UCLA outside linebackers coach Roy Manning headed to Oklahoma

Roy Manning, who coached UCLA’s outside linebackers and special teams last season, has been hired by Oklahoma to coach the team’s cornerbacks, the Sooners announced Tuesday on their official website.

The move reunites Manning with Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, who coached alongside Manning while at Washington State from 2015 to 2017.

“Oklahoma is obviously a historic and nationally recognized program in all facets,” Manning said in a statement on the school’s website. “As far as football, it’s as successful and consistent as any program’s been. I think that’s what separates OU is the consistency. They win a lot of football games there, and coach [Lincoln] Riley has done an unbelievable job of taking over the program and taking it to another level with the playoff appearances and the last two Heismans. It’s a top destination in college football.”

In his only season at UCLA, Manning presided over the Bruins’ wildly inconsistent special teams. Darnay Holmes returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown against USC, but the Bruins committed a litany of special teams gaffes against Oregon, allowing a punt return for a touchdown and committing a false start before a field-goal attempt.

UCLA’s outside linebackers were beset by a season-ending injury to Jaelan Phillips and contributed to a pass rush that generated only 15 sacks in 12 games, tied with Oregon State for the fewest in the Pac-12 Conference.

Manning will return to Southern California when Oklahoma plays UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 14.