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Jan. 16, 2010

NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops will begin a search for a new assistant coach after defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator Chris Wilson accepted an offer Saturday to become the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Mississippi State University.

“This is a good opportunity for Chris and we appreciate everything he did for our program,” said Stoops. “I do not have a time table for hiring a new coach.  There are a number of different avenues I can take and I will take all of them into consideration.” 

Wilson’s replacement will inherit a group of defensive ends that returns two players with starting experience in two-time All-Big 12 defensive end Jeremy Beal and Frank Alexander.  Beal led the Sooners in 2009 with 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks while Alexander was fifth on the team with seven tackles for loss after starting the final four games of the season.

Wilson spent the past five seasons coaching defensive ends at Oklahoma. The Sooners finished 2009 ranked eighth nationally against the run and also tied for sixth in sacks per game. The Oklahoma defense has finished in the top 10 nationally in rushing defense three times during Wilson’s five years on staff.

“Chris has taught some of the best defensive lines in the Big 12 at Colorado and Oklahoma, and brings a knowledge of the OU defensive system that is one of the best in the nation,” Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen said.