Jeff Lebby shares what he learned in first season as Oklahoma offensive coordinator

Jeff Lebby made his return to Oklahoma as the offensive coordinator but Year One did not go according to plan. The Sooners struggled at times, especially when quarterback Dillon Gabriel was not 100% from a health perspective. Lessons needed to be learned if results are going to improve throughout the 2023 season.

When asked about the subject, he talked more about his personal feelings about Oklahoma taking a jump being back here. Being on the losing end seven different times was rough for Lebby, not wanting to let the school down. Losing put how important getting back to winning is for not just Lebby but everyone involved with the program.

“The thing that I learned was that disappointment on those guys’ faces every Saturday last season when we were on the wrong side of it was really, really hard,” Lebby said. “I knew how much I love my alma mater but being back in the middle of it and thick of it every single day. I knew OU was special to me but as we stand here today, I think more so than it’s ever been.”

There’s something special about being back at your school as a coach. He graduated from Oklahoma in 2007 and watched some special teams play in Norman. Bob Stoops had the program competing for national championships and still dominating the Big 12.

So having a losing record was unusual for Lebby. He knows the Sooners have a certain standard and the 2022 season was not it. Lebby and the players are going to fight to get the program back to where every Oklahoma fan believes it deserves to be.

“We’re fighting every single day to get back to where we want it to be and where it needs to be,” Lebby said. “That’s been an everyday strain since we got done in Orlando. It being on the mind every single day, more than it’s ever been, I think is a huge part of that. We’ve got guys that are committed to making it happen. That’s been a proud thing for me, just seeing our guys work all spring and all summer to put us in a position to go chase it this fall.”

What Oklahoma will be chasing is a Big 12 championship. Before moving to the SEC, the Sooners want to retain a trophy they held for most of their tenure in the conference. Lebby will have to get his unit back up to par in order to make a serious run at it.