• Coaching changes will have subtle effects on Sooners

By John Shinn

Transcript Sports Writer

The promotion of Kevin Wilson to offensive coordinator and the hiring of Josh Heupel as quarterbacks coach solidified Oklahoma’s coaching staff. It took OU coach Bob Stoops all of five days to move the pieces into place after Chuck Long left to become the head coach at San Diego State.

But there’s no doubt there will be some subtle differences to the offense when the Sooners face No. 6 Oregon at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Holiday Bowl at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.

“It’s been a little hectic,” Wilson said. “Chuck did such a great job of making sure that there was just one voice speaking to the quarterback.”

That’s where the changes will likely be felt the most.

Long, a former college and NFL quarterback, had the experience and the communication skills to relate to quarterbacks. Heupel, Nate Hybl, Jason White and, this season, Rhett Bomar all benefited from their relationships with him.

Even though Heupel has returned to the coaching staff, one would have to think it is Bomar who will miss Long the most.

“We were around each other all the time and pretty much worked on a one-on-one basis,” Bomar said. “I had a really good relationship with coach Long. But he wanted to move up and he found a good opportunity for him and his family.”

Bomar understands the situation better than any player in the Sooner locker room. His father, Jerry, is a high school coach in Texas and he has seen how he had to deal with moving around.

Long sought out Bomar before he left for San Diego and wanted to make sure the quarterback understood why he was leaving.

“Growing up with a father who has been a coach at a lot of different high schools, Rhett understands that part because his father moved a couple different times,” Long said. “He’s mature that way. He understood.”

He and the rest of the Sooners have already moved on and believe any changes Wilson implements will be for the better.

Freshman wide receiver Malcolm Kelly said Wilson made a point of explaining to the entire unit he expects to remain on the same course Long set.