OU football adds recruiting director, general manager, loses J.R. Sandlin, per reports
Brent Venables' staff underwent some changes on Monday.
OU plans to hire Jolie Ale as its next director of on-campus recruiting, per a report from 247Sports. The Sooners are also losing their director of player personnel and recruiting J.R. Sandlin, who had played a major role in Venables' program-building since he was hired ahead of the 2022 season, to SMU, per a report from 247Sports.
OUInsider reported Monday afternoon that former OU linebacker and current S.O.U.L. mission staffer Curtis Lofton is set to become the program's general manager.
Ale replaces Lee Davis who left to become UCF’s assistant athletic director and football executive operations and recruiting in January. Sandlin will serve as the Mustangs' assistant athletic director and general manager, per the report.
Sources: Oklahoma plans to hire Jolie Ale as its next Director of On-Campus Recruiting, @247Sports has learned
Most recently with the Los Angeles Chargers, Ale has also worked at Utah and USC
The #Sooners land a big add to their recruiting staff
📝🔗: https://t.co/8p27WxV36L pic.twitter.com/HFiLB1E2RQ— Collin Kennedy (@CKennedy247) February 19, 2024
SMU is expected to hire Oklahoma’s J.R. Sandlin as an assistant AD and general manager, sources tell @247sports.
Was a key behind-the-scenes piece for Brent Venables as OU improved from 6-7 in 2022 to a 10-2 regular season record in 2023.https://t.co/dJORJ80Uo5 pic.twitter.com/IFQ8ybclDD— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 19, 2024
Multiple sources tell OUInsider that former #Sooners linebacker Curtis Lofton is set to occupy the role of general manager for the Oklahoma football program.
Lofton is an eight-year NFL veteran who has served on staff with the Sooners’ S.O.U.L. Mission for the last two seasons.… pic.twitter.com/icDuxxmKoT— OUInsider (@OUInsider) February 19, 2024
Ale joins the Sooners from the Los Angeles Chargers’ community relations department. She previously served as Utah’s director of on-campus recruiting and worked as a USC football recruiting assistant from 2017-20.
Sandlin's loss is a surprising one, but general manager jobs are becoming more and more common in today's college football landscape with head coaches busier than ever. According to the OUInsider report, Lofton, an eight-year NFL veteran, has already been performing GM duties for some time.
As OU transitions to the SEC in 2024, Ale will help usher the program into a new era when recruiting high school athletes and transfer portal players is essential to success.
The Sooners open the 2024 season against Temple on Aug. 31 in Norman.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma football: Jolie Ale named director of on-campus recruiting