OU’s New Football Hires Thibodeaux and Spurrier Jr have history with the Sooners

Oklahoma Sooner football coach Bob Stoops made two recent hires to his staff, adding defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux and bringing back former assistant Steve Spurrier Jr. as an off-field offensive specialist and the director of high school recruiting.

“It’s great to have Steve back with us,” remarked Stoops yesterday.  Stoops, served with Steve Spurier Jr’s father Steve Spurrier back in 1996-98 at Florida as the Gator’s defensive coordinator.  Bob Stoops and Steve Spurrier are close personal friends.

“He (Jr) was a big part of our original staff here, was with us for three years and helped us win a national championship. He’s a very positive guy and I have great respect for the way he works and the way he relates with recruits. He’ll play a strong role in on-campus recruiting and will also serve in an offensive specialist role.”

Spurrier Jr. was on the original coaching staff of Stoops at Oklahoma from 1999 through 2001, as the wide receivers coach.  OU won their last National Championship with Junior on the staff.  He has been coaching with his father for the last eleven years and was the head of recruiting at South Carolina last year.

As for Thibodeaux, a former All-Big 12 player for head coach Bob Stoops in Norman, is a rising star in the coaching ranks.  He was at Kansas last season as their defensive line coach.  Thibodeaux was coached at his college position of defensive lineman by head assistant coach Mike Stoops of the Sooners.

“It’s a dream come true,” Thibodeaux said in the news release a few days ago. . “To have this opportunity is special. It’s home, I know the culture, I know what the expectations are. It’s truly a blessing.