Report: Former Oklahoma player, assistant accepting role at Florida

Former Oklahoma player and graduate assistant Ty Darlington announced in a lengthy Twitter post that he is leaving Oklahoma this offseason to pursue other opportunities. A subsequent report from The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman specified that Darlington is leaving Oklahoma to become a quality control coach at Florida, near where he grew up.

Darlington did not mention a specific school or job in his Twitter post, instead dedicating the space to thank those he learned from along the way.

“Since before I can even remember, I wanted to be a Sooner. My childhood dream was to wear the Crimson and Cream on Owen Field. To play for Coach Stoops and win championships here. Few kids get a chance to live out their dreams, and I’ve gotten to it in a way that has surpassed my wildest expectations,” Darlington said. “I am so incredibly blessed to have been a Sooner, and I will be a Sooner for the rest of my life! For the last 10 years, it has been an honor and a privilege to serve this University as a player and as a coach. This chapter at the University of Oklahoma is coming to a close, but what a ride it has been!”

Darlington played for four years at Oklahoma from 2012 until 2015 as a center, appearing in 12 games and starting one across his first two years. In 2014 and 2015, however, he was an integral piece of the Oklahoma offense, starting all 15 of the games in which he appeared. In 2015, he took home both the Campbell Trophy and Wuerffel Trophy, and Darlington was an All-Big 12 First Team selection. Although he went undrafted, he signed a preseason contract with the Tennessee Titans in 2016 but did not make the team.

Darlington was hired in 2017 as a graduate assistant under Lincoln Riley, where he focused primarily on quarterbacks. He’s been in that role every since but will depart from Oklahoma.

“To Sooner Nation for the passion and support that makes being a student-athlete here so special… To Coach Stoops for gving me the chance of a lifetime and being the epitome of class and excellence… To Joe Castglione for investing in the lives of student-athletes and mentoring me personally… To Coach Bedenbaugh for molding me as a man and being the reason I became a coach… To Coach Riley for giving me my first chance in this profession and trusting me continually more than I thought I could handle… Thank you!”

Darlington thanked a myriad of constituents at Oklahoma before announcing that his time in Norman has reached an end. He continued to note that he “could not be more excited” for Oklahoma football under new head coach Brent Venables, and he added that “the best is yet to come” for the program.

“I will be leaving to pursue opportunities elsewhere,” Darlington said, “but I will be a Sooner for life!”

Roughly an hour after Darlington’s Twitter post, Feldman said that Darlington will be heading to Florida.

“Darlington was extremely well-regarded by the OU staff as a rising star in the business and has helped coach QBs,” Feldman added.