The Oklahoma Sooners' sports programs are apparently heading into a new era. Shortly after the end of the college football season, it appears the University is set to hire a new athletic director.
Reports indicate that Oklahoma is expected to hire Illinois deputy athletic director and COO Roger Denny as the program's new athletic director, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. After interviewing in person with the Sooners twice, it's said that Denny should be hired in the coming days.
“Sources: Oklahoma is targeting Illinois deputy athletic director/COO Roger Denny to be the school’s next athletic director. He’s interviewed on campus twice, and a deal is expected to be completed in the upcoming days.”
The University began its search for a new athletic director when former Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione announced he plans to fully retire by 2028. Castiglione moved to an Emeritus Athletics Director role, where he is serving as an advisor and assisting with fundraising. Roger Denny will come in and serve as a regular AD for the Sooners.
We'll see how the new hire works out for Oklahoma. As of now, its football program is ultra-competitive, coming off a 10-3 record. They also reached the College Football Playoff, but were bounced out of the tournament early after suffering a 34-24 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
As for the basketball program, Oklahoma is currently ranked last in the SEC with an 11-8 record (1-5 in conference). The Sooners have plenty of work to do if they hope to compete in the upcoming March Madness Tournament. However, the clock is certainly ticking.
