Why OU football defensive coordinator Ted Roof doesn't plan on retiring 'anytime soon'
SAN ANTONIO — Ted Roof has been a coach for over half of his life.
Roof, 60, got his start as a linebackers coach at West Georgia in 1989. He has coached for 14 programs throughout a 34-year span, and he has spent the past two seasons as OU's defensive coordinator.
Roof is a journeyman who's traveled all around the college football world. But when asked Tuesday how long he plans to keep coaching, he didn't hesitate to answer.
"Until I quit loving it," Roof said. "I love it. I love waking up. Every day I wake up, I can’t wait to get to the office. When I don’t feel like that anymore, I won’t do it anymore."
Roof has found a home at OU, which is set for an Alamo Bowl game against Arizona at 8:15 p.m. Thursday in San Antonio.
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He gets to work with head coach Brent Venables, whom he followed from Clemson. Roof served as a defensive analyst for the Tigers in 2021 while Venables was their defensive coordinator.
Roof and Venables then reunited in Norman, and the duo is enjoying success this season. OU's defense is only allowing 22.3 points per game, and it ranks fourth in the nation in takeaways per game (2.1).
It's a good fit for Roof both on and off the field.
"I love being at a place where my core values align with the head coach and the University," Roof said. "Being at a place like the University of Oklahoma, I love that expectation level is high. I love being a part of that."
Next season is a contract year for Roof, who signed a three-year, $3.45 million deal to become OU's defensive coordinator in 2021.
But regardless of how his contract situation plays out, Roof believes his coaching career is far from over.
"I love the grind," Roof said. "When I quit loving it, I’ll quit doing it. I’ll find something else to do. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Sooners DC Ted Roof doesn't plan on retiring 'anytime soon'
