On Tuesday evening, On3’s Pete Nakos shook up college football headlines with a report that Oklahoma running backs coach DeMarco Murray had emerged as a candidate for the same position at Penn State.
While the Nittany Lions are fresh off a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals, the report was rather surprising, considering that Murray is an Oklahoma alum and has planted roots back in Norman.
Nonetheless, On3 stated that the former Sooner and Dallas Cowboys star had “multiple calls with James Franklin and Penn State to discuss the move” as they searched for a replacement for Ja’Juan Seider, who accepted the same role with Notre Dame over the weekend.
On Wednesday, Nakos followed up on his original report with an update on Murray’s status with his alma mater.
“The expectation is DeMarco Murray will stay at Oklahoma, multiple sources tell @On3sports,” Nakos writes on Twitter. “He’s developed a rapport with new OC Ben Arbuckle.
“Penn State made a strong pitch to Murray, but he ultimately decided to stay in Norman.”
While some of the personnel decisions and inconsistency at the position over the last couple of years has left something to be desired in Norman, Murray has undoubtedly been one of the top recruiters in the country and has all kinds of talent to work with heading into 2025.
Oklahoma’s 2025 running back room will consist of former elite four-star prospects in Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk, the No. 1 overall back from the 2024 class in Taylor Tatum, and fellow 2024 signee Xavier Robinson, who burst onto the scene for the Sooners late last season.
OU will open the 2025 season against Illinois State on Saturday, August 30, before turning up the heat in Week 2 with a massive showdown against Michigan on Saturday, September 6.
