So Long, Chuck

The most scrutinized coordinator that Bob Stoops has had since he came to Oklahoma is moving on. Chuck Long, now former offensive coordinator, signed a five-year contract to become the head man at San Diego State. His new deal includes an annual salary of $700,000, with bonuses that can add an additional $300,000 per year. Long's deal calls for a $100,000 bonus if he leads the Aztecs to a BCS bowl game.

Long has been on Bob Stoops' staff for six seasons. He will not call plays for Oklahoma in the Holiday Bowl against Oregon on Dec. 29 in San Diego, but is expected to help out. Oklahoma will practice at San Diego State.

In a statement, Stoops said: "It is not hard to trace the impact he had on Sooner football with productive offenses and decorated players. He has been a tremendous asset to this university. "With our congratulations we can say without hesitation that San Diego State has hired a great head football coach."

Long has led the Sooners to two national championship games and has produced a Heisman winning quarterback and two Heisman finalists. He has been criticized by many Sooner fans for predictable play calling and lack of aggressiveness despite guiding OU to back-to-back undefeated regular season in 2003 and 2004 and one of the most prolific offenses in Sooner history led by Heisman winning quarterback Jason White in 2004.

Chuck Long deserves a lot of credit for the Sooners recent success and despite popular opinion will be missed.

Kevin Wilson will take over as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator. Stoops said Wilson, who has been a co-offensive coordinator on Oklahoma's staff since 2002, will be in charge of the offense in the Holiday Bowl on.

"Kevin Wilson will be the offensive coordinator for the Holiday Bowl and will be our offensive coordinator after that as well," Stoops said. "I will decide fairly quickly how we will complete the staff.”

"I have a direction in mind and I will work towards that."