Oklahoma Sooners Hire Stacey Ford to Boost Football Program

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A dynamic coaching staff at Oklahoma Sooners focusing on player recruitment.

News Summary

The Oklahoma Sooners have enhanced their front-office team with the appointment of Stacey Ford from UCLA as the new director of player personnel. His background in player management and extensive coaching experience will support the team’s efforts to revamp their football program after a challenging previous season. Under the guidance of new general manager Jim Nagy, Oklahoma aims to innovate player recruitment and evaluation strategies in alignment with modern trends in college athletics.

Norman, Oklahoma – The Oklahoma Sooners are set to strengthen their front-office staff with the hiring of Stacey Ford from UCLA, where he recently served as the director of player personnel for two seasons. This strategic move comes under the leadership of new general manager Jim Nagy, who is working to revamp the Sooners’ football program following a disappointing 2024 season.

Stacey Ford’s experience in the realm of player management and recruitment is expected to be an asset to Oklahoma. Prior to his role at UCLA, he was the director of recruiting at Washington State, where he collaborated closely with Ben Arbuckle, now the offensive coordinator for the Sooners. Ford’s extensive background in coaching includes stints at Los Angeles’s Warren High School and his alma mater, Cathedral High School. He has served both as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator at Warren, leading the team to an impressive record, including two undefeated seasons and back-to-back San Gabriel Valley League titles. His coaching experience also includes a role as a linebackers coach at Cathedral High School.

Ford wants to prepare for his new role at Oklahoma even further, as he played outside linebacker at Tuskegee University. He graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, alongside a minor in business administration, which could aid him in understanding player dynamics and performance. His professional career commenced with a player personnel scout internship for the Oakland Raiders, where he crafted scouting reports and managed databases relating to player performance and recruitment.

The hiring of Jim Nagy signals a significant shift in the Oklahoma football program towards an NFL-based approach. With this hiring, Oklahoma aims to enhance its player evaluation, recruitment strategies, and overall roster management in light of ongoing changes within college football, particularly concerning recruitment dynamics and the implications of name, image, and likeness (NIL) arrangements. As college football continues to evolve, Nagy has emphasized the importance of innovation in order to address the challenges presented by these changes.

Ford’s addition is part of a broader expansion of the front-office staff, which includes assistant general manager Taylor Redd, director of high school scouting Kale Pearson, and assistant director of college scouting Charlie Parkinson. These changes reflect Oklahoma’s commitment to adopting a comprehensive NFL-style support staff designed to navigate the complexities of contemporary college athletics.

The efforts to bolster the staff come as the Sooners are experiencing a period of significant transition within their football program, aiming to recover from the setbacks faced in the previous season. Athletic director Joe Castiglione has expressed confidence in Jim Nagy’s ability to integrate with the existing team and enhance the program’s pursuit of championships. With Nagy’s extensive experience in scouting and recruiting, the Sooners are positioning themselves to better attract and retain top-tier talent in a highly competitive environment.

As college football becomes increasingly centered around player welfare and roster management, Oklahoma’s new strategies underline an awareness of these emerging trends. The Sooners’ focus on improving their recruiting capabilities through the introduction of experienced personnel like Stacey Ford illustrates a dedicated commitment to evolving their program in line with contemporary collegiate sports practices.