“Tulsa hires Lamb from East Tennessee State as football coach.”

The hiring, first reported by ESPN, comes 14 days after Kevin Wilson was fired. Wilson was 23 games into a five-year contract when he was released on Nov. 24 before the Hurricane’s season finale against Florida Atlantic.

Lamb comes to Tulsa after one season as head coach at East Tennessee State. He was 7-5 this season. He came to ETSU from Gardner-Webb, where he played in two consecutive playoff games. Lamb, who played at Tennessee Tech, is 27-25 in five seasons as a head coach and has never won more than seven games in a season.

A lot has happened in the two short weeks since the TU coach changed. A total of 30 Hurricane players have entered the transfer portal. That list also includes true freshman receiver Joseph Williams, who was named American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year. The first day players can sign with other schools is Monday, and several TU portal listings have announced Power 4 offers on social media.

About 50% of TU’s depth chart for the final game of the season against FAU is either in the portal or ineligible.

On the Monday after the season finale, the families of seniors Cooper Legas and Myles Jackson detailed allegations of name, image and likeness money that were promised but never paid by TU. Wilson and the school have both denied these allegations.

Last Wednesday, TU, led by interim coach Ryan Switzer and Wilson’s remaining staff, largely kept its 2025 recruiting class together. Among the 14 signings, three players with local ties were highlighted – Jenks linebacker Sam Stone, Jenks offensive lineman Javion Antai and Shiloh Christian defensive end Hudson Ball, who spent two seasons at Jenks.

Wilson, who came to TU after serving as offensive coordinator at Ohio State, had a 7-16 record during his tenure, including five losses by more than 30 points this season.

Lamb was hired after a relatively quiet coaching search. The new sports director at TU has not spoken to the media since the coaching change. Assistant athletic director Joe Fields did not comment on the search when approached after the FAU game.

The fan favorite in the search was Brennan Marion, the former TU receiver who is currently the offensive coordinator at UNLV. According to the sources, he was contacted at the beginning of the search, but it is not known how far along he was. His name is often linked to open offensive coordinator jobs in the Power 4, including at Oklahoma State. And UNLV is looking for a head coach after Barry Odom left this weekend to take the job at Purdue.

Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman was linked to the job near the end of the search. He has been the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator since 2020, following Chris Klieman from North Dakota State to KSU. Klanderman played and coached at Minnesota State.

Incarnate Word coach Clint Killough was also considered a candidate. His team defeated Villanova in the FCS playoffs on Saturday. Killough, a UIW graduate, was an assistant at the school under former Tulsa quarterback GJ Kinne and took over when Kinne moved to Texas State.

SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods was also a name linked to the job over the weekend. SMU lost to Clemson in the ACC championship game on Saturday but earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Ender Aguilar, 6-5, 300, Jr., OL, Mission Viejo, California.

Lloyd Avant, 5-10, 196, FR-HS, RB, Humble, Texas

Jehlen Cannadym 5-11, 187, Sr., S, Macon, Ga.

Kasen Carpenter, 6-3, 291, FR-RS, OL, Midlothian, Texas

Viron Ellison Jr., 6-0, 195, Fr.-HS, RB, Lewisville, Texas

Jackson Ford, 6-6, 238, FR-HS, TE, Melissa, Texas

RJ Jackson Jr., 6-3, 282, Soph., DL, Choctaw

Russ Johnston, 6-6, 300, FR-HS, OL, Blanchard

Justin Lohrenz, 6-3, 251, Jr., DE, Littleton, Colorado.

Vontroy Malone, 6-3, 240, Soph., DE, Clute, Texas

Reed Malphurs, 6-6, 208, FR-TR, PK, Dallas

Luke McGary, 6-3, 240, Soph., TE, Plano, Texas

Jayce Morgan, 5-9, 198, Soph., RB, Gainesville, Texas

Seth Morgan, 5-11, 173, Gr., PK, Houston

Tai Newhouse, 6-2, 303, Soph, DL, Lawrence, Kan.

Matthew Ogunrin, 5-11, 180, FR-RS, WR, Katy, Texas

Troop O’Neal, 6-0, 192, Fr.-HS, K, Plano, Texas

Owen Ostroski, 6-2, 254, Jr., DL, Tulsa

Brody Reese, 6-2, 314, Jr., DL, Hillsboro, Oregon.

Bennett Ringleb, 6-4, 278, FR-RS, OL, Tulsa

Devin Robinson, 6-0, 190, FR-RS, S, Tulsa

Will Smith, 6-4, 224, FR-HS, DL, Choctaw

Zion Steptoe, 5-11, 190, Soph., WR, Frisco, Texas

Parker Stone, 6-4, 210, Jr., LS, Grain Valley, Mo.

Jack Tanner, 6-6, 295, Fr.-HS, OL, Highland Village, Texas

Connor Vaughn, 6-4, 244, Soph., TE, Flower Mound, Texas

Maruio White Jr., 6-3, 218, FR-HS, DE, Arlington, Texas

Cardell Williams, 6-2, 193, Soph., QB, Houston

Joseph Williams, 6-2, 195, FR-HS, WR, Arlington, Texas

Walter Young Bear, 6-3, 312, Jr., OL, Norman