Bob Stoops Names Oklahoma's Offensive, Defensive Play Callers for the Alamo Bowl

Sooners shorthanded coaching staff will collaborate, but Cale Gundy and Brian Odom will send in the signals.

Bob Stoops has his coordinators for the Alamo Bowl.

Stoops, Oklahoma’s interim coach for the bowl between Lincoln Riley’s departure and Brent Venables taking over, said Tuesday night during taping of “Sooner Sports Talk” that he’s picked the two guys who will call both the Sooners’ offensive and defensive signals on Dec. 29 against Oregon.

“We have it planned out. It’ll be a group effort,” Stoops said. “But basically, on defense, Brian Odom will call the plays, and on offense, Cale Gundy will call the plays. Because someone has to.”

Gundy, who coaches inside receivers, is Oklahoma’s longest-tenured coach, hired by Stoops way back in 1999. Odom, who coaches inside linebackers, is one of the newest, joining Riley’s staff in 2019.

Both coaches played for the Sooners — Gundy a quarterback, Odom a running back.

“But it’ll be a collective effort putting the plan together,” Stoops said, “what are we gonna use on first and second downs, what are our third-down-and-short offense (and) defense, what are our third-down-and-long offense (and) defense. Guys will chime in in between plays or snaps. So it’ll be managed by the whole group, not any one guy.”

The OU staff is short-handed for the bowl, but will be able to enlist graduate assistants and others to help with on-field coaching.

Sooner Sports Talk with Bob Stoops and Brent Venables https://t.co/zbOGqPjlfj

— SoonerSportsNetwork (@OUontheAir) December 15, 2021

Also during the show, host Chris Plank and analyst Teddy Lehman got to ask Venables a few questions.

Venables first expressed an appreciation for his old staff-mate, Gundy.

“What a godsend he’s been,” Venables said. “Really, from the glue to the (recruiting) class to, he knows where everything is and how to get stuff done. But he’s been terrific.”

Venables has been on the job for 10 days, and Wednesday is National Signing Day. OU’s incoming class (14 true freshmen so far) currently ranks No. 9 nationally after plummeting following five decommitments in the Riley fallout. In 36 hours this week, he’s landed one recommitment and three new verbal pledges.

“It’s been wonderful,” said Venables, who’s been on the road recruiting essentially since his plane landed in Norman. “You got a firehose in your mouth and you’re just going.”

Venables said when he heard the news that Riley had left for USC, he literally did not believe it.

“I was actually out on a run and somebody texted me that,” he said. “There’s a lot of rumors that go on this time of year, and I was like, ‘No chance.’

“Julie (his wife), she’s always in the know sooner than anybody. She let me know.”

Venables said he had “tremendous peace once I was initially contacted. … I had almost 30 years preparation for this moment.”

Venables joked that he was taken aback when he stepped into the head coach’s office for the first time.

“I’m like, ‘Who’s museum is this? Who lives here?’ ” Venables said. Later, he said being back “Absolutely it feels like home.”