Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables is seeing one of his assistants depart for a Texas school. Specifically, Oklahoma assistant coach J.R. Sandlin is making the move to SMU, according to Sports Illustrated.
Sandlin, who has been instrumental in recruiting for the program, served as director of player personnel and recruiting at Oklahoma. At SMU, he will take on the role of assistant athletic director and general manager as the university transitions to the ACC.
Sandlin joined Oklahoma alongside head coach Brent Venables in late 2021 and played a significant role in the team’s resurgence after a disappointing 6-7 season in 2022. During Venables’ tenure, with Sandlin as an assistant, the Sooners achieved 10 wins in 2023 but concluded the season with a loss in the Alamo Bowl to Arizona.
The departure of Sandlin marks one of many changes for the Sooners, including their move from the Big 12 Conference to the SEC in 2024, alongside Texas. Additionally, Oklahoma is making adjustments to its staffing, with Jolie Ale set to take on the role of director of on-campus recruiting, as reported by The Oklahoman.
Before his time at Oklahoma, Sandlin held positions at Jacksonville State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Alabama. He also played tight end at UCF and transitioned to high school coaching following his playing career, as noted by Sports Illustrated. Now, Sandlin is poised to play a crucial role in SMU’s efforts to compete in the power 5 conference, the ACC, which will entail significant travel for road games spanning both the West and East Coasts.
