OU football: DeMarco Murray sticking with Sooners after Ohio State pursuit, per report
NORMAN — DeMarco Murray, the former OU football star and fourth-year running backs coach, has reportedly decided to stay after being offered a three-year contract to turn down Ohio State.
On3 first reported Murray’s decision on Wednesday.
Longtime Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford departed to serve on new Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore’s staff on March 13, resulting in the staff vacancy.
The 36-year-old Murray was first hired by former coach Lincoln Riley in 2020 and is the Sooners’ second-longest-tenured assistant following offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh.
Murray rushed for 3,685 yards and 50 touchdowns from 2007-10 as a member of OU's football team. Murray also spent seven seasons playing in the NFL.
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Before returning to Norman, he spent one season as Arizona’s running backs coach. His wife, Heidi, is a Cincinnati, Ohio, native.
He is set to make $575,000 in 2024 and is under contract through the 2025 season, making him OU’s lowest paid offensive coach. He was awarded a $75,000 raise in January.
Sooners coach Brent Venables hired new offensive coordinator Seth Littrell on Nov. 29 and now keeps Murray. Several Oklahoma players are spending their spring break on service trips in Brazil and Hawaii.
OU returns running backs Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk and added UT-Martin transfer Sam Franklin and three-star Carl Albert product Xavier Robinson.
The Sooners’ annual spring game will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20 at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The spring transfer portal window opens on April 15.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football: DeMarco Murray turns down Ohio State to stay with Sooners
