Potential candidates for Oklahoma's offensive coordinator job in 2025

Oklahoma, now seven games into its introduction to SEC football, sports a 1-3 conference record and with increasing odds that things could get even more discouraging by season's end for a Sooner program that is used to contending for conference and national championships and not to stay out of the league cellar

The Sooners, who just a couple of weeks ago were ranked among the nation's top 25 teams, are leaking oil badly and are about to enter the most difficult portion of their 2024 schedule, with four of their remaining five games against ranked SEC teams.

Known historically for offensive greatness, the 2024 version of the Oklahoma Sooners ranks 107th out of 134 FBS teams in scoring offense, 114th in rushing offense, 116th in passing offense and 128th in total offense. Numbers that head coach Brent Venables says aren't even remotely close to Oklahoma standards.

On Sunday, Venables fired first-year offensive coordinator Seth Littrell, and the question immediately shifted to who might the Sooners turn to lead the team back to offensive prominence in the future

For the remainder of this season, the task belongs to co-offensive coordinator Joe Don Finley, who will take over the playcalling, and offensive analyst Kevin Johns, who has called plays and served in the coordinator role at several schools (Indiana, Memphis and Duke) before arriving in Norman.

Both Finley and Johns will likely be given consideration for the full-time position, but Oklahoma is certain to conduct a national search to find the best possible candidate to fill this high-profile position. Here are the names that are popping up most often media reports and sports talk discussions:

Mike Shanahan, Indiana offensive coordinator

Shanahan (no relation to the Mike Shanahan of NFL coaching fame) is a big reason for Indiana's surprising 7-0 start this season. He followed head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison, where Shanahan was offensive coordinator for the past three seasons. The Dukes were a combined 31-7 in the three years Shanahan served as the offensive coordinator. Indiana is averaging a nation's-best 48.7 points a game this season under Shanahan's leadership. The Hoosiers averaged 22 points a game last season.

Brennan Marion, UNLV offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach

Oklahoma considered Marion during the search to replace Jeff Lebby after the 2023 season. The 39-year-old was reported to be a finalist for several head coaching jobs after the 2023 season. He led the No. 22 scoring offense in the country last season, and the Rebels are ranked No, 5 nationally in scoring so far this season with an average of 43.6 points and 429 yards per game. Before joining the UNLV staff, Marion was passing game coordinator at Texas in 2022 and coached the wide receivers at Pittsburgh the year before that.

Ben Arbuckle, Washington State offensive coordinator

This is Arbuckle's second season as offensive coordinator on Jake Dickert's Washington State staff. He came to Washington State from Western Kentucky. WSU ranked 35th among FBS teams last season in yards of offense per game (421.7) and fourth in passing yards (336.8) with Cam Ward (now at Miami and a Heisman candidate) at quarterback. The Cougars continue to shine on offense this season, average right at 40 points and 450 yards of total offense per game.

Zach Kittley, Texas Tech offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach

For the past three seasons, Kittley has called offensive plays for the Red Raiders. Before coming on board at Texas Tech, Kittley led Western Kentucky to the second best offense in the FBS in 2021. The WKU Hilltoppers averaged 44.2 points and and 560.7 yards per game that season. His offense at Texas Tech this season ranks 18th in the country in scoring offense and 19th in yards per game (459.7). Kittly coached alongside Oklahoma wide receivers' coach Emmett Jones in 2022, when Jones was in the same role for the Red Raiders.

Andy Kotelnicki, Penn State offensive coordinator

Kotelnicki is in his first season as offensive coordinator on James Franklin's staff at Penn State. For three years before that Kotelnicki served in the same capacity for the Kansas Jayhawks. While at Kansas, the Jayhawks were one of the best teams in the country in explosive 20-yard-plus plays on offense, something Oklahoma is severely absent of this season. Penn State ranks 7th nationally this season in total offense (471.2 yards per game) and averages 7.2 yards per play.

Lincoln Riley, USC head coach

Sorry, just kidding. This has absolutely zero chance of happening, although wouldn't it be nice to have any part of those offenses back.