‘Not the Normal New’: What’s Changed (Or Hasn’t) Under New Oklahoma Offensive Coordinator Seth Littrell

Last year when the Sooners took the field to play Arizona in the Alamo Bowl, those in command of the offense had taken control only weeks before. It was a lot of change between the regular-season finale and bowl season. 

Quarterback Jackson Arnold got the nod to make his first career start as a freshman after Dillon Gabriel entered the transfer portal. Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley were promoted to co-offensive coordinators after Jeff Lebby left the program to become the head coach at Mississippi State. 

All that wasn’t for a one-game stint, though. Since, Arnold has been given the reins of the offense as QB1 as a redshirt freshman for the upcoming 2024 season. Littrell and Finley were permanently named co-offensive coordinators, with Littrell getting play calling duties while also serving as quarterbacks coach. 

All that change, though, it still doesn’t seem as if much is new for OU’s offense. 

“I wouldn’t say there’s a big learning curve for Coach Littrell, but obviously he’s a different person than (Lebby), different personality,” Arnold said. “Maybe calls some things different than Lebby, focuses more on certain things than Lebby would. So I wouldn’t say it’s a learning curve, but, you know, just kind of getting to know Coach Littrell and seeing what he likes, and seeing how he likes to call a game has been big for me this fall camp.”

After playing fullback for the Sooners in 1997-2000 and winning a national championship as a senior, Littrell started his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2002 at Kansas. He was eventually an offensive coordinator at Arizona, Indiana and North Carolina before getting his first head coaching gig at North Texas, where he led the Mean Green for seven seasons. Ultimately, before the 2023 season, he returned to Norman as an offensive analyst before getting promoted within the year. 

“We’re running a lot of the same stuff and it’s just good to be back with him and kind of just picked up right where we left off,” said tight end Jake Roberts, who played under Littrell at UNT for three seasons before transferring to Baylor after Littrell was dismissed. 

“Some of the same stuff, similar concepts, a lot of different verbiage. Some similar stuff, some different stuff, but it’s all good.” 

The last time Littrell was an OC in 2015 for North Carolina, the Tar Heels averaged 40.7 points a game. This is when you see Littrell’s fullback roots shine through. Most of UNC’s production that season came on the ground with 3,142 rushing yards on the season, averaging 224.4 a game. Just over 55% of the Tar Heels’ offensive plays that season were runs. For comparison, the 2023 Sooners ran the ball about 53% of the time, still having a balanced attack that leaned just slightly on the run. 

“It’s not anything crazy,” running back Jovntae Barnes said. “This team has been together for a couple of years. It’s making sure everyone is on the same page. The No. 1 thing is that and he’s been doing a good job with that.

In his first season back as an offensive coordinator with a redshirt freshman quarterback leading his offense, Littrell so far hasn’t reinvented the wheel during OU’s fall camp. He was part of last year’s offense that averaged 41.69 points a game and returns talent like Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk at running back. Although, that was in the Big 12, not the SEC, and only four starters of more than six games return for 2024. 

“They’re new, but it’s not the normal new,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “They’re not unfamiliar. These are guys that have been there offensively, systematically and there’s a natural cohesion there. The relationships are real with coach (Bill) Bedenbaugh, coach (DeMarco) Murray and coach (Emmett) Jones. So it’s not like you’re having to gel that, if you will. Don’t ever take that for granted. But that’s a group of guys that have, in many ways, grown up in the profession together.”