Oklahoma Closing in on Hiring Defensive Backs Coach, per Report

The Sooners looking to add Big Ten assistant as Jay Valai's replacement

Michigan defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan watches a play during the first half of the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN — Oklahoma is closing in on finalizing Jay Valai's replacement on the coaching staff.

Oklahoma is expected to hire Michigan defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan, according to a report from The Oklahoma Breakdown podcast, with former Sooners Gabe Ikard and Teddy Lehman.

BREAKING: Oklahoma is expected to hire LaMar Morgan to be its defensive backs coach.

Morgan was Michigan's Defensive Pass Game Coordinator & Defensive Backs coach the last two seasons. Morgan was highly sought after by top CFB programs and several NFL teams.
— The Oklahoma Breakdown with Ikard and Lehman (@OK_Breakdown) February 11, 2026

According to the X (formerly Twitter) post from the podcast, Morgan will be named the Sooners' defensive backs coach.

It's not clear how or if that will affect Brandon Hall, who coaches OU's safeties

Morgan replaces Valai, who left recently to coach cornerbacks with the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

Morgan has spent the last two seasons as the Wolverines' defensive pass-game coordinator and defensive backs coach.

In 2024, Morgan guided a unit that held 10 opponents to fewer than 260 passing yards as part of a defensive that finished tenth nationally in total defense.

Last season, the Wolverines allowed 211.4 passing yards per game, down from 216.3 the year before.

That included holding the Sooners to 142 yards through the air in OU's 24-13 win over Michigan on Sept. 6.

Oklahoma will take on the Wolverines once again this season, facing off Sept. 12 in Ann Arbor.

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It's been an eventful offseason between the two programs.

The Sooners added Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan in the transfer portal, while the Wolverines snagged former OU running back Taylor Tatum from the portal.

Before joining Michigan's staff, he spent two seasons as Louisiana's defensive coordinator and secondary coach.

Morgan does have SEC experience, spending the 2021 season coaching cornerbacks at Vanderbilt, where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2012-13.

Morgan's first stint at Louisiana came as the Ragin' Cajuns' cornerbacks coach in 2019-20.

Prior to that, he coached safeties at Houston in 2018, at Louisiana-Monroe in 2016-17, and coached Western Carolina's secondary in 2016-17.

Morgan played collegiately at Louisiana in 2003 and 2005-07, appearing in 40 games as a safety. He was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (then the Draddy Trophy), which honors the nation's top football scholar-athlete.

Morgan, 40, is from Copperas Cove, Texas.

In addition to his degree from Louisiana, he also holds master's degrees from Texas A&M-Commerce (two), and Vanderbilt.

Published 4 hours ago | Modified 3 hours ago

Ryan Aber

Ryan Aber has been covering Oklahoma football for more than a decade continuously and since 1999 overall. Ryan was the OU beat writer for The Oklahoman from 2013-2025, covering the transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley to Brent Venables. He covered OU men's basketball's run to the Final Four in 2016 and numerous national championships for the Sooners' women's gymnastics and softball programs. Prior to taking on the Sooners beat, Ryan covered high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Oklahoma City Barons for the newspaper from 2006-13. He spent two seasons covering Arkansas football for the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas before returning to his hometown of Oklahoma City. Ryan also worked at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Muskogee Phoenix. At the Phoenix, he covered OU's national championship run in 2000. Ryan is a graduate of Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.