Why Oklahoma is Committed to Jeff Lebby, and Why Lebby is Committed to the Sooners
NORMAN — The commitment that Joe Castiglione has made to his football coaching staff is being reflected by their commitment to staying in Norman.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby feels that commitment as strongly as anyone. That’s why Lebby said Tuesday he’s not really interested in other jobs.
“Some of our coaches were targets of other universities in the hiring season,” Castiglione said at last week’s OU Board of Regents meeting. “I don't think completely through the hiring season yet because certain number of NFL teams are still putting their own coaching rosters together and who knows what trickle down effect that might have.”
As for college jobs, Lebby made the rounds. There were multiple reports from national college football insiders who said Lebby was expected to be on Nick Saban’s short list at Alabama to replace Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator.
But Saban hired Notre Dame’s Tommy Rees, Lebby took his $100,000 raise to $1.9 million and stayed in Norman — and now the Sooners are focused on spring practice, which opened Tuesday.
“I love Oklahoma,” Lebby said. “I love coach (Brent) Venables. I love sitting in the chair that I’m able to sit in every day. I don’t take it for granted for a second. My family is unbelievably happy here. And I’ve got a chance to go chase what I love doing every single day at a place where I went to school. And I just don’t think that’s very common with great friends every single day with people that I trust.”
The money is great, obviously. The degree from OU is no doubt a wonderful memory for someone who came to OU as a 4-star offensive linemen and left as a bright young up-and-coming coach on Bob Stoops’ staff.
But what is it Lebby loves so much about OU that he’d be unwilling to continue spreading his coaching wings at other places?
“I think the biggest thing is that I’ve had experiences here,” Lebby said. “So for me, it’s being back here and understanding it’s more than just a university. It’s somewhere where I’ve bled it, I’ve wanted it and now I’ve got a chance to do it again. That, to me, is pretty special.”
Venables has retained all but one coach from Year One to Year Two — and that one change came last year when he felt he had to relieve receivers coach Cale Gundy. Nine of the 10 full-time assistants are back, and that continuity should help in 2023.
Lebby said it perfectly when asked if he has ambitions to be a head coach — as every big-time coordinator does at this level.
“I have ambitions of getting Oklahoma back to where we need to get it,” Lebby said. “That’s what I want and have a passion for right now. And it’s going to continue to be that way until it happens.”
While no one will question his loyalty to OU, Lebby also understands that as long as he wears Crimson and Cream, his competitors will try to use that against him in recruiting, even as they point to the long succession of Sooner offensive coordinators who have only left to take head coaching jobs.
He tries to be as honest as he can with quarterbacks and other players he recruits. It’s one big reason why Nick Evers signed with the Sooners last year. It’s certainly a big factor in Jackson Arnold’s recruitment. And even 2025 quarterback Kevin Sperry has pointed to his relationship with Lebby for his verbal commitment.
“I think guys understand — those conversations are those conversations,” Lebby said. “And guys that we’re recruiting understand that I love Oklahoma. And it was very clear to them. So maybe a little drama out there, but not from me, inside and out, and dealing with the guys I was dealing with every single day. Those guys understood how much I loved being here every day.”
Lebby’s raise was written into his original contract when he was hired last year. So he didn’t get a pay bump after the Sooners finished 6-7 in 2022. But he did get an extension through 2025. That was important to Castiglione.
“We have a great coaching staff,” Castiglione said. “We want to make sure that the contract terms are aligned with what we intended.
“So we're very mindful. We do as much as we can proactively to not only show confidence, but also the fact that we are keeping our eye on most of the things in our building and our program, and our coaches have done a heck of a job with recruiting.”
Lebby, for one, appreciates Castiglione’s commitment and vision.
“Blessed to be here, fortunate to be here,” Lebby said, “and we’re going to get it right.”
