The Hierarchy of Leadership in the Wake of Oklahoma's Introduction of Roger Denny

NORMAN — When Bob Stoops had his program winning at a high-level in the 2000s, he'd often credit the leadership structure that had been in place since he came to Norman in late-1998.

Then-Oklahoma president David Boren had been in charge since the mid-1990s and had hired Joe Castiglione to head the athletic department. Stoops followed soon after. It was a very simple triumvirate of leadership to follow and remained the status quo for the duration of Stoops' tenure.

Times have changed at Oklahoma. Boren retired in 2019, paving the way for Joseph Harroz Jr. to become university president. Castiglione is weeks away from transitioning out as athletic director after Roger Denny's appointment, effective Feb. 15. Meanwhile, Harroz named AT&T CEO and Oklahoma alumnus Randall Stephenson as Chair of Football 15 months ago — a new role carrying major influence in the athletic department.

How much influence was always unclear. Was Stephenson ahead of Castiglione? Once Oklahoma hired Jim Nagy as its professional style football general manager, who would hypothetically be in charge of hiring a new head coach in the future?

Once the dust settled from Denny's introductory press event on Wednesday, the hierarchy structure is becoming more clear, though still shrouded in uncertainty until situations present themselves.

Roger Denny and Randall Stephenson, Oklahoma Sooner — New OU athletic director Roger Denny claps as his family is introduced at the Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I’m here to support these guys in whatever way they need my help," Stephenson said Wednesday. "But right now we need to position Roger into this role and let him establish himself in the organization.”

Stephenson's remarks were somewhat lost amid a sea of buzzwords from Wednesday. "Collaboration" and "partnership" were uttered as often as "Boomer Sooner" during the day's events. But Harroz brought more clarity to the simple question: "Who's in charge of sports here?"

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"(Stephenson's) moving now into this role (Chair of Athletics), which is not operating," Harroz said. "His role is advisory. That is very different than the operating work that he was doing (as the Chair of Football).

"And so what you’ll see is we have the AD, he reports directly to me, and Randall is in a governance role as Chair of Athletics and a special advisor to the two of us," Harroz added.

This makes the structure seem closer to the classical way of thinking of a university president-athletic director relationship. The difference is that now Harroz and Denny can lean on Stephenson's expertise in the business world for wisdom, while utilizing his vast network when the situation calls for it.

Simply put, if a coaching search takes place in the future, Denny would lead the charge in presenting candidates for Harroz to sign-off on. Stephenson would provide guidance if called upon by Denny as the Chair of Athletics.

Oklahoma Sooners Joe Harroz Randall Stephenson — University of Oklahoma president Joe Harroz (left) and football chair Randall Stephenson | Joe Harroz via Twitter/X

"Look, it’d be foolish to have some whose led a Fortune 500 company sit on the sidelines and not seek his input," Denny said. "To approach major decisions with such hubris, I wouldn’t benefit from guys like this. That’s not how we’re going to operate. When you’ve got good people who think and act like these guys do, you have to rely on them to get through the hard decisions.”

Much of the clarity will come with time. Brent Venables isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Women's basketball, softball, baseball and both gymnastics squads have steady foundations within their programs.

Men's basketball may be the time where we see Oklahoma's new leaders reveal their modus operandi. But until that time comes, if it does, the new power structure at OU remains prepped for the new landscape of the sport.