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Report: Oklahoma Assistant to Join Oklahoma State's Coaching Staff

Kevin Johns appears set to move from Norman to Stillwater to join Mike Gundy's new offensive coaching staff.

Ryan Chapman

Oklahoma quarterbacks coach Kevin Johns
Oklahoma quarterbacks coach Kevin Johns / John E. Hoover / Sooners On SI
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A former Oklahoma assistant is reportedly on the move. 

Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde reported that Kevin Johns, who most recently served as OU’s interim quarterbacks coach, will be staying in the Sooner State to join Mike Gundy’s offensive staff at Oklahoma State. 

Following a disastrous 2024 season, Gundy dismissed offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn. The longtime Cowboys’ coach then reunited with Doug Meacham, who will return to call the offense, and Johns will serve as Meacham’s quarterbacks coach. 

Johns joined Brent Venables’ staff in Norman in March as an offensive analyst. 

Before arriving in Norman, Johns worked on Mike Elko’s Duke staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for two years, and before that Johns had the same gig at Memphis for three seasons.

Johns was initially working with Venables to prepare the scout team before getting thrust into a much larger role in October. 

Oklahoma’s disastrous performance against South Carolina — a 35-9 defeat on Oct. 19 — was the last straw after an abysmal start to the season for OU’s offense. 

The loss, which saw Michael Hawkins Jr. turn the ball over on each of the first three possessions, prompting the Sooners to turn back to Jackson Arnold, led to Venables relieving co-offensive coordinator and play caller Seth Littrell of his duties. 

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Joe Jon Finley, who was the other co-offensive coordinator alongside Littrell, was elevated to play caller and Johns was promoted from analyst to interim quarterbacks coach. 

And while the offense didn’t magically transform into an elite unite, Arnold sung the praises of Johns’ coaching abilities. 

“Coach Johns, since he got promoted, he's been big about us being efficient as quarterbacks,” Arnold said after practice on Nov. 5. “Whether that's getting through reads quick and boom, taking off, not sitting in the pocket too long, or just even just getting completions.

“… The things that he teaches us and how to be efficient and even with different footwork drills that he does with us, is I've seen improvement so far. Even through two to three weeks of my pocket movement getting to progressions quicker and easier, he's really helped us.”

Even Hawkins, who only served as the backup after Johns was thrust into a more prominent role on the coaching staff, credited Johns for helping him develop behind the scenes by improving his footwork.

But there didn’t appear to be an on-field role for Johns at Oklahoma during the 2025 season. 

Venables hired Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to improve the offense, who will serve as his own quarterbacks coach. 

Arbuckle is reportedly bringing John Kuceyeski with him as well, who served as Washington State’s quarterbacks coach, to work as an assistant quarterbacks coach, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported on Friday. 

Kuceyeski also worked at Western Kentucky with Arbuckle before his stop at Washington State. 

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Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

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