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Grading college football’s coaching carousel: A- for Virginia Tech, B+ for Oklahoma State

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Grading college football’s coaching carousel: A- for Virginia Tech, B+ for Oklahoma State


Oklahoma State was one of the earliest entrants to this year’s coaching carousel after firing Mike Gundy in September. Brett Deering / Getty Images

In college football, you never really know whether a coaching hire is going to work — just take a peek at all those A’s for Brian Kelly and Billy Napier four years ago. But you also don’t need to wait around to evaluate whether a school hired the right fit.

As the 2025-26 coaching carousel heats up, we’re handing out initial grades to the hires as head coach openings are filled around the country, focusing on how much the hire makes sense and whether it satisfies what a team identified it needed going into a coaching search.

Check back as more jobs get filled.

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Oklahoma State hires Eric Morris: B+

(Hired Nov. 25)

Morris checks a lot of boxes for Oklahoma State. He has deep ties to Texas, having spent almost his entire playing and coaching career there. And he knows how to develop quarterbacks, as names like Patrick Mahomes, Cam Ward, John Mateer and now Drew Mestemaker have thrived under his watch. He has also shown an ability to do more with less at North Texas and FCS Incarnate Word.

But while Morris’ offenses have long been good, his defenses have been up and down, and he’s won six games or fewer in four of six non-pandemic seasons as a head coach as a result. The hire of Skyler Cassity as Mean Green defensive coordinator in 2025 was one of Morris’ best moves. We don’t know yet whether Cassity will follow him to Stillwater, but that side of the ball will have to keep up with the offense.

Virginia Tech hires James Franklin: A-

(Hired Nov. 17)

Franklin was the No. 1 target from the moment he was fired at Penn State, and for good reason. He’d never missed a bowl game in 15 years at Vanderbilt or Penn State, outside of the pandemic-altered 2020 season. He turned Penn State into a top-10 program again. He dominated recruiting in the state of Virginia while at Penn State. He has a long track record of fostering alignment and investment. All the characteristics Virginia Tech needed, Franklin has them. He has only won one conference championship, and his game management has come under fair criticism, but he checks off all the other boxes of what Virginia Tech needed.

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Kent State promotes Mark Carney: B

(Named interim coach in April, hired to full-time job Oct. 30)

What Carney has accomplished this season cannot be understated. He became the interim head coach on the eve of spring practice in April, when coach Kenni Burns was fired amid an investigation into his financial dealings. Then his defensive coordinator left in the summer for an assistant job at North Dakota State. The Golden Flashes were 1-23 in the previous two years and appeared headed for a doomed 2025 season. Yet this year’s team is 4-7 and remained in bowl contention until a loss to Central Michigan in the season’s penultimate week. Kent State is arguably the toughest job in the Football Bowl Subdivision, so keeping a coach who turned the Golden Flashes back into a respectable MAC outfit was an easy decision.

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Xzayvier Brown’s 24 points not enough as Oklahoma drops home game against Florida

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Xzayvier Brown’s 24 points not enough as Oklahoma drops home game against Florida


NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Thomas Haugh scored 21 points, Rueben Chinyelu had 19 points and 12 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season, and No. 19 Florida beat Oklahoma 96-79 on Tuesday night.

Boogie Fland added 15 points for Florida (12-5, 3-1 Southeastern Conference), which has won three straight since dropping its conference opener to Missouri.

The Gators dominated in the paint, outscoring the Sooners 60-22 behind the 6-foot-10 Chinyelu, who came in averaging 10.9 points and 10.6 rebounds.

Xzayvier Brown scored 24 points and Tae Davis and Kirill Elatontsev each had 17 for Oklahoma (11-6, 1-3), which has lost three straight since beating Mississippi to open conference play.

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Nijel Pack, who had 24 points in the Sooners’ loss to Texas A&M on Saturday, was limited to five points on 2-of-8 shooting. He picking up three fouls in the first half and played only 21 minutes.

The Sooners made only five of their first 19 shots (26%) but finished with 10 3-pointers in 16 attempts (63%).

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The defending national champion Gators beat ranked opponents Georgia and Tennessee last week after dropping briefly out of the AP Top 25. They led all but 14 seconds against Oklahoma.

Florida shot 54% from the field (38 of 71) but converted just 6 of 22 3-pointers (27%).

Oklahoma took a 7-6 lead on a four-point play by Brown. From there, Florida outscored the Sooners 40-17 for a 46-24 halftime lead.

The Gators extended their advantage to 72-45 midway through the second half on a 3-pointer by Urban Klavzar.

Up next

Florida: Visits No. 10 Vanderbilt on Saturday.

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Oklahoma: Hosts No. 18 Alabama on Saturday.

2026 NCAA football transfer portal: Tracking moves for Texas Tech, SMU, other area schools

Find updates for Baylor, North Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and SMU.

