Official: Oklahoma OC Jeff Lebby Agrees to Deal With Mississippi State
Brent Venables’ coaching tree has sprouted its first branch — and now Venables must gather up the seeds.
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby has been hired by Mississippi State, the school announced on Sunday, and for Venables, his challenge is now two-fold.
Venables will need a new play-caller, of course, and a good one. Sooner fans are used to big numbers and dynamic offenses, and filling Lebby’s shoes will be a critical hire for Venables as Oklahoma transitions to the Southeastern Conference.
Secondly, Venables will have to act quickly and decisively to keep all the quarterbacks that Lebby has recruited, starting with 2024 projected starter Jackson Arnold (a sophomore next year) as well as 2024 prospects Michael Hawkins and Brendan Zurbrugg and 2025 prospect Kevin Sperry.
Arnold is the priority, naturally, because he’s next in line to start for the Sooners after two-year starter Dillon Gabriel presumably moves on next year (he was non-committal on his future when asked about it after OU’s season finale on Friday in Norman).
Arnold’s father Todd told the OU Daily on Saturday Lebby’s departure wouldn’t cause Arnold to leave.
“It doesn’t affect Jackson,” Todd Arnold wrote in a text message. “He plays for OU.”
Arnold was a 247 Sports 5-star prospect at Denton (TX) Guyer and was named Gatorade National Player of the Year. He’s played in five games this season, completing 18-of-24 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns and also rushing for 78 yards and a score.
