The University of Oklahoma football program finds itself in unfamiliar territory, sitting at 1-3 in their inaugural SEC season and ranking near the bottom nationally in total offense and scoring. Desperate for a spark, the Sooners have made a major coaching change, firing offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and promoting Joe Jon Finley to play-caller.
The move comes just one day after Oklahoma suffered a humiliating 35-9 home defeat to South Carolina, the program’s largest home loss in nearly a decade. Littrell, who was in his first season leading the Sooners offense after joining from North Texas, had been under fire as the unit struggled mightily, turning the ball over 11 times through seven games.
From Heralded Hire to Quick Fire
When head coach Brent Venables hired Littrell last December to replace Jeff Lebby, it was seen as a savvy move. Littrell had built high-powered offenses at North Texas and was expected to bring that same explosive playmaking to Norman. However, the results never materialized as Oklahoma stumbled out of the gate in 2024.
The offensive woes came to a head the past two weeks, as the Sooners mustered only three points in the Red River Rivalry loss to Texas before being held to just nine by the Gamecocks. It marked the first time OU had been held under 10 points in consecutive games this century.
We appreciate Seth’s efforts, but ultimately felt we needed a change in direction offensively. These decisions are never easy, but we have to do what’s best for our program and our players.
– Statement from Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables
Finley Steps In, Johns Promoted
With Littrell out, Venables is turning to a familiar face in Joe Jon Finley to jumpstart the offense. Finley, who had been serving as co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, is a former Oklahoma player who has been on staff since 2021. He will now assume play-calling duties.
Additionally, offensive analyst Kevin Johns has been promoted to quarterbacks coach. Johns previously served as offensive coordinator at Duke before joining the Sooners staff this offseason. He will be tasked with helping struggling quarterback Jackson Arnold find his footing after being pulled mid-game Saturday for turnover-prone freshman Michael Hawkins Jr.
Offensive Overhaul a Must
There’s no sugarcoating it – the Oklahoma offense has been among the worst in the country in 2024. Currently sitting 128th out of 133 FBS teams in total offense and 107th in scoring, the proud program has never experienced futility like this in the modern era. For a team with perennial College Football Playoff aspirations, that’s completely unacceptable.
- Oklahoma ranks 128th nationally in total offense (254.0 yards/game)
- The Sooners are 107th in the FBS in scoring offense (17.4 points/game)
- OU has committed 11 turnovers, leading to a -6 turnover margin (116th in FBS)
- The offense managed only 12 combined points in losses to Texas and South Carolina
Finley and Johns certainly have their work cut out for them to salvage this season offensively. Job one will be settling the quarterback situation and cutting down the turnovers. If Arnold proves incapable of securing the ball, Hawkins may get an extended look as the Sooners try to establish some semblance of offensive identity.
No Time to Waste with Ole Miss Looming
Unfortunately for Oklahoma, the schedule provides no respite. The Sooners travel to Oxford in Week 9 for a date with an explosive Ole Miss attack. Lane Kiffin’s bunch will surely be licking their chops at the prospect of facing a reeling OU defense.
For Venables and company, the pressure is on to show signs of life offensively and avoid falling into too deep a hole in their maiden SEC voyage. With the Littrell era over after just seven games, it’s on Finley, Johns and the offensive staff to pick up the pieces in a hurry. The Sooner faithful are not accustomed to prolonged struggles, and patience will be in short supply if the losses continue to mount.
The SEC is an unforgiving beast, as Oklahoma is rapidly finding out. But for a program with this much pride and pedigree, solutions must be uncovered quickly to prevent 2024 from spiraling out of control. Seth Littrell learned that the hard way, and now Joe Jon Finley is on the clock to author a stunning Sooner offensive turnaround.