Texas transfer commit Cam Coleman (left) and Texas Tech transfer commit Brendan Sorsby...
2026 transfer portal rankings: How high do classes of Texas, Texas Tech, A&M, others rank?

See where each transfer portal class ranks for local schools as transfer season rolls on.

Find more Oklahoma coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.



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Local film society plans 3-night retrospective for Oklahoma director

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Local film society plans 3-night retrospective for Oklahoma director


OKLAHOMA CITY –

Oklahoma has served as a backdrop for some of the biggest names in Hollywood. The state has seen its fair share of talent from Sylvester Stallone to Martin Scorsese, but one accomplished filmmaker has roots right here in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City filmmaker Mickey Reece has directed dozens of shorts and feature films, receiving acclaim at festivals across the world. River Lunsford of the Oklahoma Film Exchange says Reece hasn’t forgotten his origins in the heartland.

“He is always…pushing the artistic boundaries of what film can be,” Lunsford said. “Always staying true to that local filmmaker vision…never forgetting where he’s come from.”

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Lunsford said that Reece has received retrospectives in New York and Los Angeles, but never in his home state. The Oklahoma Film Exchange wanted to change that.

“A couple of us have either worked with Mickey or are really good friends with him,” Lunsford said. “He has a filmography of over 30 films, and this is the first time he’s ever had a retrospective in Oklahoma City. Just no one has seemingly given him the opportunity…so we’re really excited to be able to do that.”

Lunsford and the team at the Oklahoma Film Exchange aim to boost the city’s film community with regular screenings and discussions. When Reece showed up to a recent screening, they knew he would be an ideal choice for a retrospective.

“He came out to one of our screenings a couple weeks ago,” Lunsford said. “We always try to host or moderate post-screening discussions where people can share their thoughts. And he was certainly an active voice. Just him being in that space, like, interacting in the ways that we have set that space up to be, it’s perfect. It’s the perfect match.”

The Mickey Reece retrospective is a part of The Oklahoma Film Exchange’s ongoing fundraising campaign, “Keep Film on Film Row.” This project aims to preserve the iconic Film Row screening room (which has been renamed the Oklahoma Film Exchange).

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This space was established over a century ago to distribute film reels. The Oklahoma Film Exchange is the last film exchange left in the country.

Lunsford said events like the Mickey Reece retrospective help raise awareness about this important cultural cornerstone. “This is a serious project for us to keep this very important piece of history and art in the city operational, and keep it as it has been for 100 years,” Lunsford said. “(The fundraiser) is going to continue in perpetuity…until Film Row has been saved…and we can 100% guarantee its longevity.”

The retrospective will run from January 15 to 17 at the Oklahoma Film Exchange. Lunsford encouraged Oklahoma City residents to get out of the house and celebrate a local artist in person.

“I think there’s a little something for everybody in this retrospective,” Lunsford said. “This is a really big opportunity for us to celebrate this local filmmaker and build these roots in the community.”

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Oklahoma football loses LB to UCLA in transfer portal

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Oklahoma football loses LB to UCLA in transfer portal


Oklahoma football has lost a key defensive presence, as linebacker Sammy Omosigho has officially committed to UCLA through the College Football Transfer Portal. The move represents a notable offseason development for the Sooners while providing UCLA with an experienced addition ahead of the 2026 season.

The Sooners had hoped to retain the veteran linebacker’s presence heading into a pivotal year, but he instead opted for a fresh opportunity on the West Coast with the Bruins.

The Bruins, eager to strengthen their front seven, saw Omosigho as an ideal fit due to his versatility, leadership, and proven track record against top-tier offenses in the SEC.

UCLA sought defensive reinforcements following multiple transfers and NFL departures, and Omosigho’s arrival immediately strengthens the Bruins’ linebacker corps. He brings SEC playoff experience and consistent production, positioning himself as a key piece of the depth chart when spring practice arrives. His decision highlights the growing competitiveness of the transfer portal as major programs retool their rosters.

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The transfer was first reported by On3Sports’ and Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on X (formerly known as Twitter) confirming Omosigho’s move and noting his career production with the Sooners.

“BREAKING: Oklahoma transfer LB Sammy Omosigho has Committed to UCLA, his agent tells @On3Sports

He totaled 97 tackles, 4 PD, 2 sacks and 1 FF in his time with the Sooners”

Omosigho developed steadily during his time in Norman, earning a starting role in 2025 after contributing in rotation earlier in his career. He finished that season with 50 tackles, two sacks, and three pass breakups, emerging as one of Oklahoma’s most dependable defenders during its 10–3 run to the College Football Playoff. His ability to read offenses pre-snap and adjust on the fly made him a vital communicator in Oklahoma’s defense.

His departure marks a turning point for both programs—Oklahoma must fill a key void, while UCLA gains a battle-tested leader. As transfer decisions increasingly reshape rosters, Omosigho’s move reflects the high-stakes nature of modern college football recruitment.

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