoken since the breakup.
“I don't think there will be any kind of dynamic between Seth and I,” Venables said leading up to the game. “Haven't spoken to him in a long time, but he's doing a great job, obviously, being a part of the offensive staff and the success that they’ve had this year.
“But it’s never about two people. This is a players' game and not a coaches' game. But he’s doing great. He landed right on his feet."
With Heupel as an offensive-minded head coach and Littrell by his side, the Volunteers top the SEC and rank third in the country in total offense with 510.1 yards per game. They’re also third in the country in passing offense and second in scoring offense while putting up 45.6 points a game.
“He's really good,” Venables said of Heupel. “He's got great instincts. He understands defense as much as he understands offense, maybe even more. ... Even from last season, structurally with what they do, there's been some evolvement.
“He's always evolved and he's onto the next best thing for what his team needs."