It appears that the Oklahoma Sooners have selected their next coordinator of special teams.
There was a staff vacancy for the Sooners following Jay Nunez’s departure from OU for Alabama. Doug Deakin, the special teams coach at San Diego State, is apparently the focus of Brent Venables and the Sooners.
Collin Kennedy and Matt Zenitz of 247Sports claim that negotiations between Oklahoma and Deakin are nearing completion.Another possible big addition for the football programme is getting closer to being signed by the Oklahoma Sooners. Sources tell the 247Sports Network’s Sooners Illustrated that Oklahoma has decided to hire former San Diego State player Doug Deakin as its next special teams analyst. — Collin Kennedy, Sooners Illustrated
After beginning his playing career as a walk-on with the Aztecs, Deakin has been employed with San Diego State for the past 17 years in a number of capacities. He has been the head coach of one of the nation’s top special teams teams for the past six seasons. The San Diego State football website reports that over the previous three seasons, the Aztecs placed among the top 10 in ESPN’s special teams efficiency rating.
Under Deakin’s tutelage in 2023, Jack Browning made the second team of the All-Mountain West squad and advanced to the semi-finals of the Ray Guy and Lou Groza awards. Mekhi Shaw and Kenan Christon, both returners, were named honourable mention all-conference players.
Jordan Byrd was the only player in the FBS in 2022 to score a touchdown after returning a kick and a punt. As a punt returner and kick returner, Byrd was named to the All-MWC first team.
Matt Araiza was the 2021 Ray Guy Award winner, which goes to the greatest punter in the country.
As a special teams coach, Doug Deakin has a proven track record of success. In 2023, special teams presented a problem for OU. Throughout the season, the Sooners disappointed in every aspect of special teams play.
