Oklahoma is set to enlist a former San Diego State assistant coach to oversee their special teams, according to reports.
Oklahoma’s struggles in special teams last season, ranking 127th nationally in efficiency, have prompted Brent Venables to enlist the expertise of an analyst with a successful track record. It appears that Venables has found his new special teams coordinator, as per a report from Sooners Illustrated’s Collin Kennedy on Thursday night. The report indicates that Oklahoma is poised to hire Doug Deakin, former special teams coordinator at San Diego State, for the role of special teams analyst.
Kennedy, along with 247 Sports national reporter Matt Zenitz, cited unnamed sources confirming Deakin’s impending appointment to fill the void left by Jay Nunez, who departed for a position at Alabama.
Deakin has a long-standing association with San Diego State spanning 17 years, starting from his days as a walk-on player who was elected team captain in his senior year in 2010. Notably, he served as the Aztecs’ special teams coordinator for six seasons. Under his tenure, San Diego State achieved impressive rankings in ESPN’s FBS special teams efficiency, consistently placing in the top 10 for three consecutive years. In the 2022 season, they secured the No. 2 spot nationally with a 72.2 efficiency rating, while in the latest season, they ranked ninth overall.
Assuming the role at Oklahoma, Deakin faces the task of revitalizing a special teams unit that struggled significantly last season, according to ESPN’s rankings.
As an analyst, Deakin will have the opportunity to coach players during practice sessions but will be prohibited from coaching them on game days. Consequently, individual position coaches will oversee each special teams unit during games after working with the analyst throughout the week.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, Oklahoma retains both their punter and kicker, although both positions are subject to open competition.
