NORMAN, Okla. – University of Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops officially announced Sunday that Bill Bedenbaugh has joined the Sooners staff as offensive line coach, a revelation that came to light last week through various media reports in Oklahoma.
Though you can’t fault Bedenbaugh for moving to an elite program like OU, his departure is a huge blow for West Virginia, where Bedenbaugh had been in the process of developing an offensive line that will feature at least three new starters next season. Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen, whose staff already had undergone major retooling before Bedenbaugh’s exit, must move rapidly to hire a new offensive line coach in time for spring practice.
Bedenbaugh recently was lauded as one of the Big 12’s top recruiters by 247Sports.com, for whatever that’s worth, and he contributed heavily to WVU’s 2013 signing class that Rivals ranked 24th nationally.
“Our family is thrilled about the opportunity to join Coach Stoops and his staff at the University of Oklahoma,” Bedenbaugh said in a statement. “I have a great admiration for the championship tradition of Oklahoma football and can’t wait to get on the field with our student-athletes this spring. I’ve admired the Sooners for many years, and possess a great appreciation for the talent on this roster and coaching staff.”
We outlined Bedenbaugh’s ties to the Oklahoma staff in this previous article.
“We are excited to welcome Bill and his family to the University of Oklahoma,” Stoops said in a statement. “Bill is a passionate teacher and a demanding coach who I believe will make an immediate impact on our football team. His track record of developing physical and disciplined offensive linemen makes him an excellent fit for our program. Bill is also an accomplished recruiter who will join the rest of our staff in continuing to attract some of the nation’s most talented student-athletes to Oklahoma.”
Bedenbaugh is an 18-year coaching veteran, and even though WVU’s offensive line wasn’t as dominant as hoped last season, there’s no overlooking the unit’s contribution to the Mountaineers setting a single-season school record for total offense (6,526 yards) and finishing ninth nationally in scoring at 39.5 points per game.