Jay Norvell, an ex-teammate of Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops at Iowa, may be named later today as receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator to replace Kevin Sumlin, who left to become the head coach at Houston.
Norvell told the Lincoln Journal-Star on Wednesday that he had accepted the position, confirming rumors from late last week. but an OU source said Thursday that though confirmation could come later today or Friday, the deal was not quite done. Norvell was offensive coordinator under Bill Callahan at Nebraska for two years before moving to UCLA, where he could call his own plays.
This will actually be Norvell's second hire at OU. Stoops hired him in 2002 as receivers coach, but he left a month later to coach tight ends for Callahan with the Oakland Raiders and followed him to Nebraska. Norvell and the UCLA staff lost their jobs after a 6-6 season and he was a finalist to succeed Joe Tiller at Purdue, also reportedly interviewed with Mike Sherman for a position on his staff at Texas A&M.
He's 44 and has also coached at Iowa State, Wisconsin and the Indianapolis Colts.
OU already has commitments from several top high school receivers, who may have a good shot at playing this season because of the defection of Malcolm Kelly to the NFL and Adron
Tennell's injury and offseason surgery.
-- Mike Jones
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