Kevin Wilson praises Deland McCullough as Oklahoma’s new running backs coach

Oklahoma’s search to replace Demarco Murray on the coaching staff appears to have landed on Deland McCullough, and at least one familiar voice is already indicating approval. In comments reported by Yahoo Sports, Kevin Wilson said he is excited about what McCullough will bring to the Sooners’ running backs room, praising the hire as OU worked to fill a major vacancy created by Murray’s offseason departure.

Murray’s move to the NFL is the backdrop for OU’s change. According to the report, Murray left his job with the Sooners to take an opportunity with the Kansas City Chiefs, forcing Oklahoma to identify a new lead voice working directly with running backs. Replacing a coach who has built habits, technique standards, and a day-to-day relationship with players is often as much about continuity as it is about systems, and Oklahoma’s staff knew the transition would be closely watched.

The new running backs coach in question, McCullough, arrives with NFL experience. The report describes him as a former Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach, a detail that matters because it suggests he brings recent professional feedback on blocking reads, pass protection responsibilities, and how running backs are coached to contribute on third downs and in passing game packages. For Oklahoma, an offense’s success depends heavily on whether its backs can execute both the run game and the role expected in modern offenses.

Wilson’s confidence is rooted in familiarity, not just résumé facts. The report notes that Wilson knows McCullough very well, implying the praise is tied to more than public credentials. That kind of relationship can matter in college football, where recruiting, player development, and scheme installation depend on how quickly coaches build trust and communicate expectations to a group that may also be turning over roster-to-roster.

While the report frames the hire positively, the specifics of what McCullough will emphasize once the season begins are not laid out in the available material. It does not include direct quotes, a detailed comparison to Murray’s approach, or a rundown of specific player plans. For now, the clearest takeaway is that Oklahoma’s front office and staff prioritized a replacement with enough offensive and personnel experience to stabilize the position group after an NFL move.

What to watch next is how Oklahoma’s running backs are coached in practice and early season game plans, particularly in areas where professional coaching experience can show up quickly, such as pad level and aiming points in the run game, assignment discipline in pass protection, and how quickly backs adapt to their expected responsibilities in different formations.

The first test of any staff change comes in how the room performs as a unit, not just in one spotlight moment. As the Sooners build toward the year, McCullough’s ability to translate his background into consistent on-field outcomes for Oklahoma’s current backs will determine whether the early praise from Wilson turns into a tangible competitive edge.

For fans and evaluators, the offseason staff shuffle also sets a standard for what comes next. If Murray’s departure created a gap that McCullough can close, Oklahoma will have made the kind of targeted replacement that protects recruiting momentum and keeps the offense functioning even as personnel changes across the sport accelerate.