Oklahoma hopes a coordinator change can energize its offense.
According to Rivals’ OUInsider.com and other reports, The Sooners (4-3) fired offensive coordinator and quarterbacks Seth Littrell after OU was defeated 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 when 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 later returned a fumble for a touchdown and a pick-6.
Oklahoma has been looking for offensive answers all season. Freshman Michael Hawkins started the game against 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 replaced Hawkins on Saturday.
The offensive stats are ugly for OU so far in 2024. The offense is averaging just 4.1 yards per play as the running game can’t get going. Hawkins and Arnold are combined for 124 of 210 passes for 1,239 yards and have thrown nine touchdowns and five interceptions.
Only two teams, Stanford and FBS newcomer Kennesaw State, average fewer yards per play than Oklahoma, according to TeamRankings.com.
In fairness to Littrell and the Sooners offense, injuries have been a huge factor so far this season. Oklahoma has been playing much of the season without its top five wide receivers. Leading receiver Deion Burks has played in just four games so far this season. He has 26 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns. Only one other player, Brenan Thompson, has caught more than one touchdown pass.
Littrell was in his first season as Oklahoma’s play-caller after offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby became Mississippi State’s head coach. The former North Texas coach and Oklahoma native served as an offensive assistant in 2023 after UNT fired him at the end of the 2022 season. In seven seasons with the Mean Green, Littrell went 44-44.