Oklahoma hopes a coordinator change can spark its offense.
According to Rivals’ OUInsider.com and other reports, the Sooners (4-3) fired offensive coordinator and quarterback Seth Littrell after OU was shut out for the second straight week on Saturday. Oklahoma lost 32-9 to South Carolina after the Gamecocks took a 21-0 lead early in the first quarter as Oklahoma turned the ball over on each of its first three possessions. Running back Rocket Sanders scored South Carolina’s first touchdown, and the Gamecocks then recovered a fumble for a TD and a pick-6.
Oklahoma has been looking for offensive answers all season. Freshman Michael Hawkins started the game vs. South Carolina after taking over at QB in the Sooners’ 25-15 loss to Tennessee. He replaced Jackson Arnold in that UT game, and Arnold took over for Hawkins on Saturday.
The offensive stats are poor for OU so far in 2024. The offense is only averaging 4.1 yards per play as the run game can’t get going. Hawkins and Arnold are a combined 124 of 210 passing for 1,239 yards and have thrown nine touchdowns and five interceptions.
Only two teams – Stanford and newcomer Kennesaw State at the FBS level – average fewer yards per play than Oklahoma according to TeamRankings.com.
To be fair to Littrell and the Sooners offense, injuries have been a big factor so far this season. Oklahoma played much of the season without its top five wide receivers. Leading receiver Deion Burks has played just four games so far this season. He has 26 catches for 201 yards and three scores. Only one other player – Brenan Thompson – has caught more than one TD pass.
Littrell was in his first season as Oklahoma’s play-caller after offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby became head coach at Mississippi State. The former North Texas coach and Oklahoma native served as an offensive assistant in 2023 after being fired by UNT at the end of the 2022 season. In seven seasons with the Mean Green, Littrell was 44-44.
