Oklahoma's Brett Venables Loses Key Assistant Coach to the NFL

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DeMarco Murray, who has served as Oklahoma's running backs coach since 2020, is leaving the Sooners to take a job as the new running backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. Murray, a former Sooners star player, helped lead Oklahoma's offense to strong seasons in 2022 and 2023 before accepting the NFL coaching position.

Why it matters

This is a significant loss for the Oklahoma football program, as Murray was a key member of head coach Brett Venables' staff. The Sooners will now have to find a replacement to coach their running backs, which is a critical position for their high-powered offense.

The details

Murray, a former third-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys, enjoyed a successful seven-year NFL career that included three Pro Bowl selections and the 2014 Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year award. He returned to his alma mater Oklahoma in 2020 after one season as running backs coach at Arizona. During his time with the Sooners, the team led the Big 12 in rushing in 2022 and had another explosive offensive season in 2023.

• Murray has served as Oklahoma's running backs coach since 2020.
• The Sooners led the Big 12 in rushing in 2022, averaging 219.4 yards per game.
• Oklahoma followed that up with another strong offensive season in 2023, averaging 41.7 points and 507 total yards per contest.

What’s next

The Sooners will need to find a replacement to coach their running backs, which is a critical position for their high-powered offense.