New OU offensive coordinator Seth Littrell 'like (a) brother' to OL coach Bill Bedenbaugh

NORMAN — OU offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh didn’t hesitate.

When Brent Venables hired Seth Littrell to return to his alma mater to serve as an offensive analyst last spring, Bedenbaugh and his family opened their home to Littrell.

“He’s like my brother,” Bedenbaugh said. “He’s family.”

Littrell, who played for the Sooners from 1997-2000 and served as a captain during the national championship run in 2000, lived with Bedenbaugh for months after Littrell’s arrival.

Now, a few months after Littrell moved out of Bedenbaugh’s house, Littrell is moving into a new role with the Sooners.

Venables named Littrell OU’s offensive coordinator on Wednesday following the departure of Jeff Lebby to Mississippi State as the Bulldogs’ head coach.

Venables also elevated tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley to co-offensive coordinator, helping in the planning while Littrell calls the plays.

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While the move was convenient, those involved in the process and those who know Littrell well said it wasn’t one made out of convenience.

“He did a great job at North Texas,” Bedenbaugh said before the season of Littrell’s seven-season run as the Mean Green’s head coach. “He’s a great football coach. Ran the same system that we run.”

Joe Castiglione got to know Littrell during Littrell’s playing career and they never lost touch, as Littrell moved up the coaching ranks.

The biggest thing that stood out to the OU athletic director about Littrell?

“Tough guy,” Castiglione said this week. “Great guy, tough guy. Always handled his business the right way, great teammate, big part of a championship run, super leader for his team.”

Wren Baker didn’t hire Littrell at North Texas, but took over as the school’s athletic director shortly after Littrell came aboard.

Castiglione and Littrell’s paths crossed often, as Castiglione and Baker — a Valliant native and current West Virginia athletic director — are close.

“He had a lot of success there in getting the program going,” Castiglione said. “We knew last year he had quite a few options to go somewhere in the interim as he considered other opportunities so we were really excited that he chose to come back to his alma mater.”

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After a 5-8 first season as head coach, the Mean Green went a combined 18-9 over the next two seasons.

North Texas missed a bowl just once during Littrell’s tenure, although they were just 4-6 when they went to the Myrtle Beach Bowl in 2020.

Even when they struggled, the Mean Green’s offense excelled. In 2020, with Littrell back calling plays, North Texas ranked eighth nationally in total offense, averaging 513.2 yards per game.

Mike Leach brought Bedenbaugh and Littrell together.

Leach coached both, Bedenbaugh as Iowa Wesleyan’s offensive line coach and offensive coordinator during Bedenbaugh’s first year there in 1991 and Littrell as OU’s offensive coordinator in 1999.

Leach also helped launch their coaching careers.

Bedenbaugh’s second coaching job — after a one-year stint at Panhandle State — was as Valdosta State’s offensive line coach in 1996 when Leach was Valdosta’s offensive coordinator.

Littrell’s first full-time coaching job was at Texas Tech from 2005-08 under Leach.

It was in Lubbock where Bedenbaugh’s and Littrell’s paths crossed.

Bedenbaugh had coached the Red Raiders’ running backs for two seasons before Leach decided to shift things around on his staff, shifting Bedenbaugh to coach offensive line and bringing in Littrell to coach running backs.

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Mike Stoops brought the two together again at Arizona.

In 2007, Stoops brought Bedenbaugh in from Texas Tech to coach the offensive line. Two years later, Littrell joined Stoops’ staff to coach running backs and tight ends.

In 2010, Littrell and Bedenbaugh served as co-offensive coordinators with the Wildcats.

Then last spring, they were reunited again, this time in Norman.

Littrell stayed with the Bedenbaughs during the spring and summer before moving out just before preseason camp began.

“Good to have him around. Good for him too,” Bedenbaugh said. “He went through some things there (at North Texas), not an easy place, and I thought did a hell of a job. … He’s gonna be a huge help for us, no doubt.”

Castiglione is equally as excited for what the future holds for the Sooners with Littrell at the helm of the offense.

“It’s just a really fantastic decision by Coach Venables all the way around,” Castiglione said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: New OU football OC Seth Littrell 'like (a) brother' to Bill Bedenbaugh