Fifth Quarter has confirmed that Seth Littrell, former North Texas head football coach, has joined Oklahoma Sooners’ staff in an off-field capacity. Head coach Brent Venables shared the news with reporters, expressing his excitement to have Littrell on board.
Littrell, who played fullback at Oklahoma from 1997-2000, spent seven seasons as UNT’s head coach before the school dismissed him in December. During his tenure, North Texas reached six bowl games, a feat that was a rarity before Littrell arrived on campus. In his final season, North Texas went 7-7, rallying after a slow start to finish strong before falling to UTSA in the conference title game and Boise State in the Frisco Bowl.
Littrell’s coaching journey shows his ability to adapt and learn from experience. He began his career at Kansas in 2002 as a graduate assistant and went on to have assistant stops at Texas Tech, Arizona, Indiana, and North Carolina. In 2016, Littrell landed the head coaching gig at North Texas, where he flourished. Now, he is back at his alma mater, returning to Norman as the Sooners aim to rebound from a disappointing 6-7 campaign in 2022.
Oklahoma began the 2022 season ranked in the AP Top 10 and was predicted to finish as the Big 12 Conference runner-up. However, they stumbled out of the gate, losing their first three conference games, including a 49-0 shellacking at the hands of arch-rival Texas. The Sooners managed to right the ship to a degree, but losses to Baylor, West Virginia, and Texas Tech in November sealed their fate. They ended the season with a Cheez-It Bowl loss to Florida State.
The Sooners will have one more season of competition in the Big 12 before they and Texas make the jump to the SEC in 2024. The conference will feature 14 teams this season, with BYU, Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF joining as expansion members. The Sooners will play three of the new teams, traveling to Cincinnati and BYU while hosting UCF in Norman.
The game against UCF will be significant for Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who will face off against the school he transferred from after the 2021 season. Gabriel enjoyed a strong 2021 campaign with the Knights, throwing for 3,570 yards and 32 touchdowns before transferring to Oklahoma in January.
Littrell’s arrival in Norman brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Sooners staff, and his familiarity with the program as a former player adds to his value. His coaching journey has been marked by success, adaptability, and a commitment to growth, qualities that will help Oklahoma as they aim to reclaim their spot atop the Big 12 and beyond.
The future looks bright for the Sooners, and Littrell’s return to his alma mater is a significant step in the right direction. As Venables and his staff work to build a winning culture, Littrell’s expertise could be a difference-maker on and off the field. With a talented roster and an infusion of new blood via the expansion teams, Oklahoma is poised for success in 2023 and beyond.