NORVELL!!!!

[Collier11]

Source: OU snags passing-game guru Norvell

January 14, 2008
Tom Dienhart

A source has told Sporting News that Jay Norvell will be named co-offensive coordinator/passing game coordinator at Oklahoma.

Norvell replaces Kevin Sumlin, who took the head-coaching job at Houston.

Norvell was offensive coordinator at UCLA last season. Prior to that, he held the same post at Nebraska from 2004-06.

Norvell also brings NFL experience, having coached tight ends with the Raiders (2002-03) and receivers with the Colts (1998-2001).

Norvell, who played at Iowa from 1981-85, also has served on the staffs at Iowa State and Wisconsin.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

hope he lasts longer this time

[SoonerStormchaser]

Interesting development...hope he turns out to be a genius hire!

[achiro]

Norvell was offensive coordinator at UCLA last season. Prior to that, he held the same post at Nebraska from 2004-06.
Umm, I don't really know anything about the guy but are these programs/years anything to get excited about?

[achiro]

Umm, I don't really know anything about the guy but are these programs/years anything to get excited about?
Just looked
UCLA went 6-7 in 2007, including an impressive loss with only 6 points against defensive jaugernaut(sp?) Utah. :(

[swardboy]

Who was Sumlin working with specifically? Receivers?

[AlbqSooner]

Just looked
UCLA went 6-7 in 2007, including an impressive loss with only 6 points against defensive jaugernaut(sp?) Utah. :(
Utah crushed them cuz that was the only start Tommy Grady got this year.;)

[usmc-sooner]

I bet we really open up on offense now

[tulsaoilerfan]

Umm, I don't really know anything about the guy but are these programs/years anything to get excited about?
That would be a negative captain:D

[Hunyock]

Norvell is kind of an unknown here in Nebraska. Sure he was the OC here for three years but Callahan did all the offensive play-calling and put Norvell up in in the booth.

[goingoneight]

Nothing about thsi hire wows me, but we'll see. I don't think Stoops would hire just any bum off the streets. Maybe the guy has recruiting connections or something?

[Crucifax Autumn]

Certainly can't hurt to have a passing game expert in the mix.

[goingoneight]

I don't think it's necessarily a BAD hire, it's just... UCLA? That and I barely know the guy's resume. Then again, not many people were too excited about us hiring an offensive coordinator from a basketball school, either and that worked out okay for 1999.

[OKC-SLC]

hope he lasts longer this time
Hell, he already has.

[Crucifax Autumn]

heh!

[The VIIIth]

Umm, I don't really know anything about the guy but are these programs/years anything to get excited about?

He is one of the best recruiters we have had on a Stoops staff. Our shot at Julio went up dramatically.

[KRYPTON]

I don't think Stoops would hire just any bum off the streets. Maybe the guy has recruiting connections or something?

Stoops won't hire just any bum off the streets, he only hires people living under overpasses who he went with to college. This hire is about as good as the Chuck Long hire. Maybe.

[OUDoc]

Stoops knows him from Iowa.
Now if we can only hire a bowl game coordinator, the staff is set. ;)

[auto]

Stoops knows him from Iowa.
Now if we can only hire a bowl game coordinator, the staff is set. ;)

That's worthy of some spek:D

[BillyBall]

He is one of the best recruiters we have had on a Stoops staff. Our shot at Julio went up dramatically.

I agree completely.

[Dan Thompson]

Was there an annoucement from Stoops, or the news just leaked out?

It made the papers out here this morning.

[tbl]

Stoops and his guys...

[OUmillenium]

Stoops knows him from Iowa.
Now if we can only hire a bowl game coordinator, the staff is set. ;)

Ha!

I used a similar line in the mailroom at work today.

"Bowl preparation specialist"

[MamaMia]

?

[goingoneight]

Jay Norvell, kinda got his walk-through during the Fiasco Bowl Sequel. Apparently it's a great hire, but let's not forget his last two jobs were with Callahan and Karl Dorrell. Right now it's about as exciting as hearing we hired one of Charlie Weiss's defensive coaches. We'll see if he lives up to the good part of his resume.

[adoniijahsooner]

Sometimes coaches are hired because they are strong recruiters; does anyone know if this guy can recruit?

[Crucifax Autumn]

No clue here, but I've seen some coaches suck at one program and do great at another thanks to the system and the particular responsibilities he's given, so I'll wait and see.

[MamaMia]

Thanks for the information. Hopefully hes got some great coaching skills.

[Spanish Sooner]

I don't think its to fair to judge his offense that much this year with UCLA, mainly due to the fact that for like a good portion of the year, there starting quarterback as a third string walk on

[OUDoc]

I trust Coach Stoops to make the right hire. (Especially considering this is the 2nd time he's hired him. He must think highly of him.)

[TopDawg]

Norvell was, technically, on our staff for a few weeks before he took the job in Oakland with Callahan.

During his short time here, I believe he recruited Travis Wilson.

