I’ve been asked many times to share my train of thought on our off-season move from Oklahoma to USC, and I realized this could be a good opportunity to add some clarity and context to my family’s decision….
Seven years ago, I was sitting at gate 12 at Dallas Love Field when Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops called to offer me his position as offensive coordinator. I remember the call was straight to the point and didn’t take me long to say yes. I immediately called my wife, my parents, and my mentor, Donnie Duncan. I couldn’t believe I was getting the opportunity to train for a Hall of Famer in such a historic program. It was the opportunity I had craved for years and that phone call really changed my life.
Norman was more than just a coaching station – it was his home. My family and I have made incredible friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. Our second daughter Stella was born there and our family became immersed in the community. The people we met along the way have been so good to us and we will forever be grateful. And boy did we create some memories along the way….
I remember coaching in my second game as a staff against Tennessee in Knoxville in 2015 and winning a double-overtime thriller…although I was certain Coach Stoops was going to fire me after the end of the third quarter because our offense barely had that crossed midfield.
I’ll never forget the words Mike Stoops said to me after we won our first conference championship together in 2015 by blowing up the state of Oklahoma on the street. I will keep it private. It was simple and humble. But as a guy from East Carolina just trying to do my part, I felt like I really belonged in this legendary program.
After starting the year 1-2 in 2016, I remember coming back to win the Sugar Bowl against Auburn.
I remember one of my favorite wins ever, beating Ohio State in Columbus in 2017 in my second game as head coach.
I remember Senior Day 2017 witnessing the end of the Baker Mayfield era and the beginning of the Kyler Murray chapter in Oklahoma football history.
I remember dominating TCU on the return of the Big 12 Championship Game in 2017.
I remember the consecutive wins in 2018 at the end of the season – that was something special. Finding a way to win a crazy shootout against a very good West Virginia team in Morgantown gave us an opportunity to win another Big 12 title. And we beat Texas the following week to do just that.
I could never forget going 28-3 behind Baylor in Waco in 2019 without our best player, yet winning 34-31 in the biggest comeback in OU Football history.
I remember watching with pride as our young men showed absolute endurance during the challenging 2020 COVID-19 season by winning the Big 12 championship and tearing down Florida in the Cotton Bowl.
And I remember making a resilient comeback, winning one of the most exciting Red River games in history in 2021.
I could go on for days. There are countless memories, both on and off the field, from my time in Oklahoma that will stay with me forever.
I have no regrets for the effort we put into the program. The staff gave their all to make OU Football better every day. We certainly weren’t perfect, but we gave everything we had every week. Without their dedication, our employees would not have had the highest win rate in the history of the OU program.
So I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has been part of our journey at Norman: every player, every staff member and every fan. I am eternally grateful to each and every one of you. Joe Castiglione, Barry Switzer and Coach Stoops are absolute giants in our game and they couldn’t have been more supportive during our time at Norman. They will always be lifelong friends like so many others we met in Oklahoma. I have been blessed to train alongside amazing coaches and staff and to form relationships with hundreds of young men who proudly wore the Sooner colors. It was an absolute honor to go to work with them every day.
As much as my family and I loved Norman and appreciated the success we had on the field, sometimes life throws curve balls at you at the most unexpected of times. To be honest, I always thought I would end my coaching career at OU. But when my agent called to tell me of USC’s interest, I was immediately intrigued by the possibilities.
Everything that happened after that was a blur: I jumped on a zoom with USC officials, I informed our athletic director Joe Castiglione of my decision, and then, in one of the most difficult moments of my life and career, I stood in front of our Oklahoma team to let them know I’m leaving. I saw the immediate consequences of my decision on the faces of our players. I really hated the timing because our team suffered a heartbreaking loss, but recent college football rule changes affecting the recruiting cycle certainly impacted the schedule and made a difficult transition even more difficult. Shortly after that meeting, USC broke the news, and my family and I were on our way to Los Angeles.
So many emotions ran through my head on the flight to Los Angeles. I was so excited about USC and its potential, but I was also filled with guilt and sadness when I realized Norman was no longer home. There are aspects of my departure and transition that I would certainly do differently if I could do it all over again, and I admit that I could have handled some parts of the situation better. I absolutely own that. While I was able to speak to several players after the team briefing, I wish I had had the time to sit down with each individual player and staff member to explain my decision.
From the moment we landed in LA everything went fast. There was so much to do but also so much excitement and energy around the program and the city. I quickly embraced everything about USC: the elite academics, the opportunities in Los Angeles, and arguably one of the greatest college football programs of all time. At my inaugural press conference at the Colosseum, it was clear that the Trojan believers were hungry to bring this program back to the top of the college football landscape. It was amazing to see the entire Trojan family rallying around this common goal. As I’ve said repeatedly, we believe in what this place can be and winning championships takes the effort of every single Trojan. My staff and I couldn’t be more excited about the challenge. It was really something to have the support of so many former Trojan players. I can’t explain how much it meant to me. So many of the greatest football players in history started their careers at USC, and hopefully we can add a few more to the list.
With the support of the USC administration, we took a quick but methodical approach to assembling what I believe is one of the best coaching and support teams in the country. We’ve been able to add some great young men to our roster, both through the transfer portal and through traditional high school recruitment. We’ve started spring training at a fast pace and we’re all pushing to make the most of each day as we begin our journey here.
I am very grateful for the opportunity at USC and for all the people who made it possible. My family and I couldn’t be happier to be in Southern California as we begin this new chapter in our lives. It really feels like a dream to wake up in paradise every day.
Since moving, many have asked me why I was leaving Oklahoma, and the best—and most honest—answer is that the USC opportunity was just the right job at the right time for me and my family. We all have moments in life when we are faced with difficult decisions and this was the path my family and I chose. I don’t expect everyone to understand; That’s not possible in my line of work.
I appreciate The Players’ Tribune’s opportunity to write this article. I wanted to find the right time to say many of these things as they were certainly on my heart and mind. That was then.
For my family and I, nothing can ever diminish our appreciation for OU and the overwhelming number of positive things we experienced there. And as we begin this new chapter, nothing can dampen our excitement at chasing championships at USC.
Keep fighting!
LR