To start the 2023 college football season, the Oklahoma Sooners’ defense looked to have a bit of a resurgence. When Lincoln Riley left and Brent Venables took the head coaching job in Norman, the defense was expected to come back strong. Venables brought Ted Roof with him after leaving Clemson.
Roof was a defensive analyst for Venables, who was Clemson’s defensive coordinator. Coming to Oklahoma allowed Roof a defensive coordinator job. His defense finished the season ranked No. 3 in takeaways and No. 7 in tackles for loss. Needless to say, Roof did a solid job at Oklahoma, helping the team to a 10-3 record.
After the season, though, Roof was relieved of his duties as the defensive coordinator. While he was offered a lesser role to stay with the team, Roof opted to look for a full-time job to stay on the field, making crucial decisions. It didn’t take long for Roof to land on his feet, as he returns to the Big 12 by joining UCF as their defensive coordinator.
The report comes from Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel.
While Roof wasn’t a bad defensive coordinator in his two seasons in Norman, the defense didn’t show enough improvement to be ready for the SEC. Venables then got proactive and hired Zac Alley from Jacksonville State to be the program’s new defensive coordinator.
Venables said in a press conference that he had invited Roof into a different role for his final season of his contract, but, as mentioned, Roof opted to coach rather than take a smaller role.
With the Sooners headed in a different direction, Roof rejoins Gus Mazlahn’s staff. The two coached together and won the 2011 National Championship together at Auburn. It’ll be interesting to see how the former Sooners defensive coordinator does at a new program while remaining in the Big 12 rather than making the move to the SEC.
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