[Collier11]

Jay Norvell, kinda got his walk-through during the Fiasco Bowl Sequel. Apparently it's a great hire, but let's not forget his last two jobs were with Callahan and Karl Dorrell. Right now it's about as exciting as hearing we hired one of Charlie Weiss's defensive coaches. We'll see if he lives up to the good part of his resume.


He is a known recruiter which is a bonus, if you look at Nebraska and Ucla's recruiting success lately, alot of that goes to him from what I have heard

[The VIIIth]

I trust Coach Stoops to make the right hire. (Especially considering this is the 2nd time he's hired him. He must think highly of him.)

Good call...here's an excerpt from his bio;

Prior to joining the Huskers, Norvell coached the Oakland Raider tight ends under current Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan in 2002 and 2003. A key component for Oakland, the tight ends were led by Doug Jolley, who topped 30 receptions in each season, including 32 catches for 409 yards in Oakland's drive to the AFC Championship in 2002.

In 2002, the Raiders featured the most prolific offense in the National Football League, averaging nearly 390 total offense yards per game. Norvell played a key role in designing the Raiders' passing attack that averaged 279.7 yards per contest. Oakland culminated the season with two explosive offensive efforts in the playoffs, defeating the New York Jets 30-10, before gaining a 41-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game.

From 1998 through 2001, he served as wide receivers coach for the Indianapolis Colts, working with the passing game and tutoring All-Pro receiver Marvin Harrison. In Norvell's final season with the Colts, Harrison had 109 catches for 1,524 yards and 15 touchdowns.

In 2002, Harrison became the only player in league history to have four consecutive 100-catch seasons. While he was coached by Norvell, Harrison had 385 receptions for 5,376 yards and 48 touchdowns.

Before his jump to the NFL with the Colts, Norvell has mentored 10 players that went on to professional careers. He spent the 1995 through 1997 seasons on Dan McCarney's staff at Iowa State, serving as assistant head coach and quarterbacks and receivers coach.

Good stuff...


Face it, within five days of his announced hire Jarboe and Jameel are on board. That's recruiting by reputation.

[royalfan5]

to be fair to Norvell, Callahan was always the play caller so he didn't have the traditional OC duties at Nebraska.

[Crucifax Autumn]

If he can recruit half big name guys and half Oklahoma boys with an understanding of Sooner tradition I'll be good.

[Vegas Sooner]

Still undecided

[tbl]

If nothing else, he's good at making friends with Bob and that is the main qualifier in getting a job on his staff.

[Scott D]

I think the best part of the hire is he isn't Gus Mahlzan

[soonerboy_odanorth]

He is one of the best recruiters we have had on a Stoops staff. Our shot at Julio went up dramatically.

It's good to hear that opinion. Because otherwise it was a bit of a yawner hire IMO, as in...

How much credit can he really take on Marvin Harrison? Probably not much.

He willingly worked with Callenberger. Followed him even. I don't know why anyone would work for that man, unless it's because he liked the challenge or it was the only opportunity he could get.

Did you see that putrid UCLA offense? Ugh. Open it up? I seriously doubt it.

[GoBuffs99]

Great hire for the sooners.

[SoonerShay]

Norvell...good or bad hire?

[NormanPride]

I think he's done well. We'll see if his high profile guys pan out... It's not good for depth if he's whiffing on the top guy in every class. Last year it was McCay and this year it is Metoyer. Metoyer may never make it on campus, and McCay hasn't even been mentioned in a long time. He took a redshirt year and I understand that he wouldn't get much press because of that... But it's time to step up now.

[Soonermagik]

I think he's done well. We'll see if his high profile guys pan out... It's not good for depth if he's whiffing on the top guy in every class. Last year it was McCay and this year it is Metoyer. Metoyer may never make it on campus, and McCay hasn't even been mentioned in a long time. He took a redshirt year and I understand that he wouldn't get much press because of that... But it's time to step up now.

It's hard to scout 18 year old kids. Heck, the recruiting services are the one's who come up with these rankings. To write off McCay seems a little premature. OU has the best and deepest receiving corp in college football, so it's tough to get in the line up.

I think Norvell is a great recruiter and has done an amazing job with the receivers. My only knock on him is when he got the penalty flag. :)

[silverwheels]

Yeah, it's way too early to write off McCay. Let's not forget that he was also a linebacker in high school and many recruiting services projected him to play that position in college. He redshirted so he could develop more physically and so the coaches could figure out where to put him. From all accounts, he's poised to get decent minutes this year.

[SoonerofAlabama]

It's hard to scout 18 year old kids. Heck, the recruiting services are the one's who come up with these rankings. To write off McCay seems a little premature. OU has the best and deepest receiving corp in college football, so it's tough to get in the line up.

I think Norvell is a great recruiter and has done an amazing job with the receivers. My only knock on him is when he got the penalty flag. :)

XH6ooLAWiQg

[Soonermagik]

^^^ Good stuff. It was BS there wasn't a late hit called.

[BoulderSooner79]

Sometimes, the flag is worth it for the emotional impact it has on the players. Similar to a hoops coach taking a technical or a baseball coach getting tossed on purpose. I think that flag on Norvell was in that category.