OU assistant turns down Long's offer
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
1/10/2006
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Oklahoma assistant football coach Darrell Wyatt has turned down Chuck Long's offer to become offensive coordinator at San Diego State, but it remains unclear if Wyatt will stay at OU or pursue other options -- perhaps in the NFL.
Wyatt did not return messages left on his cell phone Monday, but Long confirmed that "Darrell is out" of consideration to join him at San Diego State.
"He just couldn't do it," Long said.
After four years as OU's offensive coordinator and six seasons as a Sooner assistant, Long was hired as the Aztecs' head coach on Dec. 17.
Wyatt joined the OU staff in 2002 and has been passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach under Long. He has tutored record-breaking receivers during four seasons in Norman.
Perhaps more importantly, Wyatt is a dynamic recruiter, instrumental is the Sooners' signing of many top players, including running back Adrian Peterson.
Last February, Wyatt, 38, turned down a job offer from the Green Bay Packers. But, with high coaching turnover among NFL teams this season, he has been reported as a candidate for a handful of openings.
Wyatt said last year that the NFL is "football at it's highest level,
but there's also a lot of enjoyment at our level, and a lot of enjoyment at the levels below us. I never want to try to get too far ahead of myself. There are some coaches that will say, 'I never want to coach in the NFL,' or, 'I never want to coach here.' I'm not one to say that. I started coaching football at Trinity Valley (Texas) Junior College. You just continue to work hard, and if you get opportunities, and if it's an opportunity you want to pursue, then you go that direction."
Long distance: Long, who was born in Norman and whose parents are OU alumni, said his mother and father "are excited about" his first head coaching job, even if that means his leaving their favorite school.
"I think they see it as, 'Hey, we can go down to San Diego.' I think they like that," Long said. "I know being an OU grad, my dad will still come to Oklahoma games. He has season tickets, so he wouldn't care where I was."
Sooner commitment: OU received its 25th verbal commitment on Sunday when defensive lineman Adrian Taylor of Mansfield, Texas, pledged. Taylor (6-4, 260) played defensive end in high school but could project as a tackle.
Taylor told recruiting service Scout.com that he chose OU over Texas A&M and UCLA.
Verbal commitments are nonbinding. Prospects can't sign letters of intent until the first day of the spring signing period, which this year is Feb. 1.
OU hopes to sign as many as four more high school players. The NCAA limit on initial scholarships is 25, but schools frequently oversign knowing some will not qualify academically and some may play elsewhere.
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John E. Hoover 581-8384
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