Bryan McClendon addresses how coaching carousel is impacting Alamo Bowl prep

Bowl game rosters and coaching staffs are always a little different from the regular season, but this year’s Alamo Bowl between Oregon and Oklahoma will be especially jumbled.

On the Oklahoma sideline will be legendary Sooners head coach Bob Stoops, on a one-game interim basis subbing in for newly-hired Brent Venables, who came to Norman from Clemson. Meanwhile, Oregon has a new head coach in Dan Lanning, but Lanning will be with his former team through their College Football Playoff run; Georgia plays Michigan on New Year’s Eve in the Orange Bowl.

Ironically, former Georgia wide receiver and Bulldogs interim coach Bryan McClendon is the interim head coach for the Ducks for their bowl, and he took a moment on Monday to comment on the complications that arise when trying to coach a bowl game during such a hectic time in college football. 

“You do your best assuming as possible,” McClendon told a media gaggle when asked about watching Oklahoma film. “They’re going through the same stuff that we’re going through, that a lot of teams are going through in college football.”

The coaching carousel this season has been a wild one, as several of the nation’s top jobs were shaken up. With those moves at the top comes a trickle down effect to assistant coaches. Add in opt outs for players heading to the NFL, and it becomes difficult to predict how a team might look a month removed from regular season play.

“So you have to go, and you’re going deep into the film and as coaches say ‘burnin’ your eyes up on the film’ and trying to see every nook and cranny of who could potentially be stepping in at certain spots and who’s giving them depth at those certain spots of guys that have vacated and just plan accordingly from that point on,” McClendon added. “That’s pretty much all you can do.”

Oklahoma will have several starters out, and they will have a new offensive coordinator in Jeff Lebby. Four defensive Sooners have declared for the NFL Draft: linebackers Nik Bonitto and Brian Asamoah and defensive linemen Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas.

Oregon will be down several players for the game as well. Defensive end and likely first-round draft pick Kayvon Thibodeaux is forgoing the bowl as are starting wideout Devon Williams and starting cornerback Mykeal Wright. Additionally, starting corner DJ James and defensive tackle Jayson Jones entered the transfer portal in the last couple of weeks. 

The Alamo Bowl kicks off from San Antonio at 9:15 p.m. ET on Dec. 29. Both teams are seeking their 11th win, and Oklahoma is a 4.5-point favorite.